The next eccentricity of Raymond Loewy on Lancia

ONE-OFF There are always creative people who are not only able to produce the best and quality works who are also able to provide inspiration to the people. No exception in the industrial world, especially automotive. A gentleman figure like Raymond Loewy, a well-known French-born American industrial designer who was involved in many industries including automotive between the 1930s and the late 1950s with his streamlined design style flourished.

This unique-shaped Lancia Flaminia Loraymo designed by Raymond Loewy in the 1959, is constructed by Rocco Motto in Turin, Italy and presented for the first time at the 1960 Paris Auto Salon. (Picture from: Fabwhellsdigest)

As we can see today, there are many works created through this gentleman's hands, such several world's petroleum company logos such as Shell, BP, or the logo of one of the famous American cigarettes Lucky Strike to the king-size Coca Cola bottle shape. Then in the world's automotive, started in 1940s, when he made costly experimental design works on the Lincoln Continental.

He was also known as an automotive designer for Studabaker and one of his famous works is Studebaker Avanti. Even, he was also the trains designer, and because of his many works in various fields, no wonder if some called him as Father of Industrial Design.

This Lancia Flaminia Loraymo has the eccentric and exotic appearance of the car includes the tapering front end with gaping grill enclosed by a prominent chrome frame, which also serves as a bumper, plus four uniques lights. (Picture from: Fabwhellsdigest)

Such as on the article before which talked about one of his famous creations called  BMW 507 Loewy Concept. This car concept built and reconstructed on in such a way as to become an eccentric car by him and launched at the 44e Salon de l'Automobile (Paris Motor Show) in the 1957 based on the BMW 507 (like one ever owned by the famous singer, Elvis Presley), so no wonder its looking much different from the original car.

This unique-shaped Lancia Flaminia Loraymo carries many design elements from its predecessor the 1957 BMW 507 Coupe which later also be applied to the following Studebaker Avanti model in 1963. (Picture from: Fabwhellsdigest)

Then in 1959, Raymond Loewy returned to spawn an automotive creation that was no less eccentric than his previous work. This time, he called it as the Lancia Flaminia Loraymo, and is built on the 1959 Lancia Flaminia Coupé chassis according to his own stylistic tastes resembled like a fish-face. Meanwhile about the 'LORAYMO' as the car's name is acronym of the surname and his owned-name, namely LO(ewy) RAYMO(nd) and also the telegraphic address of his studio.

This unique-shaped Lancia Flaminia Loraymo carries many design elements from its predecessor the 1957 BMW 507 Coupe which later also be applied to the following Studebaker Avanti model in 1963. (Picture from: Fabwhellsdigest)

When viewed from its design, it appears that the Lancia Loraymo carries many design elements from its predecessor the 1957 BMW 507 Coupe which later also be applied to the following Studebaker Avanti model in 1963. Then Raymond Loewy submitted next job to an Italian Turin-based coachbuilder company that specializes in aluminum bodies named Rocco Motto to turn his designs into a real car.

This unique-shaped Lancia Flaminia Loraymo carries many design elements from its predecessor the 1957 BMW 507 Coupe which later also be applied to the following Studebaker Avanti model in 1963. (Picture from: Fabwhellsdigest)

The eccentric and exotic appearance of the car includes the tapering front end with gaping grill enclosed by a prominent chrome frame, which also serves as a bumper. Then followed by the pinning four uniques lights consisted two outrigger fog lights are detached from the body by an aerodynamic fin and tucked under each headlights on the front fenders, which are slightly open-ended at the bottom for better brake cooling.

This unique-shaped Lancia Flaminia Loraymo uses a 2.5 liter V6 tune up engine by Nardi, and mated with 3 twin carburetors of Weber plus a modified camshaft. (Picture from: Fabwhellsdigest)

The car's uniqueness does not stop there and continues to the sinuous shape incorporates highly sophisticated aerodynamic solutions, such as the aileron above the rear window and the fully closed chrome wheel rims. The wraparound rear window overhangs the boot, which is only accessible from the passenger compartment. The only protruding rear elements are the twin exhaust pipes and slim bumper, while the taillights are flush with the body.

This unique-shaped Lancia Flaminia Loraymo has also protruding rear elements are the twin exhaust pipes and slim bumper, while the taillights are flush with the body. (Picture from: Fabwhellsdigest)

Then the power source comes from a 2.5 liter V6 Lancia's engine which was originally only capable of producing 119 hp, but after tuning up by Nardi, and mated with 3 twin carburetors of Weber plus a modified camshaft, so the power increased significantly to 150 hp so able to make the car run to top speed of 190 kph.

Shortly after the car completed, Loewy was so delighted with the result that he decided to present the Lancia Flamina Loraymo at the 1960 Paris Auto Salon. Like the previous car, this Lancia Loraymo was once Loewy's personal car for years while was in Europe and the United States. After his passed away in 1986, the car had not been seen by the public for a long time, before finally being rediscovered by by the president of the American Lancia Club, who decided to repatriate it by donating it to Lancia, today, the Loraymo resides in Lancia's factory museum in Italy. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | FCAHERITAGE | FABWHEELSDIGEST | HEMMINGS ]

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Is the 4-doors Corvette really existed?

Rare ONES Now we are back to discussing the Corvette, one of the famous American muscle cars. Well if usually this American car appears in the appearance of a two-doors sports car, then is there a 4-doors Corvette model? As we all knew, until now the Chevrolet manufacturer had never made a single one of 4-doors Corvette variants.

Super rare 1980 Corvette four-doors built by California Custom Coachworks under commissioned of General Motors in limited number of 6 unit only (including one of them was a prototype). (Picture from: DesignYouTrust.com)

Now, if You see many of them circulated in the internet, it doesn't mean You are seeing the 3D rendering model results. We can be assured one of those are not a virtual car model that was digitally engineered through the 3D computer softwares by a rendering artist. How come? This is a real car that was deliberately built for anyone who want to combine the Corvette's sporty character with the practicality of a four-doors sedan.

Super rare 1980 Corvette four-doors was deliberately built for anyone who want to combine the Corvette's sporty character with the practicality of a four-door sedan. (Picture from: DesignYouTrust.com)

Back in the late of 1970s, indeed there was a 4-door Corvette variant made by California Custom Coachworks under commissioned of General Motors in limited numbers for its customers, namely 5 units out of a total of six cars ever produced, with one of them was a prototype.

Super rare 1980 Corvette four-doors was in the red olored interior ranging from the seats, dashboard, and seat belts all red. (Picture from: DesignYouTrust.com)

In short, the Pasadena-based company builds all those cars from the standard 2-doors Corvettes, then lengthened them to 30 inches, automatically adding a significant 500 lbs of weight to the body as well. As the result is a very rare four-doors Corvette featuring four seats and a very strange and unusual design.

Super rare 1980 Corvette four-doors built based on the standard Corvette by lengthened it to 30 inches. (Picture from: DesignYouTrust.com)

But unfortunately only two units are believed to survive today, and one of them, a bright red 4-doors Corvette listed for sale by the NBS Auto Showroom in the 2019. Those red color continues to creep into the interior as well, ranging from the seats, dashboard, and seat belts all red. Meanwhile the odometer recorded a range of 20,000 miles, because it was only driven to the auto shows.

Judging from the price of $35,000 offered for this car, it would be make you rethink for a moment, because it is double of the price of the base model Corvette at the time. But if you looking at the rarity factor plus if you were a true Corvette collector would make those $ 35,000 figures worth it for this 4-doors Corvette.

We thought, perhaps the car sold by now. It was fortunate that the buyer was able to own a rare 4-doors Corvette and most importantly the car was reside in the right hands now. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | CARBUZZ | DESIGNYOUTRUST | NBS AUTOSHOWROOM ]

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The unique Loewy Lincoln of the 1940s

ONE-OFF Today, French-born American industrial designer Raymond Loewy is remembered as the Father of Industrial Design, who was involved in many industries including automotive between the 1930s and the late 1950s with his streamlined design style flourished which sometimes seemed outlandish and unusual to the common pepole.

1941 Loewy Lincoln built designed by Raymond Loewy, built based on the 1941 Lincoln Continental convertible and bodied by a Philadephia-based coachbuilder named Derham Body Co. (Picture from: Hemmings)

We cannot find any records stating when he began experimenting with those streamlined shapes, which led him to the pinnacle of accomplishment as an automotive designer with eccentric and unusual shapes. It's just that, in the early 1940s, when Raymond Loewy decided to build a car for his personal use, which was a vehicle suitable for traveling between many of his remote residences, later known as the Loewy Lincoln.

1941 Loewy Lincoln featured many unique styling touches, including shortened front fenders, redesigned grille and hood, custom bumpers, removable Plexiglass top, opera windows, and a fin below the trunk. (Picture from: Coachbuild)

Then he purchassed a Lincoln Continental Convertible which he would use as his dream car basis. Why was the choice fell on those American car figures? Because, he tought that the Continental convertible was a classy and stylish car at that time. Although in the process of later work, the car should lose all its elegance, which was replaced by an agglomeration of eccentric and uncommon shapes.

The 1940s dream car designed by Raymond Loewy is built on a chassis taken from the Lincoln Continental also keeps its V12 engine as its drivetrain. Then to realize his car, then he sent those Lincoln's chassis dan engine to the Philadelphia-based coachwork named Derham Body Company to construct the car bodywork under the style created by himself and called as the 'solid-top Victorian" style.

1941 Loewy Lincoln featured many unique styling touches, including shortened front fenders, redesigned grille and hood, custom bumpers, removable Plexiglass top, opera windows, and a fin below the trunk. (Picture from: PBase.com)

A letter from Derham confirmed their ability to "Rework the lower windshield, rework door glass in keeping, make town car style canopy over front seats, upholster the solid top interior above belt line in cloth, reworking front fender design similar to style indicated on sketch, close up standard radiator vents and re-arrange...with extras added. Furthermore, the car's interior is actually quite pleasant, all-surfaces of seats inside the cabin are covered by the light colored fabrics make the rear feel open, and of course, the front resembles the Clairière Viosin.

1941 Loewy Lincoln's interior has a gold-plate dashboard accents, and all-surfaces of seats inside the cabin are covered by the light colored fabrics make the rear feel open. (Picture from: Desert-Motors.com)

As quoted of Hemmings, after it was finished, he liked it very much. It was also stated that he had another, identical aside from paint, built for his first wife, Viola. We thought, that these Loewy Lincoln cars were built as many as 2 units with the same shape but different colors where each car was later used by Loewy and his first wife. Unfortunately, the Viola's car disappeared many years ago, but the original Loewy survived for refurbishment in 2007, and was sold for $451,000 by the Gooding & Co. in an auction event of the 2008 held in Scottsdale.

1941 Loewy Lincoln's body was lowered six inches over the frame and the special top helps to create one of the most elegant Lincolns of the prewar era. (Picture from: Desert-Motors.com)

However in between 1946 to 2007, the car underwent several changes. Early photos showed a series of tangential rings forming the grille, dual antennas on the engine cover, distinct bumpers with the overriders and, most importantly, Continental-style spare tires on the rear, with another unique rear bumper. Neither of them survived today. In contrast, the small front grille features one center ring with Studebaker-style bullets, and the spare is completely gone - in its place are the odd, shortened center fin and reworked rear valance.

Given Loewy's habit of tinkering with his designs and longevity, it's possible that he's the one who changed it, not the next owner. Today the Loewy town car resides as one of the Richard Driehaus Collections. Wanna see the next eccentricity of Raymond Loewy on Lancia, Cadillac, Jaguar, and BMW.  *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES  | CONCEPTCARZ | FABWHEELSDIGEST | HEMMINGS ]

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A remnant of the glory of the Gladiator GTS of the '50s

Unique ONES You might be remember to the Cadillac Die Valkyrie or the Studebaker Scepter Concept. All these 2 classic cars known to be the Brooks Stevens design results and have unique shapes in comparison to the existing cars of the era. And on this occasion, we will again present another unique car which is also the design work of those famous American industrial designer, namely the Gaylord Gladiator Sports-Touring.

The prototype of the Gaylord Gladiator Sports-Touring is designed by Brooks Stevens, bodied by Karosseriebau Hermann Spohn and debuted at the 42nd Paris Auto Salon in the 1955. (Picture from: Chrisinmotion.com)

As quoted from the sites of The Makes That Didn't Make It, the car was deliberately built as the grandest embodiment of James and Edward Gaylord's dream car or it could be said such the dream manifestation, if money is no longer a problem. As it is known, the Gaylord brothers are the heirs to a fortune built on their father’s hairpin invention. They are also known as true automotive enthusiasts who mourned over the collapsing of the great marques at the time, such as Bugatti and Delahaye, Duesenberg and Stutz.

The Gaylord Gladiator Sports-Touring ('production version') is also of historic significance in that it featured the very first automotive retractable hardtop model. (Picture from: Chrisinmotion.com)

And at the same time in the 1950s to 1960s era, it was the heyday of the European manufacturers's modern GT car's in the global market and also raced swiftly dominated various world-renowned racing events, made the American muscled cars with boundless power, seem like powerless and should be pull over from the global competition’s harshness.

The prototype of the Gaylord Gladiator Sports-Touring appears with exposed front wheels and the P-100 gargantuan 'twin' headlights. (Picture from: Chrisinmotion.com)

As we all knew, each had its appeals, each its drawbacks. But the Gaylord brothers wanted it all, namely a car with capable performance to compete on the LeMans or Monaco circuits, while still able to carry its occupants in comfort over the finest streets of Paris or New York. Since then, they began looking for who could build the world's most advanced, spectacular and exclusive luxury grand tourer sports car (as they desire above), later the car is named the Gaylord Gladiator.

The Gaylord Gladiator Sports-Touring 'production' version appears with enclosed front wheels and conventionally-sized "quad" headlights. (Picture from: Chrisinmotion.com)

To make the dream car into a reality, they went to the famous Wisconsin's auto designer Brooks Stevens, and then the designer gave his ideas about grandiose grilles and huge headlamps, recalling the features of prewar grand touring cars. In short, at that time the Gaylord brothers agreed with those Stevens' designs, and the car is also of historic significance in that it featured the very first automotive retractable hardtop model.

The Gaylord Gladiator Phaeton design proposal by Brooks Stevens, as the four doors model but never made it.. (Picture from: Chrisinmotion.com)

And after the completion of the design process, the Gaylord brothers handed over the car construction to Karosseriebau Hermann Spohn, a Ravensburg, Germany based coachbuilder company. It's planned that the Gladiator will be produced in 2 different models, namely 2-door and 4-door models (this model was never made) with a production capacity of 25 units per year. The first Gladiator Sports-Touring debuted at the 42nd Paris Auto Salon in the 1955.

On the wood dash, there are the "Gaylord" branded customized VDO gauges with the Gladiator's sword motif, stared out at the awestruck driver. (Picture from: Chrisinmotion.com)

At that time, the Gladiator would be sold at the price ranging of $17,500 per unit (or the equivalent of 4 Corvettes). Although expensive, there are several buyers on list for the Gladiator, including the deposed Egyptian King Farouk and several Hollywood stars such Dick Powell, Grace Kelly, William Holden, etc. It seems that the high price of the car (which was two times of the most expensive Cadillac at the time, the stunning El Dorado Brougham) was quite comparable to its quality and sophisticated chassis design so that no other car could match it.

The Gaylord Gladiator Sports-Touring's cockpit was trimmed in the finest leather and burled wood, plus the real chrome accents were everywhere. (Picture from: Chrisinmotion.com)

The Gaylord brothers designed a very strong chrome-molybdenum tubular chassis, using coil springs and A-arms for the front suspension and a beam axle with leaf springs for the rear. The suspension made extensive use of rubber and the passenger compartment was virtually impervious to shock from rough road surfaces while maintaining unparealled handling and cornering ability for the time.

The Gaylord brothers designed a very strong chrome-molybdenum tubular chassis, using coil springs and A-arms for the front suspension and a beam axle with leaf springs for the rear. (Picture from: Chrisinmotion.com)

Not to mention, there were so many luxury abounded within the car. The cockpit was trimmed in the finest leather and burled wood, plus the real chrome accents were everywhere. On the wood dash, there are the "Gaylord" branded customized VDO gauges with the Gladiator's sword motif, stared out at the awestruck driver. Even the spare tire was presented on a tray with chrome rails which slid out from a hatch in the lavishly chromed rear end. The steering effort itself could be controlled by a hydraulic servo unit from the driver's seat.

The Gaylord Gladiator Sports-Touring 'production' version used a 305 hp Cadillac V-8 engine connnected to a Hydra-Matic four speed transmission. (Picture from: Chrisinmotion.com)

Reportedly there were only 4 cars ever built, and the prototype appears with exposed front wheels and the P-100 gargantuan 'twin' headlights. While the other 3 of "production" versions have enclosed front wheels and conventionally-sized "quad" headlights. It's said that the original fender/headlights style was dropped for production apparently because of roadway debris while the enclosed wheel wells featured illumination.

The Gaylord Gladiator Sports-Touring 'production' version used a 305 hp Cadillac V-8 engine connnected to a Hydra-Matic four speed transmission. (Picture from: Chrisinmotion.com)

What about the power? The Gaylord Gladiator's prototype powered by the most powerful engine available at the time, ie a 365-cid Chrysler Hemi V-8 engine which also used in the gorgeous 1955 Chrysler C-300 (the first 300 hp production vehicle), but the production versions used a 305 hp Cadillac V-8 engine connnected to a Hydra-Matic four speed transmission. 

 

Even though the car has a quite hefty weight almost 4,000 lbs, but You should never doubt its performance numbers, it can accelerate from rest to 60 mph in just 8 seconds (the numbers is quite spectacular for that day) and can be lauched to top speed up to 120 mph easily.

As qouted of Chrisinmotion.com, the existence of the 4 Gaylord Gladiator cars ever saw the light of day today, in which two units of the Gaylord Gladiator were seen together on display at the Early American Museum in Silver Springs, Florida, although it appears to have shut down.

One is now on display at the Zeppelin Museum in Frederichshaven, Germany, where it was unveiled in May, 2018. And the other unit is in the hands of private owner in Arizona, Ralph Carrungi, and is the subject of the excellent video above, which details just how stunning this car is. In our opinion,  the Gaylord Gladiator deserved included on the short list of the most extraordinary cars ever made. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | MAKESTHATDIDNTMAKEIT | MYCARQUEST | CHRISINMOTION ] 

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