Re: Synopsis of forces and events leading to '48-'50 styling

Posted by 58L8134 On 2020/3/18 13:17:48
Hi

Thanks for all your considered responses and perspectives. Each in turn:

Dave

"Let me offer a clarification; the 22nd/23rd series long wheelbase sedan bodies were built by Briggs, not Henney. "

That is a good point, I briefly considered including it but decided it was a bit of esoteric detail not directly germane to the subject of the series styling.


Bkazmer

"The Chrysler Thunderbolt and Newport prewar show cars were also influential,..."

"I don't agree on GM having handled the styling era well - their financial muscle carried them through. The post-war Cadillac design still had rear fenders, as did Chevrolet through 54. The Independents led the way out of pre-war styling. "


Indeed, both the Chrysler Thunderbolt and Newport by LeBaron, especially the former, were highly influential on the designers of the period when developing their visions of postwar cars.

'Evolutionary, never revolutionary' might well have been Harley Earl's personal mantra when selecting which designs would be promoted for production. Allowing the independent automakers to pioneer, or maybe better described as being the guinea pigs, to try out advanced radical styling in production gave GM immediate feedback whether a new design direction would find general acceptance or be rejected. Misterl summarily rejected the pudgy, fully-envelope styling developed for the postwar Cadillac as late as the running metal prototypes. Variously named the "Interceptor" or "C.O." for Commissioned Officer, in one of this famous turnarounds, Earl one day told his staff "To hell with that big blown-up thing (referring the C.O.)". At which point they developed an evolutionary version first seen on the '42 Buick sedanette and convertible. The hood/cowl surface continues along the beltline, whereas the front fender line proceeds reward at full height until it dives behind the rear fender forms. This creates a flatter rounded section and a step in the visual height rather than one large pudgy fat roll top to bottom. The separate rear fenders rendered a crouching haunches look as in an animal about to leap. All the familiar forms were still present. This same concept is seen on the 1947 Studebaker. After the Free-Flow styling experience, Reinhart decided to include the vestigial rear fenders in the Contours as a visual break as well.

"what was Packard's relationship with Budd at this time? The 41 bodies before the Clipper used door stampings from Budd. Could they have been an alternate to Briggs?"


Budd supplied stamping and complete bodies to a wide variety of carmakers, component stamping for assembly in the carmaker's plants were a major part of their business. They developed the all-steel bodies Dodge and Ford used early on. During the 1930's Chrysler was a major customer with the Airflow as Budd had experience with unit-body construction from their European operations, the Citroen Traction Avant being one. This came to play leading to both the Nash 600 and step-down Hudsons. Studebaker was a major customer for their stampings to the end. The Budd Co. topic on Coachbuilt.com tells the history very well. Packard doesn't appear to have been a major customer.

Apparently with the Clipper, Briggs finally had a complete grip on Packard's volume body business including the stampings. From what has been written, the cozy Packard-Briggs relationship seems to have developed as Briggs assisted closely in the Clipper's design, willingly took over its construction to free up plant space as Packard accepted more ordinance materiel work. Walter Briggs and Alvan Macauley were friends and business associates so when it came to who owned what stamping presses that had been transferred from Packard to Briggs, there was nothing in writing to determine that. Being dependent on a sole supplier was painting themselves into a corner when things went sour.

Paul West (Mahoning63)

"John Reinhart said that he and many other designers wanted to simply refine the Clipper with a theme he referred to as needle nose. Wonder if any sketches or pictures survived?"

If those sketches have survived, they haven't been identified yet. What the refinement of the Clipper themes were may not have impressed Ed Macauley as being advanced enough to give Packard an edge. The progression of the Brown Bomber customization process seems to be the best window into the thinking as each new feature and detail found its way from the clay to a work-up in metal. Not having a parallel path of alternatives to select from essentially doomed the car to have the styling as it developed. The pitfalls of a tiny, underdeveloped styling department when such was becoming critical to remain competitive.

Steve

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