Re: "The Classic Car", Summer 2013 issue

Posted by 58L8134 On 2013/6/18 10:19:08

Hi Tim

Thanks for posting that wonderful profile of the Jordan, that's the first time I've seen it. I too suspect Dietrich might be the creator of the Jordan Sportsman sedan design, seem to recall Jordan was one of the companiies he had a consultancy with. It has the same hood style of his Franklin work, also some of the details and feel of his prior full-custom Franklin Le Pirate. The other possibility was Alexis de Sahknoffsky, under contract with Hayes Body, who gave quite a few small makers a good element of style in their last years.

As far as the A-pillar-to-roof header, Dietrich handled that about as well as it could be short of keeping a separate cast convertible-style windshield frame as he would with the V-windshield design to come next. Notice the window shapes are nearly a mirror image of one another. A bit more rake angle on each would be even better but for full-door construction, looks magnificent as it is. For the '33-'34 sport sedan, most of the high arch of the upper door frames is flattened off, an improvement.

The fully-integrated coupe-style trunk is the leap forward that was being demonstrated here, which required the passenger compartment be completely moved forward off the rear axle line. The Chrsyler Airflow gets credit for this as a production first but it was worked out conceptually first by Dietrich and other custom coachbuilders.

Why, Oh why didn't Packard hire Dietrich the minute he was pushed out of his association with Murray/Dietrich? Better yet, built whatever he designed without question as production offerings.

Steve