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We lost another Friend....Bill Robinson

autoweek.com/news/industry-news/a3911077 ... -designer-bill-robinson-dead-at-96/

RIP Bill Robinson.
You passed your knowledge to a new generation of designers, the greatest gift.

Very sad news. Bill was a very, very knowledgeable designer and knew the inside stories of Briggs and their relationship with Packard. I talked with Bill many times over the years and he very kindly shared some of his illustrations with me.

While the Autoweek story on Bill has some errors, there is also an omission.

Bill made a very significant impact that almost no one in (or outside of) the Packard world is aware of. He designed what is referred to in the Creative Industries book as "the Packard Belmont."

This car well preceded the Plymouth Belmont but carried most of the same styling cues... right down to the long hood, recessed front fenders, kicked-up rear quarters and those deep-bezel headlights with crosshairs in them! One way or another, this is where the Plymouth Belmont really came from.

For those who don't know, Briggs had already got Packard interested in doing what I call the "Packard Belmont". It was even published in a magazine. But Jim Nance took one look at it after he arrived... cringed and said "no way!" So? This situation paved the way for the Packard Panthers. And the Plymouth Belmont. This is how it happened.

Bless you, Bill. And thanks from an eternal fan.

Leeedy is correct in his assessment of the Autoweek article – well written, with a few errors, but still well worth the time to read it.

Many auto designers have given Bill high praise, including Richard Vaughan, director of design quality at EV producer Rivian. Vaughan says, “…Robinson’s influence on car design cannot be overstated as every automaker today has designers who studied under him.”

Embedded in that article is a YouTube video, filmed at the Packard Proving Grounds, where Bill discusses his life’s work – you get to hear him tell his own story.youtube.com/watch?v=dubmHG2SBkk&t=14s

Several years ago, Bill donated thirteen of his Packard, 1950s-era renderings to the Packard Proving Grounds. We recognize them as one of our most historical treasures. Some of those renderings will be on display at his memorial service March 4 at the Kirk In The Hill Church in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan.

I hate losing a good friend such as Bill. May he rest in peace.

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I knew Bill from my years at the Walter P. Chrysler museum, Bill was one of the very best volunteer docents we had there. He helped me with my article about Briggs Body and Chrysler. A very nice man, and a humble, devout soul.

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Since RogerDetroit mentions rightly so that Bill Robinson's video was shot at the Packard Proving Grounds I would like to mention that Bill's video was done via another good friend now also passed on. The late Robert Edwards and his wife Julie Hyde-Edwards were going around a few years ago attempting to save this art. So they made the video possible. Robert was a very kind and talented gentleman who also loved Packards.

This is also unknown to Packard folk, but Robert, myself and Marvin King were all at the Mitchell-Bentley close-down auction. We did everything we could to save all of the Packard items that were there (and there were many– including things not identified as Packard. Robert helped to save a significant portion of the original Packard art that was at the Mitchell auction and elsewhere. And in turn, Robert and myself were both friends of Bill Robinson. So I'm hoping that Robert and Bill are somewhere talking once again... or perhaps driving something interesting with red hexagons on the wheels in Packard Heaven.

Mr. Pushbutton's article, "Conner, Briggs, and Chrysler" (by John M. Lauter) was published in The Packard Cormorant magazine, #126 (1st quarter 2007). The issue is available through The Packard Club for $8 postpaid in the USA.