GM Design Studio Drawings, Clay Models, & Prototypes

[Casey]

A few images of various GM divisions' clay models shared via the GM Photostore's facebook page:

 

The below was a proposed idea for the '70 Monte Carlo, before the more formal roof was locked in: 

 

Astro 1:

 

Panther Camaro with a more formal roofline:

 

Where's the drool emoji when you need it?:

Edited September 20, 2018 by Casey

[om617]

17 minutes ago, Casey said:

A few images of various GM divisions' clay models shared via the GM Photostore's facebook page:

Where's the drool emoji when you need it?:

 

This look fantastic. Do you know what year this claymodel was made?

I love how close the prototype for the 1967 Cadillac is the final product.

[Casey]

17 hours ago, om617 said:

This look fantastic. Do you know what year this clay model was made?

I want to say '63 or '64, but maybe it was a bit earlier. I think this image came from the www.deansgarage.com website, though.

 

Early pre-bustleback Cadillac Seville?:

 

Edited September 20, 2018 by Casey

[Jim N]

The Monte Carlo looks fantastic!  It would have been really cool to see that one produced.

[Ace-Garageguy]

Great stuff. A tremendous amount of talent, skill, and just plain hard work went into building full-scale mockups.

I had really wanted to compete in the old Fisher Body Craftsman's Guild design contest, but I had neither the skills nor the tools in time to get in before the end.

Here's an interesting article about the disappearance of most of the models that were entered.

http://www.deansgarage.com/2015/mystery-of-the-missing-models/

[espo]

An interesting thing about looking at the old styling proposals, you will notice some of the styling elements that appeared later on some other line or even some that make you wonder why they didn't do that instead of what ended up in production.  

[unclescott58]

I like the proposed Monte. 

 

[Howard Cohen]

There have been several articles about styling over the years and a few books written by stylists. Collectible Automobile did a few articles many years ago. I wonder how many clay mock-ups were done for each model. For example, the Camaro seems to have more than a dozen styles, so there may have been a few dozen clay mock-ups. The '67 clay car has some great artwork on the back wall and they look so much like the '69 Camaro. 

Many years ago I met a man who did clay carving of dashboards for Pontiac. He would start with a series of drawings, then carve a dash and add instruments. His supervisor would then inspect the dash. If he didn't like it, he would take a hammer to it. If he liked it, it would be sent to the next step, whatever that was. 

Even with all the computers today, they still use clay to make the first model. 

[Richard Bartrop]

1 hour ago, Ace-Garageguy said:

I had really wanted to compete in the old Fisher Body Craftsman's Guild design contest, but I had neither the skills nor the tools in time to get in before the end.

Same here, and that that "Open to residents of the United States" thing.

22 minutes ago, espo said:

An interesting thing about looking at the old styling proposals, you will notice some of the styling elements that appeared later on some other line or even some that make you wonder why they didn't do that instead of what ended up in production.  

I  definitely liked some of those Camaro concepts,  though some of them it was probably for the best that they didn't go that way.

[Robberbaron]

10 hours ago, Howard Cohen said:

Collectible Automobile did a few articles many years ago. I wonder how many clay mock-ups were done for each model. For example, the Camaro seems to have more than a dozen styles, so there may have been a few dozen clay mock-ups. The '67 clay car has some great artwork on the back wall and they look so much like the '69 Camaro. 

 

Actually, just about every issue of CA features articles that explore the in-progress design of a certain vehicle or generation of vehicles.  As long as the documentation still exists and is available, CA normally includes photos of the clay models in progress, and often even the initial designers sketches.

If seems like it's much harder to find CA on newsstands nowadays than it used to be, but it's well worth seeking out if you have an obsession with automotive design.

[Robberbaron]

14 hours ago, Casey said:

 

 

 

 

Who sees the '70 Cuda roof?

[Richard Bartrop]

A bit, but it's not like weren't all exploring similar territory.

The whole design of the 1970 Barracuda shares similarities with the first gen Camaro, though I think the stylists working on the 'Cuda handled it better.

Edited September 21, 2018 by Richard Bartrop

[afx]

10 hours ago, Robberbaron said:

Who sees the '70 Cuda roof?

That was my first thought. Even the wheel arches are similar.

Edited September 21, 2018 by afx

[Snake45]

On 9/20/2018 at 10:45 AM, Casey said:

I want to say '63 or '64, but maybe it was a bit earlier. I think this image came from the www.deansgarage.com website, though.

 

 

I see '69 Camaro/Firebird in this one. 

[gotnitro?]

Very cool pics 

 

[StevenGuthmiller]

On 9/19/2018 at 4:23 PM, Casey said:

A few images of various GM divisions' clay models shared via the GM Photostore's facebook page:

 

This one seems to have a lot of 1961 Oldsmobile styling cues.

The roof line is obviously 1961& the shape of the rear fender looks very '61 "Olds-ish" to me.

Although the hood looks a little more '61 Buick.

 

Steve

[MrObsessive]

Possibly a once planned 'personal' coupe for Olds? Looks rather 2+2ish to me. And yes, those fender creases and such scream '61 Olds.

Hmmm........what might have been!

[martinfan5]

Ive always been fascinated by the clay models the car company's would do, I remember being a kid thinking how cool.

Nice thread Casey.

[Casey]

Trucks, too:

 

"This photo from the files of GM's Truck Studio documented where the design for the '72 El Camino was in late April, 1970.":

 

 

"GM's Truck Studio was still looking at alternative designs for Chevrolet's '58 pickup truck when this photo was taken in March, 1956.":

 

"In the summer of 1963, GM's Truck Studio was working on a pickup version of the Chevrolet G-Van. ":

 

"In the fall of 1965, GM's Truck Studio developed this "Light Utility Truck" concept as part of the '69 Blazer program.":

Edited September 22, 2018 by Casey

[Casey]

"Chevrolet Studio brought this clay model proposal for a 1972 four door Monte Carlo to a design review in early May, 1970":

 

"Chevy Studio was close to releasing the '73 Monte Carlo design when this photo was taken in December of 1969.":

 

"In late May, 1963, Chevrolet Studio took their latest fiberglass model of the '65 Impala fastback coupe outside for a design review.":

 

"Pontiac Studio took this proposal for the 1964 full-sized Pontiac program outside for a review in early May, 1961" Ooooof. :

 

"Chevy Studio was working on this alternative for the '71 Impala program when this studio file photo was taken on October 17, 1968.":

Edited September 22, 2018 by Casey

[Russell C]

On 9/20/2018 at 7:45 AM, Casey said:

Cougarutlassamaro … or something.

[Casey]

Just now, Russell C said:

Cougarutlassamaro … or something.

Yeah, there's a lot going on on this one. Not sure if this was an XP-833  idea or not (more on the XP-833 here: http://www.deansgarage.com/2014/1965-pontiac-banshee-the-story-of-the-xp-833/), but I see some '73-'77 Colonnade Olds lower body bulges, too.

 

[henry57]

Wow! great pics, any tri-fives?

[Classicgas]

Keep em coming Casey, interesting stuff for sure.

[Snake45]

9 hours ago, Casey said:

Yeah, there's a lot going on on this one. Not sure if this was an XP-833  idea or not (more on the XP-833 here: http://www.deansgarage.com/2014/1965-pontiac-banshee-the-story-of-the-xp-833/), but I see some '73-'77 Colonnade Olds lower body bulges, too.

 

The Olds was the first thing I saw in it, too.