Some Olde things

[Joe Handley]

I thought Colani's name sounded familiar

 

Add a jet inlet and exhaust and some batwing shaped fins to this one, it could pass as a Batmobile!

Edited May 27, 2018 by Joe Handley

[Greg Myers]

[Lizard Racing]

Please keep in mind these older cars were a product of the designer's imagination (or nightmares) and without computer aids.  For the time they looked pretty cool.

[Ace-Garageguy]

1 hour ago, Lizard Racing said:

Please keep in mind these older cars were a product of the designer's imagination (or nightmares) and without computer aids.  For the time they looked pretty cool.

Nope, no, unh-unh, not buyin' it. They had this ancient technology called "drawing" and "scale drawing". I know it seems pretty hard to believe, but they used these tools called "pencils" and "pens" and "paper", and these tricks called "measuring" and "perspective". I've used them myself. And believe it or not, they can show you just exactly what something will look like before you build it. Not having computers is no excuse for building ugly.  

                                                                                           

                                                                                         

                                                                                       

 

Edited May 28, 2018 by Ace-Garageguy

[Richard Bartrop]

3 hours ago, Ace-Garageguy said:

Nope, no, unh-unh, not buyin' it. They had this ancient technology called "drawing" and "scale drawing". I know it seems pretty hard to believe, but they used these tools called "pencils" and "pens" and "paper", and these tricks called "measuring" and "perspective". I've used them myself. And believe it or not, they can show you just exactly what something will look like before you build it. Not having computers is no excuse for building ugly.  

If anything, the computers make it to easy to lay down any sort of contrived surface that strikes your fancy, regardless of whether not it's actually a good idea.  The problem with today's cars isn't that they have no style, but they they have way too much of it.  Thankfully some designers are trying to exercise some restraint.

[Spex84]

I'm always impressed when I really LOOK at '30-34 Fords. Panels that look flat--but aren't. Every curve balanced against its neighbors. Every plane and line resolved. That balance is key to a great design.

Some of the modern designs that look like they dropped hot n' steaming from one of Michael Bay's Transformers....are actually very nicely resolved. Then the question becomes "just because they could...should they have?"  It might be cool to design a car that looks like a freeze-frame depiction of exploding origami at 1000mph, but when every car looks like that (or the sad, bloated middle-aged commuter version) then maybe it's time for the next trend. 

And trends are of course a huge part of what makes some of the previously posted cars "ugly" in our eyes. They were speaking the language of their time, but the conversation has shifted. Any bold design will always be polarizing. The creators of those "ugly" cars went out on a limb and did something, rather than just talking about it. And now we get to enjoy (complaining about?) the fruits of their labor. Either way it's fun

I've always thought the Ghia-bodied Chrysler concept cars were some of the most tasteful of the '50s (and clearly the inspiration for the Chrysler 300. I'll take the old one, thanks!)

 

[Chuck Most]

If we're casually tossing out ugly designs we still love for some reason, allow me to treat you to the 1955 Mercury D-528 concept. I especially like the fact that I don't think they could possibly have picked a less flattering color for it if they'd tried. Going by the roof line I think somebody involved in the styling was having coffee with a guy from Nash's styling studio. On the other hand... squint and you can see a little '56 Continental MKII in the front end. Well, I can anyway. 

Edited May 28, 2018 by Chuck Most

[unclescott58]

3 hours ago, Spex84 said:

I'm always impressed when I really LOOK at '30-34 Fords. Panels that look flat--but aren't. Every curve balanced against its neighbors. Every plane and line resolved. That balance is key to a great design.

Some of the modern designs that look like they dropped hot n' steaming from one of Michael Bay's Transformers....are actually very nicely resolved. Then the question becomes "just because they could...should they have?"  It might be cool to design a car that looks like a freeze-frame depiction of exploding origami at 1000mph, but when every car looks like that (or the sad, bloated middle-aged commuter version) then maybe it's time for the next trend. 

And trends are of course a huge part of what makes some of the previously posted cars "ugly" in our eyes. They were speaking the language of their time, but the conversation has shifted. Any bold design will always be polarizing. The creators of those "ugly" cars went out on a limb and did something, rather than just talking about it. And now we get to enjoy (complaining about?) the fruits of their labor. Either way it's fun

I've always thought the Ghia-bodied Chrysler concept cars were some of the most tasteful of the '50s (and clearly the inspiration for the Chrysler 300. I'll take the old one, thanks!)

 

The above was inspiration for Volkswagen's Karmann-Ghia too. There is some belief that Virgil Exner may have actually designed VW's iconic air cooled sports car. When questioned over why he didn't put up a stink over VW's obvious copy of his designs, he use to just smile and say nothing. 

 

Edited May 28, 2018 by unclescott58

[NOBLNG]

6 hours ago, Spex84 said:

And trends are of course a huge part of what makes some of the previously posted cars "ugly" in our eyes. They were speaking the language of their time, but the conversation has shifted. Any bold design will always be polarizing. The creators of those "ugly" cars went out on a limb and did something, rather than just talking about it. And now we get to enjoy (complaining about?) the fruits of their labor. Either way it's fun

When you put it that way, I see that those "ugly" designs have a purpose. There may have long ago been a mutated gene in the human brain that would make something like those look "beautiful". However, until you design and build one and present it to the masses for critique, you just never know.

[unclescott58]

Here's one. A Batmobile built in the early 60's before the TV show appeared. Use in parades, and promotional work for a dairy distributor. 

 

[unclescott58]

Oh! And I like it! 

[unclescott58]

This one I'm not so sure about? 

 

[espo]

6 hours ago, Chuck Most said:

If we're casually tossing out ugly designs we still love for some reason, allow me to treat you to the 1955 Mercury D-528 concept. I especially like the fact that I don't think they could possibly have picked a less flattering color for it if they'd tried. Going by the roof line I think somebody involved in the styling was having coffee with a guy from Nash's styling studio. On the other hand... squint and you can see a little '56 Continental MKII in the front end. Well, I can anyway. 

I tried your suggestion of squinting, found that it worked best if I just closed my eyes altogether.