GM Design Studio Drawings, Clay Models, & Prototypes

[89AKurt]

^^^ Reminds me of this:
https://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/buying-maintenance/news/a30425/ferrari-daytona-shooting-brake-for-sale/

[Spex84]

Behind the Camaro Kammback, on the wall, is that leftmost drawing a rear-engined Corvette concept? Looks sweet!

[Classicgas]

7 hours ago, DukeE said:

Or a funeral? LeMans & a funeral?

Have to love 2819, ugliest SWB. Like the Country Squire in the garage too. 

 

http://www.deansgarage.com/2019/the-camaro-kammback-story/

Mr. Mitchell gets what he wants. Cool with Borranis

I like both of them. Wasn't there a kit of a Firebird variant?

Edited October 19, 2019 by Classicgas

[DukeE]

Yessir. Both. Haven't ever had one, but seems perfect for re-issue. There's a thread around here, but all pics are dead. Snake has the 67 Vette van, pics here somewhere. 

http://ozautobuilders.forumotion.com/t7881-1978-firebird-sports-wagon

[MrObsessive]

On 9/24/2019 at 12:42 AM, 59 Buick said:

This is a great video as well, sure most have seen it. 

Just took a look at this and it was VERY interesting to see the metal presses that stamped out those wild GM '59 contours. And to think that there was such frequent styling changes in those days, you know they were constantly upgrading/changing those presses.

[Snake45]

6 hours ago, DukeE said:

Snake has the 67 Vette van, pics here somewhere. 

 

http://ozautobuilders.forumotion.com/t7881-1978-firebird-sports-wagon

Got a couple of 'em now. I need to get to work on one of them. Thinking of doing it as a tow car for a road racer or drag car. 

[Classicgas]

1 hour ago, Snake45 said:

Got a couple of 'em now. I need to get to work on one of them. Thinking of doing it as a tow car for a road racer or drag car. 

If you don't want that custom roof I'll take it, I'd like to try to do that Jag posted above.

[Snake45]

21 minutes ago, Classicgas said:

If you don't want that custom roof I'll take it, I'd like to try to do that Jag posted above.

Doesn't look like it would be too hard to scratchbuild. 

[DukeE]

OK, Thread necromancy so we don't dump on Casey's cool GM thread. Sorry sir, loved the Kammback.

 

 

Edited October 19, 2019 by DukeE

[Mark]

10 hours ago, DukeE said:

Yessir. Both. Haven't ever had one, but seems perfect for re-issue. There's a thread around here, but all pics are dead. Snake has the 67 Vette van, pics here somewhere. 

http://ozautobuilders.forumotion.com/t7881-1978-firebird-sports-wagon

The Camaro wagon kit isn't nearly as good as the Firebird because both use the Firebird body, with round Firebird wheel openings and Firebird doors.  The Bird is pretty good, the parts are 1/24 scale and mix pretty well with Monogram Firebird kits.

[DukeE]

12 minutes ago, Mark said:

The Camaro wagon kit isn't nearly as good as the Firebird because both use the Firebird body, with round Firebird wheel openings and Firebird doors.  The Bird is pretty good, the parts are 1/24 scale and mix pretty well with Monogram Firebird kits.

Box art funny, the dark paint hides those details pretty well. The fender vents on Camaro look wonky, I can see the T/A wheel fairing things that look more Firebird-like after your comments. Window line on F-bird not great looking. Funny that screamin' chicken on the Camaro hood too. These and the Lindberg 1/24 Porsche 906 are scarce, low value, but pretty nice kits. Re-issue fodder, Fujimi wheels on the 906 make it look as good as the Fujimi GT40. 

I really like these, huge Mitchell, Haga, Jordan fan despite not much of a GM fan. 70-73 T/A kammback would be killer. Thanks for your vast kit knowledge Mark

Edited October 19, 2019 by DukeE

[DukeE]

20 hours ago, Spex84 said:

Behind the Camaro Kammback, on the wall, is that leftmost drawing a rear-engined Corvette concept? Looks sweet!

Looks that way. Far right looks like a BAT Alfa redux too. 

[Mark]

I passed that Firebird wagon kit over when it was first issued...well, because it was a Lindberg item.  The Scale Auto article which combined it with the Monogram '77 kit brought it to my attention.  Later, I found one Firebird and one Camaro at a clearance store for half a buck apiece.  Some cracked clear parts, but between the two I was able to piece together a Firebird.  The plastic tires are copies of Monogram Goodyear GT Radials, and not bad, so I saved the extra set of those too.  The wagon might be cooler combined with the Monogram '70 kit, and that is out again...

[Casey]

 

Proof people should not wagon-ize all the things, even if Jim Rockford will take your case:

Edited October 20, 2019 by Casey

[Casey]

And a few more Camaro  styling studies:

 

 

Edited October 20, 2019 by Casey

[DukeE]

Mitchell, Haga, and Jordan loved the 250 MM and 250 Tour de France. Shortnose versions mostly

Camaro RS and these early protos show a tiny bit of influence.

0258MM, a 250 MM

0557GT, a 250 TdF

Edited October 20, 2019 by DukeE

[Snake45]

54 minutes ago, DukeE said:

Camaro RS and these early protos show a tiny bit of influence.

The '70-'73 RS front end always reminded me of a Jaguar sedan. I never liked it. Didn't care that much for the straight front end either (I always thought Pontiac did a MUCH better job with the front end of that car), but now I see that Chevy was definitely going for a unified "brand" theme in those years--compare the front ends of the Camaro, Vega, '71-'72 Chevelles, and even the big Chevies. Yeah, definitely a family happening there. 

[Spex84]

Those Camaro styling studies are gorgeous! I don't know why, but it made me think of the Facel Vega. Maybe it's the "American muscle with heavy Euro influence" look...

[Richard Bartrop]

European style was a big influence during the Mitchell years.  Personally, I always saw more than a little Ferrari Lusso in the 2nd Gen Camaro. 

I suppose I can see some Jag XJ in the 70-73 Camaro front, but both cars are drop dead gorgeous, so this is not a problem.

[espo]

The blue prototype that Casey put up looks great to me. Aside from the aggressive front treatment, I think they blended the rear wagon portion well in the design. I realize that outside of the Chevrolet Nomad and the Pontiac Safari this style has never been a big seller but they still look good. Most people going for a wagon look for a four door because they're hauling big families  and what not. 

[Snake45]

19 minutes ago, espo said:

I realize that outside of the Chevrolet Nomad and the Pontiac Safari this style has never been a big seller but they still look good. 

And then there was the Pinto. AFAIK, it's the only car in history where the wagon was MUCH better looking than the coupe. 

[espo]

2 minutes ago, Snake45 said:

And then there was the Pinto. AFAIK, it's the only car in history where the wagon was MUCH better looking than the coupe. 

Yes I forgot about the Pinto and there was the Chevrolet Vega also. They were both kind of neat little cars and they did sell well.  

[Casey]

That looks an awful lot like the eventual '69 Camaro grille on the early Panther (Chevrolet F-body) clay model:

Edited October 22, 2019 by Casey

[Phirewriter]

On 10/20/2019 at 12:19 AM, Richard Bartrop said:

European style was a big influence during the Mitchell years.  Personally, I always saw more than a little Ferrari Lusso in the 2nd Gen Camaro. 

Bill Mitchell's personal Firebird certainly shows the Italian influence with it's styling.

[Gramps46]

On 10/20/2019 at 1:19 AM, Richard Bartrop said:

European style was a big influence during the Mitchell years.  Personally, I always saw more than a little Ferrari Lusso in the 2nd Gen Camaro. 

I suppose I can see some Jag XJ in the 70-73 Camaro front, but both cars are drop dead gorgeous, so this is not a problem.

Chuck Jordan, Mitchells successor, was a big Ferrari fan with 1:1 examples and even collected 1/43rd models.  Met him at a Toledo Toy Fair where he had models he was selling.  Funny thing is I talked to him about a 166MM I was carving before I found out who he was.