GM Design Studio Drawings, Clay Models, & Prototypes

[Casey]

 

[Richard Bartrop]

I like that.  It's like a Stutz Blackhawk only done with some restraint.

[espo]

There was a time when Pontiac could very well have built this. 

[Casey]

  On 8/25/2021 at 1:17 PM, espo said:

There was a time when Pontiac could very well have built this. 

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Before '72, maybe, but not once the new impact standards were implemented, and I believe this is from 1975. Elements of the above design were previously seen elsewhere-- twin hood blisters in the '71+ Firebird Formula (with scoops added), '63-'67 Corvette split bumpers, and the trademark Pontiac split grille. Could it have passed the 5-mph bumper regulations with an Enduro nose and those blade style bumpers? Doubtful, but it sure would've made a gorgeous personal luxury car. I'm sure GM would have scoffed at the extra $14.73 per hidden headlight unit, too, and said "NO" almost instantly.

All found here, BTW: http://www.deansgarage.com/2015/allan-flowers-gm-designer/

I'm rather fond of this sloped-nose '71+ Chevy Impala(?), too:

 

The below nose is a bit too peaked and mirror image-y, but those cornering lenses look a lot like those on the '71-2 Malibu/Chevelle:

 

I don't dislike this:

[Richard Bartrop]

  On 8/26/2021 at 4:00 AM, Casey said:

Before '72, maybe, but not once the new impact standards were implemented, and I believe this is from 1975. Elements of the above design were previously seen elsewhere-- twin hood blisters in the '71+ Firebird Formula (with scoops added), '63-'67 Corvette split bumpers, and the trademark Pontiac split grille. Could it have passed the 5-mph bumper regulations with an Enduro nose and those blade style bumpers? Doubtful, but it sure would've made a gorgeous personal luxury car. I'm sure GM would have scoffed at the extra $14.73 per hidden headlight unit, too, and said "NO" almost instantly.

All found here, BTW: http://www.deansgarage.com/2015/allan-flowers-gm-designer/

I'm rather fond of this sloped-nose '71+ Chevy Impala(?), too:

 

 

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I like it too.  It looks almost like what they ended up doing for the '71 Toronado

[Brian Austin]

I saw this large rendering hanging in the back of a styling model display at the Henry Ford Museum in 1988.  I don't happen to know anything about the design.  I always thought the squinty headlights were interesting...

Edited August 26, 2021 by Brian Austin

[espo]

  On 8/26/2021 at 4:00 AM, Casey said:

Before '72, maybe, but not once the new impact standards were implemented, and I believe this is from 1975. Elements of the above design were previously seen elsewhere-- twin hood blisters in the '71+ Firebird Formula (with scoops added), '63-'67 Corvette split bumpers, and the trademark Pontiac split grille. Could it have passed the 5-mph bumper regulations with an Enduro nose and those blade style bumpers? Doubtful, but it sure would've made a gorgeous personal luxury car. I'm sure GM would have scoffed at the extra $14.73 per hidden headlight unit, too, and said "NO" almost instantly.

All found here, BTW: http://www.deansgarage.com/2015/allan-flowers-gm-designer/

I'm rather fond of this sloped-nose '71+ Chevy Impala(?), too:

 

The below nose is a bit too peaked and mirror image-y, but those cornering lenses look a lot like those on the '71-2 Malibu/Chevelle:

 

I don't dislike this:

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I like the first design now, but I think at that date in time I wouldn't have been as accepting of the design. The second drawing, the center Grill area looks very much like the production version but the headlight and fenders do not. The one date 10/25/68 Looks very close to the future Grand Prix but I think the Fed. Laws wouldn't have allowed the Headlights to be that close together. The drawing below it looks much closer to what they offered. I think I agree with you on the orange Firebird ? I have noticed how a lot of the development drawings have styling ques that are a little over done.  Thank you for these drawings, I always enjoy looking at what all the designers were thinking.  Sometimes I wish they had gone with some of the proposals.    

[espo]

  On 8/26/2021 at 4:38 AM, Brian Austin said:

I saw this large rendering hanging in the back of a styling model display at the Henry Ford Museum in 1988.  I don't happen to know anything about the design.  I always thought the squinty headlights were interesting...

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Looks like the designer was working on styling for both the '57 and '58 Cadillac. I'm not sure about the Headlights, but it does make you wonder what they were thinking given the direction that most of the current and new cars are going with Headlight designs today.  

[Casey]

  On 8/26/2021 at 5:57 PM, espo said:

I think I agree with you on the orange Firebird ?

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Not exactly sure what this was supposed to be (I think the date is '68?), so quite possibly second gen Pontiac F-body (Firebird). Definitely has the classic Pontiac ironing board element on the hood and the '73-4 LeMans Sport/Grand Am nose, but not very pedestrian friendly (even assuming an Endura nose cap).

[espo]

  On 8/26/2021 at 6:13 PM, Casey said:

 

Not exactly sure what this was supposed to be (I think the date is '68?), so quite possibly second gen Pontiac F-body (Firebird). Definitely has the classic Pontiac ironing board element on the hood and the '73-4 LeMans Sport/Grand Am nose, but not very pedestrian friendly (even assuming an Endura nose cap).

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One thing comes to mind looking at the center Hood/Grill bulge. I remember the '73 or '74 Pontiac Grand Am model. This was a full size car at that time and was offered as their idea of a Grand Touring Sedan. 

[Casey]

[espo]

The Pontiac front end looks a little over the top. How much dead space is there between the radiator and the front hood opening I wonder ? 

[Casey]

  On 8/26/2021 at 8:30 PM, espo said:

The Pontiac front end looks a little over the top.

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A little?? Definitely not a production-ready design. ?

 

[DPNM]

To my eyes, which aren't the greatest, the orange Firebird looks to be based on a C2 Corvette. The front of the car, the grille and hide-away headlights, are what pop out to me.

Edited August 27, 2021 by DPNM

[Snake45]

  On 8/26/2021 at 11:45 PM, DPNM said:

To my eyes, which aren't the greatest, the orange Firebird looks to be based on a C2 Corvette. 

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Not unless they completely changed the roof, too. 

[Joe Handley]

  On 8/26/2021 at 6:00 PM, espo said:

Looks like the designer was working on styling for both the '57 and '58 Cadillac. I'm not sure about the Headlights, but it does make you wonder what they were thinking given the direction that most of the current and new cars are going with Headlight designs today.  

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I think it would be interesting to see what GM’s and Chrysler’s design departments of the 1950’s would have come up with if they had access to today’s lighting technology.

[Casey]

  On 8/26/2021 at 6:00 PM, espo said:

Looks like the designer was working on styling for both the '57 and '58 Cadillac.

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This could have been an idea for the never-happened '57 Cadillac Sport Hardtop, or whatever it was officially called. There's an image of it in the book Car That Never Were, and it's quite striking.