GM Design Studio Drawings, Clay Models, & Prototypes

[chepp]

...and a couple more.

[Snake45]

4 minutes ago, chepp said:

Here are some more. Could those Halibrand wheels have been the inspiration for Chevrolet Rally wheels?

Should have been one of the Renwal Revivals! 

[Casey]

 

[kitbash1]

On 9/21/2018 at 7:00 AM, afx said:

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

I'll agree with you on the wheel arches. But the cuda roof line is more rounded and sexy looking. 

[Richard Bartrop]

4 hours ago, chepp said:

Here are some more. Could those Halibrand wheels have been the inspiration for Chevrolet Rally wheels?

It wouldn't surprise me.  Whoever was responsible for hubcap design at Chrysler for the late 70s to the early 80s seemed to have a serious Bugatti fixation

 

[Casey]

January '66:

[mk11]

On ‎2018‎-‎09‎-‎20 at 11:34 PM, Robberbaron said:

Who sees the '70 Cuda roof?

Not me … but I do see a 66/67 falcon/fairlane two door post influence.

 

mike

Edited November 28, 2018 by mk11

[espo]

On ‎11‎/‎19‎/‎2018 at 6:00 PM, Casey said:

 

The first one would be a much better looking Lumina wagon, and the second one could have been a Camaro. 

 

3 hours ago, Casey said:

January '66:

The basic front end design for the '68 full size Chevrolet. Just move the center emblem down to the crease, lower the uprights on the bumper ends, enlarge the corner lights, put parking lamps below the bumper under the headlights, and raise the top edge of the upper grill and you would pretty much have the production '68 Caprice looking at the shape of the C pillar.   

[Pat Minarick]

On 9/21/2018 at 10:03 PM, Casey said:

 

 

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

 

Dodge stole a lot from this , truck , Ram Charger, and Road Runner wheel openings.

Edited November 30, 2018 by Pat Minarick

[moparfarmer]

There were no secrets back then,although everyone said there was..They all went to the same galas and parties and shot the BLAH_BLAH_BLAH_BLAH with each other..How do you think the complete 62 Mopar line got screw up..Someone talking and drinking and not understanding the circumstances..Mopar screw up then but did turn our okay in the LONG run..

[Casey]

[mk11]

This brought to mind a great vintage GM film...

 

[misterNNL]

Great thread,thanks for posting it.

[Casey]

March 1953

[fordf-100]

On 11/19/2018 at 12:01 PM, W-409 said:

I like this one, and my plan is to build a 1/25 scale version some day...

I started one awhile back for a club project, it was before I ever saw this and mine is pretty close! I pcked it up started at a swap meet from an original wagon but it had a square Ranchero style roof on it so I swapped the back half of the 66 El Camino. fun build and very neat looking little truck! Chevy should have made it!

[ChrisBcritter]

30 minutes ago, fordf-100 said:

I started one awhile back for a club project, it was before I ever saw this and mine is pretty close! I

 

Hi Philip,

Need some taillight bezels for this little gem? I've been casting up a few lately; let me know if you need a set.

[fordf-100]

35 minutes ago, ChrisBcritter said:

Hi Philip,

Need some taillight bezels for this little gem? I've been casting up a few lately; let me know if you need a set.

Yes I could use some! What are you asking for a set?

[espo]

4 hours ago, Casey said:

March 1953

This looks remarkably close to a production '55 Cameo pickup. They may have been considering a Unibody design for the cab and the bed. The production trucks were all had separate cabs and to my knowledge Ford was the only manufacture to offer a Unibody pickup. Looking at the styling model in the picture and then look at the production '53 pickup and you can see just how far General Motors advanced it's styling.  

[Casey]

19 hours ago, espo said:

This looks remarkably close to a production '55 Cameo pickup. They may have been considering a Unibody design for the cab and the bed. The production trucks were all had separate cabs and to my knowledge Ford was the only manufacture to offer a Unibody pickup. Looking at the styling model in the picture and then look at the production '53 pickup and you can see just how far General Motors advanced it's styling.  

I thought about the unibody aspect, but I'm guessing the just had yet to cut the cab/bed separation line in when the photo was taken. The panel truck behind the pickup also shows a fairly unrefined upper window area, but maybe that is close to finished, with a contrasting inset area, bordered by stainless trim? The front bumper on the pickup looks very heavy and unrefined, too. I think that's an example of how the spare tire was to be stowed, inside the left bedside, behind the pickup, too?

[espo]

10 hours ago, Casey said:

I thought about the unibody aspect, but I'm guessing the just had yet to cut the cab/bed separation line in when the photo was taken. The panel truck behind the pickup also shows a fairly unrefined upper window area, but maybe that is close to finished, with a contrasting inset area, bordered by stainless trim? The front bumper on the pickup looks very heavy and unrefined, too. I think that's an example of how the spare tire was to be stowed, inside the left bedside, behind the pickup, too?

I think one of the reasons the front fender seems off to you is that the shape of the grill is not finalized at this point and the picture shows an "egg create" grill pattern more like the '55 passenger car than the final grill with the larger and wider spacing. The front bumper is also different and that can sometimes make everything around it seem different also. The Panel truck in the picture looks like the commercial truck that was offered with no windows. Chevrolet used  moldings stamped in the body panel to define the area plus add strength and cut down on the booming effect as the body panel flexed when being driven. This area was designed to also be used to display company signage and was even offered in a contrasting color for an additional cost. This same area would receive windows on the Suburban models. I always enjoy looking at these old styling proposals and wonder if some of the styling ques might not have been better than what finally went into production.     

[ChrisBcritter]

On 1/14/2019 at 12:39 PM, fordf-100 said:

Yes I could use some! What are you asking for a set?

Let me get a couple more good ones poured and I'll just send 'em to you. You're on your own for lenses but they're very simple.

[fordf-100]

9 hours ago, ChrisBcritter said:

Let me get a couple more good ones poured and I'll just send 'em to you. You're on your own for lenses but they're very simple.

Sounds good and thank you, let me know if you need any parts, I got a bunch of stuff!

[Casey]

The in-development '77 Impala in February 1974, looking very Monza S sedan like:

[espo]

I see what you mean about the tail lights, they really look more like what they used on the Monza coupes. While I liked the rear window treatment that went into production this one would have worked as well and much better than the treatment they went with on the '80's era Impala and Caprices. I'm a regular reader of Collectible Automobile magazine and the new issue has coverage from the design studios of the "big three" from the '60's. Very interesting information as well as pictures. They will often have such articles and it's always interesting to see what the designers were suggesting. Some really look strange and others you can see how some elements show up on later models. 

[unclescott58]

On 1/14/2019 at 11:30 AM, fordf-100 said:

I started one awhile back for a club project, it was before I ever saw this and mine is pretty close! I pcked it up started at a swap meet from an original wagon but it had a square Ranchero style roof on it so I swapped the back half of the 66 El Camino. fun build and very neat looking little truck! Chevy should have made it!

I like it ?Very nice ?