GM designer Chuck Jordan passes

[sjordan2]

A note of interest to any car buff– GM designer Chuck Jordan (no relation) has passed away at 83; this is from The New York Times:

"Mr. Jordan was the third successor to Mr. (Harley) Earl as G.M.’s vice president of design, and his boldness echoed Mr. Earl’s. When Mr. Jordan took tailfins to their surreal peak with his 1959 Cadillac Eldorado, he said he was “letting a tiger out of the cage.â€

The products of his designs included tractors and pickup trucks, Corvettes and Opels, and he contributed to the “wide-track†Pontiac, the baby boomers’ cherished muscle cars. His Aerotrain, G.M.’s 1950s train of the future, elicited wows from design buffs, but did not work well.

Mr. Jordan’s classic designs included the 1963 Buick Riviera, the 1967 Cadillac Eldorado and the 1973 Chevrolet Monte Carlo. His vision was as streamlined as the jet aircraft that inspired it: longer, lower, wider — and intended to excite."

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/14/business/14jordan.html?_r=1&ref=obituaries

Edited December 14, 2010 by sjordan2

[SoCalCarCulture]

Chuck was one of the nicest people I've met, a true gentleman and his passion for cars & models was second to none!

I first met him in the early 90's when he brought a bunch of his design models from the mid-fifties to a model car club meeting. Always fascinating to listen to his stories from his days at GM. He was a huge Ferrari aficionado and that night had driven his F40 to the meeting while someone else transported his design models to the meeting.

I sold him models at some of the local swap meets we used to have here in SoCal, and had a chance to hear him speak again at a San Diego Model Club meeting a few years ago.

He also taught industrial design at a high school in El Cajon (I think) as a way to give back.

I last had a chance to sit and talk with him at the La Jolla Concours a couple years ago - he will truly be missed! Here's a few pics from that day...

[Eshaver]

Mister Jordan was a Genius in my opinion . In addition to the Buick Riveria , the 63 Corvette and a advisory to Cadillac studios , Chuck Jordan was very responsible for the Chevrolet Cameo truck too. He will be missed ........... Ed Shaver

[Chuck Most]

He also consulted with George Barris in the late '50's and early '60's, before he became head of GM design. Yep- some of the General's finest were produced under his watch.

[Modelmartin]

That is sad news. I met him a number of times at The Ferrari Club model show in Chicago and at Toledo Toy Show. He was a very nice guy with great stories to tell. He led a very interesting life and had a great career, one that most of us could only dream of having. He will be missed.