"Lost" Raymond Loewy design found...

[JBOYLE]

Avanti and Studebaker fans know that Raymond Loewy did a couple of customs for his own use in the late 50s based on a Lancia and a BMW. They were...different...and previewed some of the styling elements that would see production on the Avanti.

But, I'd never heard that he later tried to accomplish what most car fans would declare impossible, trying to improve the looks of the E-Type Jaguar.
After 40 years out of the public eye, his modifed 1966 Jaguar was displayed at Pebble Beach this week...

Check out these photos courtesy of Classic and Sports Car magazine...

http://www.classicandsportscar.com/blogs/mick-walsh/loewys-left-field-take-on-design-greats

While he wanted a grill-less look for the Avanti, that was clearly not his goal here.
The C-pillar has an Avanti look to it, the fuel filler is in the Avanti location and note the rear window was also enlarged, again following the Avanti (and predicting the trend of 70s hatchbacks).
The quarter windows look like the Toyota 2000 which came out around the same time. The frenched tail lights look like a Barris Kustom of the 50s.
I do rather like the recessed Kamm-like license plate area.
I'm sure purists will be horrified, but I've seen worse...
I would not be ashamed to be seen in it.

[DEEPNHOCK]

Interesting article...
There are some more pic's of this buried in this thread, too...

http://forum.studebakerdriversclub.com/showthread.php?30531-Chris-other-Eye-Candy-1-24-Prototype-Avantis&highlight=Lancia+Loraymo

[jclary]

My opinion of Loewy's design capabilities will forever be tempered by hearing of more than one of his underlings (employees) complain about how he operated. The designers working for him would spend months at their craft perfecting a design. Lowey would show up after most of the work was done, pencil in a minor change, and then take credit for the entire work.

As an employer, it may have been perfectly legal, and the practice could have been part of the contracted conditions for working in his company...human nature resulted in deep resentment. From what I have seen of his personal "custom" designs...Lowey, (like me) was a bit of a "Red-Neck." He might have had a sophisticated French accent, but, I bet he could still tap his toe to banjo music. He wanted a "sleek" ride and had an eye for what was called "Streamlining" in his day. However, many of his creations look like there was always at least one dipsy-doodle line too much here, one hanging pod there, or some other protuberance that could have easily been better left out.

Like a lot of us with the Studebaker personality, he had a "desire to be different." The difference from him and many of us is that Lowey was cursed with the resources to make it happen. Although some of his contemporaries may have snickered behind his back... His talent, salesmanship, and leadership, have a historical record that have stood the test of time.

[junior]

My opinion of Loewy's design capabilities will forever be tempered by hearing of more than one of his underlings (employees) complain about how he operated. The designers working for him would spend months at their craft perfecting a design. Lowey would show up after most of the work was done, pencil in a minor change, and then take credit for the entire work.

... His talent, salesmanship, and leadership, have a historical record that have stood the test of time.

Salesmanship? 100%
Talent....um, ah well...
Leadership.....hmmmmm

Quite simply put, I really don't think Studebaker got a whole lot of value for the whole lot of money Mr. L received from the company.
As for the 'improved' E type, well, I think the results speak the sad truth.

Just thinking out loud...Junior

[JBOYLE]

My opinion of Loewy's design capabilities will forever be tempered by hearing of more than one of his underlings (employees) complain about how he operated. The designers working for him would spend months at their craft perfecting a design. Lowey would show up after most of the work was done, pencil in a minor change, and then take credit for the entire work.

Like a lot of us with the Studebaker personality, he had a "desire to be different." The difference from him and many of us is that Lowey was cursed with the resources to make it happen. Although some of his contemporaries may have snickered behind his back... His talent, salesmanship, and leadership, have a historical record that have stood the test of time.

Rather like a lot of bosses.
In most jobs (certainly in my case) the boss was always the "star". You're on a team doing a project and the headliner gets the credit. Fact of life.
Look at all the talented people who make a film, at the end the director gets all the credit (or blame).
Likewise in my other hobby, aviation, occasionally one man gets signled out as the aircraft's designer. In most cases, like Loewy, he had a team working for him doing the sub-systems and detail work, but as head of the team, he gets the credit.

Loewy did some far out stuff when left on his own.
I think the Avanti team, Studebaker management (as well as production and cost considerations) may have kept the car from being too "far out".

Interesting article...
There are some more pic's of this buried in this thread, too...
http://forum.studebakerdriversclub.c...Lancia+Loraymo

Good photos of the Lancia, BMW and his earlier 1955 Jaguar XK-140-based car, one that I understand was lost in a garage fire.
Also, if you search the web, he had a custom1941 (IIRC) Lincoln ContinentalTown car built that recently came up for auction. Again, not quite to my taste.

[comatus]

No doubt about it, RL was a difficult personality. You either approve of him, or you don't.

Studebaker fans have had their revenge, though, by spelling his name wrong for decades with some consistency. That's gotta leave a mark.

If anyone has one of his 1958 LeCreuset French Ovens, functional, I'd like to bid. There's a few of his recipes I haven't tried yet.

[mbstude]

Loewy must've had a soft spot for gold colored cars. This Jaguar, the Lancia, '59 Cadillac, 3 door Studebaker in the Stude Museum, and maybe others, are all this same color gold, and all done by Pinchon-Parat.

I really like that E-Type. Odd considering that I find all the others just barely tolerable.

[Gunslinger]

My opinion of Loewy's design capabilities will forever be tempered by hearing of more than one of his underlings (employees) complain about how he operated. The designers working for him would spend months at their craft perfecting a design. Lowey would show up after most of the work was done, pencil in a minor change, and then take credit for the entire work.

As an employer, it may have been perfectly legal, and the practice could have been part of the contracted conditions for working in his company...human nature resulted in deep resentment.

Not unlike working for a corporation...you invent and patent something new, the corporation owns the patent and whatever financial benefits that result. The company paid you, they own your work product. While you might get credit or some sort of bonus (financial, recognition or a nicer gold watch at retirement)...the company owns the patent.

What Loewy did was no different conceptually. Maybe he was heavy handed going about it, but highly accomplished people often are difficult...they hold high standards for themselves and those they employ.

[scott.rodgers]

I find it funny that Loewy would disparage the idea of an upright grille and would help create a car with an intake instead of one - the Avanti - and then take turn around and take a car with an intake and give it a big upright grille.

[8E45E]

Not unlike working for a corporation...you invent and patent something new, the corporation owns the patent and whatever financial benefits that result. The company paid you, they own your work product. While you might get credit or some sort of bonus (financial, recognition or a nicer gold watch at retirement)...the company owns the patent.

What Loewy did was no different conceptually. Maybe he was heavy handed going about it, but highly accomplished people often are difficult...they hold high standards for themselves and those they employ.

The term for that today is 'Intellectual Property', and can be legally protected. If what Virgil Exner had done today what he did in 1947, for example, Lowey & Associeates would have grounds for legal action; even after his termination. Several companies have gone after former employees, especially if they started on their own, or left to work for a competitor and when they see their ideas, be it product design, or marketing being similar under their previous emplyment.

Craig

[Pat Dilling]

For me that XKE demonstrates that many great song writers will write hundreds, even thousands of songs to arrive on a few great hits. The rest wind up in the trash can or on the B side of a record, if they get that far. Like the '53 Starliners and Starlights, customizations to an XKE need be subtle with the idea of enhancing or drawing out the originals great features. Anything beyond that tends to destroy the lines of the original. And some successful mods may have been envisioned by the original designers but were not put into production due to executive decisions or production limitations. The legendary roofline change of the '53s come to mind there.

Pat

[radiotech]

Personally, I like most of what Loewy did, but this goes to show nobody's perfect!

[studegary]

Bob Bourke said that Loewy picked good employees and was a good salesman (of ideas, designs, etc.).
Bob was posed in many pictures, that he was not happy about, with Loewy.

[Ricardo]