All of the photos in this post are from Ron Will.

Comment from Ron: If anyone has a guild model or old Guild photos, I would appreciate receiving a copy by mail or by email. We are building an archive of this historic Fisher Body model contest. A CD copy of our archive to date has been sent to the GM Heritage Center. Another copy will be sent to the Smithsonian where Guild models are already being collected and preserved for posterity. Please contact me at azwillfh@cox.net.

 


Arthur Russell’s national award winning entry from 1957.

 

Former Guildsmen who became GM Styling designers, taken in the mid ’70s. Left to right: Paul Tatseos, Jack Folden, Stan Parker, George Prentice, Robert Menking, Charlie Stewart, George Gadda, George Anderson, Stu Shuster, Roy Tiesler, John Wozena, Tom Semple, Chuck Jordan, Kirk Jones, Gordy Brown, Elia Russinoff, Chuck Torner, and Dennis Little. Other Guildsmen who were at GM Styling at the time but not in the photo are Tom Covert, Ron Will, Dave Holls, Galen Wickersham, Al Flowers, Geza Loczi, Ed Taylor, Ron Hill, Terry Henline, Gary Smith, and Bill Scott. Of course, not all the Guildsmen who became car designers ended up at GM. Many of the top designers at Ford, Chrysler, and foreign automakers also benefitted from their mentoring in the Craftsman’s Guild. 


Adrian Bruno’s national award winning entry from 1955.

 


Gale Morris’ national award winning entry from 1949.

 


Milton Antonick’s national award winning entry from 1955.

 


Leonard Bellanca’s national award winning entry from 1951.

 


Ron Will’s 1961 national award winning entry.

 


George Prentice’s 1965 national award winning entry.

 


Joseph D’mura’s national award winning entry from 1966.

 


Stewart Reed’s national award winning entry from 1968.

 

 

 

Guild models on display at the Boston Museum Reunion in 2008.

 


Models on display in 1966 at Fisher Body during judging.

 


Fisher Body Craftsman’s Guild 1947 publicity photo.

20 Comments
  1. Ron Will

    If anyone has a guild model or old Guild photos, I would appreciate receiving a copy by mail or by email. We are building an archive of this historic Fisher Body model contest. A CD copy of our archive to date has been sent to the GM Heritage Center. Another copy will be sent to the Smithsonian where Guild models are already being collected and preserved for posterity. Please contac me at azwillfh@cox.net.

  2. Yes, the picture is John Wozena.

  3. I find it amazing how forward thinking the winning designs are. Arthur Russell’s 1957 roadster is just beautiful!

  4. Mike Foley

    Thanks for the memories! My brother and I, both submitted cars during the early 1950’s. Unfortunately, ours weren’t up to the standards of the finalists, but we did win the state awards each year we entered. I remember the wording in the ads for the contest, telling us that we’d receive a “Handsome certificate, suitable for framing.” Unfortunately, mine was never framed, and my rings were lost many years ago. It was a fun contest, and I truly enjoyed the project.

    Mike Foley
    Loveland, Colorado

  5. Mark W Gregory

    This latest historical entry to your site has been most enjoyable and informative. It is astounding just how talented these men were at such young ages. I believe all of them to be top winners in my opinion and I could never judge any of them! I am so glad there is a keen interest in preserving these works of automotive art for us to enjoy for generations to come. I hope most , if not all models survive. Thank you for your site here. Most Enjoyable! From one car nut to another,
    Mark W. Gregory
    Valley Ranch DFW, Texas

  6. I entered a model made of pine wood in 1958. Entry #4982 NY. It was a radical mid-engined design convertible with a double bubble windshield and retractable headlights. It never got to the national level, but I win a state award. It was 1972 before I built anything full size and launched a kit car company Talon Automotive Products.

  7. Henry Fry

    I have the model of the Coronation Coach which my father built for the
    1946 competition along with the original instruction book. His name
    was Henry W. Fry. The would have been entered in the Region 5
    division as he lived in Ohio at the time. Any information you could provide
    would be appreciated. Henry Fry

  8. Ron Will

    A third Fisher Body Craftsman’s Guild Reunion is now being planned for January 2013 in Scottsdale, Arizona. The model display & reunion will be held at the Scottsdale International Auto Museum, during the same week as the Barrett / Jackson Classic Car Auto Auction. Anyone interested should contact Ron Will or John L. Jacobus.

  9. Ron, 4-26-12 I was glad to see the 2008 reunion pics posted and the announcement of the 2013 Guild reunion in Scottsdale AZ. John Jacobus, McFarland Guild Books Author and Editor.

  10. Bud Magaldi

    Looking forward to the next reunion, and seeing some of our west coast friends and former associates. Having it centered around the International Auto Museum and the Barrett Jackson Auction is a bonus, as Scottsdale itself is a great venue. Ron, thanks for setting this up and John thank you for another informative book on the FBCG.

  11. Paul Bonfilio

    I am looking forward to another reunion, particularly in Scottsdale, Arizona and the Barrett Jackson Auction. Please count me in, I really enjoyed the last one in Boston. My thanks to Ron Will and to John Jacobus for another enjoyable book about the Guild.

  12. Robert Lawhn

    Looking forward to the exhibit and reunion in Scottsdale. My ’66 Regional entry is ready for its debut as it was too damaged for the 2008 reunion. Scottsdale is a nice drive from home in Henderson NV.

  13. William ( Bill ) C. Wisely

    Ron,
    It has been a long time. I remember rooming with the year before your won the national. It’s good to see that you worked at GM. The five years (1957—1961) I was involved in the Guild was fun, rewarding and a life time of valuable lessons. It’s to bad there is not something like it for the young people today.

    Please let me know more about the reunion in 13.

  14. Edward Matula

    I would also like information on the 2013 get together event. I still have my model from 1958. It’s still in descent shape.

  15. Wm. E. Thomas

    Thanks for the web site. I enjoyed the pictures. While I was never able to finish a model (Working for pay) I learned a lot of information from working on the design in my 10 grade.
    I still remember having a bag of dry power clay but never did get it mixed to put the drawing into 3D. Does anyone still have the instruction on how to mix the clay?
    I worked for 34 years at Buick Engineering in Flint. First for a year as a Draftsman Trainee and then I transfered to the Machine Shop till I retired in 1987. My work as an experimental machinist included such parts as some of the cylinder heads for Thomson’s Indy race engine and development parts for the Indy twin turbo pace car.
    I still do design, development, and build of custom products and tooling.
    GOD’S BLESSINGS
    Bill Thomas

  16. James Nohrnberg

    I built a model for the 1957 competition–and I still have it (I am in my seventies). A winning model from that time looked rather like it. When the Guildsman newsletter came out, after the judging, there was a photograph of that year’s entries on display; I believe the picture was on the bottom of the front page, and showed the cars on pedestals; mine happened to be in the immediate foreground. (My model was not a winner–it had serious problems in the paint job; the paint had wrinkled because undercoats were not dry enough for the overcoats, and this problem only developed on the last evening one could send the car in from the railway express office in Oakland Calif., which closed at midnight.) I assume the newsletter had a date of 1957 or 1958. Is there a repository–on-line or anywhere else–where one might be able to access (and copy) that issue of the Guildsman? My original copy was lost, probably during one of my parents’ housecleanings. There are Guardsmans for sale on e-Bay, but the issue in question seems not to be among them. Thank-you in advance for any help with this inquiry. — Jim Nohrnberg
    .

  17. While a student at the Art Center in Los Angeles, George Gadda was a roomate, is he the same shown in this web site? If it is he is holding up pretty good for an old geezer. With great respect, Bill Mash

  18. Joseph C. Duran

    I have two models, 1953 & 1954, one is a Honorable Mention winner which I’ve enter it in local car shows and County Fairs. I will send you some photos soon

    J. C. Duran

  19. Tom Semple

    This is for William Mash. I worked with George Gadda at GM. We went to the wind tunnel in Smyna Georgia many times and as I recall – in social situations – he always turned the girls heads. I can also tell you that for a man who ate a half gallon of ice cream every night (at that time in his life) and looked as good as he did then, he is, most likely, still a very attractive man.

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