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Jan202022

The Origins of Ford’s Retractable Hardtop

Gil Spear’s Retractable Hardtop Presentation and resulting Sytris 3/8-scale Model.

11 Comments
Jan152022

GM Sculptor Ray Hildebrandt

Dick Ruzzin remembers a remarkably talented studio sculptor, engineer, and artist.

5 Comments
Jan132022

Who Designed the 1949 Ford?

The controversy over who designed the 1949 Ford.

13 Comments
Dec312021

George Walker and the 1964 Lincoln Continental Mark IX

Corporate politics and the aborted Mark IX.

19 Comments
Dec242021

The 1957 Ford Mystere Story

The mystery of the Mystere revealed.

6 Comments
Dec182021

Tom Peloquin

My good friend Tom Peloquin is gone.

31 Comments
Dec162021

The Lincoln Futura/Batmobile, Part 3: Interview with George Barris

George Barris answers questions about the acquisition and development of the Batmobile in a 1995 interview.

5 Comments
Dec82021

The Lincoln Futura, Part 2: The Batmobile

The story of how Futura, the belle of the ball, turns into Creuella, the Batmobile.

6 Comments
Nov302021

The Lincoln Futura, Part 1

Inspired by a Bahama’s fishing trip with Bill Mitchell. Bill Schmidt came back with an idea for the Futura; Mitchell with an idea that lead to the XP-755.

9 Comments
Nov292021

The Styling Section Music Committee

Another of Stan’s and Robert’s attempts to steer GM’s juggernaut. By Stan Mott.

5 Comments
Nov232021

McNamara’s Interchangeability Study

McNamara had clay models created to test parts interchangeability between car models (like GM).

4 Comments
Nov122021

The ‘59 Chevrolet and the Ford Quicksilver

“On seeing the ‘59 Chevrolet clay model, Ford designers soon convinced themselves that GM had somehow caught on to what Ford was doing and was purposely trying to mislead them.”

7 Comments
Nov52021

Lincoln in a Box

Some 900 new 1936 Lincoln-Zephyrs also went overseas—shipped in crates.

6 Comments
Oct262021

Ford Mustang Mach 2

The Ford Mach 2 and the short careers of Knudsen and Shinoda at Ford.

6 Comments
Oct222021

Ford Designer McKinley W. (Mac) Thompson, Jr.

Highlights of the career of Mac Thompson—Ford Designer from 1956–1985.

9 Comments
Oct192021

Herbert Hoover’s Dog House

Gil Spear (designer at Ford and the subject of the last post), while working for Norman Bel Geddes, was commissioned to create a dog house for Herbert Hoover. Here’s the story.

2 Comments
Oct122021

Ford Designer Gil Spear’s Idea Sketchbook

Fascinating images from Ford designer Gil Spear’s idea and innovation sketchbook.

8 Comments
Oct12021

Lincoln Design Heritage: Zephyr to LS (1936-2000)

Lincoln Design Heritage: Zephyr to LS (1936-2000) is an exhaustively and throughly researched book that chronologically records the development of the Lincoln mark. Great book review. Many photos.

6 Comments
Sep242021

Automotive Designers Showcase—Pontiac, Sept 16, 2021

A photo essay of the Exhibit at the Pontiac Creative Art Center featuring design sketches and renderings from production and advance Pontiac Studios.

7 Comments
Sep182021

Detroit Style—Car Design in The Motor City—11/2020

Detroit Style—Car Design in The Motor City. Photo assay by Ryan Gertner.

9 Comments
Sep122021

Royal Oak League Show 2021

Photos from the League of Retired Designers 2021 show at the Royal Oak Historical Society, Royal Oak, Michigan.

8 Comments
Aug302021

Cyclops Dream Cruise

Stan Mott’s Cyclops at the 2021 Woodward Dream Cruise—with video!

4 Comments
Jun52021

Roger Hughet Tribute at GM Design

GM designer Roger Hughet’s wok on display at GM Design.

3 Comments
May132021

Bob Marcks Ford Renderings

A collection of renderings by Bob Marcks

8 Comments
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Featured Books

Click on covers for ordering information.

Dean’s Garage Book Praise
  • Gary, Just received your book and read part of it, and can’t wait to finish it! EXCELLENT BOOK WOW! Thanks!

    Carl Kofron
  • It’s a book whose pages you’ll return to again and again…sometimes just to look, other times to read and learn and to laugh!

    Helen Hutchings
  • It brought back so many memories. The book captures some of the antics that took place. I recommend Gary’s book for anyone that has an interest to get a glimpse of an era long gone.

    John Manoogian II
  • Very impressed with the emphasis on the “people stories.” Most people think of GM in terms of the cars, whereas you focused on the designers that created the cars. Congratulations on your excellent and personable narrative.

    Roy Lonberger
  • Great book! It will provide many hours of interesting reading. Thank you for writing and publishing it!

    Charles Pieier
  • All the wonderful anecdotes and photos bring laughter and smiles of recollection of the years at GM Design. The other content is equally entertaining, too! One can keep returning to its pages, finding a new topic of interest each time.

    George Camp
  • Gary’s book focuses on the people who drove designs and events at GM Design. It is always informative, sometimes funny and sometimes sad. Picture are breathtaking. Extremely well done.

    James Rice
  • Thank you Gary for this wonderful publication vicariously delivering the human condition nectar recalled from the good old days at GM Design.

    Bill Boudreau
  • Closest thing to an actual time machine I have experienced! The photos, quotes and artwork really transported me back to what was a fabulous time at GM Design.

    Len Casillo
  • I just wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed The Future is Back. Great stories and wonderful comments! Excellent selection of illustrations and photos!

    Peter Brock
  • The book is providing lots of interesting reading along with so many great photos, illustrations and renderings.

    Sheldon Payne
  • It’s like going to a family reunion and meeting all your old friends, the studios and the models all over again. I can almost smell the fresh clay reading your book.

    Ron Will
  • Reading the stories and anecdotes of designers who shared their experiences in this book allowed me to vicariously imagine what it would have actually been like to have worked in a studio. Thumbs Up Gary!!

    Steve Sicklick
  • Great book Gary. It’s like taking a trip down memory lane!

    Dennis Burke
  • I’ve enjoyed the Dean’s Garage book. I know a lot of the designers and places you mention; it’s like a reunion or old-home week.Thank you very much for putting everything together in such a beautifully organized, fun, illuminating way.

    Michael Lamm
Posts from the Archives
  • American Orphan ProjectAmerican Orphan Project
  • Random imagesRandom images
  • The 1957 Ford Mystere StoryThe 1957 Ford Mystere Story
  • Alex Tremulis at Art Center School, Class of 1955/56Alex Tremulis at Art Center School, Class of 1955/56
  • Ron Kellogg’s Bugatti Type 57/59 Roadster SpecialRon Kellogg’s Bugatti Type 57/59 Roadster Special
  • The Ford Mustang Was Conceived By…Shhhh…The Ford Mustang Was Conceived By…Shhhh…
Recent Comments
  • Mike Dougherty on Car Designs of the 1937 Fisher Body Craftsman’s Guild
  • Edward Matula on Car Designs of the 1937 Fisher Body Craftsman’s Guild
  • Jeff McCluskey on GM Design photos from the early ’90s, Part 3
  • Jeff McCluskey on GM Designer Paul Deesen, the Pontiac Strato Star, and Sebring 1957
  • John Sanderson on Car Designs of the 1937 Fisher Body Craftsman’s Guild
  • Henry Rom on Car Designs of the 1937 Fisher Body Craftsman’s Guild
  • Tony Mazzola on Car Designs of the 1937 Fisher Body Craftsman’s Guild
  • John L Jacobus on Car Designs of the 1937 Fisher Body Craftsman’s Guild
  • John L Jacobus on Car Designs of the 1937 Fisher Body Craftsman’s Guild
  • DICK RUZZIN on Car Designs of the 1937 Fisher Body Craftsman’s Guild
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“This is no small thing, to restore a republic after it has fallen into corruption. I have studied history for years and I cannot recall it ever happening. It may be that our task is impossible. Yet, if we do not try then how will we know it can’t be done? And if we do not try, it most certainly won’t be done. The Founders’ Republic, and the larger war for western civilization, will be lost.”

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