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Apr282021

A James Dean Wannabe

Jim Van Orden remembers his first car, a well-used ’49 Merc.

1 Comment
Apr172021

Ford Studio Renderings

Anybody know George Theophelis, Barry, or Lampe, Ford Designers?

12 Comments
Apr102021

How A Body Design Is Developed at General Motors

A satirical mid-’50s look at the GM design process by Stan Mott.

4 Comments
Mar202021

John Fitch Video Tribute

A brief look at the amazing life of John Fitch.

5 Comments
Mar82021

Corvette: A Racing Reminiscence

Dick Thompson’s commentary on driving the ’59 Stingray and the GS Corvette in competition.

2 Comments
Feb192021

Stingray Driving Impressions

Dick Henderson gives Rich Taylor an unforgettable ride around the Tech Center’s test track in the ‘59 Stingray.

6 Comments
Feb122021

The First Stingray

An interesting account from 1977 of Mitchell’s Stingray racing effort with quotes by Mitchell and Kenny Eschenbach.

4 Comments
Jan212021

The Cellini of Chrome

The Story of George W. Walker review by Helen Hutchings

9 Comments
Jan12021

Retrofuturism: The Future We Dreamt Of

This compilation of videos is what society once believed the future would be like. It’s uplifting and entertaining—just what we need as 2021 gets started.

1 Comment
Dec292020

Society of Automotive Historians

The SAH honors Dean’s Garage with a book review and inclusion in their Resource List. View the entire 9/10 2020 issue.

7 Comments
Dec132020

Herb Adams: FBCG Entries and His Vivant

Herb’s six FBCG entries included one made from a block of Plexiglas, and another from cast in aluminum!

3 Comments
Dec72020

Photos from Car Styling

A handful of interesting photos from old issues of Car Styling.

4 Comments
Dec22020

Maestro: Bill Mitchell, Second Edition

Dean’s Garage reviews Maestro: Bill Mitchell, Second Edition by Roy Lonberger.

2 Comments
Oct292020

Mitchell’s 1977 Pontiac Phantom

I remember the seeing the Pontiac Phantom many times at Design Staff. Let’s just say it had mixed internal reviews.

13 Comments
Oct262020

Dean’s Garage Review in Buick Bugle

This month the Buick Club of America’s publication, The Buick Bugle, published a two-page review of Dean’s Garage, The Future is Back.

2 Comments
Oct182020

League of Retired Designers 2020

The League’s Exhibit at the Royal Oak Historical Museum

9 Comments
Oct92020

Mitchell’s Bikes, 1977

“Mitchell’s Latest” motorcycles, published in Car Styling, January 1977

6 Comments
Sep272020

Ed Mertz

A tribute to the life of Ed Mertz by Helen V. Hutchings.

5 Comments
Sep242020

The Matterhorn Proposal

In which Stan Mott proposes to scale the Matterhorn on a 1960 Scat-Kitty.

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Sep162020

The Designs of Henry Rom

For Henry Rom, his 1953 award-winning Fisher Body Craftsman’s Guild entry was just the beginning.

5 Comments
Sep112020

Proud To Be An American

Dick Ruzzin, on a GM trip to Germany in 2001, recounts a heart-felt encounter with an Italian bus driver.

20 Comments
Sep92020

Champion Race Car Driver Phil Hill in His Own Words

An extremely interesting and insightful interview with Phil Hill, plus The Phil Hill Story, directed by Brock Yates.

3 Comments
Sep62020

Bill Mitchell’s Red Baron

Bill Mitchell’s Red Baron Custom BMW Motorcycle Mystery.

4 Comments
Sep12020

Bill Mitchell’s Fast Living on Two Wheels

Mitchell’s custom motorcycles, published in Car Styling, August 1974

7 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
  • Mitchell’s 1977 Pontiac PhantomMitchell’s 1977 Pontiac Phantom
  • The Styling Section Music CommitteeThe Styling Section Music Committee
  • How GM‘s Radical 1959 Chevrolet Came to BeHow GM‘s Radical 1959 Chevrolet Came to Be
  • 1980 Buick 80X1980 Buick 80X
  • Oldsmobile Presents Futuramic Design, 1948Oldsmobile Presents Futuramic Design, 1948
  • Ford TimesFord Times
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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