Concept cars....???

[skipstitch]

I suppose this is an opinion thing... Do any of you get wound up about concept cars? I'm a self-proclaimed student of automotive and concept design. From the Jet-Age stuff of the late fifties to the new stuff that's penned in Detroit... I dig it all. Ryan posted some stuff under the influence of pain killers that I would classify as one off concept... Early German race cars. Even the new stuff like the next generation Cobra Coupe (I'm a TLC/Discovery channel junkie) gets me thinkin' about the possiblities of Rod & Custom cross over design. Anyone else get inspired by concept artwork??? I mean imagine havin' the budget of one of the major auto companies to draw and execute your next project...from every nut & bolt to the final interior... It would have to be a rush to see a 2D drawing become 3D art! Kinda like how Jeem's FnA artwork is turnin' into Kustombuilder's reality.....

[Unkl Ian]

Good design is timeless.






It is also scarce.

[squirrel]

you got that right!

[PEDDRO]

That's why I studied Automotive Design in my Industrial Design degree....but I prefer to enjoy my cars, so I decided not to chase a career in it.

[BigDdy31]

I've gotten a big kick out of some of the concept cars over the years. The ones that appeal to me most are not just the cool looking bodies but the ones they really build to be a complete prototype car. Even all the way back to Tucker and his original concept.

[skipstitch]

speaking of the Tucker... has anyone seen the new commercial featuring a car with headlamps that turn in the corners??? Further proof Tucker was ahead of his time!!!!

[BigDdy31]

[ QUOTE ]
speaking of the Tucker... has anyone seen the new commercial featuring a car with headlamps that turn in the corners??? Further proof Tucker was ahead of his time!!!!

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, there were loads of things on his original design that are only coming into prominence in the last few years. He must have been quite a guy. I mean all wheel drive, swivel headlamps, and the list goes on.

I haven't seen that commercial though. Sometimes I zone out when new car commercials come on because I just don't expect to be impressed or amazed. It seems to be more about financing and credit slavery than about technical innovation these days.

[bufordtjustice]

I like a lot of the new concept cars....but it is sad how many nice looking or innovative cars are either changed so much when put into production or simply are not produced at all. I personally am excited and hopeful about the Chevy Nomad which would be on the Kappa platform...HotRod says it will have the ability to hold the new LS-2 V8...it would be super friggen quick.

Greg

[D Picasso]

'30s, '40s, '50s and '60s concept cars are my life's blood.

[Mojo]

Cord beat Tucker to turning headlights by at least 10 years. Tucker's big trick was that he wanted to combine all the bleeding edge technology into one single car. Almost pulled it off, other than it was going to cost way too much, and he was apparently a bad businessman.

I've always had a thing for showcars, although designers seem to have lost the way in the past few years. Trucks do NOT look good as full sized Tonka Toys, GM.

Speaking of show cars, I have the standing opinion that every 50's car would look better chopped 3", and all 60's cars by 2". I think that's the sweet spot, where the designer originally thought it should be. The brass wanted the roofs higher for hats, and that's what throws the shapes off.

[Tman]

Not a factory type concept but this my idea of a killer A-PU. Drewfus did it up for me, this is a preliminary sketch. The hook is the track nose, remember, if you see it anywhere else, its my idea http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

BTW, Drewfus is a killer artist. I dig his loose style. he did this pic off of a few lines of text decribing my vision.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v316/DrewfusDesigns/HAMBstuff/TrentColorPreliminary.jpg

[roadstar]

I live for Concept cars http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[HardLuck]

..an interesting discussion I’ve had a along these lines is how cars are designed as either two door cars most of the time or sometimes or as four doors. Some cars, usually the two door, is better portioned than it’s four door counter part and to me it looks like the car was designed as a two door and later they made a four door out of that two door design. But on some cars it looks as though they started with a four door design and then later made two door out of it, ’59-’60 chevys for instance, but I’m just bias.
It’s interesting to look at car designs this way.
I’ve never really looked into it but something is there.
-HL

[metalshapes]

That Lincoln Futura sure looks a lot better in that pic than it does with Black paint and Fender Flares, doesn't it?
But my favourite concept cars are still the BAT Alfa Romeos...

[40StudeDude]

HOw 'bout some new concepts? Here's one I did for a shop here in town...the car is almost completed...it's debut is the SEMA show. This is an '04 T-Bird with '57 T-Bird front and rear fenders grafted on...

R-

[Mutt]

This is the only new concept car I would buy, if it were produced as it is. (With a wheel change)

[metalshapes]

The BAT Alfas...

[D Picasso]

[ QUOTE ]
That Lincoln Futura sure looks a lot better in that pic than it does with Black paint and Fender Flares, doesn't it?
But my favourite concept cars are still the BAT Alfa Romeos...

[/ QUOTE ]

you are SO right....Barris utterly ruined the Futura.

and the BAT series makes me crazy in the head. I love those damn cars!

[D Picasso]

here's a spread from a Ford Styling Dep't brochure circa '57.


man, I miss the future.

[metalshapes]

[ QUOTE ]

you are SO right....Barris utterly ruined the Futura.


[/ QUOTE ]

Actually...
All he did was farm the work out to Bill Cushenberry, working off a scetch done by Eddie Stakes ( according to a website)
He did own the Futura, but apearently that's all...
I guess if that is true, he was not shy about taking credit for other guys work, I read he did the same thing with Deans Porsche...

[attitudor]

Those consept cars really rock! My pal Kari has got nice www-pages. He is quite a prototype/concept car freak and he has collected some links: http://koti.mbnet.fi/~skote/sekalinkit.htm

Check also the Main page: http://www.eyeballproducts.com (First click the menu bar on the left and then note the headerline).

[Jeem]

I thought Jeffries did that at Barris' shop, no?

The TV show was cool, then again, I like F-Troop.

[metalshapes]

That is what I thought too, but according to this website he didn't.
They say he was offered the job, but he was to busy...

[willowbilly3]

Tucker dam near pulled it off. Watch the movie sometime. The facts are accurate. He had some serious opposition from the big three and the fire that wiped out the factory, when it looked like he was going to make it, reeked of conspiracy.
Also interesting about the concept cars is where some of them ended up. I saw a feature in one of the car rags a couple years ago on a guy who collects them. The feature car was a pontiac with definate Corvette overtones. It seems GM would just call this junkyard to come haul them off to be crushed only the junkyard would leave some of them languishing on the back of the lot and the collector had aquired several of them.
Some were drivable and some were not. Also many of the features would just be dummied up and not functional.

[Boones]

I look forward to the concept drawings that are found from time to time in the car & truck mags (stuff like Jeem's) . Since the 70's the 3 dimensional rolling showcases from the big 3 does nothing for me. Not sure why but I just do not see much style in them. I think there is more to be found on the inside of the newer big 3 concept cars in regards to style then there is from the outside.