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- Technicians Working on Mercer-Cobra, Torino, Italy, 1964 - Virgil Exner's long career in automotive design included work with General Motors, Raymond Loewy Associates, and Studebaker. He is best remembered for his tenure at Chrysler, where he headed design from 1953 to 1961. Exner designed the Mercer-Cobra concept car in 1963. The Copper Development Association later funded a promotional prototype -- finished with much copper and brass.
- 1964
- Collections - Artifact
Technicians Working on Mercer-Cobra, Torino, Italy, 1964
Virgil Exner's long career in automotive design included work with General Motors, Raymond Loewy Associates, and Studebaker. He is best remembered for his tenure at Chrysler, where he headed design from 1953 to 1961. Exner designed the Mercer-Cobra concept car in 1963. The Copper Development Association later funded a promotional prototype -- finished with much copper and brass.
- William Clay Ford with Continental Division Stylists and Continental Mark II Model, circa 1953 - William Clay Ford (1925-2014) was Henry Ford's grandson and the youngest of Edsel and Eleanor Clay Ford's four children. In 1952, William headed a group that designed an elegant new edition of the classic Lincoln Continental that had been developed under his father Edsel's direction. Here, William (right) inspects the progress of one of the full-sized clay models.
- circa 1953
- Collections - Artifact
William Clay Ford with Continental Division Stylists and Continental Mark II Model, circa 1953
William Clay Ford (1925-2014) was Henry Ford's grandson and the youngest of Edsel and Eleanor Clay Ford's four children. In 1952, William headed a group that designed an elegant new edition of the classic Lincoln Continental that had been developed under his father Edsel's direction. Here, William (right) inspects the progress of one of the full-sized clay models.
- Clay Model of Continental Mark II, April 1954 - William Clay Ford, youngest child of Edsel Ford, championed the Continental Mark II as a tribute to his father's original Lincoln Continental introduced for 1940. Elegant and understated, the Mark II avoided the excessive chrome brightwork typical of the 1950s. The car arrived in showrooms for 1956, but disappointing sales ended production after the 1957 model year.
- April 20, 1954
- Collections - Artifact
Clay Model of Continental Mark II, April 1954
William Clay Ford, youngest child of Edsel Ford, championed the Continental Mark II as a tribute to his father's original Lincoln Continental introduced for 1940. Elegant and understated, the Mark II avoided the excessive chrome brightwork typical of the 1950s. The car arrived in showrooms for 1956, but disappointing sales ended production after the 1957 model year.
- William Clay Ford with Continental Division Chief Stylist and Engineer, and Continental Mark II Model, circa 1953 - William Clay Ford (1925-2014) was Henry Ford's grandson and the youngest of Edsel and Eleanor Clay Ford's four children. In 1952, William headed a group that designed an elegant new edition of the classic Lincoln Continental that had been developed under his father Edsel's direction. Here, William (left) is one of three onlookers viewing a model of the proposed automobile.
- circa 1953
- Collections - Artifact
William Clay Ford with Continental Division Chief Stylist and Engineer, and Continental Mark II Model, circa 1953
William Clay Ford (1925-2014) was Henry Ford's grandson and the youngest of Edsel and Eleanor Clay Ford's four children. In 1952, William headed a group that designed an elegant new edition of the classic Lincoln Continental that had been developed under his father Edsel's direction. Here, William (left) is one of three onlookers viewing a model of the proposed automobile.
- Clay Modeling Tools, Used by Elwood P. Engel, 1955-1961 - Elwood Engel began his career in automotive design at General Motors. Following service in World War II, Engel produced designs for Ford's Mercury and Lincoln lines. He joined Chrysler as its chief designer in 1961 and retired from that company in 1973. Engel used these tools during his time at Ford, where he designed the striking 1961 Lincoln Continental.
- 1955-1961
- Collections - Artifact
Clay Modeling Tools, Used by Elwood P. Engel, 1955-1961
Elwood Engel began his career in automotive design at General Motors. Following service in World War II, Engel produced designs for Ford's Mercury and Lincoln lines. He joined Chrysler as its chief designer in 1961 and retired from that company in 1973. Engel used these tools during his time at Ford, where he designed the striking 1961 Lincoln Continental.
- Clay Model for Prototype 1940 Lincoln Continental Automobile, Ford Motor Company Design Studio, July 1939 - Inspired after a 1938 trip to Europe, Edsel Ford collaborated with designer E.T. "Bob" Gregorie on a custom car with a sophisticated "continental" look. Reaction to Mr. Ford's prototype was so positive that Lincoln put the car into regular production. The first-generation Lincoln Continental remained in production from 1940 through 1948.
- July 12, 1939
- Collections - Artifact
Clay Model for Prototype 1940 Lincoln Continental Automobile, Ford Motor Company Design Studio, July 1939
Inspired after a 1938 trip to Europe, Edsel Ford collaborated with designer E.T. "Bob" Gregorie on a custom car with a sophisticated "continental" look. Reaction to Mr. Ford's prototype was so positive that Lincoln put the car into regular production. The first-generation Lincoln Continental remained in production from 1940 through 1948.
- Working on a Virgil Exner Design Clay Prototype for Studebaker, 1944-1949 - Virgil Exner's long career in automotive design included time with General Motors, Raymond Loewy Associates, and Studebaker -- for which he produced this work. Exner is best remembered for his tenure as design head at Chrysler, where his dramatic "Forward Look" characterized the company's vehicles from 1955 to 1961.
- 1944-1949
- Collections - Artifact
Working on a Virgil Exner Design Clay Prototype for Studebaker, 1944-1949
Virgil Exner's long career in automotive design included time with General Motors, Raymond Loewy Associates, and Studebaker -- for which he produced this work. Exner is best remembered for his tenure as design head at Chrysler, where his dramatic "Forward Look" characterized the company's vehicles from 1955 to 1961.
- Ford Motor Company Design Department, March 1939 -
- March 23, 1939
- Collections - Artifact
Ford Motor Company Design Department, March 1939
- Clay Model of a Proposed 1940 Ford V-8 Deluxe Automobile, February, 1939 - Ford's 1940 models featured styling by design head Bob Gregorie. Standard versions had the company's 60-horsepower V-8 and grilles not too different from their 1939 predecessors. DeLuxe models for 1940 featured the 85-horsepower V-8 and grilles distinguished by secondary side grilles flanking the center section. Total Ford sales for the year topped 542,000 cars.
- February 06, 1939
- Collections - Artifact
Clay Model of a Proposed 1940 Ford V-8 Deluxe Automobile, February, 1939
Ford's 1940 models featured styling by design head Bob Gregorie. Standard versions had the company's 60-horsepower V-8 and grilles not too different from their 1939 predecessors. DeLuxe models for 1940 featured the 85-horsepower V-8 and grilles distinguished by secondary side grilles flanking the center section. Total Ford sales for the year topped 542,000 cars.
- Virgil M. Exner and Raymond Loewy with Clay Modelers at Work, Studebaker Corporation, 1946 - Virgil Exner, Studebaker's chief styling engineer, designed cars for postwar America. In this photograph taken just after World War II, Exner -- in a light-colored suit jacket -- stands with workers and clay models in the Studebaker styling studio. Exner would go on to create revolutionary designs for Chrysler as the company's first Vice President of Styling.
- 1946
- Collections - Artifact
Virgil M. Exner and Raymond Loewy with Clay Modelers at Work, Studebaker Corporation, 1946
Virgil Exner, Studebaker's chief styling engineer, designed cars for postwar America. In this photograph taken just after World War II, Exner -- in a light-colored suit jacket -- stands with workers and clay models in the Studebaker styling studio. Exner would go on to create revolutionary designs for Chrysler as the company's first Vice President of Styling.