But it was also his personal transport, used to ferry him from home to work or to the golf club. This much-storied vehicle was Earl’s vision of the future a concept car. Despite the fact that Harley Earl was a very tall man, his 1951 Buick LeSabre was still a very low car. Inspired by the European racing car, it was a masterpiece of brevity and detailing.Įdsel’s brevity of length made its way to Earl’s brevity in height. It was a labor of love for Edsel he was closely involved in its conception though he wisely left the shaping of the body to the sure hand of Eugene ‘Bob’ Gregorie. In 1934, Edsel Ford built a personal car that was a harbinger of the future. This 1935 Lincoln V12 Convertible Roadster by LeBaron existed towards the end of this period, while the Great Depression was still taking its toll. Gargantuan in scale and price, these two-seaters were invariably custom-bodied and paraded around by movie stars, rich playboys, bon vivants and the like. During this jazz age of conspicuous consumption, there were few greater expressions of wealth than the personal car. Of course, personal transport first entered history about the same time rich people did.īy the 1920s and 30s, the personal car was enjoying its first peak. The second age of the personal car was about to commence. With all that extra room in your family’s wagon, your second car could have a commensurate reduction in space. Double garages were the excuse and station wagons were the enabler. Multiple bathrooms enhanced our sense of personal space. Powered appliances allowed us more personal time. In the US during the early fifties, burgeoning suburbs and pay packets were bringing with them myriad consumer delights. Thunderbird week gives me the ideal opportunity to share a personal take on this model. (first posted ) The first generation Thunderbird has never been a car I’ve paid much attention to, but seeing this one outside a European car show in its patinated glory I was struck by how well the design holds up against its transatlantic contemporaries.
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