4 ms·

2 things about this. 1. Those designs may have just been ahead of their time, and now that retro-future is back in fashion, I could see those swept designs bei

2 things about this. 1. Those designs may have just been ahead of their time, and now that retro-future is back in fashion, I could see those swept designs being wildly popular. I would love to own a vehicle that looks like a 1940's-1950's view of the future. 2. I am glad that people like Matthew Bird exist in the world.

pp19dd 7y ago
Re: #1, I would love a modern car that looks like a 1937 Packard 120C: https://i.imgur.com/i6HxWbm.jpg https://i.imgur.com/i6HxWbm.jpg This is just wishful thinking, but electric cars might be the way forward in making that happen. Customizable top shell, standardized bottom skate. Design and order your own.
- sho_hn 7y ago
  Body-work is heavy regulated. E.g. location and size of bumpers, certain lights not allowed on movable body-work, etc. A lot of the "top shell" also has structural elements under other regulations. Lots of older-gen designs would not be certifyably street legal if released today.
  - jonfw 7y ago
    Another important thing to note is pedestrian crash safety- cars these days are sort of bulbous because you can't have hard edges and pass pedestrian crash safety tests
    - kragen 7y ago
      Could you make them out of thin plastic? I'm thinking, like, disposable coke bottle.
      - elihu 7y ago
        ...or add exterior air bags, perhaps? edit: upon googling the subject, apparently some companies are already working on it. I'm not surprised.
  - Guest0918231 7y ago
    That's true. Morgan does make some new vehicles with a classic look though. https://i.imgur.com/5sc1Baz.jpg https://i.imgur.com/5sc1Baz.jpg https://i.imgur.com/FVlIX2V.jpg https://i.imgur.com/FVlIX2V.jpg https://i.imgur.com/eEalrSe.jpg https://i.imgur.com/eEalrSe.jpg
    - notatoad 7y ago
      i believe Morgan falls under the exemptions for small-volume carmakers. Toyota couldn't get away with that design on the next-gen Camry for example, but as long as you're only making a few cars you can do some more adventurous things with the design.
    - quicklyfrozen 7y ago
      I don't think you can buy a complete Morgan in the US except for the 3 wheeler, which sneaks in as a motorcycle.
  - Ididntdothis 7y ago
    Look the the Plymouth Prowler https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plymouth_Prowler https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plymouth_Prowler. It can be done but probably not profitably.
    - mulmen 7y ago
      The Prowler is a 23+ year old design. It's not an indicator of what can be built and sold in volume today.
- dfxm12 7y ago
  I do miss cars designed by coach builders. Bertone and Pininfarina have some beautiful designs. But, I think it comes down to a few questions: How much are you willing to pay? Will these custom coaches pass your local regulations?
- Ididntdothis 7y ago
  The Chevrolet Prowler went a little in that direction. But I guess there is no real demand for such a thing.
  - Loughla 7y ago
    Were Plymouth Prowlers customizable to the level that the other post was talking about? I thought they were just weird looking, but not with really any body customization options. Also, those don't hit the 1940's-50's future chic look. They are solidly a 1990's product. They're like the Chumbawumba (sp?) of cars.
- sib 7y ago
  Is that picture from the Lemay Museum in Washington?
  - pp19dd 7y ago
    Yep.
- aidenn0 7y ago
  The PT Cruiser was definitely a nod to that style of car: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chrysler_PT_Cruiser https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chrysler_PT_Cruiser
fortran77 7y ago
Matthew Bird's RISD lectures on line are wonderful! I've watched them all.

pp19dd 7y ago

Re: #1, I would love a modern car that looks like a 1937 Packard 120C: https://i.imgur.com/i6HxWbm.jpg https://i.imgur.com/i6HxWbm.jpg This is just wishful thinking, but electric cars might be the way forward in making that happen. Customizable top shell, standardized bottom skate. Design and order your own.

sho_hn 7y ago
Body-work is heavy regulated. E.g. location and size of bumpers, certain lights not allowed on movable body-work, etc. A lot of the "top shell" also has structural elements under other regulations. Lots of older-gen designs would not be certifyably street legal if released today.
- jonfw 7y ago
  Another important thing to note is pedestrian crash safety- cars these days are sort of bulbous because you can't have hard edges and pass pedestrian crash safety tests
  - kragen 7y ago
    Could you make them out of thin plastic? I'm thinking, like, disposable coke bottle.
    - elihu 7y ago
      ...or add exterior air bags, perhaps? edit: upon googling the subject, apparently some companies are already working on it. I'm not surprised.
- Guest0918231 7y ago
  That's true. Morgan does make some new vehicles with a classic look though. https://i.imgur.com/5sc1Baz.jpg https://i.imgur.com/5sc1Baz.jpg https://i.imgur.com/FVlIX2V.jpg https://i.imgur.com/FVlIX2V.jpg https://i.imgur.com/eEalrSe.jpg https://i.imgur.com/eEalrSe.jpg
  - notatoad 7y ago
    i believe Morgan falls under the exemptions for small-volume carmakers. Toyota couldn't get away with that design on the next-gen Camry for example, but as long as you're only making a few cars you can do some more adventurous things with the design.
  - quicklyfrozen 7y ago
    I don't think you can buy a complete Morgan in the US except for the 3 wheeler, which sneaks in as a motorcycle.
- Ididntdothis 7y ago
  Look the the Plymouth Prowler https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plymouth_Prowler https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plymouth_Prowler. It can be done but probably not profitably.
  - mulmen 7y ago
    The Prowler is a 23+ year old design. It's not an indicator of what can be built and sold in volume today.
dfxm12 7y ago
I do miss cars designed by coach builders. Bertone and Pininfarina have some beautiful designs. But, I think it comes down to a few questions: How much are you willing to pay? Will these custom coaches pass your local regulations?
Ididntdothis 7y ago
The Chevrolet Prowler went a little in that direction. But I guess there is no real demand for such a thing.
- Loughla 7y ago
  Were Plymouth Prowlers customizable to the level that the other post was talking about? I thought they were just weird looking, but not with really any body customization options. Also, those don't hit the 1940's-50's future chic look. They are solidly a 1990's product. They're like the Chumbawumba (sp?) of cars.
sib 7y ago
Is that picture from the Lemay Museum in Washington?
- pp19dd 7y ago
  Yep.
aidenn0 7y ago
The PT Cruiser was definitely a nod to that style of car: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chrysler_PT_Cruiser https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chrysler_PT_Cruiser

fortran77 7y ago

Matthew Bird's RISD lectures on line are wonderful! I've watched them all.