GM Design and Buick celebrate 85 Years

This week marks the 85th Anniversary of GM Design, formed in June, 1927 as Art and Color and headed by the legendary Harley Earl. There is no doubt that GM revolutionized automotive design and created the blueprint which is still in use today. Renamed GM Styling in 1937 and then GM Design in 1972, GM revolutionized the industry with dedicated studios, separate studios for interiors, and the creation of what is known today as the "Concept Car."

To mark this milestone in a Buick way, here are the most significant Buick concept cars from the thirties into the seventies. Let's start chosen the industry's first concept car, the 1938 Buick Y-Job - still one of the most admired cars of all time, the Y Job featured hidden headlamps and taillamps integrated into the fenders, and eliminated running boards completely. The design direction for Buick in the 1940's can be clearly seen. The Y-Job is part of the GM Heritage Collection.

The long, low XP-300 of 1951 looks like a combination of sports car and aircraft. The front end predicts the 1954 Buick line while the tail tapers like a jet plane. The wraparound windshield makes its debut as well. Fully driveable, the XP-300 is in the Sloan Museum in Flint. 

The Wildcat I of 1953 explores Buick themes old and new. The front clearly predicts the 1955 Buicks while the tail lamps and sweep spear trim recall the 1949 model. The Wildcat I featured fixed brake drums in front which the wheels rotated around. While more than one were supposedly built, there is one known survivor in private hands today.

Wildcat II of 1954 was possibly the sportiest Buick ever designed. The exposed front wheels and freestanding headlamps have the car the look of a Le Mans racing car. The wire wheels are genuine. The car is finished to a degree that suggests production was considered. It is part of the Sloan Museum Collection in Flint. 

The Wildcat II Show car of 1955 previewed the side profile of the 1957 models. The car was made of fiberglass and unlike most of Buick's concept cars of the 50s, this one has been lost to history. Few images survive of the Wildcat III. 

Centurion of 1956 is stunning from any angle. Designed by Chuck Jordan, it features a clear plastic canopy roof, delta wing fins, sculptured sweep spear sides and unique headlamp pods. Inside it has bucket seats that swivel and rotate. It has a fantastic interior including a back up camera. Many design cues for the 1957 Buick can be seen here, as well as a hint at the future Corvette grille. It survives in original condition at the Sloan Museum in Flint. 

 The 1956X Century was created for the personal use of Bill Mitchell. It features over 100 changes from a production Century convertible, including special bucket seats that swivel and rotate, side exhausts, wire wheels, and a special two tone color scheme. All of the special trim on this car was hand made. It is being restored by a private owner in Michigan. 

Bill Mitchell's Silver Arrow was a constantly evolving automobile. It was literally a rolling test laboratory for new ideas and underwent many changes at Mr. Mitchell's command. It has a stretched hood and front fenders, chopped top, and a hand sewn silver leather interior including handmade gauges on the dash. It survives in the Sloan Museum in Flint, MI today.

Silver Arrow III was created in 1972. Like the first Silver Arrow, it became the personal transportation of Bill Mitchell. It features a chopped top, six Cibie headlamps, wire wheels and an interior of hand sewn silver leather. It survives today and is housed in the GM Heritage Collection. 

Reynolds Buick GMC congratulates GM Design on 85 years of outstanding and innovative products. Keep those beautiful Buicks coming!

The Silver Arrow Memos- Part III- For Clarity

Last week we looked at a very ambitious Oct, 15, 1962 memo outlining phases II, III and IV for Bill Mitchell's Silver Arrow Riviera (XP-810 and SO #40210.) The memo called for replacing the engine and transmission (Phase II), significant exterior detail changes and a fully retrimmed interior (Phase III) and even more changes down the road with the addition of high mounted stop lamps, a redesigned cowl vent, wooden steering wheel, and the addition of a tachometer into the instrument panel (Phase IV.)

This weeks memo is dated Oct. 31, 1962, and basically restates the contents of the Oct. 15 memo with a few changes. This time, Buick Chief designer Dave Holls is being asked to coordinate the replacement of the engine and transmission (Phase II),  a full size drawing of the new interior has been released from the Buick Interior Studio for the new interior, the Mouton has arrived for the carpeting, and the design for the seats has been revised (Phase III.)

Instead of reusing seats from a Skylark prototype car, they now plan to install cast aluminum prototype seats that are being considered for the 1964 Riviera. They are no doubt included in the styling drawing being released. The desire is that Phases II and II are to be completed by November 15, 1962, and Phase IV by early December, so there's a lot of work to do in the Styling garage before Santa comes. The document is signed once more by Bud Schenk of Program Planning.

So this document seem to be one of clarification. It is reported that Mr. Mitchell liked being in the know. As we have said before, it is good to be King.

Once again here are the memos for your perusal:

The Silver Arrow Memos- Part II- Phases II through IV

In the second part of our Silver Arrow Memos, we have a very inclusive document that was written to Mr. W. L. Mitchell on October 15, 1962. By now we have gotten through Phase I and the 1963 Buick new car announcement, and it is presumed that all went well but it is worth noting that we have a new author for this document, Mr. E. C. Campbell.

 This memo outlines the steps for phases II through IV of the continuing development of XP-810, and is written to the fine standard and dignified tone of the last one. Honestly, I can imagine Audrey Hepburn reading them in her "Sabrina" voice.

 Phase II-Completion Desired as soon as possible: 


 "The car is to be picked up on or about Monday, Oct. 22 for return to the Division. The engine is to be replaced and the car returned to Styling."

Phase III- Completion Desired in Early November

"The following is being worked on now in the design, engineering, and fabrication departments and is to be completed as soon as possible in early November for evaluation before the car is returned to the shops for fabrication of the longer term items found in Phase IV.  "

I'm going to paraphrase here for the sake of brevity, but the memo describes the following changes in exquisite detail for Phase III- removal of the shields behind the headlamp covers, removal of sail panel chrome molding, refined trim for the quarter panel scoops, new rocker panel and lower rear fender moldings as per Riviera S. O. 40193 (Board of Directors Presentation Car), removal of the B U I C K lettering from the rear deck lid and creation of a Riviera script badge to replace them, and the design, engineering and installation of special low profile exterior remote controlled mirrors that will involve the coordination of Buick Exterior, Buick Interior, and Engineering.

There's plenty in store for the interior as well, starting with removing the Astra Buick Seats from a Skylark show car, S. O. 40224, retrimming them, and fitting them to this car. Along the way,  there are plans to chrome plate the windshield pillars and window garnish moldings, repaint the dash and console, fit new metal trim to the dash, create a new Riviera nameplate for the glove box door and create a wooden shift knob.

Oh, and retrim the entire interior. Seats of silver leather, new door panels, kick panels, carpeting, headliner, package shelf, and trunk. On a three month old car. And this is still Phase III- all this is being done while Phase IV is being developed.  Have you gotten the impression yet that all of GM Styling existed to please Mr. Mitchell? Of course, XP-810 was a rolling laboratory and the innovation could benefit future GM cars, but people certainly tried very hard to please Mr. Mitchell.

Phase IV- Desired by Early December.

Exterior

1. Panic stop lights are to be built into the tulip panel. This will require reworking of the backlight lower reveal molding.
2. A new cowl vent grille, with air scoops, is to be installed. 

Interior

1. A new wooden steering wheel and a new adjustable steering column are required. The wheel will be made new. The steering column is to be reworked from a 1963 production tilting column. A telescopic feature is to be added for fore and aft adjustment.
2. The instrument panel cluster is to be revised to permit the addition of a tachometer. The requirements for the mechanical tachometer drive system are to be coordinated by the Interior Engineering and Mechanical Assembly Departments.
3. An AM/FM radio is to be installed. A speaker is to be installed on the instrument panel. 

All design work will be done by the Buick Interior and Exterior Studios, and all development and engineering will be done by the Interior and Exterior Engineering Departments.


E. C Campbell
Program Planning

Below you will see the original memo along with period photography of the XP-810 Silver Arrow. And yes, there's much more to come

The Silver Arrow Memos- Part I - Initial Phase

First Silver Arrow Memo- July 11, 1962

By Jeff Stork 


No Rivieras are more famous than Bill Mitchell's Silver Arrows. Created ostensibly as show cars but in reality intended for his personal use, the Arrows are a mixture of dream car, rolling laboratory, and ultimate corporate perk. We've spoken before of Mitchell and how it is "Good to be King."

Now in a series of original GM documents, we can watch the evolution of the original Silver Arrow as it evolves into its current form via a series of Styling Staff memoranda that track the progress of each phase of the car's modifications until they arrived at the car which resides today at the Buick Gallery in Flint.  They span a period of time from Summer 1962 until almost 1965.

The memos are really more letters of understanding, on impressively logoed GM Styling Staff letterhead (how cool is that) are written to Mr. W. L. Mitchell and concern the design and construction of one 1963 Buick "E" Riviera Production Car, Special Order # 40210. The early ones are written by E.G. "Bud" Schenk, head of Program Planning. and carbon copied to everyone involved, even if only tangentially.

Schenk was the one responsible for supervising the construction of the car, coordinating all of the activities between the various styling studios and all of the tradesmen, the division staff and above all keeping Bill Mitchell in the loop. The Special Order Number (#40210) was used to keep track of all the expenses incurred on the car for the accounting department. The prototype number was XP-810 and would be how design staff would refer to it. The world would know it as Silver Arrow I.

Silver Arrow I outside the GM Styling Building

This earliest memo is dated July 11, 1962, and outlines the first round of changes to be made to the car. It's obvious that Schenk chose the language very carefully and the memo is worth reading.

"Mr. Mitchell has requested the Buick Exterior to undertake the design and study involved in making new concealed headlamps, radiator grille, and extending of front end sheet metal as an experimental proposal on a 1963 Buick 'E" Riviera Coupe production car. Present plans call for the completion of these changes on the subject  car so that it may be available to be driven on Buick's 1963 Car Announcement Date Thursday, October 4.


In general, the required changes are as follows as of this date-

1. New Concealed rotating headlamp grilles on the front fenders. Plans are to study the using of 7" diameter seal beam lamps. These units must be operable and applicable to a road car.
2. Radiator grille to be installed per design as proposed and released by the Buick Exterior Studio.
3. Revisions to front end sheet metal consisting of extending the hood surface and of possible fromt fender changes.  

Modeling of surface changes will be some in the Exterior Studio and information expedited so that engineering drawings can be released to permit the pre-fabrication of parts and components prior to the arrival of the car.


It is anticipated that the car will be delivered to Styling in the early part of September."


E. G. Schenk
Program Planning

In a word, wow. Buick Styling studio modeling, engineering drawings being completed, parts to be pre-fabricated prior to the first week of September so that someone very important can drive this special car on Buick's New Car Announcement Day. And as far as who the special someone was, one need look only to whom the memo was addressed - Mr. W. L. Mitchell.

As I said, it's Good to be King.

XP-75: A Buick with Italian Flair

XP-75 Skylark III in white

The more one studies General Motors, the more it becomes clear that very unusual cars did indeed happen and one should "never say never"- especially when someone in a position of leadership wants something. So it is unwise to dismiss grainy photographs of what seem to be very unusual cars without more research.

Take for instance the 1959 Buick. Now it is well understood that the whole 1959 GM program was developed in a mad rush- so much so that GM styling was running 16 hour days to gets the cars finished and they even went so far as to develop all of the cars on a single body platform (instead of the usual three) because Fisher didn't have time to do more than one.

So how did it come to be that there was time, in the middle of this chaos, to create a special prototype two seater based on the 1959 Buick styling and actually have two of them built? The answer must be that the right person wanted it. The concept was designated XP-75. The clay model was done in 1957 and called Skylark II. It featured 1959 styling with a slightly modified tail. The clay also shows special "Skylark" logos on the frony fenders and had a modified tail treatment. It was rendered in black. One must assume that it was done in the advanced studio, because the production ones were swamped at the time. This would not have happened without Bill Mitchell's insistence.

XP-75 Clay Model of 1957- called "Skylark II"

Note modified rear treatment of Skylark II

The project was taken so seriously as to create a full interior buck as well. And then Pininfarina Studios in Italy were contracted to build two running cars- one white, and one silver. They seem to show stock 1959 styling except for a flourish in the rear fender that would be repeated on the 1960 Buicks. The two cars were known internally as "Skylark III". They are remembered by GM Styling employees who recalled that they were created for members of the GM Board of Directors. We have not yet been able to determine who they were actually built for.

According to accounts, the white car was scrapped in 1964. The silver car seen above was modified with Cibie headlamps, a straight-car grille and wire wheels in the early 60's. This car was kept in existence until at least 1967.  Bill Mitchell is known for having a fondness for both Cibie lamps and wire wheels- was he the one that kept this very special car around?

While this car had no serious production intent, it does seem to be the very early planting of a seed which will ultimately be known as Riviera.

Monday Miss: 1963 Riviera Convertible? Almost

Many early Riviera enthusiasts have long wondered why no convertible version was ever offered to supplant the coupe. The prime competitor, Thunderbird, was offered as a convertible and so it would seem to make sense that Riviera be offered in one as well.

Now comes a series of photos that suggest that, not only was Buick thinking about such an idea, they were taking the idea very seriously. These photos were taken on the GM Styling patio in the summer of 1962 and show a Riviera convertible prototype that had been the subject of considerable planning.

Retired GM stylists recall the car clearly and note that it was not a fiberglass mock-up, but rather a body in white that arrived from Fisher to be converted by the craftsmen at the Styling buiding. In other words, this was a high level exercise.

The convertible top has been carefully styled to mimic the crisp look of the hardtop as closely as possible. Note the sharp upper rear corner- no descending bow as was so often the case on GM convertible tops- and note the sharp corners of the rear quarter windows. They look like they were taken directly from a coupe.

Look carefully at the top- it's the parallel arm top that was first created for the 1960 Cadillac Fleetwood four door convertible prototype. This will allow for a full width rear seat and side panels similar to the coupe.  The top will be utilized on the 1971 full-size GM convertibles. Also notice the top deck (a'la Corvette) which mates brilliantly with the rear seat back and provides a beautifully finished look with no separate top boot. Clearly they had paid attention to the T-Bird.

This rear 3/4 view shows how carefully the top had been styled to mimic the coupe version. It lacks the slight curve of the roof where it meets the rear deck, but otherwise mirrors the coupe lines beautifully.

Here is the convertible in profile with the top lowered. Those who saw the car say that without the crisp, formal roofline, it simply lacked the dramatic presence of the coupe and in all likelihood explains why it was not approved for production- a convertible should never be less exciting visually than the coupe from which it is derived.

So the convertible was not produced. An interesting footnote above however shows a Hatch roof as photographed on a 1963 Coupe, also on the styling patio. This photo suggests that even after the convertible was killed off, stylists were continuing to explore open air themes for the Riviera luxury coupe.

(Photo credits: General Motors. Cross posted at Palm Springs Automobilist)

A Buick for Bill Mitchell- the 1956X Century

 We've written before about GM's Bill Mitchell and how his job was even better than being King, because he got GM to build him special cars whenever the mood struck. Lots of cars surface with claims of Mitchell in their provenance, but this one screams authentic. The car in these photos is a 1956 Buick Century convertible known as the "1956X" with a host of modifications- the owner says it was a car for Mitchell. The first clue that supports his claim is that the building in the background is the General Motors Styling Center- brand new at the time!


Lots of special details are visible in this shot. Start with the special color- Eldorados had metallic aqua in 1956 but Buicks did not. Moldings are Roadmaster in style and the hood and trunk color break is custom. Wire wheels and side exhaust are special touches. Rear CENTURY lettering is unique and name badges on the sides are relocated. Bumpers have color inset and a ribbed and bright applique. Tail lamps are custom.

See the note that says Madler? Neil Madler was a GM Photographer and he took this picture on August 20, 1956. The paint on the other side of this wall was scarcely dry then. This profile shows off the lowered suspension and the custom rocker molding with exhaust outlet. Note hard boot, a'la Eldorado. Wire wheels are wearing narrow whitewall tires, which GM is showing on Motorama cars this season.

Special paint break moldings on the hood as well. Note the 1955 style hood ornaments now on the fender tops and the standard 1956 bombsight is removed. Undercarriage and wheel wells are Dante Red. The highlight of the interior are those special bucket seats with power headrests. The driver's seat swiveled 90 degrees, the passenger seat rotated a full 180. The seats are very similar in style to those in the 1956 Buick Centurion dream car. 

The car exists today in an unrestored state. The seats were no longer with the car when it was discovered but otherwise it is described as being largely intact. We have requested photos of the car as discovered and will share them when we receive them.

Do any of our readers recognize the car? If so, please leave a comment or drop us a line. 

Silver Arrow- a Riviera for Mr. Mitchell

Silver Arrow at the Styling Pond, GM Tech Center

There's an old line that "It's Good to be King," and while that may be true, it might have been even better to have been GM's Bill Mitchell. Because Bill not only avoided all those dreary court functions, he also got GM to build him special cars whenever the mood struck. Take for example the fall of 1963, and the gorgeous new 1963 Buick Riviera had just begun rolling off Buick's assembly lines. Riviera was a personal favorite of Mitchell's, but as is often the case, he didn't get absolutely everything he wanted on the production car.

Wasn't it nice that he had the talented craftsmen of the GM Design Center at his disposal? He had a silver production 1963 Riviera sent over for some touches. First, the top was shopped two inches and the front fenders and hood lengthened about four. The vent windows were eliminated. Cibie headlamps were mounted behind the vertical fender grilles. The side scoops were enlarged. Genuine wire wheels were fitted, although the actual tire choice varied between whitewalls and black- both were seen.

Inside the car had special silver leather bucket seats, revised instrumentation including a tachometer and a clock mounted in the wood trimmed console. Mitchell's signature chrome strips over leather floor covering was utilized, and even the black gauge faces were unique to Silver Arrow. It was also the first car to display the R logo stand up hood ornament.

The car was named Silver Arrow and when not being displayed at Auto Shows, it was Mitchell's personal transportation. Perhaps the only car that could top a 1963 Riviera was this magnificent Silver Arrow.

After about a year the car was revised. The egg  crate grille was replaced with four thermostatically controlled cooling slots. The wire wheels were replaced with art deco inspired color matched wheel discs and the car was fitted with wide whitewall tires. This is the look the Silver Arrow wears to this day, and became a Mitchell signature that would be seen again and again.

Silver Arrow was so popular that it became an icon for the Buick Riviera, and the exercise was to be repeated on subsquent generations of Riv. It resides today in the Buick Heritage Gallery of the Sloan Museum in Buick's hometown of Flint.

Silver Arrow upon completion at the GM Tech Center

Winter Shot alongside the GM Styling Center

After Revision, on display at the Pebble Beach Concours

After

Silver Arrow on display at the Buick Gallery in Flint

Mitchell's signature color matched wheel cover and wide whitewalls

Special silver leather buckets and unique instrumentation

Special rear side scoop

Revised tail lamps and special Silver Arrow badging

Sunday Drive: Buick Automotive Gallery

The Flint adventures continue. Today's trip to the Buick Automotive Gallery at the Sloan Museum in Flint is one that no Buick enthusiast should do without. The Gallery, housed in its own special building, is dedicated to Buick- automobiles, ephemera, and even a library of documents for the serious researcher. It is also a land of very special Buicks, as several Motorama Dream Cars and Buick one-off specials reside there as well. 

The XP-300 was a Buick Concept Car from 1951 that features an aluminum body, disappearing top, and supercharged V-8 engine. While the front end design closely predicts the 1954 Buicks, the unique tail tapers similarly to a jet fuselage. The XP-300 is on permanent display.

The 1954 Wildcat II was constructed for display at the General Motors Motorama. Designer Ned Nichols gave the Wildcat II an unmistakably sport look, with a low-slung two seat body, open flared fenders with polished inner fenders and genuine chrome plated wire wheels, and even freestanding headlamps. A suitably sporty interior with a full complement of gauges completes the sporty feel. The Wildcat II is certainly the sportiest show car produced by Buick in the 1950's. 

While the Wildcat II is a sporty car, the Centurion is more like a space ship with wheels. Constructed for the 1956 Motorama, the red and white beauty features radical styling features such as a full glass roof, pointed jet fighter tail cone with rear mounted camera, and overall styling that strongly predicted the all new 1957 Buickd, especially in the side profile. In addition, the distinctive grille design was later adapted for the Corvette. A dazzling car, and as exciting today as the day it was first shown over fifty-five years ago.

Unlike its unique bretheren, the 1963 Riviera Silver Arrow was not designed as a show car, but rather as a one off driver for GM Styling Chief Bill Mitchell. Finished in Cloud Silver paint , Silver Arrow was lengthened in the front fenders and featured chopped top, making the profile of Silver Arrow uniquely distinctive. The grille was replaced with cooling slots that were speed activated and the car was originally built with chrome wire wheels. The silver leather interior features a special console with a factory tach. Mitchell later added the wide whitewalls and the full wheel covers that the Silver Arrow wears today.

It's a wonderful place to look at some one off cars from Buick's past. Enjoy your visit to the Sloan Museum's Buick Automotive Gallery: