Interview with Bill Mitchell

[otter]

I found this the other day on teh interwebs whilst searching for something else related. There is nothing I love more than cars and design, and I love histories too, so I find this kind of history fascinating. I know there are at least a few others here who would enjoy this, so I thought I'd post a link:

http://www.autolife.umd.umich.edu/De...linterview.htm

For a very thorough and comprehensive look at the history of car design in the US, the Lamm/Holls book is fantastic, and definitive. I've been rereading parts of it recently for fun.

O.

[LodgeDodger]

Bill Mitchell was an amazing talent.

[ccbatson]

And quite the example of the American Dream and individual ambition endorsed by freedom and liberty. Too bad that the current administration reviles and disrespects these characteristics.

[Stosh]

Please prove that assertion.

[otter]

Better yet, please, please, don't, and don't feed the trolls.

The interview was a long read, and there are a relatively small number of people on here who would be interested in it, so I didn't expect much comment - I posted it mostly for the interest of any other car people on here - but if there is anyone who loves car design or GM design history in particular and has something to say, I'd be happy to hear it and start a conversation. But one-trick-pony boilerplate - no, no, no, no. Please.

I have loved car design [[on top of anything else car-related) since I was very little, but I remember a book with a title like The HIstory of Ameircan Car Design, byt C. Edson Armi, that my local library had. I discovered this when I was, I dunno, 14 or so, and devoured it. It gave a fascinating [[if that's your thing) look into GM design history - it was not exclusively about GM, but pretty GM-heavy - through the 80s or so. It even gave me a little more appreciation of GM's 80s work, which is not its best era, perhaps. The book is a bit like this interview, times a lot.

One thing that struck me about the interview was how much of a dinosaur Mitchell was in some ways, at least to our perspective today, if perhaps not at the time of the interview. He seems distinctly old-fashioned.


O.

[reddog289]

From what I read of the interview it was interesting. This thread had me serching for the small book I have about Mitchell. It was from an exibit at the Henry Ford about 20 yrs ago. When I think about it some of my favorite autos where influanced by Mitchell. I would love to hear what men like Earl, Exner, Loewry, and Mitchell would think of whats going on today. From my perspective seeing a ChevyMalibu along side of a PontiacG6, I prefer the Pontiac. Basically the same car if i'm not mistaken.

[56packman]

I met Bill Mitchell in the early 80s at the Meadow Brook Concours D'Elegance, he was wearing one of histrademark "loud" suits. I knew Dave Holls pretty well, he was a fantastic designer, he designed the finned rear end of the 1959 Cadillac [[almost as a joke) in 1954. I was very good friends with Strother McMinn, who worked at GM in the 1930s [[he and Frank Hershey designed the groudbreaking 1937 Buick) and left the industry to teach design at the Art Center College in Pasadena, CA, THE school for automotive design. "Mac" taught damn near everyone who has designed a car since the class of 1955! his student are the top designers in the American and Asian firms today.
GM was the company to follow in styling. They took brief "vacations' for 1958 and a couple of other years, before the boring, boxy 80s.
Bill Mitchell was the heir to Harley Earl, he was much smaller than Earl, but had twice as much fight in him to get good designs approved, as Earl did. The 60 year tradition of these men sticking up for good styling came to an end with Mitchell's retirement. Irv Rybicki was made VP of design, and he knew how to say "yes" to management. The rest is history.

and now GM may become history.

[reddog289]

I would hate to see GM become history. I learned at an early age that GM was the leader in styling. That was during the end of the Mitchell era too.I myself have a softspot for the 58-60 Chevys. Dunno why. Packman You have led yourself a very interesting life. When IT comes to Autos, Buildings, Old MOVIE houses ETC . I trust what you speak..