Article on Virgil Exner's Asymmetrical Car Designs?

[John_S_in_Penna]

I'm looking for a magazine article I saw a year or two ago,

which I can't find.

 

The subject is asymmetrical car designs by Virgil Exner

of Chrysler Corporation.  Boy, did the design-studio

photographs in that article show some bizarre and

unattractive cars!  Some cars had 3 headlights on one side

of the grille, and one headlight on the other!  It's an interesting

part of history.

 

I'm pretty sure the article was in either Collectible Automobile

or Hemmings Classic Car.  I looked through my back issues

but didn't come across it.  Since time can fly, maybe it was

over two years ago.  

 

Does anyone remember this article?  Can you tell me

what magazine, and what issue?  It's just for my own

knowledge and enjoyment.

[Dosmo]

I remember the article - like you, I'm fairly sure it appeared in HCC.  I hurriedly looked through a stack that is easily accessible, but I might have missed it.  I'll go back through it again later today when I have more time.

[Dosmo]

I guess I was mistaken about the publication, unless I have misidentified the article completely.  In the October 2018 issue of Collectible Automobile on Page 78, there is this article:

 

One-Sided Conversation:  Asymmetry and the 1962 Plymouth

 

There are several photographs matching the description in your original post.

[John_S_in_Penna]

That's it!  Thank you, Dosmo.

 

Everyone should take a look at those proposed cars--

the most horrid things anyone could imagine.

Did they have to go all the way to full-size clay models

to determine that they weren't good looking?!

[JACK M]

Post up a few pics then,

I don't have any old mags.

[1937hd45]

Don't know what a Exner built car looked like but Dean Jeffries turned out the flawless Mantaray. Bob 

 

http://spicercollectorcars.com/2019/02/04/dean-jeffries-mantaray-the-ultimate-hot-rod/

Edited September 20, 2019 by 1937hd45 (see edit history)

[John_S_in_Penna]

Here are a couple pictures of the proposed asymmetrical cars.

How far would production fall if these were actually 

offered in the showrooms?  Would anyone buy them,

or would sales fall to near zero?

 

 

[Matt Harwood]

I wonder if they were really intended to be asymmetrical as a finished car or were they different variations on a theme using just one clay model to save money? That is, each mock-up represented two or three headlight options rather than just one.

[John_S_in_Penna]

The article says that designer Virgil Exner was

experimenting with asymmetry.  You're right that

sometimes the designers would prepare only

one side of a model, or make the other side of

a different design and place them in a mirror.

But that's not the case here.  There would be no

reason that a SYMMETRICAL car would have,

for instance, 3 headlights on a side.

 

And a few years earlier, Mr. Exner had come up

with some absolutely beautiful designs for production!

[Guest]

I believe that after Exner's "Forward Look" for Chrysler Corp. his best work was behind him.

[61polara]

I love the Forward Look cars but have also referred to the 1960-1961 period as the "Exner on Drugs" period.  All beautiful designs.

Edited September 21, 2019 by 61polara (see edit history)

[1937hd45]

Could the fans please post photos of the cars you like? Might allow us to understand what has caused this thread to be started. 

Edited September 21, 2019 by 1937hd45 (see edit history)

[Pancho's ride]

In 1941, Exner patented Bob Bourke’s 1940 design when he was fired from the Studebaker account. Makes me wonder how many of his designs were actually his. 

[John_S_in_Penna]

1 hour ago, 1937hd45 said:

Could the fans please post photos of the cars you like? Might allow us to understand what has caused this thread to be started. 

 

Here are a few pictures of Exner-designed cars

when they were actually beautiful.  Here is a

1956 Chrysler New Yorker:

 

 

[John_S_in_Penna]

Here is a 1955 Imperial, when he was still 

designing beautiful cars:

 

[John_S_in_Penna]

And here's a 1958 Chrysler Saratoga.

I don't see how anyone with a sense of

beauty and grace--as exemplified by these

cars--could just a few years later even

CONSIDER the bizarre creations he came up with.

 

[58L-Y8]

Like Michelangelo, Exner was in his Mannerist Crisis period when developing his later Mopar work.

[8E45E]

On ‎9‎/‎20‎/‎2019 at 7:13 PM, 61polara said:

I love the Forward Look cars but have also referred to the 1960-1961 period as the "Exner on Drugs" period.  All beautiful designs.

He really got into drugs with the Pontiac-based Stutz:  https://forum.studebakerdriversclub.com/forum/your-studebaker-forum/stove-huggers-the-non-studebaker-forum/55299-orphan-of-the-day-08-24-1966-duesenberg-1980-stutz-iv-porte

 

Craig