1956 Corvette Impala

Five-passenger Luxury Sport

By David W. Temple

A Corvette-like dream car graced a turntable at the five venues of the 1956 GM

Motorama. It was the Corvette Impala, an automobile styled to give a little sports car “flavoring” to a five-passenger luxury car. The dream car’s toothy grille and rounded quarters revealed its styling was influenced by the newly restyled first generation Corvette. A special brochure about the Corvette Impala stated the car “incorporates wholly new considerations in fine passenger car design from the standpoint of sleekness, safety, and luxury.”

Named for the agile African antelope, the fiberglass experimental car designed by Bob Cadaret and Carl Renner had a 225hp Super Turbo-Fire V-8 engine coupled to a two-speed Powerglide. The V-8 was modified with a 9.25:1 compression ratio and a high-lift camshaft. Spent exhaust exited through a dual set of pipes passing through the driveshaft tunnel and into a transverse mounted muffler with dual outlets projecting through the lower rear body panel.

Styling of the Corvette Impala foretold that of the Chevrolet Impala which debuted for the 1958 model year. In fact, at one point the toothy grille was proposed for use on the new model, but was abandoned due to cost considerations. Even so, the integral bumper and grille theme was kept. Other styling features of the Corvette Impala included a tinted “Panoramic” wraparound windshield curving up into the pale blue-tinted brushed stainless steel roof, a wraparound rear windshield, beltline dip near the reverse slant C-pillars, and chrome-plated wire wheels with knock-off hubs. All of these – with the exceptions of the wire wheels and the brushed stainless steel roof – were adopted for the production car. Its nose emblem was very close to the production type used for the 1958-60 Corvettes, but with the name “Corvette Impala” embossed circumferentially around the crossed flags.

A unique, air-foil shaped, padded cornering bar (or strut) emerged from the steering column, angled upward before transitioning into a horizontal component extending across the entire width of the interior.

To learn more about the 1956 Corvette Impala and other cars related to the GM Motorama get a copy of my new book, “Motorama: GM’s Legendary Show & Concept Cars.” Just click the book cover image at far right or click the link here: http://www.amazon.com/Motorama-Legendary-Show-Concept-Cartech/dp/1613251599/ref=pd_rhf_gw_p_img_1

See my GM's Motorama page on Facebook... https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-General-Motors-Motorama-Page/322177371232507?ref=bookmarks

The LeSabre's styling was revised for 1953

1951 General Motors LeSabre: A Laboratory on Wheels

Full-size clay model of the 1951 GM LeSabre

     One of the earliest concept cars ever built was the 1951 GM LeSabre. (Note it was not a Buick but rather the General Motors LeSabre). Harley Earl, the first person ever appointed as vice president in charge of styling, headed the design of what was originally dubbed simply the XP-8. Within the GM Styling department a team was handpicked by Earl to handle the car's advanced styling. Engineering its mechanical systems was an even more ambitious matter.

     The structural aspects of the LeSabre were as radically different as the styling. Most of the body panels were of light-weight cast magnesium. Magnesium was being used in aviation applications like the first intercontinental range bomber, the massive Convair B-36; its use in an automotive application certainly added a flavor of the exotic to what was an astonishing car for the time. The front fender valence, cowl, door lock pillars, and deck lid were single large castings of magnesium. The remaining panels were of sheet aluminum. Ribs were cast into the deck lid to add strength to this large piece. Casting these members in magnesium was a difficult achievement; multiple attempts were required to get the correct shape for these components in order to get adjoining panels to align perfectly. When a panel was flawed, the magnesium was melted and recast again – even multiple times when needed. The floors were aluminum honeycomb sandwiched between aluminum sheets. Magnesium and extensive labor were partly responsible for the staggering price tag for this one-of-a-kind car which amounted to approximately $500 thousand or even as much as $1 million (which is today roughly the equivalent of $5 million and $10 million.)

LeSabre's supercharged, all-aluminum V-8

The complex body with stiff sills and driveshaft tunnel was set upon a ladder-type frame made of chrome-moly steel; wheelbase measured 115 inches. The parallel wishbone front suspension was atypical, too. Its A-arms were cast alloy with the upper A-arm pivot rod being imbedded in a solid piece of cylindrically shaped rubber which itself was encased in a steel casting. Hydraulic tubular shock absorbers were attached to the steel casings and the lower A-arms. With the rubber in torsion, it acted as an effective springing medium – at least for a while. Eventually, the rubber began to lose its elasticity resulting in Chayne replacing the setup with torsion bars. The rear of the chassis received a transaxle comprised of a modified Buick Dynaflow with a DeDion differential attached to it. (Some years later a four-speed Hydra-Matic replaced the Dynaflow.) The DeDion setup is a type of semi-independent suspension with a drop-center beam axle connecting the two driving wheels aft of the open, double-jointed drive shafts; it is separate from the final drive unit which is attached to the frame. A transaxle combines the final drive unit with the transmission which is located between the driving wheels; it separates the transmission from the engine, thus moving a significant portion of the weight towards the rear to provide improved weight distribution in rear-wheel drive cars. The rear-mounted torque converter was driven at engine speed which made possible the installation of a generator and hydraulic pump in the rear of the chassis. Each was driven by the input shaft of the transaxle. The hydraulic pump operated four built-in jacks (one at each corner) to raise the car when needed (i.e., changing a flat tire). The double-jointed axle shafts were made of magnesium and the rear suspension was a tapered single leaf spring mounted transversely. Thirteen-inch wheels helped make the car low, but to get adequate braking, 3 ½-inch wide, 9-inch diameter finned brake drums with four brake shoes per drum were used. The overall height with the top up measured just 50 inches; the cowl height as measured from the ground peaked at a mere 36.25 inches.

The engine was yet another amazing piece of engineering for the day. It was an experimental V8 with aluminum block and heads displacing 215 cubic inches – a volume obtained with a square bore and stroke (3.25 x3.25 inches). The block extended below the crankshaft centerline; its main caps were cross-bolted. Wet cylinder liners were centrifugally cast of Ni-Resist iron. Problematic at first was the intake manifold design. Before the actual engine was constructed, a mockup was made and sent to GM Styling. Joseph Turlay, who was in charge of engineering the special V8, was told by Harley Earl to make the engine at least six inches lower. Turley’s initial thought was that his boss’s order was impossible to accomplish. However, with some ingenuity he did it. He reduced the height of the oil pan and added a windage tray to keep the crank throws from aerating the oil. The flywheel size was reduced without sacrificing the mass required by substituting bronze in place of iron; this alone reduced engine height by 1 ½ inches. A Roots-type supercharger was neatly packaged just above the intake manifold which served as the valley cover. The chain driven camshaft was suspended from the bottom of the intake. Combustion chambers were hemispherical with the intake and sodium-filled exhaust valves mounted at a 90-degree angle to each other. The intake rocker arms were mounted transversely on the engine, while the exhaust rockers pointed fore and aft. This unusual arrangement allowed for a more compact engine to fit within the limited space of the engine compartment. Valve seats were stainless steel inserts.

There were even more mechanical marvels to the LeSabre. The oval grille in front as stated earlier is not really a grille, but rather a door which hides and supports close-set headlights. When the headlight switch was set to “on” the door moved inward, rotated 180 degrees, and then moved outward with both headlights aglow.

Rare color catalog detailing the interior of the LeSabre

Instrumentation for the LeSabre was extensive and its upholstery was of leather.... For more on the LeSabre purchase a copy of the author's book, "Motorama: GM's Legendary Show & Concept Cars," available for pre-orders at Amazon.com (release date is January 15, 2015). Motorama: GM's Legendary Show & Concept Cars

1954 Cutlass

A Radically Different Oldsmobile

     The 1954 Oldsmobile Cutlass made its public debut at the opening venue of the GM Motorama, the Waldorf-Astoria, in January 1954. While being designed at GM Styling under Art Ross, the car was known simply as the "long wheelbase F-88" and it shared some common features of the other Olds dream car, the F-88. Both were two-passenger cars with a similar instrument panel and powered by a modified 324 "Rocket" V-8 producing 250 horsepower. Wheels and some suspension components were also alike. However, as the name "long wheelbase F-88" implied, the Cutlass was a longer car. It was also a closed car with an unusual roof design ending in a tapering fastback with a louvered rear window. Up front was a divided oval-shaped bumper/grille combination with a set of driving lamps. The fiberglass body of the Cutlass was painted iridescent copper metallic, a special color developed for this dream car.
     Inside the Cutlass was a set of bucket-styled seats covered in pigskin; the seats swiveled to help ease entry and egress for the driver and passenger. There was no trunk lid, but access to the trunk was through a pass-through in the bulkhead behind the seats.
     Unlike some of GM's dream cars of this era, the Cutlass was made operable, and in fact, had a Michigan license plate attached.

     What became of the Cutlass after its days as a show car came to an end is not known, though there was a claim made many years ago it was actually sold to someone in the northeast. If true, where is the unique car today?

For more on the LeSabre purchase a copy of the author's book, "Motorama: GM's Legendary Show & Concept Cars," available for pre-orders at Amazon.com (release date is January 15, 2015). Click the book cover pictured at right to go directly there.

1955 LaSalle II Show Cars

Two Showcases for the V-6 Experiment

Text by David W. Temple

Photos from author's files

A particularly unusual part of the history of the GM Motorama show cars can be found in a pair dubbed LaSalle II. Named after Cadillac’s companion marque, last produced in 1940, these cars were created at the time V8s were extremely popular with the motoring public. Increasingly greater horsepower was being achieved with growing cubic inches, higher compression ratios, multiple carburetion, etc., and this did not seem to be the time to test public reaction to a V6 engine, but that is exactly what happened with the LaSalle II project.

The pair of fiberglass LaSalle IIs show cars were not divisional specific. One was a six-passenger, four-door pillarless hardtop (XP-32, Shop Order 2217) and the other a diminutive two-passenger roadster (XP-34, Shop Order 2220). The pair was named after the first car Harley Earl designed for GM – the 1927 LaSalle. The four-door (with the rear doors being the suicide type) had a wheelbase of 108 inches and an overall length of 180.2 inches – just about the same length as some alternative sports cars of the day like the Muntz. A more modern comparison is a mid-sixties Falcon. The roadster was even smaller with a wheelbase of only 99.9 inches and an overall length of 151.7 inches. Ground clearance for both cars measured 5.1 inches. In an era when longer, lower, wider ruled the shape of the automobile, the LaSalle IIs flew in the face of established principles, though they were certainly low. The hardtop stood 69.5 inches high, while its companion roadster peaked at a mere 42.8 inches. Each fiberglass body sat on a custom-built steel frame with an independent suspension utilizing torsion bars in front. The windshield for the LaSalle II sedan was an “astra-dome” type much like that of the Biscayne. Its exhaust pipes, mufflers, and ports were housed in the rocker sills on the roadster, while the exhaust exited through a port in each lower quarter panel for the sedan.

Frontal styling for both LaSalle IIs had vertical grille openings based on the canceled 1941 LaSalle. The side coves of the pearlescent white cars were painted a contrasting blue (Bahama Blue on the roadster and LeSabre Blue on the Sedan) thus dominating the profile view of each car; they foretold the look of the Corvette for the following year. Carl Renner performed much of the design work on these cars and also worked on the restyled Corvette for 1956. He even went so far as to propose a 1957 Corvette based chiefly on the LaSalle II roadster’s styling, but that is as close as this show car got to production.

As already stated, the LaSalle IIs featured V6 engines, although the ones in the actual Dream Cars were aluminum castings without internal components. Even though these particular V6 prototypes were nonfunctional, GM had a V6 research program in the works over the preceding seven years. The incomplete engines mounted within the LaSalle IIs represented aluminum (heads and block), fuel-injected, double-overhead (DOHC) cam, power plants that would produce 150 horsepower. Today such engines are commonplace, but in 1955 they were quite radical. If they had gone into production, the history of the American automobile might have been very different – at least that is the opinion of Joe Bortz as quoted in an article by Charles D. Barnette for the Cadillac & LaSalle Club’s The Self Starter publication. Bortz, who owns both LaSalle IIs said, “To me these cars are the turning point in American history. At this time in 1955, long before the European automotive invasion into the American market, General Motors had already thought of and physically produced these two cars which had aluminum block V6, fuel-injection, double-overhead cam engines with independent rear suspension. As you know, during the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, these were the ideas that were brought forward from Europe, and eventually Japan, that set the American automotive market on its ear. As I always say, this was the turning point in American automotive history, where if they [GM] would have stepped up on their ideas with these two LaSalle automobiles, American automotive fortunes would have been greatly changed.”

An additional feature of both cars was 13-inch turbine-style wheels with brake drums cast into their center sections. The wheel was bolted rigidly much further away from the center than a typical arrangement; tire removal meant lifting off only an assembly of the tire and rim, thus leaving the brake setup undisturbed. The bimetal brake drums bolted to the wheel hub to form a brake chamber that inhibited the entrance of moisture and dirt. These drums required only seconds to remove.

The LaSalle IIs were uncannily predictive of the future – a trait most Motorama experimental cars have in common. (Such prognostication was the result of advanced thinking within GM Styling, rather than through gifted insight into what would be in demand in the distant future.) The compact car would emerge in the 1960s and Buick would offer a V6 starting in 1962, an engine that would become very important to Buick in the 1980s.

In 1989, both LaSalle II show cars were recovered by Joe Bortz from Warhoops Auto & Truck Salvage near the GM Tech Center in Sterling Heights, Michigan. The roadster had been cut apart much like the 1955 Chevrolet Biscayne, also found at Warhoops. Fortunately, the sedan had not been butchered.

The LaSalle II roadster has the rare distinction of being one of very few work-in-progress cars to be invited to the Pebble Beach Concours D'Elegance. It was shown there along with other surviving dream cars of GM in 2008.

In 2010, Joe Bortz began the final phases of the restoration of the LaSalle II roadster. Part of that process was the design and installation of an electric motor to make the unique car mobile for the first time. A series of videos posted on Youtube.com were produced showing the progress of the project. Part one of the series can be seen here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pnE0-ZVX4Ho&feature=relmfu Links to the remaining portions can be found at the website.

Currently, the LaSalle II sedan is undergoing restoration and will have a similar electric motor installed.

1952 Cadillac Custom Convertible

A Gift from Harley Earl

Text by David W. Temple

Photos from author's collection

The first four years which followed the end of World War II were important ones for Cadillac. In 1947, they outsold Packard for the first time since 1934 (and continued to do so from that point onward), the 1948 models began a styling fad that would last throughout the decade of the ‘50s and into the early ‘60s, and then with the ‘49s came Cadillac’s advanced overhead valve (ohv) V8; it arrived just in time for the start of the post-war horsepower race. Such credentials helped solidify Cadillac’s image of being the “standard of the world” as they had long claimed to be.

The tail-finned Cadillac began to take shape during 1939. During this time Harley Earl and his team received an invitation to Selfridge Air Force Base to view one of the newest and most advanced fighter planes of the day, the P-38 Lightning. General Motors’ connection to the P-38 was their Allison Division which built the engines for the Lockheed-designed plane, a twin-boom fighter aircraft that later proved its worth in the skies over Germany, Burma, and the South Pacific during the second world war. Beyond its importance to the Allied war effort, the plane has the distinction of being the inspiration for the tail fin craze that consumed the Detroit auto industry and car buyers for many years.

There was more to styling the ‘48s than simply putting fins on the car. The Lightning also inspired the pontoon-like fenders and bullet shaped bumper guards as well as the wraparound windshield that appeared in following years. There was a problem to overcome in following through with the ideas that the fighter plane spawned, too. When executives received their first glance at what styling was doing, they were not exactly exuberant about the proposal, thus Earl ordered the styling department to delete the fins. Harley Earl was an intimidating person and when he said do this or that it got done – usually. The stylist in charge of the Cadillac design studio, Franklin Hershey, simply concealed the fins on the clay model with a cloth. Within a short time span, however, the idea of tailfins on Cadillacs began to appeal to management. Harley Earl went back to the studio and happily learned the fins had not been taken off the clay model.

As radically different as the 1948 and 1949 Cadillacs were, they were not as radical as they could have been. Other ideas for the new ‘48s included hidden headlights, skirted front fenders, and a very aerodynamic shape. These concepts were rejected because Harley Earl knew it was unwise to leap too far ahead of the styling practices of the day. In fact, he was quoted as saying, “A fundamental we have learned ... is not to step too far at a time, but every now and then we take a risk.” Dealers reacted the same way management did upon their introduction to the finned Cadillacs, but the general public was wild about the idea. Output for the next year’s model would nearly double the results of ‘48.

Bringing great excitement for the ‘49 model year was a replacement for the old L-head eight cylinder with the ohv V8. The new power plant displaced 331 cubic inches and provided significantly greater performance and fuel economy. With the upper limits of its capability being reached, the engineering department recognized that the L-head was due for replacement. A program was initiated during the latter part of 1941, but the war interfered with the project soon thereafter. Compression ratios were on the rise due to the availability of higher octane gasoline (up to a rating of 88 by 1948). Furthermore, still higher ratings (up to a range of 12:1 to 13:1) were being planned, thus the modern Caddy engine was designed with this in mind. The engineers apparently did their work correctly because the engine continued in its basic form through 1963. The only other street car that could measure up to Cadillac in terms of performance at that time was Oldsmobile which had their own ohv V8 displacing 307 cubic inches.

Harley Earl, the VP of GM Styling and his team of stylists made the cars of GM look exciting and thus desirable. In particular, a Cadillac was something to aspire to because in the eyes of many it made a statement like no other automobile could. It said of its owner, “I have arrived at the top.” However, there were a few Cadillacs that made that statement a little more boldly. A limousine, the two-door hardtop Coupe de Ville, and a convertible said so a bit more clearly. There was one more way that surpassed these – a customized Cadillac specially ordered by Harley Earl.

Gary Cooper and Sammy Chapin sitting in the '52 Custom Convertible

Harold R. Boyer was no ordinary person. He received an engineering degree from MIT – no small accomplishment in itself – and helped in the effort to convert American factories from civilian to war production in order to combat Nazi Germany and the Japanese Empire. During the Korean Conflict, Boyer was in charge of the Cleveland plant that produced Cadillac engines for tanks. Much of his work was classified. Boyer knew the powerful like General Curtis LeMay (the man who masterminded the bombing operations over Japan in the latter part of World War II and who later became the commander of the U.S. Air Force Strategic Air Command) and he was also friends with Harley Earl. Through his association with Earl, Boyer also became acquainted with the famous like movie star, Author Godfrey.

Earl and Boyer met when the latter was with the Oakland Motor Division of GM. Eventually, Boyer was loaned by GM to the Department of Defense. His career brought him back to serve at GM until his retirement in 1964; his last major duty for the company was to coordinate the pavilion for GM at that year’s World’s Fair in New York City. Boyer served on the board of directors of various companies including that of Lear Jet, was a pilot, and owned & flew a Beechcraft Bonanza.

One day while Boyer was assigned to managing Cadillac’s Cleveland Tank Plant, he had a conversation with Harley Earl regarding automobiles. Mr. Boyer mentioned his dream car would be part Cadillac and part sports car. Evidently, Earl became intrigued with the concept of a Cadillac sports car and began having one designed with Boyer’s input. A regular production 1951Series 62 convertible was sent to GM Styling to be redesigned into the car shown here. Originally the special Caddy was painted black and had standard issue wheel covers. The body was shortened 10 inches and lowered six inches in overall height to achieve the sports car look. Grille extensions, turn signals, headlight rings, and the hood emblem were updated to 1952-model year components. The instrument panel was modified to include manifold and oil temperature gauges, as well as a tachometer and an aircraft-type clock. A newspaper article about the unique car which appeared in the Cleveland Plain Dealer stated the custom Cadillac was equipped with a 230 horsepower, dual-carb engine and that it was capable of 130mph. If the report was correct, then the engine, as originally configured, was essentially the same as the one which powered the 1953-54 Eldorado (though these models lacked dual carbs). According to the article, GM was “so impressed by the vehicle” that they were considering placing it into production. One must wonder if this creation was the inspiration for the sporty dream car, the 1953 Cadillac Le Mans of which only four were built. Reportedly, it, too, was considered for production; dealers who were quarried about it believed a market existed for about 5,000 of them. However, production was not forthcoming.

At Boyer’s request, the special Cadillac was upgraded and in 1955, the car got a new engine. The sporty wire wheels may have been installed at that time as well. A four-barrel carburetor replaced the dual-quad setup. At some point, the car’s color scheme was changed, too. This is the way the car remains today.

Harold Boyer’s granddaughter purchased the car upon his death in 1987, and she preserved it until selling it several years ago at an auction. The Custom Convertible now belongs to a Palo Alto, California resident who showed the car at the 2011 Pebble Beach Concours D’Elegance.

In the opinion of many at that time, the 1950s Cadillacs represented the pinnacle of luxury, and sales of the make reflected this belief. However, the ultimate luxury cruiser of the time had to be a Harley Earl-designed Cadillac – something very few people could own.

To view photos of the car on display at Pebble Beach, click here: http://forums.aaca.org/f169/pebble-beach-1952-cadillac-custom-body-310368.html 

Additional photos can be seen here: http://cadillacdatabase.org/Dbas_txt/Drm52-53.htm

1955 Chevrolet Bel Air

GM's 50-Millionth Car - A Golden Opportunity

Text by David W. Temple
Photos from author's files

General Motor’s 50-millionth production automobile was assembled with great fanfare on November 23, 1954. At 9:50am that day, GM’s 50-millionth body met its 50-millionth chassis and assembly personnel secured its many components under banners commemorating the grand event. Within five minutes of the body-drop, the front fenders were being attached followed mere minutes later by the hood. Once complete, the car was driven to a nearby platform built specifically for this occasion while a band played “See the USA in a Chevrolet.” Chevrolet general manager, T.H. Keating made a few remarks then introduced GM president Harlow Curtice who told the employee audience, “Ours is a great achievement. It is one in which all of us can well take great pride. It should inspire us to even greater achievements for the future.” Curtice also noted that 50-million cars “are more than any other country or combination of countries has ever produced.” The keys to the special Bel Air were ceremoniously handed over to Harlow Curtice as part of the festivities.

The Chevrolet Bel Air two-door hardtop including its chassis was painted Anniversary Gold and had a reported 716 trim parts plated with 24-carat gold (though another report gave the number as “more than 600”) along with a duplicate set of replacement parts for repairs if necessary. The interior was color-keyed to the exterior and had the 50-millionth commemorative medallion made for the event attached to each door panel. Chevrolet also offered the Anniversary Gold paint color as a limited option (reportedly just 5,000) for four-door models only. The 50-millionth car not only appeared at the “Golden CARnival” parade in Flint, but also at the GM Motorama. General Motors even painted one of their diesel locomotives in Anniversary Gold with the special 50-millionth car logo as part of the celebration.

The ’55 Chevy passenger cars were all new this year; three-hundred million dollars were spent on the redesign and new tooling for its 3,825 new components. Just as with the Biscayne dream car, the new Chevrolets were designed under the leadership of Clare MacKichan as well as Ed Cole (who would later become president of GM). According to Fingertip Facts for the 1955 Chevrolet (a book printed for salesmen), “Chevrolet first found out, through exhaustive research, exactly what people want in a car of lowest cost; then developed – in one compact design – values that exceed people’s greatest expectations of a car of Chevrolet’s class… As a result, the new Motoramic Chevrolet is by far the most beautiful, most enjoyable, and finest performing Chevrolet ever built.” Up front was a Ferrari-like egg-crate grille. The hood-line was nearly flush with the front fenders and the profile sported a beltline or “Dutch Darrin” dip as seen on several dream cars. The beltline dip served to make a car look lower than it really was. In this case, it accentuated the low look of the new Chevrolet that was over two inches lower than the previous ’54 models. Surprisingly, the ‘55s were about one-inch shorter and one-inch narrower than the previous year models. The wraparound windshield finally made it to Chevrolet (including pickups) this year as well. With the new body came a new chassis with box-section frame rails and ball joints up front instead of king pins. The Bel Air convertible received an X-member for additional strength. A six-cylinder was standard and the new V8 optional on all models.

The unique Anniversary Gold Bel Air two-door hardtop became privately owned at some point after its days of generating publicity for GM came to an end and according to Classic Chevy World magazine’s editor, Joe Whitaker, the car was recently known to be owned by a North Carolina resident.According to him, this owner (who prefers his privacy so he will be called “Mr. Gold”) owned a different 1955 hardtop he was planning to restore. Mr. Gold learned of some garage owners who were building another 1955 hardtop into a race car so he went there to see it. Extensive modifications were nearly underway when Mr. Gold’s inspection of it showed it to be in better condition than the car he originally planned to restore. Since this car was about to get major modifications Mr. Gold suggested swapping it for his car. The offer was accepted.

After getting the car home and beginning the dismantling process, Mr. Gold noticed lots of gold plating and gold paint inside the car. He also found a special plate on the firewall, so he called Tom Trainor who worked for GM for 30 years and was a Chevy hobbyist (and is since deceased). Tom found that the VIN on Mr. Gold’s Bel Air matched that of the 50-millionth GM car. As of the last report, it was still in the process of being restored.Hopefully, upon completion of the restoration of this historic Bel Air the car’s owner will share it with Chevy enthusiasts by showing it at car shows and special events. We are sure readers would very much enjoy seeing the finished car.

GM of Canada Show Cars - 1950s

Forgotten '50s Show Cars from GM of Canada

Text by David W. Temple

Photos from CNE archives and author's files

Brochure for GM's Mid-Century Motorama at CNE in Toronto

While conducting research for my book, “GM’s Motorama: The Glamorous Show Cars of a Cultural Phenomenon,” I learned of several General Motors’ show cars for the Canadian auto show circuit. These cars were modified production cars with special paint colors, unique upholstery, etc. (Such cars were common at the GM Motorama in the United States, so the display of modified production cars by GM of Canada really is not surprising.) Whether the modifications were performed at GM of Canada or the cars were sent across the border to Michigan to be modified is unknown to me. Further research has uncovered additional show cars; there are no doubt more of these to be found.

Five are now known to have been crafted for the 1950 auto show circuit. These were the Chevrolet Royal Canadian, Pontiac Fleur de Lis, Pontiac Magnificent, Oldsmobile Westward Ho, and the Oldsmobile Golden Jubilee – all names associated with Canadian culture and history. All of these were shown at the GM Mid-Century Motorama at the Canadian National Exhibition held in August/September 1950. Presumably, they were also shown elsewhere in the country.

No similar cars have been discovered for the years 1951, 1953, and 1955 through 1958. Most likely, many were built during these particular years. However, those from 1952 are now known; they were another Chevrolet Royal Canadian, Pontiac Catalina Supreme, Oldsmobile Caribbean, Buick Ranger, Cadillac Coronation Coupe, and the Special Delivery (evidently based on a Pontiac Sedan Delivery).

For 1954, a 1953 Corvette was modified with a prototype detachable hardtop and roll-up windows. Other than in some trivial details and its color scheme, it was identical to the one shown in the U.S.

A special 1959 Chevrolet Corvette is known to have been exhibited at that year’s CNE.

Chevrolet Royal Canadian

The Royal Canadian, built from a four-door Deluxe, must have stood out the most among these five cars due to its striking color scheme of Carteret Red and Delicate Oyster White. Gold-plated bumpers, moldings, and hub caps further accented the exterior. Equally jaw-dropping was its interior with two-toned upholstery of white tartan and plain scarlet, white fabric sun visors and headliner, white door panels, white leather seat ends and white leather rear package shelf.

Pontiac Fleur de Lis and Magnificent

Pontiac Fleur de Lis is at center, right. (CNE archives)

Two Pontiacs, both Silver Streak four-door sedans, were less flamboyant than the Royal Canadian. (Canadian Pontiacs, incidentally, were built on a Chevrolet chassis and used a mix of Chevy and Pontiac components for the interior.) The grey-white Fleur de Lis had a fabric and leather interior of grey-white and French Blue while its companion, the Magnificent, was finished in a less subdued scheme of a metallic green lower body and special new crinkle-finish champagne top. Inside were cream nylon duck and green fabrics combined with a forest green carpet.

Oldsmobile Westward Ho and Golden Jubilee

Olds Westward Ho, near center; Golden Jubilee reflecting in mirror at lower right (CNE archives)

The Westward Ho, a two-door club sedan, was finished in Cudahy Yellow. It featured a two-toned interior of Cudahy Yellow (seat inserts) and Cadillac Black leather. Door panel inserts were black. A salmon-colored lower body and black roof distinguished the Golden Jubilee. A matching interior of salmon nylon waffle weave and silky black broadtail along with bits of black leather further enhanced Golden Jubilee two-door club coupe.

GM Travelera at the 1952 CNE

Along with the 1952 crop of GM production cars as well as the 1951 GM LeSabre experimental car, were six special show vehicles at the 1952 Canadian National Exhibition. General Motors’ theme for their display was “Travelera.” As with the 1950 show cars, these were likely displayed at other auto shows in Canada.

Chevrolet Royal Canadian

The 1952 Royal Canadian was very similar to the 1950 version. Described as “breathtaking in beauty and excellence,” it was finished in two-tone paint – Parade Scarlet and deep Guards Blue (roof). Again, gold-plated hardware decorated the exterior. No information is available on this car’s interior, though assuming it was roughly similar to the 1950 Royal Canadian seems reasonable.

1952 Chevrolet Royal Canadian (CNE archives)

Pontiac Catalina Supreme

Few details of the Catalina Supreme are available. It was described simply as a “sophisticated study in Georgian White and contrasting shades of red.” The Catalina was Pontiac’s first production two-door hardtop.

Oldsmobile Caribbean

Just as with the Catalina Supreme, details of the Olds Caribbean are scarce. It was advertised as expressing “the glamour and romance of distinctive motoring at its best.” This show car was painted in “glowing Carib Green.”

Buick Ranger

1952 Buick Ranger; note rifle mount (CNE archives)

The Buick Ranger featured a western theme. It was built from a Roadmaster convertible and was said to be painted El Rancho Beige and Canyon Brown. However, a black & white photo of this car shows it to have had a monotone scheme. The wheels were clearly darker so perhaps the brown paint was applied to them. Brown may also have been the color of the convertible top’s fabric. Fitted on at least the driver’s side door (possibly both doors) was a rifle (type unknown) and holster! This was not the last of the Buick’s with a heavy western theme.

Cadillac Coronation

All that is currently known of the Cadillac Coronation is what was said of it in an advertisement about GM of Canada’s presence at the 1952 CNE: “The dignified styling of the Cadillac Coupe de Ville is given a new distinction by the exquisite use of Sequoia Beige and Royal Maroon.”

Special Delivery

The Special Delivery (considered part of the truck line) was evidently based on the Pontiac Sedan Delivery. It was painted Parchment Cream and Coral with a matching interior. Genuine carpeting was applied to the cab and body floors.

An advertisement (illustrated in this article) about the Travelera stated other so-called Special Delivery trucks were also painted in this scheme. Reportedly, two-tone schemes were not available on GM of Canada trucks until 1954.

Corvette show car for 1954

A Corvette displayed during the 1954 GM Motorama (starting with the Miami show) tour featured a prototype fiberglass top in addition to roll-up windows. (Production Vettes had snap-in panels.) A taller windshield and frame assembly was installed on a 1953 Corvette painted a pale yellow (similar to Harvest Gold or Fiesta Cream) and the interior was outfitted with non-production upholstery and door panels with waffle-pattern inserts, as well as a small glove box on the right kick panel. A similarly patterned upholstery and door panel design, along with the hardtop, would appear for the 1956 Corvette, though the latter item would of course be offered as an extra-cost option.

Corvette prototype hardtop for Canadian auto shows (CNE archives)

For the Canadian show circuit, a second example was built from a late-production 1953 Corvette with serial number E53F001260. This car was displayed at 1954 Canadian National Exhibition as well as other venues in Canada. Other than its color scheme, the only apparent difference between it and the original Corvette hardtop prototype was its wheel covers were stock Corvette units without the crossed-flags center piece installed on the yellow hardtop.

1959 Corvette at the CNE

1959 Corvette with wire wheels at CNE (CNE archives)

Very little seems to be known about a special Corvette show car seen at the 1959 CNE. The only details available are those clearly revealed in the black & white photo accompanying this story. It was equipped with Dayton wire wheels with the knock-off type spinner. Presumably it was further enhanced with other non-production features.

Epilogue

Of all the cars described above, only the Corvette prototype hardtop from the 1954 Canadian show circuit is known to still exist. It has undergone some restoration work, but is currently dismantled.

If anyone has any additional details of the cars mentioned in this article or is aware of other Canadian show cars not covered here, please contact me through the “comments” section on this page.