Interesting 1970 Magazine Article

[polara71]

Godshall had pics of Dave's and my convertibles in that article. I'm not sure if his negative attitude towards Fuselage design was a personal quirk or a POV shared by the whole design team. He was particularly critical of the 69 front bumper design on the Dodges.I wrote him about his attitude and he replied. He insisted that nothing matched Pontiac design of that era. I know that it pissed off both Dave and myself.

As I remember the article Fred the Fuselage styling came from Pontiacs of 67/8, to hear Godshall tell it.

You had to bring it up didnt you Fred?

 

[polara71]

Yeah I know. Grotesque pointy nose and over the top coke bottle 1/4s are just brutal. Godshall is actually a decent guy who wrote a couple of thoughtful hand written letters to me. Who does that anymore? There's just no accounting for taste.

Then Id like to sit down with him at a table and discuss total C body fuselage design for half a day

 

[Fury440]

Your logic is easy to follow until the last statement... Chrysler continues to offer Jeep Grand Cherokees that are multiples of 10 better than what was offered in 2006. If you are satisfied with your current JGC, why would you decide to buy a Mercedes or BMW?

My daughter has a 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland with more options than mine, neat stuff like smart cruise, side radar, auto braking and a whole wack of air bags. Compared to my little '06 her's rides like a tank even though it has air suspension, auto ride height according to speed. It has massive A pillars you could easily hide an elephant behind. It's all leather like mine, but feels harsh. It does have one nice thing, in winter it heats your butt and in summer it blows cold air up your nether parts! Why Merc or BMW? I really like German engineering, they really do know how to build nice machines.

Not sure that I agree. By the time you pay for a Bimmer or Mercedes you could have one of these...

Jeep's Grand Cherokee Hellcat is bringing all 707 HP to the U.S. in July of 2017

A Jeep with that kind of power is just silly, we are talking a 6,000 lb truck with a high center of gravity. It may go like hell in a straight line but corners not so well. A Challenger is much more interesting, but unfortunately while I might slide my big butt in, I wouldn't have hope in hell getting it out again.

 

[hergfest]

A friend of mine was the Sales Manager at a Chrysler dealer in Kansas in 1969. He said they all hated the 69 C Body models. He thought they rushed them out and had many problems with them. When the 1970s came out they were much better.

 

[330dTA]

Godshall had pics of Dave's and my convertibles in that article. I'm not sure if his negative attitude towards Fuselage design was a personal quirk or a POV shared by the whole design team. He was particularly critical of the 69 front bumper design on the Dodges.I wrote him about his attitude and he replied. He insisted that nothing matched Pontiac design of that era. I know that it pissed off both Dave and myself.

Fratzdog, you are referring to a third article Godshall wrote on the '69-'73 C-body Dodges, which appeared in April 2008 issue (vol. 24, no. 6). There were two other articles. April 2006 (vol. 22, no. 6) has a story on '69-'73 Imperials. October 2012 issue (vol. 29, no. 3) has a story on Fuselage Chryslers. The last one has b&w photos of the clay models in different stages. The starting point was a clay model nicnamed 'La Scala'. The photo shows a clay model from May 1965. - If the Fuselage package design ever was influenced by GM designs, it must have been in the early stages. By March '66 the overall shape seems to have been agreed upon. And by November '67 even the loop bumper was in place. It seems to have been one of the last pieces in the puzzle. They tried many akward pieces before the last, obvious one.

One interesting point is the 2-door hardtop roof line on the Chryslers: Cummins told me that it was a Dodge design, which they were told to use. Cummins hated it because of the buttresses they had to make, and was much more pleased with the subsequent '72-73 Coupe roof (they never called it that, of course). -Another case of time healing or remeding a sore issue, I suppose. Because to me the '69-'71 2-door roof has always looked more sober and elegant.

 

[ceebuddy]

Fratzdog, you are referring to a third article Godshall wrote on the '69-'73 C-body Dodges, which appeared in April 2008 issue (vol. 24, no. 6). There were two other articles. April 2006 (vol. 22, no. 6) has a story on '69-'73 Imperials. October 2012 issue (vol. 29, no. 3) has a story on Fuselage Chryslers.

There is also an Article on the 1969-1973 Plymouth Furys by Jeff Godshall in the December 2001 issue of Collectible Automobile.

These articles are great pieces for the most part. But I really don't see why I should take any opinion on styling (and taste) from a man wearing this shirt-and-tie combo.

C'mon, did his closet explode while he happened to stand in front of it?

 

[Rwc]

Bill, if you Haven't you might consider looking at a Lincoln MKX. I just bought one and it has proven to be great in every department.

My daughter has a 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland with more options than mine, neat stuff like smart cruise, side radar, auto braking and a whole wack of air bags. Compared to my little '06 her's rides like a tank even though it has air suspension, auto ride height according to speed. It has massive A pillars you could easily hide an elephant behind. It's all leather like mine, but feels harsh. It does have one nice thing, in winter it heats your butt and in summer it blows cold air up your nether parts! Why Merc or BMW? I really like German engineering, they really do know how to build nice machines.



A Jeep with that kind of power is just silly, we are talking a 6,000 lb truck with a high center of gravity. It may go like hell in a straight line but corners not so well. A Challenger is much more interesting, but unfortunately while I might slide my big butt in, I wouldn't have hope in hell getting it out again.

 

[polara71]

I still have an ax to grind with the man..... I personally hated the article

 

[1978 NYB]

I wonder if any of those 200 stripper New Yorkers are still alive.

First thing I thought of. First thing.

I'd have to see it to believe it; however, it would be great to throw in the face of those that think in absolutes. This article does explain why 1969 models have "one year only" features.

I believe the 200 cars exist....but not with manual transmissions. I'm sure when those cars got to that part of the assembly line that they ended up putting 727's in them. I'm certain that we would of seen one these cars (with manual transmissions) would of surfaced somewhere or even ended up across the blocks at Barrett=Jackson for $1M plus.

I highly doubt Galen would have any data on these cars...unless they accidentally put a Hemi in one that we know about and that didn't happen except maybe for the phantom Hemi 300.

 

[1978 NYB]

Fratzdog, you are referring to a third article Godshall wrote on the '69-'73 C-body Dodges, which appeared in April 2008 issue (vol. 24, no. 6). There were two other articles. April 2006 (vol. 22, no. 6) has a story on '69-'73 Imperials. October 2012 issue (vol. 29, no. 3) has a story on Fuselage Chryslers. The last one has b&w photos of the clay models in different stages. The starting point was a clay model nicnamed 'La Scala'. The photo shows a clay model from May 1965. - If the Fuselage package design ever was influenced by GM designs, it must have been in the early stages. By March '66 the overall shape seems to have been agreed upon. And by November '67 even the loop bumper was in place. It seems to have been one of the last pieces in the puzzle. They tried many akward pieces before the last, obvious one.

One interesting point is the 2-door hardtop roof line on the Chryslers: Cummins told me that it was a Dodge design, which they were told to use. Cummins hated it because of the buttresses they had to make, and was much more pleased with the subsequent '72-73 Coupe roof (they never called it that, of course). -Another case of time healing or remeding a sore issue, I suppose. Because to me the '69-'71 2-door roof has always looked more sober and elegant.

There is also an Article on the 1969-1973 Plymouth Furys by Jeff Godshall in the December 2001 issue of Collectible Automobile.

These articles are great pieces for the most part. But I really don't see why I should take any opinion on styling (and taste) from a man wearing this shirt-and-tie combo.

View attachment 120148

C'mon, did his closet explode while he happened to stand in front of it?

I subscribe Collectible Automobile and I like the articles. I have a friend that has every issue so I will read all 3 issues on Fusies.

 

[Fratzog]

Fratzdog, you are referring to a third article Godshall wrote on the '69-'73 C-body Dodges, which appeared in April 2008 issue (vol. 24, no. 6). There were two other articles. April 2006 (vol. 22, no. 6) has a story on '69-'73 Imperials. October 2012 issue (vol. 29, no. 3) has a story on Fuselage Chryslers. The last one has b&w photos of the clay models in different stages. The starting point was a clay model nicnamed 'La Scala'. The photo shows a clay model from May 1965. - If the Fuselage package design ever was influenced by GM designs, it must have been in the early stages. By March '66 the overall shape seems to have been agreed upon. And by November '67 even the loop bumper was in place. It seems to have been one of the last pieces in the puzzle. They tried many akward pieces before the last, obvious one.

One interesting point is the 2-door hardtop roof line on the Chryslers: Cummins told me that it was a Dodge design, which they were told to use. Cummins hated it because of the buttresses they had to make, and was much more pleased with the subsequent '72-73 Coupe roof (they never called it that, of course). -Another case of time healing or remeding a sore issue, I suppose. Because to me the '69-'71 2-door roof has always looked more sober and elegant.

Great info. I'll be looking for those articles. Thank you.

 

[commando1]

I believe the 200 cars exist

Bob, I do believe we need to go on a...

 

[Fratzog]

I still have an ax to grind with the man..... I personally hated the article

I take the Donald approach to publicity. Any publicity with our cars is good publicity. The readily apparent truth will eventually emerge.

 

[rapidtrans]

As a kid i remember thinking the Plymouth dash was kinda plain looking. Lot of plain vinyl stretching across the passenger side. Just like my 2016 Charger. At least the 69 used better looking vinyl.
Otherwise i loved the new 69s. The long smooth sides. And i liked all model years except maybe the 73 Chrysler squared-up front end.

 

[1978 NYB]

Bob, I do believe we need to go on a...

Absolutely Stan!

Another person you need to meet some day is my friend Mike (NEWP) from Indiana. He is hands down the most knowledgeable Formal guy on the planet.

I also wish I lived close enough to you during the 4 speed conversion. That would of been the ultimate build for me.

 

[polara71]

I believe the 200 cars exist....but not with manual transmissions. I'm sure when those cars got to that part of the assembly line that they ended up putting 727's in them. I'm certain that we would of seen one these cars (with manual transmissions) would of surfaced somewhere or even ended up across the blocks at Barrett=Jackson for $1M plus.

I highly doubt Galen would have any data on these cars...unless they accidentally put a Hemi in one that we know about and that didn't happen except maybe for the phantom Hemi 300.

Did I read it wrong? They were built stripped so they got way past the point of no return.

Being stripper NYs they wouldnt have survived long, beat hard and tossed aside

 

[330dTA]

I wonder if at least some of those 200 survived? Bet they were overlooked from the beginning, were put aside early, and some may have been forgotten there permanently.

 

[1978 NYB]

There isn't a manual transmission NY'er on the planet.

Except the one Stan fabricated.

 

[polara71]

Reading the article tells you otherwise

 

[1978 NYB]

Never seen or heard of one.....ever.

With 200 NY'ers with manual transmissions allegedly produced....one would of popped up eventually.