After Harley J. Earl (HJE) introduced a more innovative way to build cars in the late 1920s, Henry Ford’s old fashioned utilitarian methods became obsolete. The tradition of pre-styling the auto body ahead-of-time using two dimensional forms and full-size clay models ~ became a cornerstone in creating Detroit’s dependency on design.
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Mention the word “art” to a roomful of people and most of them will think of a great painting. Some will think of sculpture or architecture – a few, of music or literature.But hardly anyone will think of industry.
It’s important to note, or set up ahead of time, that many of Harley Earl’s detractors tried to dethrone the sheer magnitude and success of his innovative tail fin design that swept through an entire nation of car buyers during the 1950s.
Harley Earl is the father of the Corvette. The Corvette was his idea pure and simple.
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GM’s success with Earl’s cars had less to do with design, however, than style. The difference is important. Harley Earl was not interested in function; he was interested in meaning.