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 Harley
Earl was born November 22, 1893 in California to well-established
parents. His father, J.W. Earl was a coach builder in
California beginning in 1889. J.W. Earl kept up with
technology and later changed the name of his shop to
Earl Automotive Works. Earl's mother was originally
from California and was the daughter of a civil dignitary.
When Earl Automotive Works was sold to Cadillac's west
coast distributor Don Lee, Harley Earl was hired in
1927 to supervise the newly created Art and Colour Section
at General Motors.
The creation of the Art and Colour Section was the
first department of its kind in the automotive world.
GM President Alfred Sloan had wanted to establish style
and colors of cars which were mass produced. The new
Art and Colour Section initially was only concerned
with recognized style and color. Sloan wanted a varied
models of cars to not only "attract the affluent
and style conscious consumer of the twenties but also
to make a change in a routine part of his corporate
procedures." Sloan knew design alone could not
lure consumers to purchasing a car, so at the same time,
he marketed his cars buy letting consumers buy using
an installment plan or used-car trade ins. With products
based on price, model and style, Sloan came up with
"a car for every price and purpose."
Earl took nearly 10 years establishing the outlines
of an automobile designer. In 1937, Earl changed his
Art and Colour Section name to Style Section, reflecting
the new general focus on design--including creating
and modeling. One of the ways Earl helped innovate models
and creations was by introducing two types of design
methods. One was a two dimensional rough sketch which
consisted of line drawings and the other was three dimensional
clay models which were presented to management as realistic
mock-ups. Earl helped formalize and lay down the rules
which still guide car design today. When Earl retired
from GM in 1959, he left behind him a design legacy
using classic chrome, two tone paint, tail fins, hardtops
and wrap around windshields. Earl founded the GM Design
and Styling Department in 1927 and by the time he retired
in 1958, it had grown from a staff of 50 to 1,100.
Harley Earl's designs were ahead of their time. His
vision of cars with undulating curves, low and long
bodies and airplane-inspired fins and cockpits led GM
through the next 30 years. A few of his best known creations
include:
- The late '30s Buick Y-Job, the automotive industry’s
first concept car. Features of this car showed up
on GM vehicles throughout the 1940's.
- 1948 Cadillac (with the first tailfins).
- 1951 Buick LeSabre, with airplane styling and innovative
features such as a dual gasoline and alcohol fuel
system and a moisture sensor that automatically lifted
the convertible top during a rainstorm.
- The mid-fifties Chevy Nomad, a sporty looking 2-door
station wagon.
- The '50s Firebird I, II, and III, a series of concept
vehicles with airplane styling and experimental engine
designs.
- The 1953 Corvette.
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