[DeTomaso] L Bumpers—the designer’s story!
John Taphorn
johnftaphorn at gmail.com
Mon Jun 3 23:31:42 EDT 2019
Terrific story and background. He may make a nice interview for Profiles
or keynote speaker at Pantera event.
JT
On Mon, Jun 3, 2019 at 9:41 PM Mike Drew via DeTomaso <
detomaso at server.detomasolist.com> wrote:
> Hi guys,
>
> I was fascinated to receive this a few minutes ago. All this time
> people (mostly thanks to Wally Wyss's books) attributed the design of
> the L-Model bumpers to Tom Tjaarda, as unlikely as that was considering
> the timeline of its introduction and the relationship between De Tomaso
> and Ford at that time. Turns out it was a kid working in an unknown
> corner of the Ford design studio in Detroit that came up with it! He
> writes:
>
> Hello Mr. Drew.
>
> I recently saw a great review of Jay Lenos
>
> [1]Pantera with your sharing background
>
> Data and history. It was exciting.
>
> I believe Jay's [2]Pantera was a 72 which was
>
> Pre 74 75 federal impact requirments, concerning high low impact,
> corner hits etc.
>
> Well, I am the retired Ford Designer who
>
> Was responsible for the front black impact
>
> Bumper and Tom Holka our studio engineer
>
> Defined,the simple, functional rear black
>
> Horizontal bumper.
>
> We both worked in Larry Shinoda's Ford
>
> Design studio. Stephen Scheer was executive
>
> Ken Nelson was studio chief. Tom Land
>
> Was my Design manager and I was a little
>
> Over 3 years into my tenure as a Senior
>
> Designer.
>
> The assignment to federalize the [3]Pantera
>
> Happened pretty quick. Less than a week.
>
> We were moving fast as talk of canceling
>
> [4]Pantera, due to the new and restrictive
>
> High and low hit federal impact rules
>
> Were going to destroy the aesthetic
>
> Of the 72 DeTomaso, Tom Tjaarda
>
> Design.
>
> Basically nobody wanted to touch the
>
> Assignment as a no win corporate
>
> Political process, besides....their
>
> Was an internal battle going on to
>
> Design, engineer an all new 1975
>
> [5]Pantera with integrated body color
>
> Front and rear bumpers with Lasers to
>
> Ghilbi flying buttress pillars. It was
>
> Pretty cool but we still had to get
>
> The current [6]Pantera to that timeline
>
> So I was given the ( see what the kid can
>
> Do) and if the project went south
>
> It was on me. I didn't care as it was
>
> Just exciting anyhow.
>
> Clay modeler was Sam Borg. Outstanding
>
> Modeler and artist. I did a quick sketch
>
> And Sam just made the sketch look
>
> So much better. I mean.....the hi and low
>
> Hit began to define the form.
>
> Black color was cost saving and it
>
> Just evolved in a short 3 or 4 days.
>
> One week total.
>
> The rear number was a bar...extended
>
> From the body and defined by a section
>
> That would be as non controversial
>
> As possible....and Tom Holka, studio
>
> Engineer was mostly responsible as
>
> There really was nothing aesthetic we could
>
> Do. The rear bumper was defined solely
>
> On function, with a little sex to the shape
>
> And that was it.
>
> Of course nobody liked the results
>
> And the thought at the time was
>
> Ford would move forward with all
>
> New 75 [7]Pantera....and these impact
>
> Bumpers placed on the pure 72
>
> Shape would be temporary.
>
> However, 75 Design theme was never
>
> Approved. There was some serious
>
> Political fallout from DeTomaso
>
> And the bean counters.
>
> Larry Shinoda at this time actually
>
> Proposed a brand new [8]Pantera
>
> Design that would be a Ford in house
>
> Proposal and had the backing
>
> Of Bunkie Knudsen. However the
>
> Political battles going on were
>
> Much darker than any of us could
>
> See and Mr. Iacocca was able to
>
> Do an end run around both
>
> Knudsen and Shinoda...with the new
>
> Concept of Shinoda's [9]Pantera Design
>
> Being killed at the little stage.
>
> It was of course, an absolute thrilling
>
> Design that would be iconic today
>
> If It had ever evolved to production.
>
> Anyhow. I thought you might Enjoy
>
> Some background on [10]Pantera trivia.
>
> I am semi retired. Inventing a few
>
> Concepts. Painting automotive fine
>
> Art and freelance Design etc.
>
> My latest Design concept that I've
>
> Been able to bring to maker with
>
> help of investor is a new Truck Bed
>
> Cap called AERO X from MVS.
>
> Kind of a radical out of the box fastback
>
> Truck cap that so far has been well
>
> Received....of course also criticized.
>
> It's not for everyone hah hah.
>
> Anyhow, I enjoyed your [11]Pantera
>
> Passion, and knowledge. I wish
>
> You the best and keep in touch
>
> If I can share a few stories from that
>
> Era.
>
> I was actually laid off from Ford Design
>
> During Arab oil crisis and never went
>
> Back. Spent,7 years in California
>
> And then in 82 came back to Detroit
>
> And joined ASC Design working
>
> For Mark Trostle and Mr. Heinz Prechter.
>
> Take care and many blessings.
>
> Cheers
> Christopher Dowdey
> PS Tom Holka is correct spelling of studio
> Engineer in Larry Shinoda's studio.
> He also worked on Bricklin design
> With Herb Grass after hours.
> Talented engineer....
> ----
> Wow. Almost 50 years later and we are still learning things about these
> cars every day!
> Mike
>
> Sent from my iPad
>
> References
>
> 1. x-apple-data-detectors://0/
> 2. x-apple-data-detectors://1/
> 3. x-apple-data-detectors://3/
> 4. x-apple-data-detectors://4/
> 5. x-apple-data-detectors://5/
> 6. x-apple-data-detectors://6/
> 7. x-apple-data-detectors://7/
> 8. x-apple-data-detectors://8/
> 9. x-apple-data-detectors://9/
> 10. x-apple-data-detectors://11/
> 11. x-apple-data-detectors://12/
> _______________________________________________
>
>
> Detomaso Email List is not managed by POCA
> Posted emails must not exceed 1.5 Megabytes
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-------------- next part --------------
Terrific story and background.A He may make a nice interview for
Profiles orA keynote speaker at Pantera event.
JT
On Mon, Jun 3, 2019 at 9:41 PM Mike Drew via DeTomaso
<[1]detomaso at server.detomasolist.com> wrote:
A A Hi guys,
A A I was fascinated to receive this a few minutes ago. All this
time
A A people (mostly thanks to Wally Wyss's books) attributed the
design of
A A the L-Model bumpers to Tom Tjaarda, as unlikely as that was
considering
A A the timeline of its introduction and the relationship between
De Tomaso
A A and Ford at that time. Turns out it was a kid working in an
unknown
A A corner of the Ford design studio in Detroit that came up with
it!A He
A A writes:
A A Hello Mr. Drew.
A A I recently saw a great review of Jay Lenos
A A [1]Pantera with your sharing background
A A Data and history. It was exciting.
A A I believe Jay's [2]Pantera was a 72 which was
A A Pre 74 75 federal impact requirments, concerning high low
impact,
A A corner hits etc.
A A Well, I am the retired Ford Designer who
A A Was responsible for the front black impact
A A Bumper and Tom Holka our studio engineer
A A Defined,the simple, functional rear black
A A Horizontal bumper.
A A We both worked in Larry Shinoda's Ford
A A Design studio. Stephen Scheer was executive
A A Ken Nelson was studio chief. Tom Land
A A Was my Design manager and I was a little
A A Over 3 years into my tenure as a Senior
A A Designer.
A A The assignment to federalize the [3]Pantera
A A Happened pretty quick. Less than a week.
A A We were moving fast as talk of canceling
A A [4]Pantera, due to the new and restrictive
A A High and low hit federal impact rules
A A Were going to destroy the aesthetic
A A Of the 72 DeTomaso, Tom Tjaarda
A A Design.
A A Basically nobody wanted to touch the
A A Assignment as a no win corporate
A A Political process, besides....their
A A Was an internal battle going on to
A A Design, engineer an all new 1975
A A [5]Pantera with integrated body color
A A Front and rear bumpers with Lasers to
A A Ghilbi flying buttress pillars. It was
A A Pretty cool but we still had to get
A A The current [6]Pantera to that timeline
A A So I was given the ( see what the kid can
A A Do) and if the project went south
A A It was on me. I didn't care as it was
A A Just exciting anyhow.
A A Clay modeler was Sam Borg. Outstanding
A A Modeler and artist. I did a quick sketch
A A And Sam just made the sketch look
A A So much better. I mean.....the hi and low
A A Hit began to define the form.
A A Black color was cost saving and it
A A Just evolved in a short 3 or 4 days.
A A One week total.
A A The rear number was a bar...extended
A A From the body and defined by a section
A A That would be as non controversial
A A As possible....and Tom Holka, studio
A A Engineer was mostly responsible as
A A There really was nothing aesthetic we could
A A Do. The rear bumper was defined solely
A A On function, with a little sex to the shape
A A And that was it.
A A Of course nobody liked the results
A A And the thought at the time was
A A Ford would move forward with all
A A New 75 [7]Pantera....and these impact
A A Bumpers placed on the pure 72
A A Shape would be temporary.
A A However, 75 Design theme was never
A A Approved. There was some serious
A A Political fallout from DeTomaso
A A And the bean counters.
A A Larry Shinoda at this time actually
A A Proposed a brand new [8]Pantera
A A Design that would be a Ford in house
A A Proposal and had the backing
A A Of Bunkie Knudsen. However the
A A Political battles going on were
A A Much darker than any of us could
A A See and Mr. Iacocca was able to
A A Do an end run around both
A A Knudsen and Shinoda...with the new
A A Concept of Shinoda's [9]Pantera Design
A A Being killed at the little stage.
A A It was of course, an absolute thrilling
A A Design that would be iconic today
A A If It had ever evolved to production.
A A Anyhow. I thought you might Enjoy
A A Some background on [10]Pantera trivia.
A A I am semi retired. Inventing a few
A A Concepts. Painting automotive fine
A A Art and freelance Design etc.
A A My latest Design concept that I've
A A Been able to bring to maker with
A A help of investor is a new Truck Bed
A A Cap called AERO X from MVS.
A A Kind of a radical out of the box fastback
A A Truck cap that so far has been well
A A Received....of course also criticized.
A A It's not for everyone hah hah.
A A Anyhow, I enjoyed your [11]Pantera
A A Passion, and knowledge. I wish
A A You the best and keep in touch
A A If I can share a few stories from that
A A Era.
A A I was actually laid off from Ford Design
A A During Arab oil crisis and never went
A A Back. Spent,7 years in California
A A And then in 82 came back to Detroit
A A And joined ASC Design working
A A For Mark Trostle and Mr. Heinz Prechter.
A A Take care and many blessings.
A A Cheers
A A Christopher Dowdey
A A PS Tom Holka is correct spelling of studio
A A Engineer in Larry Shinoda's studio.
A A He also worked on Bricklin design
A A With Herb Grass after hours.
A A Talented engineer....
A A ----
A A Wow. Almost 50 years later and we are still learning things
about these
A A cars every day!
A A Mike
A A Sent from my iPad
References
A A 1. x-apple-data-detectors://0/
A A 2. x-apple-data-detectors://1/
A A 3. x-apple-data-detectors://3/
A A 4. x-apple-data-detectors://4/
A A 5. x-apple-data-detectors://5/
A A 6. x-apple-data-detectors://6/
A A 7. x-apple-data-detectors://7/
A A 8. x-apple-data-detectors://8/
A A 9. x-apple-data-detectors://9/
A 10. x-apple-data-detectors://11/
A 11. x-apple-data-detectors://12/
_______________________________________________
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