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History Harley Earl's Y-Job

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by LowKat, Jan 26, 2010.

  1. LowKat
    Joined: Nov 29, 2005
    Posts: 10,015

    LowKat
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    Built in 1938 and put on the road in 1939 the Buick Y-Job is considered the first concept car. Created by General Motors Styling and Buick Engineering. It was designed by Harley Earl, GM's first design chief, and built on a production Buick ch***is modified by Charlie Chayne, then Buick's chief engineer.

    Buick called it ‘Y’ because so many makers dubbed experimental cars as an ‘X’. Styling and mechanical features of the ‘Y-Job’ showed up on GM products, particularly Buick and Cadillac throughout the 1940s.


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  2. LowKat
    Joined: Nov 29, 2005
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    LowKat
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  3. LowKat
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    LowKat
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  4. LowKat
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    LowKat
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  5. LowKat
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    LowKat
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  6. LowKat
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    LowKat
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  7. LowKat
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    LowKat
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  8. LowKat
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    LowKat
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  9. LowKat
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    LowKat
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  10. LowKat
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    LowKat
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  11. LowKat
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    LowKat
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  12. chaddilac
    Joined: Mar 21, 2006
    Posts: 14,073

    chaddilac
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    WOW!!!!!! Nice!
     
  13. hudsoncustom
    Joined: Oct 26, 2001
    Posts: 4,129

    hudsoncustom
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    wow, those tail lights look an awful lot like merc lights...just a decade or so earlier!
     
  14. Pitbullgoingpostal
    Joined: Jan 2, 2009
    Posts: 450

    Pitbullgoingpostal
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    Man, the styling cues on later vehicles are ALL OVER this car!! Most people think vacuum operated hidden headlights debuted on Rivieras and RS Camaros...
     
  15. Amazing car, saw it at Pebble Beach in 2008

    He drove it regularly to work too...Imagine seeing it coming down the road in 1939/1940!

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  16. Probably the best looking car of all time.
     
  17. Fool Injection
    Joined: Apr 15, 2008
    Posts: 287

    Fool Injection
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  18. daily_driver
    Joined: Jan 5, 2009
    Posts: 152

    daily_driver
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    Now that is an awesome car!
     
  19. bigroy
    Joined: Nov 25, 2009
    Posts: 159

    bigroy
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    best looking concept car of all time
     
  20. harpo1313
    Joined: Jan 4, 2008
    Posts: 2,589

    harpo1313
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    from wareham,ma

    any shots of the top up?
     
  21. Beautiful car, I wonder what one would cost if it were a production car?
     
  22. 19Fordy
    Joined: May 17, 2003
    Posts: 8,371

    19Fordy
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    Reminds me of the 2000 Buick Blackhawk car that was planned for limited production. I think a few were made, but not for public sale.
     

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  23. flt-blk
    Joined: Jun 25, 2002
    Posts: 4,941

    flt-blk
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    from IL

    That thing is great.

    How do the headlights work??
     
  24. 19Fordy
    Joined: May 17, 2003
    Posts: 8,371

    19Fordy
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    Probably similiar to those vacuum operated headlight covers on the 49-51 Lincolns. I forget the models.
     
  25. MotorCityDeuce
    Joined: Apr 1, 2008
    Posts: 269

    MotorCityDeuce
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    The "Y" job is alive and well. It is sitting in the GM Heritage Center in Sterling Hts. Michigan.
     
  26. LOWBLAZERO1
    Joined: Aug 3, 2009
    Posts: 435

    LOWBLAZERO1
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    thats bad ***, i freakin love the head lights. never seen this many pics of this car until now, always thought it was cool, but it makes me appreciate it even more.
     
  27. Anson models produced a greatly detailed 1/18th scale model of the Y job.I bought one of e-Bay from a guy in England.Not sure if they ever released it in the States.
     
  28. captainjunk#2
    Joined: Mar 13, 2008
    Posts: 4,420

    captainjunk#2
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    i like it , very sleek looking , id drive it all over , if i had the cash to own it
     
  29. kustomrace
    Joined: Apr 1, 2004
    Posts: 168

    kustomrace
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    It's on display at the Henry Ford museum...that and the Lesabre are my two favorites. Dave
     
  30. Doug Kennedy
    Joined: Nov 17, 2009
    Posts: 28

    Doug Kennedy
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    One fine looking car! Harley knew what he was doing. I think he also had a pretty good idea what the public wanted in a car as well.
     

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