Want to see something cool...

[brad442]

Check out the hood scoops on the sketch that looks like the cars are racing.

[76CutlassS]

VERY COOL!
-HARV


For those of you who are OCA members, there is a little surprise in the July issue which just mailed. A couple of months ago, I interviewed by phone Mr. Len Casillo. Len is a former GM Designer who spent many, many years of his design career with Oldsmobile. He was heavily involved in the design of many mid-70's Oldsmobiles and is pretty much solely responsible for the design of the '76-77 Cutlass/442 models. He was fascinating to talk to as you might guess.

Well, Len was trying to get some concept sketches to me that he had done many years ago. He had mentioned he had saved many from his design days at Oldsmobile. We had some scheduling conflicts, but a couple of days ago, I received a large mailing tube. When I opened it, I felt like a kid at Christmas time! Inside were quite a few original concept sketches of Oldsmobiles. I took a couple of photos of the large ones as they are too big to scan. I have attached three of them to this post.

The first one is the neatest, according to Len, that was THE sketch that GM execs signed off on to begin the development of the mid-70's Cutlass. Its a little different, but you can certainly see the underlying look of our cars in this sketch. in the second one, you can see the window design that was used on the S/442 models.

Check out the hood scoops on the sketch that looks like the cars are racing.

[black77]

Those are cool.To me it looks like a cross between our cars and a 69 Riviera.

[kgl271]

Those are so cool, would you be able to sell copies of them?

[Hurstolds1973]

WOW ! Awesome sketches... You can see so many 70's cars in those pictures.. I can't wait to see them all. Very nice , thanks for posting them! This kind of thing really tells a story. So much of this kind of history has been lost.

[73CS]

Excellent, thanks

[daverbmxer]

Cool stuff. Lots of little similarities in the design to our cars.

[zodiacblue442]

Brad, Now that's COOL! :cool: I'm lookin' forward to my magazine even more this month! I hope the car guy in the local post office that reads my JWO's each month likes it too! :D

Was Len part of the design team for Cutlass for the entire 70's decade? I can see a resemblance of a `70 Cutlass rear bumper in one of the sketches, and also the double grille design that was prominent with the `73 Cutlass and `74 Cutlass.

[Firethorne77]

Sweeeeeeeeeet!

[ragz442]

Neat skethes! Wasn't he involved in the article in Classic Automobile Magazine on the 73-77 Cutlass's a few years ago?

[brad75]

Very cool,Brad. What is involved in becoming a member of the OCA? I'd like to get that magazine.
Brad75

[mdkingsley]

Great stuff, very interesting to see what transpires from the drawing board to the assembly line. Great minds like his are responsible for making our cars great. keep up the good work on contacting the historians of our hobby!

[brad442]

Very cool,Brad. What is involved in becoming a member of the OCA? I'd like to get that magazine.
Brad75

Brad, just click on the OCA website:

http://www.oldsclub.org/OCA_Applications.htm

You can print the application form and mail it in. Glad to hear you want to join!

Brad

[brad442]

Neat skethes! Wasn't he involved in the article in Classic Automobile Magazine on the 73-77 Cutlass's a few years ago?

Yep, same guy. I talked to him on Friday, he is going to try to make it down to the Nationals next month, at least for a day. He doesn't live far and seems excited to see all of the cars.

[76Supreme455]

Yep, same guy. I talked to him on Friday, he is going to try to make it down to the Nationals next month, at least for a day. He doesn't live far and seems excited to see all of the cars.

Wow Brad, those are great! I have a picture somewhat like those, maybe even he did the illustration in one of those car mags that previewed the 73's before they were released.. It's somewhere here, if I can find it and scan it, I will send it to you. I hope to meet him at the nationals. Wish I was going to have my 76 Cutlass there, but it's not ready. I will be there in my 64 F-85. Let's try to meet in person this time.

See you in Dearborn.

[Hurstolds1973]

:eek: Is it to soon to be thinking about the 09 & 10 OCA nationals? They are in the northeast & within my distance to attend........

[mrblackwell17]

Got my JWO today and have already read it cover to cover. Very cool article and even more great concept drawings.

Great job Brad!

[76HOProposal]

Great article on a great man. Len was a major part of why Oldsmobile had success back then.

I hope Len gets a copy of this JWO article.


Thank You Brad. Well done. What I like to see.

[76Supreme455]

For those of you who are OCA members, there is a little surprise in the July issue which just mailed. A couple of months ago, I interviewed by phone Mr. Len Casillo. Len is a former GM Designer who spent many, many years of his design career with Oldsmobile. He was heavily involved in the design of many mid-70's Oldsmobiles and is pretty much solely responsible for the design of the '76-77 Cutlass/442 models. He was fascinating to talk to as you might guess.

Well, Len was trying to get some concept sketches to me that he had done many years ago. He had mentioned he had saved many from his design days at Oldsmobile. We had some scheduling conflicts, but a couple of days ago, I received a large mailing tube. When I opened it, I felt like a kid at Christmas time! Inside were quite a few original concept sketches of Oldsmobiles. I took a couple of photos of the large ones as they are too big to scan. I have attached three of them to this post.

The first one is the neatest, according to Len, that was THE sketch that GM execs signed off on to begin the development of the mid-70's Cutlass. Its a little different, but you can certainly see the underlying look of our cars in this sketch. in the second one, you can see the window design that was used on the S/442 models.

Check out the hood scoops on the sketch that looks like the cars are racing.

Hey Brad.....I finally found those pictures I was telling you about. These are sketches from Motor Trend March & April 1972 that were supposed to be what the 73's were going to look like. You can see some things that carried over, and thankfully, some things that didn't! Enjoy! I will have to post a couple of times to get all the images in.

[76Supreme455]

Here is the next part of the article and sketches.

[76Supreme455]

And finally, the Vista Cruiser. The Disney sketches in the background are kinda neat!

[76HOProposal]

Wow those sketches look like they are based on B-body cars in size. The 1973s were designed in 1969 so these would have to be really early. When they had no idea what proportions the new GM A-body platform would have.

[Oldsketcher]

Brad...just rambling thru the Forum, must have missed this page with your graphics...really really nice stuff!! Len

[73CS]

What happened to the pictures under Brads first post?

[MichiganMuscle77]

What happened to the pictures under Brads first post?

Yea I can't see anything either.

[Joker1570]

Check out the hood scoops on the sketch that looks like the cars are racing.

Ok I guess I'm blind where are these sketches I see no link and what I do click on comes up with nothing close to car sketches.

[Hoffman2099]

What happened to the pictures in the first post?