Design team Highland Park (Charger/B-Body development)

[RCCthatsme]

Are any of you related to, or have connections with the B-Body design team in Highland Park during the development of the original Charger?  

During the Stone Soup Roadrunner  raffle for WRIF the design team came out of retirement.  My father was part of that team and I am trying to find out more about what occurred in that era (my father has passed away).  When his name was mentioned at the rally, the guys all began talking about him (2nd hand knowledge, I was not in attendence).  I will not disclose his name on the Internet, but if any knew him, this is the only clue I believe they will need - Italian guy who loved baseball, broads and booze.  He was also an accomplished musician (sax and clarinet) and was a leader on the design team. He was born and raised in Detroit.   

As a kid, he would bring home some bad a** rides, even the concept cars.   I rode in this very car...




Thanks

[RCCthatsme]

Bump (trying to find any intel before seeing my family for Christmas).

[GordonGriggs]

If you want some results then I suggest you tell us his name. What you are talking about happened a very long time ago and I doubt if anyone feels like playing guessing games. A real name might help.

[Ghoste]

Do we have any members that were on the styling staff in the mid 60's?  If we do they sure have kept it a secret.

[chargerjy9]

mid 70's b body studio, that description fits a lot of guys there.

[triple_green]

We had some of them at the Washington State Dodge Charger Registry meet in 2003 (I think).

first gen: Carl Cameron (who recently passed)
second gen: Richard Sias and Harvey J. Winn

Design Exec was: Elwood P. Engle

You can try asking questions here:

http://www.facebook.com/thedodgecharger?fref=ts

[Ghoste]

Was that the meet where they (or at least Carl) gave a lecture on their work?

[triple_green]

I think so. I was too late to hear it.

Mostly what I remember was the one guy (Sias?), who chewed me out for not having the black decals under the hood signal lights. He said it irkes him that so many people leave out this detail. I had recently painted the car and was scrambling to finsih as much as I could before the meet. The hood signal decals had just come that week, but I had not been able to get them on the car...argh!

[Dino]

I think so. I was too late to hear it.

Mostly what I remember was the one guy (Sias?), who chewed me out for not having the black decals under the hood signal lights. He said it irkes him that so many people leave out this detail. I had recently painted the car and was scrambling to finsih as much as I could before the meet. The hood signal decals had just come that week, but I had not been able to get them on the care...argh!

He chewed you out?  I know the guy designed most of the 2nd gen but that's a bit odd.  Maybe we can ask him to join the GL discussion then?   

[Ghoste]

I wonder if its one of those details he spent hours perfecting and then arguing over with higher ups to include such a small cosmetic "expense"?  He could have a lot of personal interest invested in the blackout.

[Dino]

I can see that, and I would like to shake the man's hand and thank him for giving us the 2nd gen but still....

I wonder how he reacts to some of the more 'customized' chargers...

[Ghoste]

That is actually a very intriguing question.  On the one hand, he should be pleased that the car genreates so much excitement evven to this day but I would almost think that each time someone cutomizes it, they are in effect telling him his work isn't good enough.  It would be interesting to hear his take on it.

[Dino]

Yes it would be interesting to hear how he feels.  I also would like to know if there was anything he wanted different but tptb had final word on.  I know he originally wanted the 69 style taillights on the 68 so I wonder if there was more.

[Ghoste]

He needs to do another public appearance for Charger freaks with an open forum possibly for questions.

[RCCthatsme]

If you want some results then I suggest you tell us his name. What you are talking about happened a very long time ago and I doubt if anyone feels like playing guessing games. A real name might help.

Joe Coscione

[cdr]

If you want some results then I suggest you tell us his name. What you are talking about happened a very long time ago and I doubt if anyone feels like playing guessing games. A real name might help.

Joe Coscione

have you been in hibernation for the past 4.5 years.

[Baldwinvette77]

You know how somedays you may forget someones name for like 8 hours then at dinner or something it may come back to you after bugging you all day?

you think that happened to him for nearly 5 years? if so i feel for you man 

[ht4spd307]

If you want some results then I suggest you tell us his name. What you are talking about happened a very long time ago and I doubt if anyone feels like playing guessing games. A real name might help.

Joe Coscione

WELL SOUNDS LIKE JOE COSCIONE WAS A TALENTED MAN TO BE INVOLVED IN SUCH AN ICONIC CAR AS THE 2ND GEN CHARGER GOD BLESS HIS SOUL AS HE HAS CHANGED SO MANY LIVES IN THE MOTORING WORLD WHAT A CHAMPION .MAYBE THAT'S WHY THE CHARGER HAS THE FERRARI STYLE ROOF AND SAIL PANELS MUST HAVE  BEEN THE ITALIAN INFLUENCE

[alfaitalia]

....no need to shout!!!

[Kern Dog]

Whats YOUR problem, ALFA Maybe he thinks the members here are all gray haired geezers that NEED a louder font to hear him !

[ht4spd307]

THE LARGE FONT IS FOR ME SO I CAN READ IT WHILE I'M TYPING IT  AND US ITALIANS ARE ALWAYS SHOUTING AND WAVING OUR HANDS AROUND

[Kern Dog]

Jeez, man...Step on down to the drugstore and get some reading glasses. 

[alfaitalia]

THE LARGE FONT IS FOR ME SO I CAN READ IT WHILE I'M TYPING IT  AND US ITALIANS ARE ALWAYS SHOUTING AND WAVING OUR HANDS AROUND

....TRUE!....my wife says that if she tied my hands together I would not be able to speak!!

[DAY CLONA]

[quote author=ht4spd307 link=topic=96125.msg1598106#msg1598106 date=14919851
WELL SOUNDS LIKE JOE COSCIONE WAS A TALENTED MAN TO BE INVOLVED IN SUCH AN ICONIC CAR AS THE 2ND GEN CHARGER GOD BLESS HIS SOUL AS HE HAS CHANGED SO MANY LIVES IN THE MOTORING WORLD WHAT A CHAMPION .MAYBE THAT'S WHY THE CHARGER HAS THE FERRARI STYLE ROOF AND SAIL PANELS MUST HAVE  BEEN THE ITALIAN INFLUENCE

[/quote]



What "Italian" designed the GM roof line?...most designers back in the day, as today "borrow" other's work, or are influenced by it