A country driven by its love for automobiles, it is not so difficult to understand how the creation of the Ghia came about.
Invited by Fiat, the Chrysler Corporation went to Italy in the late 1940s to assist them in training their technicians in the newest American machining and assembly techniques. At the same time, Chrysler technicians were learning all that they could from Italian technicians and the carrozziere, the last few custom coachbuilding firms left in the world.
An art that had disappeared by the late ‘40s in America, coachbuilders were occasionally, though rarely, found in variousnparts of Europe. Carrozzierre are well known for their skilled teams of classic car body builders.
In 1951, Chrysler signed an agreement with Carrozzeria Ghia in Turin after the initial approach to build prototype bodies with Pinan Farina didn't occur.
The series of cars, based upon designs by Virgil Exner, Chrysler chief stylist, were as close to coachbuilt classics of the 1930s as any American automaker could hope to achieve.
The Carrozzeria was originally founded in 1915 by Giacinto Ghia as Carozzeria Ghia & Gariglio. Giacinto had begun as a coachbuilders apprentice in his hometown of Turin. As the city eventually established itself as the center of the Automobile industry, Ghia came into his own right.
Gaining a reputation during the 1920's and 1930 for creating innovative, lightweight aluminum alloy sports car bodies, the Carrozzeria was well known. With a clientele that boasted such respected marques as Alfa Romeo, Fiat, Italia and Lancia, the Carrozzeria was well-known.
Over the years the Carrozzeria Ghia became associated with a number of major manufacturers on both sides of the Atlantic, most notably Ford and Volkswagen.
Ghia had set the standard 25 years as a reputable foundation that both designed and constructed automobile bodies for touring and competition.
Following World War II, Italian's luxury car market and motor-sport business was abruptly ended.
During the war, the Turin factory was kept productive by manufacturing carts for the Italian army as well as a line of very popular bicycles. Since there were no automotive chassis on which to work, Giacinto Ghia could do little else but wait for the war to end.
In 1943 the entire factory was destroyed during an Allied bombing raid. Unfortunately, the shock of losing everything was too much for Ghia to handle, and he passed away from heart failure in 1944 at the age of 56 while supervising the reconstruction of the Turin factory.
Ghia's wife, Santina was impassioned that the family name would continue, so she offered what remained of the business to her husband's two closest associates Giorgi Alberti and Felice Mario Boano.
Their only adherence was that they remain true to Ghia's philosophy of producing vehicles in limited numbers but of high quality.
Boano and Alberti, though never unfriendly to each other, had a long history of disagreeing on how the company should be run. Together they rebuilt the company amidst the ruins of the Turino workshops.
Reaching the end of the 1940's, they had established contracts with Talbot Lago, Delage and Delahaye, as well as work from two of Ghia's oldest clients, Lancia and Alfa Romeo.
Boano had been apprenticed at the Stabilimenti Farini before Pinin Farini, eventually establishing his own scoccheria (an industrial carpenter's yard that supplied coachbuilders, including Ghia). Boano had been handpicked by Ghia, possibly due to the fact that their automobile background was very similar.
Eventually, Boano bought out Alberti in 1947 and this ended the conflict between the two partners and gaining absolute control of the carrozzeria. Boano soon realized that his skills lay in the design studio area rather than the front office.
He eventually hired Luigi 'Gigi' Segre in 1948 to take over the management of Ghia. Gigi's previous employment had included being the commercial director of SIATA, one of Italy's most respected tuners.
Their only adherence was that they remain true to Ghia's philosophy of producing vehicles in limited numbers but of high quality.
Boano and Alberti, though never unfriendly to each other, had a long history of disagreeing on how the company should be run. Together they rebuilt the company amidst the ruins of the Turino workshops.
Reaching the end of the 1940's, they had established contracts with Talbot Lago, Delage and Delahaye, as well as work from two of Ghia's oldest clients, Lancia and Alfa Romeo.
Boano had been apprenticed at the Stabilimenti Farini before Pinin Farini, eventually establishing his own scoccheria (an industrial carpenter's yard that supplied coachbuilders, including Ghia). Boano had been handpicked by Ghia, possibly due to the fact that their automobile background was very similar.
Eventually, Boano bought out Alberti in 1947 and this ended the conflict between the two partners and gaining absolute control of the carrozzeria. Boano soon realized that his skills lay in the design studio area rather than the front office.
He eventually hired Luigi 'Gigi' Segre in 1948 to take over the management of Ghia. Gigi's previous employment had included being the commercial director of SIATA, one of Italy's most respected tuners.
It was Gigi who was sent to America in 1949 to meet with Virgil Exner and Chrysler CEO K.T. Keller. Segre, who had more of a compatibility with people, forged a friendship that bonded the American automaker and Carrozzeria Ghia S.p.A. for the next 10 years. Unfortunately, this left Boano feeling like an outsider.
In the ability of forging two companies that would create one of the most significant of the postwar era, Segre and Exner developed a solid friendship, though Boano unfortunately did not approve of the merger.
Boano had a game-plan of concentrating more on the Torinese automotive industry rather than merging with Chrysler. Eventually giving up, Boano sold Ghia to Segre in 1953.
Exner was personally recruited by K.T. Keller to be the chief of Chrysler's advance styling studio. With the overwhelming responsibility of revamping the Chrysler image as an ‘old man's car image', Exner's first step was to commission a series of concept cars in Italy (taking advantage of the current low of construction in postwar Italy).
Exner, with the aid of Ghia's exemplary craftsman-ship, conceptualized some of the most beautiful and influential concept cars ever designed. He is responsible for the design of the Chrysler-Ghia series, the D'Elegance, the Dodge Fire-arrow, the DeSoto Adventurer II and the Chrysler Falcon.
The best and flashiest vehicles of the 1950's were a direct result of the 1957 Chryslers that were Ghia-inspired and conceptualized by Exner. Neither American nor Italian in design or execution, these new models were considered to be something exotic and unique.
During this 15-year fusion of American and Italian, the rarest models produced were the Exner-designed Ghia Specials. Produced from 1951 through 1954, most of these vehicles were built on the standard Chrysler 125.5' wheelbase chassis in 1953. Depending on when they were built, Ghia models came equipped with either the older Fluid Torque transmission, or the new PowerFlite two-speed automatic.
It is estimated that Ghia produced another twelve models for themselves after the alliance with Chrysler was completed.
During the fifteen year partnership, an entire series of limited production models were constructed and designed by Ghia and Chrysler.
In the ability of forging two companies that would create one of the most significant of the postwar era, Segre and Exner developed a solid friendship, though Boano unfortunately did not approve of the merger.
Boano had a game-plan of concentrating more on the Torinese automotive industry rather than merging with Chrysler. Eventually giving up, Boano sold Ghia to Segre in 1953.
Exner was personally recruited by K.T. Keller to be the chief of Chrysler's advance styling studio. With the overwhelming responsibility of revamping the Chrysler image as an ‘old man's car image', Exner's first step was to commission a series of concept cars in Italy (taking advantage of the current low of construction in postwar Italy).
Exner, with the aid of Ghia's exemplary craftsman-ship, conceptualized some of the most beautiful and influential concept cars ever designed. He is responsible for the design of the Chrysler-Ghia series, the D'Elegance, the Dodge Fire-arrow, the DeSoto Adventurer II and the Chrysler Falcon.
The best and flashiest vehicles of the 1950's were a direct result of the 1957 Chryslers that were Ghia-inspired and conceptualized by Exner. Neither American nor Italian in design or execution, these new models were considered to be something exotic and unique.
During this 15-year fusion of American and Italian, the rarest models produced were the Exner-designed Ghia Specials. Produced from 1951 through 1954, most of these vehicles were built on the standard Chrysler 125.5' wheelbase chassis in 1953. Depending on when they were built, Ghia models came equipped with either the older Fluid Torque transmission, or the new PowerFlite two-speed automatic.
It is estimated that Ghia produced another twelve models for themselves after the alliance with Chrysler was completed.
During the fifteen year partnership, an entire series of limited production models were constructed and designed by Ghia and Chrysler.
In 1954, the Chrysler-Ghia GS-1 coupe was sold exclusively in Europe by Societe France Motors. Also in 1954, the Dodge Firebomb Cabriolet and the Chrysler powered Dual Ghias were marketed by Dual Motors Corporation of Detroit from 1956 to 1958. From 1957 to 1965, the Chrysler Crown Imperial Ghia limousines were introduced.
As a result of WW II, the 1953 Chrysler Ghia special was produced for only one year in Italy by the Ghia design studios. Only 52 have ever been produced.
As a result of WW II, the 1953 Chrysler Ghia special was produced for only one year in Italy by the Ghia design studios. Only 52 have ever been produced.
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