Phone: (509) 329-6018 ■ lasalleappreciationsociety@gmail.com

LASALLE AFICIONADO

L A S A L L E A P P R E C I A T I O N S O C I E T Y O R G A N I Z A T I O N

Before the introduction of the LaSalle in 1927, the automobile was all about function, not form. Henry Ford’s Model “T” was virtually the same throughout its history and there was little concern for making it aesthetically pleasing. It was merely a means for getting from point A to point B! Styling simply never entered the picture, although you could purchase the Model “T” in any color you wanted, (as long as it was black).

Enter Harley Earl, the “DaVinci of Detroit”, and everything changed! With the introduction of the LaSalle, both form AND function became important. AND THE PUBLIC RESPONDED! So did the entire automobile industry!

In this issue, we pay tribute to the man most responsible for giving us an automobile which was not only functional but was also BEAUTIFUL.

If that were his only accomplishment, he would deserve our hearty accolades on this, the 45th anniversary of his passing, but this doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface of his many accomplishments.

Harley Earl, Automotive

Design Pioneer

After the turn of the century there were 125 automobile companies in the Detroit area. Motown became the epicenter of automobile manufacturing because of its preexisting stove casting, cigar making and food processing industries. The Motor City had proximity to the nation’s major centers of coal, iron, and copper mining. In addition it was easily accessible by water, rail and land. Production techniques were perfected by immigrants, drawn to the opportunities of religious freedom and prosperity in North America.

The Prewar Automobile Industry in Detroit

Inside This IssueInside This IssueInside This IssueInside This Issue::::

Harley Earl, Automotive Design Pioneer 1111

The Prewar Automobile Industry 1111

Breakthrough on an 87-Yr. Old Controversy 2222

Choosing a Car for Restoration, pt. III 2222

Designing Women: Earl’s Damsels of Design 2222

American Automobile Clubs 3333

Apri l/May 2014

Volume I, Issue 3

PPPPlllleeeeaaaasssseeee sssseeeeeeee PPPPrrrreeeewwwwaaaarrrr AAAAuuuuttttoooommmmoooobbbbiiiilllleeee IIIInnnndddduuuussssttttrrrryyyy oooonnnn ppppaaaaggggeeee 3333

By By By By Ronald E. Larson, Ronald E. Larson, Ronald E. Larson, Ronald E. Larson, President, LASOPresident, LASOPresident, LASOPresident, LASO

By By By By Ronald E. Larson, Ronald E. Larson, Ronald E. Larson, Ronald E. Larson, President, LASOPresident, LASOPresident, LASOPresident, LASO

SPECIAL HARLEY EARL LEGACY ISSUE

We are pleased to have as a guest contributor in this issue (and hopefully in succeeding issues), Mr. Richard Earl, who is the youngest grandson of the great Harley Earl. Please enjoy the interesting insights he offers in this “Legacy” issue.

And finally, allow me to thank you, our readers, for the way in which you continue to welcome and receive each issue of the LASALLE AFFICIANADO. We are grateful for the many positive responses we have received and continue to receive as well as helpful constructive criticisms. Please keep them coming! We love to hear from you! If you have a story to share about your LaSalle or perhaps a historical or technical issue, please share it. Remember, the LASO is all about you! We’re listening!

By 1915, 13 out of the country’s 15 most popular car brands were in Detroit. Tycoons and municipal executives partnered to create a metropolis that attracted millions from around the globe. Automobile companies recruited skilled craftsman and designers from Europe, Asia and Australia. The allurement of the $5 a day labor rate drove the hopeless and poor, whites and blacks from sharecropping in the south to northern automobile plants. If you were homeless, colored, an immigrant, or a non-English speaker you could find a middle class career with a pension and full benefits. Increased competition in the industry drove wages higher and car prices lower thus generating product improvements. Companies were competing for their share of the extravagant and affluent automobile market. President William Taft declared “I am sure the automobile coming

A Breakthrough on an 87-Year Old Controversy

It’s especially significant that the name of Cadillac’s chief engineer, Ernest W. Seaholm, accompanies the moniker of Harley J. Earl, HJE, on the first La Salle automobile patent. Because, contrary to popular belief these days (most savvy auto aficionados believe HJE was just a "Stylist"), it proves Mr. Earl was a gifted engineer. The following story of the LaSalle starts off with Harley moving to Detroit from Hollywood, California.

The moment this man arrived in America's auto capital in 1927 to begin remodeling and pre-engineering General Motors car lines, tensions were high! This especially held

A few final thoughts on choosing that vintage collector vehicle: Of prime importance, if you expect your vehicle to have any resale value is to ensure that you are purchasing a “numbers matching” car. Your car’s Vehicle Identification Number (or VIN), is used by the automotive industry (and the insurance industry) as a unique serial number to identify your and distinguish your car from all the others. It can be decoded to provide your insurer an accurate description of your vehicle often including many options with which it was equipped at the

Choosing a Car for Restoration, part III

Designing Women: Earl’s Damsels of Design

Being the only female on the LASO staff, and a female LaSalle lover in a male-dominated hobby, I thought that an article on Harley Earl’s “Damsels of Design” would be an appropriate way to honor Mr. Earl’s legacy. There is, however, precious little information readily available on these pioneering women in what is still a male dominated profession today. Mr. Earl was not just ahead of his time in bringing styling to Detroit, but was one of the first to boldly solicit the “feminine touch” when designing automobiles, choosing color combinations (both interior fabric and exterior paint), “female friendly” features, and even the naming many of GM’s automobiles. Mr. Earl brought the first woman designer on board in 1943!

With the advent of power steering, power brakes, and automatic transmissions, more and more women were driving, and becoming more influential in family

Page 2

L A S A L L E A F I C I O N A D O

Please see Please see Please see Please see choosingchoosingchoosingchoosing aaaa Car…Car…Car…Car… on page on page on page on page 4444

By By By By RRRRichardichardichardichard EarlEarlEarlEarl, , , , Guest ContributorGuest ContributorGuest ContributorGuest Contributor

By By By By LAS StaffLAS StaffLAS StaffLAS Staff

By Miranda Harrison, LASO StaBy Miranda Harrison, LASO StaBy Miranda Harrison, LASO StaBy Miranda Harrison, LASO Staffffffff

PlPlPlPlease see ease see ease see ease see Designing WomenDesigning WomenDesigning WomenDesigning Women………… on page on page on page on page 5555

Please see Please see Please see Please see A A A A Breakthrough…Breakthrough…Breakthrough…Breakthrough… on page on page on page on page 4444

true with the myriad of high level engineers inside this company for they could sniff change was in the wind when HJE received special treatment from the Fisher family and especially Lawrence P. (LP) Fisher, and right from the get go it was evident Harley had fixed things ahead of time to have some one-of-a-kind mandate with many of GM's top leaders and largest shareholders. Without it, HJE would have never given up his successful customizing business for movie stars and millionaires stars in sunny southern California to move to Detroit, Michigan with its long winters.

It was on account of this arrangement with LP Fisher, the general manager of GM’s elite Cadillac brand, that was the ultimate deal making ace-in-the-hole for Harley. It enabled him to gain a foothold edge over the legions of traditional corporate engineers within GM when they’d come at him for a fight regarding the body style, and they always did. But over the years that followed heading into the 1930s, each engineer who fought him, always ended up regretting it. For obvious reasons, Mr. Earl never chose to publicly talk about all the delicious pressure going on around GM's new and more modern engineering designs he was doing inside GM’s newly formed Art & Colour Section that was an all new department dedicated to Harley’s dream of what a GM car should be. Harley won this

'27 LaSalle patent above. The filing date on this seminal patent above was �ov. 15, 1926. At this time,

Mr. Earl was still an outsider, living in Hollywood, California and acting as a "consulting engineer" to

Cadillac. The patent is of Cadillac’s other-brother, the new ’27 LA SALLE. This was the first

professionally designed automobile by and artist/engineer to ever roll off an assembly line in Detroit.

After the debut, it became an instant sales success selling over 27,000 units its first year).

In 1902, there were an estimated 23,000 motorized vehicles compared to 17 million horses—various makes with varied designs and styles. Archives indicate at least 60 motor clubs were generated by the collective interests of car lovers. For a number of reasons I would wager that ALL of the members looked like me—white male. Automobile clubs were a place for members to study, socialize, and venerate the brand.

Recent statistics indicate that traditional car clubs are at a crossroads. Attrition and the annual quietus rate is approximately 10%. Today the hobby member color continues to mirror my image. This path will lead to extinction. For example, there are more non-CLC Cadillac and LaSalle car owners in other clubs than CLC members by a ratio of ten to one.

Generally speaking today's auction buyers are not students of automobiles just turn-key specialists or trophy room builders. Yummies (young urban males) are buying electronic toys instead of cars for fun. Our objective should not be to TARGET women and minorities. The AIM should be to invite and retain automobile enthusiasts globally that HAPPEN to be women and minorities.

Whether we like it or not, this is the demographic with funds to fuel the automobile club hobby. Once firmly implanted we can engineer their drive to be club leaders. The growth of our hobby is more important than our anima. We want this crossroad to be a freeway to a successful car club in the future.

If you are pondering why you should join the LASO the answer is elementary. We do not have directors or executives. You just need a desire to have fun and an affinity for the Harley Earl LaSalle brand. This organization is free and implemented by you the team member. We exist to assist every LaSalle owner family with all of their needs. Our goal is a friendship with the person first, then your LaSalle.

Engage That Gear

John Agamon

American Automobile Clubs

Page 3

L A S A L L E A F I C I O N A D O

Please see Please see Please see Please see Prewar Automobile Industry Prewar Automobile Industry Prewar Automobile Industry Prewar Automobile Industry onononon page page page page 4444

By John Agamon, LASO StaffBy John Agamon, LASO StaffBy John Agamon, LASO StaffBy John Agamon, LASO Staff

PREWAR AUTOMOBILEPREWAR AUTOMOBILEPREWAR AUTOMOBILEPREWAR AUTOMOBILE INDUSTRY INDUSTRY INDUSTRY INDUSTRY from page from page from page from page 1111

in as a toy of the wealthier class is going to prove the most useful tool of them all, to all classes, rich and poor.”

For the common man, GM and DuPont introduced the concept of purchasing a vehicle on credit with the establishment of the General Motors Acceptance Corporation in 1919. GMAC bypassed financing through banks, and sales leaped for GM. In 1926, 75% of all automotive acquisitions were transacted by credit. In 1925, the United States average for annual consumer gasoline consumption exceeded 473 gallons. Automobiles were both a necessity for travel and a status symbol for those with egos.

Prohibition created a melting pot for carousing in a speakeasy, but the Blueblood wanted his carriage to distinguish his elevated status. The World Class Driver wanted style and opulence from his piece of transportation. The Aristocrat wanted to differentiate himself from the “hoi polloi” by the barouche he steered. The horse became his pet instead of his travel companion. After the crash of 1927, a wave of automobile companies sank amid poor management, increased competition and the decline of the upper class. Many firms were merging with more profitable companies to stay afloat. The streets were lined with families newly destitute searching for a daily meal. Schools were vacant due to the abandonment of the previous luxury of learning. Driving through urban streets in a beautiful chariot was seen as gasconading and pompous. Most upper and middle class owners of higher end vehicles also needed a regular car to navigate safely in public. Alfred Sloan gave a young designer, Harley Earl, the opportunity to solve this conundrum with the launch of his LaSalle.

In the 1930’s GM became the market leader with Ford slipping to second and Chrysler third. Statistics reveal the BIG 3 were responsible for 90% of total car sales. Ford wanted to continue the high profit use of mass production, mandatory overtime, unfair promotion practices, and unsafe working conditions. He rejected the 1935 Wagner Act establishing trade union rights. He refused to join Chrysler and GM in their post strike agreements with the United Automobile Workers Union (UAW). Instead, he used company enforcers and spies to avoid unionization. The 1937 “Battle of the Overpass,” in which the enforcers attacked and severely injured canvassing union representatives, marked an historic moment in labor union evolution. Ford was censured by the National Labor Relations Board. He finalized a contract with the UAW in 1941.

A A A A BREAKTHROUGH… BREAKTHROUGH… BREAKTHROUGH… BREAKTHROUGH… from page from page from page from page 2222

L A S A L L E A F I C I O N A D O Page 4

Choosing a Car…Choosing a Car…Choosing a Car…Choosing a Car… fromfromfromfrom page page page page 2222

trust of the corporation because he’d built nearly a thousand special custom bodies, out West, that sold for top dollars. Many of these sensational designs won top auto show awards before his involvement with GM, and ultimately, it was this man’s work that eventually caught the attention of the Fisher Brothers who invited him to come to Detroit “to make a difference” designing all of GM’s cars. Thus began his long auto design odyssey that put his DNA in every car GM made in the future.

Harley was never pigeonholed in one position like most auto execs and he didn’t ever climb the corporate ladder, so to speak. Instead, he built his own ladder that went on to

PREWAR AUTOMOBILEPREWAR AUTOMOBILEPREWAR AUTOMOBILEPREWAR AUTOMOBILE INDUSTRY INDUSTRY INDUSTRY INDUSTRY from page from page from page from page 4444

At the end of the Prewar Era, the now oligopolistic Detroit Automotive Industry began focusing on marketing strategies and product innovation as opposed to unsavory business practices to secure their sustainability. The tragedy of Pearl Harbor brought a temporary end to the fulfillment of the American dream and to the automotive boon. The regular

automotive worker was called to defend his country and his spouse took his place on the line, to now produce war materials. This global catastrophe stalled the rise of Detroit as the Automotive Capital of the World.

The only other La Salle patent in existence, featured above, is the slip-streamed 1934 Cadillac La Salle; notice too, there’s only one engineer’s name on this one!

revolutionize the entire industry of making cars, for Harley invented the Automobile Design Profession.

factory.

These numbers also appear on other parts of your car (like the transmission, the rear axle, and chassis). A numbers matching car will ensure that these parts were all on the car when it left the factory. Other parts that could be numbered include the alternator/generator, carburetor, distributor, water pump and heads, among others, and while it would be interesting to see all these numbers matching also, it isn’t as crucial as the first three, because on older cars, many of these items have been replaced a time or two (hopefully with new old stock (NOS) parts.

How rare is the vehicle? A little research will tell you how many of a particular model were built. Obviously, the less that were manufactured, the more rare that car will be, and that can certainly drive the price you’ll pay, but you must also realize that this will mean that available parts will be more difficult to find. Never pass up a chance to purchase spare parts, even if you don’t need them now!

Original paint. There are many collectors who are concerned

about preservation and will choose not to restore a vehicle and would rather leave the vehicle in its original state with all its patina! If you car has its original paint job and it’s still presentable, give some thought to not repainting, and if you do plan a complete restoration with major body work, if you keep the car the original color, it will retain its value much better than if you choose a color that wasn’t in vogue in its day.

There are certainly other items to consider, but if you give consideration to the thoughts I’ve shared in these three monthly articles, you will have the information you need to make an informed buying decision. From personal experience, the most difficult thing you will face is keeping emotion out of the decision. If we didn’t LOVE cars, we wouldn’t be looking to own one!

Now it’s decision time. Do you have the time, aptitude, capital, and fortitude to see this through to completion? Happy motoring!

Page 5 L A S A L L E A F I C I O N A D O

DESIGNING WOMENDESIGNING WOMENDESIGNING WOMENDESIGNING WOMEN fromfromfromfrom page page page page 2222

automobile purchases. Mr. Earl was determined to take advantage of that trend. That, as you might imagine, was not without opposition.

In a May 26, 1957, press release, (Long after the LaSalle had been put to rest) Earl is quoted as saying:

“LBesides being color and fabric specialists, our women designers are tuned especially to the woman driver's problems and they've taught us a lotL They are strong advocates of the six-way seat for greater comfort and visibility. They have designed windshield wiper knobs and other dashboard controls which are easier to find at night. And, of course, they are always on the look-out for anything that might snag their nylonsL So many talented girls are entering our field of design that in three or four years, women may be designing car exteriors.”

Suzanne Vanderbilt, one of Mr. Earl’s “Damsels” who is best noted for her work with Chevrolet, is credited with the following quote:

"Not too long ago, management gave the women designers at GM Styling the opportunity to express our viewpoints on cars designed especially for women. Each girl was asked to design two cars for the Divisional Studio in which she worked. We were asked to choose new fabrics and exterior colors and originate new trim design and hardware. These feminine cars caused much comment and were favorably received by corporate management and others. But I think the most significant

thing about this program is that the designs were as appealing to the men who saw them as the women. It was designers' paradise, and we particularly enjoyed proving to our male counterparts that we are not in the business to add lace doilies to seat backs or rhinestones to the carpets, but to make the automobile just as usable and attractive to both men and women as we possibly can."

Sadly, when Mr. Earl retired from GM, his successor had no love for the “Damsels”, but from 1943 to 1959, nine women got to design some truly innovative concepts that would have improved the automobile, had Mr. Earl’s successors cared to listen.

The LASO is a

PROUD SUPPORTER

of the

WOUNDED WARRIOR PROJECT

We encourage

you to join us is supporting

AMERICA’S HEROES!

PLEASE PATRONIZE OUR ADVERTISERS – THEY MAKE THIS NEWSLETTER POSSIBLE

Page 6 L A S A L L E A F I C I O N A D O

LaSalle Appreciation Society Organization

Phone: (509) 329-6018

E-Mail:

lasalleappreciationsociety@gmail.com

fb.com/LaSalleAssistanceSociety

plus.google.com/100363823332991805513

twitter.com/@LaSalleApprSoc

LaSalle LaSalle LaSalle LaSalle AppreciationAppreciationAppreciationAppreciation SocietySocietySocietySociety OrganizationOrganizationOrganizationOrganization

Spokane, WASpokane, WASpokane, WASpokane, WA

Phone: (509) 329-6018

LASO Logo Polo Shirts! Since response has been overwhelming and our first order has sold out, we’ve decided to take orders for a bulk purchase! This will enable us to offer shirts at a reduced price, thus, making it available to more people. With an order of fifty or more we can offer these shirts for $20/each. That’s a $3.75 savings per shirt! Shipping will remain the same. When we reach our 50 shirt goal, we will place the order. At the rate these are selling, it won’t be long! You’ll have them in time for car show season! Available in Navy Blue for only $20.00 USD plus $5.00 shipping. Proceeds from this product will enable us to serve LaSalle Owner Families. Contact us at lasalleappreciationsociety@gmail.com with quantity and size requirements.