Death of an era

DEATH OF AN ERA

Rolls-Royce rolling chassis In the early motoring days, when series production did not yet exist, the process of acquiring a new vehicle was more complex, as rolling chassis provided the basis for different coachbuilding scenarios.    One approached a chassis motoring brand, who used to deliver to the customer only the rolling chassis, comprising: - chassis - drivetrain (engine, gearbox, differential, axles, wheels) - suspension - steering system - radiator Noticeable fact is that the radiator was the only visual element identifying the rolling chassis brand. Subsequently the customer approached a coachbuilder, requesting a personal body design to be fitted on the purchased rolling chassis. Sometimes a coachbuilder himself ordered or got assigned a series of chassis, on which basis he designed and manufactured to his own creative ideas and inspiration the new coachwork(s). Third scenario was the situation in which a customer delivered a complete factory car to the coachbuilder with the request to change the entire coachwork or modify certain elements. Underpinnings and especially the radiator (as main visible part determining the brand identity!) were discriminating starting points for the final coachwork design. Each coachbuilt car therefore carried the technical genes of the rolling chassis builder as well as the styling genes of the coachbuilder. The resulting wide range of DNA combinations led to a variety of unique and sometimes priceless coachbuilt cars. Examples: Delahaye did not have an in-house coachbuilding department; all chassis created by Delahaye were subsequently delivered to independent coachbuilders for completion. Bugatti produced separate rolling chassis as well as complete coachworked cars, offering the customer the choice to obtain a “Molsheim” body (the most beautiful versions designed by Jean Bugatti) or to select him/herself an external (independent) coachbuilder for a fully personalised body. Rolls-Royce also provided the choice for a factory body or coachbuilt versions. Special Coachbuilding blossomed until +/- 1945, displaying numerous creation highlights like many Mulliner Park Ward and James Young Rolls Royces, Figoni & Falaschi Bugattis, Chapron Delahayes, Pourtout Tabot-Lagos and many more. After WW II automotive mass production soon became mainstream, ending the era of separate manufacturing of chassis and tailored coachworks. Many coachbuilders went bankrupt, were bought by manufacturers or changed their core business to other activities.   For instance: - transforming into dedicated design / styling houses, subcontracting to automotive brands (e.g. Zagato, Frua, Bertone, Pininfarina). - and/or transforming into general coachwork series manufacturer, subcontracting to automotive brands (e.g. Karmann, Bertone, Vignale, Pininfarina). - manufacturing of special coachworks for trucks, delivery vans, touringcars, ambulances, ‘voitures des pompiers’ (fire brigade), public transport vehicles, etc (e.g. Pennock, Veth &Zn, Akkermans, Heuliez). - becoming technical partner for development of e.g. roof constructions (e.g. Karmann, Heuliez) or producer of various (aftermarket) automotive parts. Meanwhile many car manufacturers established inhouse design departments themselves, increasingly developing their own design and styling DNA. Former distinguishing brand elements indicating the brand’s styling genes (like the external radiator/grille) now became integrated in the overall design. Lancia evolution Many characteristic styling features of specific coachbuilders were even adopted by car manufacturers as their own ‘brand elements'. Surviving independent design houses / coachbuilders were hired by car manufacturers for designing their series produced models. Regularly they were also hired to design (and sometimes build) the (official or semi-official) niche models, based on the underpinnings of existing series produced models. Many times coachbuilders created wonderful designs still on their own initiative, resulting in streetlegal prototypes which were often sold as “one-offs” to wealthy clients. Frua Maserati Quattroporte 'Aga Kahn' Initially (’40 – ’50 – early sixties) design houses / coachbuilders could still purchase separate chassis on which they could fit their own inhouse designed coachworks. Not without reason: many wealthy customers still commissioned their special one-offs based on ‘current’ available rolling chassis (then state-of-the-art), or even based on other series produced cars.  Productionwise the early days were relatively easy as chassis and coachwork were independently constructed. Hence the term “rolling” chassis. In the sixties however the monocoque and spaceframe constructions were introduced, which made it significantly more difficult for coachbuilders to fit newly designed bodies on a donor chassis / car. Freedom of (coachwork) design became more and more limited due to the predefined shapes of given body structures. Peugeot 404 monocoque and drivetrain The chassis no longer acted simply as a flat undercarriage as it now also comprised the stressed roofline constructions and other stressed body panels (window pillars, rear fenders, and recently even the windows themselves). From now on coachbuilders had to deal with the integrated stressed structure of a car which essentially determined most basic bodyshapes. Also safety regulations became more stringent, resulting in many technical requirements prohibiting most chassis modifications. So again the coachwork designer’s freedom became more limited. This forced design houses / coachbuilders to limit their rebody scope of work primarily to the outer panel work, necessarily leaving the basic car structure and proportions untouched.