Nothing to do with the indulgent bachelor life, Playboy was all about primary transportation.
Popping out of World Battle II, America’s future seemed vivid. The nation’s combating males have been returning house with pockets stuffed with fight pay, and have been able to take wives, purchase homes, and likewise purchase vehicles. Let’s not neglect the vehicles.
Playboy: Forgotten Automobile Manufacturers
World Battle II
Whereas massive automakers have been retooling their factories, switching again to automobile manufacturing after a number of years of cranking out conflict materiel, new automotive firms have been popping up, intent on capitalizing on what promised to be increase years.
One such firm was Playboy. Based by a profitable Packard vendor title Lou Horwitz, the company plan was to construct and retail a small, sensible automotive that bought for lower than $1000.
Working with Lou have been Charlie Thomas, a Pontiac engineer, and Norm Richardson, an completed engineer/mechanic. Working with a comparatively small funding–most of which got here from Horwitz–the trio got down to develop a automotive incorporating as a lot off-the-shelf engineering as potential.
Not That Playboy
Be aware that the Playboy Motor Automobile Company was unrelated to the Playboy, a mannequin constructed by Jordan (1916-1931), or Playboy, the boys’s way of life journal.
First constructed was a one-off prototype which differed considerably from the manufacturing Playboy in two methods. First, the prototype featured a rear-engine design, which was thought of as a option to scale back manufacturing prices. Additionally totally different was the prototype’s convertible roof, which was material. The manufacturing Playboy that includes a operated by hand three-piece metal prime.
Manufacturing
Serial manufacturing started in 1948. The manufacturing automotive featured engines from such suppliers as Hercules, Continental, and Willys. In line with Playboy’s lean-production plan, the engines have been fitted with Ford carburetors and Chevrolet ignitions. Every engine got here in at round 2.0-liters, and produced 40 horsepower. Regardless of the Playboy’s modest powerplants, model promoting promised a prime velocity of 75 mph. Credit score the vehicles lean 1900 curb weight.
Worth
The automotive featured a single, three-person seating row, front-engine with rear-wheel drive design, and 12-inch wheels are tires, and a $985 price ticket.
Having constructed and bought a variety of vehicles in its Buffalo, New York headquarters, it was time for Playboy to increase into an actual manufacturing unit and ramp-up manufacturing. Horwitz and pals figured they wanted to $20 million (about $250 million right now). This cash would come from vendor franchise charges, and a public inventory providing.
Cash Hassle
Sadly, Playboy’s cash-acquisition program started simply as would-be carmaker Tucker bumped into hassle, with Tucker administration accused of working what was likened to a Ponzi scheme.
And whereas Playboy administration was not charged with fraud or monetary malfeasance, could be sellers, spooked by the Tucker scenario, backed out of franchise agreements, whereas curiosity in Playboy inventory collapsed.
Henry J. Kaiser
At one level Henry J. Kaiser, president and majority proprietor of carmaker Kaiser, supplied Horwitz and his companions $330,000 for the corporate, together with the Playboy design and tooling, however the supplied was refused. Kaiser would go on to construct a small automotive referred to as the Henry J, a clone of which might be bought by Sears because the Allstate. The small Kaiser was considerably extra substantial than the Playboy, and bought in some quantity. You possibly can try the Henry J right here.
Unable to ascertain a manufacturing program, Playboy’s doorways have been shuttered for good in 1951. In all, one prototype, 97 manufacturing convertibles, and one unfinished automotive have been constructed. Rumors persist that a few station wagons have been additionally assembled, although no footage of the vehicles appear to exist.
Right now
There reportedly 43 surviving Playboys within the fingers of collectors right now, together with the rear-engine prototype.
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