We Found Who Designed Those Big Cadillac Fins

Автокөліктер мен көлік құралдары

David Holls was a car designer for GM from the 1950s to the 1990s. He designed Cadillacs, Corvettes, Buicks, and Opels. Recorded in 1997.
0:00 - Childhood in Detroit
2:02 - Michigan State to General Motors
2:30 - First Job Cadillac Studio
3:08 - 1953 Cadillac Eldorado
3:56 - Harley Earl
5:00 - Army in Germany
5:39 - 1955 GM Design Tech Center
6:47 - 1959 Cadillac with Big Fins
7:30 - Design Philosophy and Bill Mitchell
9:56 - Origins of Automobile Design
12:04 - 1960 Cadillac, Buick Riviera, Corvette and Camaro
12:47 - Clay Modelers, Engineers, and Design Team
13:53 - Engineer Pete Estes
15:08 - Chief Designer Chevrolet
15:52 - Opel in Germany
17:27 - Opel Manta, Commodore, Senator, Diplomat, and Bitter
20:53 - Bill Mitchell's Art & History
26:11 - Special Car Designs at GM
27:35 - 1963 Corvette Stingray
30:50 - Buick Riviera
31:55 - GM Divisions
33:54 - Selling a design to Bill Mitchell
34:10 - Humor of Bill Mitchell
36:40 - Young Designers at GM
40:30 - Running GM Advanced Studios
41:40 - Body Shape and Wind Tunnel
43:52 - GM Director of Design
44:13 - Writing the History of Automobile Design
47:10 - Automobile Safety and Design
47:53 - Back to Styling

Пікірлер: 54

  • @justinkase1360
    @justinkase13607 күн бұрын

    This interview was just utterly enjoyable, he was obviously a great guest and a great speaker. What a time that must have been. I can't help but wish we had such men designing cars these days, and a similar process. David Holls, RIP

  • @sergioleone3583
    @sergioleone35837 күн бұрын

    This is an absolute treasure. Thank you for providing it to us on the interwebs here!

  • @THROTTLEPOWER

    @THROTTLEPOWER

    5 күн бұрын

    Yes, I agree!

  • @SoapBoxMediaTV
    @SoapBoxMediaTV7 күн бұрын

    Gem of an interview. Thanks

  • @real82it
    @real82it7 күн бұрын

    Fantastic interview. What a cool look into automotive history.

  • @debbiebermudez5890
    @debbiebermudez58907 күн бұрын

    Mr. B. Here ! 🍩☕️👀😎👍. At 71 to see this interview wow, as young technician at Oldsmobile had mate guys like this who came to the dealership to get input from us snot noises technicians ! Wow what a great time to work & drive cars that came from these guys before they retired ! 🍸👀😎👍

  • @Mr.Higginbotham
    @Mr.Higginbotham7 күн бұрын

    Absolutely fabulous interview!

  • @rodgerollins
    @rodgerollins7 күн бұрын

    I grew up in the 1960’s on a block that had two car dealership owners. Cadillac and Buick. There was always a brand new Riviera in the driveway of one house and a new Sedan deVille parked on the other. Every day I would just stare and stare at the beauty of the cars. I remember my childhood by which year Riviera or Cadillac was parked outside.

  • @chocodiledundee1
    @chocodiledundee16 күн бұрын

    This is one of the best things I’ve ever watched in my life ❤I absolutely loved to know who designed those cars that I’ve always admired and loved so much ! This guy is a delightful experience to watch he’s so appreciated and so positive about everything this guy is an exemplary model for anyone , this guy lived his life at full all the time and enjoyed every moment as if it was his last and for that he was working at a division that was pretty much settling the automotive trends for his era ! Absolutely legendary legacy and automotive cultural education ! All the very best from Adelaide South Australia 🇦🇺

  • @12345682900
    @123456829007 күн бұрын

    Well thank you Mr. Holls! You designed my favorite car, ever. For my years I owned a '59 CDV (as a collector car)... it was a wonderful Cadillac!

  • @avirtualworld4U
    @avirtualworld4U7 күн бұрын

    Wow I sure enjoyed this after a life of love for cars this hit the buttons thanks.

  • @dznr723
    @dznr7236 күн бұрын

    Thanks so much for this interview. Dave was one of the most passionate car people I ever worked with. He was a mentor and an inspiration.

  • @ultraviolettp3446
    @ultraviolettp34467 күн бұрын

    Wow! Amazing interview with a gentleman who has basically seen it all. Priceless. This video should be mandatory viewing for all managers and designers at GM today. I will still contend that GM design today is stocked with people with no talent, inspiration, or working eyes.

  • @hrushikeshghanekar

    @hrushikeshghanekar

    6 күн бұрын

    post 2018 gm -Cadillac and chevy are cleaning up their designs.

  • @Andoniscars
    @Andoniscars7 күн бұрын

    thank you so much for this

  • @daleolson3506
    @daleolson35067 күн бұрын

    Fantastic excellent. it’s amazing how far the auto industry has fallen.

  • @MrMNRichardWright
    @MrMNRichardWright5 күн бұрын

    Man o man, what a gem of an interview. This should be required watching to earn your “car guy” badge

  • @HypocriticYT
    @HypocriticYT7 күн бұрын

    I will always remember walking to school in gr 7 and 8 and passing a house with the rear end of a black 59 Caddy poking out of the garage.

  • @sergioleone3583
    @sergioleone35836 күн бұрын

    Unsung gentleman here, as far as the wider automotive world goes. Honestly, his wide ranging life, pure teamwork ethic, and joie d'vivre along with being such a great Car Guy reminds me of Mr. Dan Gurney from the racing side of the automotive world.

  • @toddclark332
    @toddclark3327 күн бұрын

    Thank you Dennis for the history really cool to watch hope you have a great Saturday 👍❤️🙏

  • @cybair9341
    @cybair93416 күн бұрын

    Yeah.. the 1960 Corvair Coupe was a such a clean minimalist design. It showed the different design philosophy of Bill Mitchell. It is hard to believe that it happened only 2 years after Harley Earl's 58 Buicks and Oldsmobiles.

  • @manueldiez2929
    @manueldiez29297 күн бұрын

    Estás personas influyeron en muchas generaciones de entusiastas y amantes de los vehículos en todo el mundo increíble historia ! Un abrazo a los responsables de este video desde Argentina 🇦🇷🇺🇸👋

  • @kevincosta9228
    @kevincosta922816 сағат бұрын

    Imagine: 1) Knowing what you want to do at a very early age 2) Loving your job as much as this man did He had to wipe away a tear or two after talking about how wonderful Bill Mitchell was. I have a feeling Mr. Holls' co workers felt the same way about him.

  • @danam0228
    @danam022817 сағат бұрын

    I like how he gave credit where credit is due. Very humble, modest

  • @papaloongie
    @papaloongie5 күн бұрын

    Thank you for this. I love designer interviews

  • @HypocriticYT
    @HypocriticYT7 күн бұрын

    My first car was a 53 Caddy coupe. Wish I could get one today

  • @manueldiez2929

    @manueldiez2929

    7 күн бұрын

    No renuncies a tus sueños si sos de usa seguro tenés una muy buena oportunidad de tenerlo yo soy de argentina y solo puedo soñar con esos autos !! Por qué por acá son imposibles de tener !👋

  • @HypocriticYT

    @HypocriticYT

    7 күн бұрын

    @@manueldiez2929 In Canada most rusted out decades ago.

  • @manueldiez2929

    @manueldiez2929

    7 күн бұрын

    @@HypocriticYT por dios el OXIDO ese maldito destructor de sueños mecánicos 🤷

  • @montymatilda
    @montymatilda5 күн бұрын

    Thank you for providing this this. It is just fantastic.

  • @crizman7032
    @crizman70327 күн бұрын

    Wow, impressive! Really nice to now the origin.

  • @enriquegilmour
    @enriquegilmour5 күн бұрын

    I have always wondered who designed those big Cadillac fins. Imagine my delight when I saw this video. Very, very entertaining. As well as informative. Two thumbs way up!

  • @donleblanc7223
    @donleblanc72235 күн бұрын

    Great interview, Mr. Holls sure had an amazing career. I love all the stories and jokes.

  • @ericculver1718
    @ericculver17186 күн бұрын

    This is an incredible interview, from someone I had never heard of really: the horse's mouth! Aside from Bill Mitchell or Harley Earl themselves, I can't imagine a more important point of view than this!

  • @TheHelado36
    @TheHelado365 күн бұрын

    This gentleman was very lucky! That profession was my childhood dream!

  • @rosasalas7208
    @rosasalas72085 күн бұрын

    I love his emblem collection, viewable over his left shoulder. Look like they are all italian makes, beautiful!

  • @machpodfan
    @machpodfan7 күн бұрын

    Excellent, excellent, so glad this was posted! I agree that the 1960 Cadillac styling is even better than the superstar '59s.

  • @BradleyLoomis-wq9yf
    @BradleyLoomis-wq9yf7 күн бұрын

    😂 yea Watched the whole thing wat a guy an yea there'll never be another Era like that one must of been the most optimistic time for them first 25yrs after the war wow!!

  • @bigsarge2085
    @bigsarge20857 күн бұрын

    Cool!

  • @user-tp7eu1zt1n
    @user-tp7eu1zt1n2 күн бұрын

    Really wish you had done interviews with the AMC design guy when they were alive. So many Great stories!!! GOD BLESS, Chris Zinn

  • @buddyroeginocchio9105
    @buddyroeginocchio91057 күн бұрын

    It's great to listen to a real car man talk, one with gasoline in his veins, not my words but Billy Mitchell's.

  • @eklekticmotors5943
    @eklekticmotors59434 күн бұрын

    Thank you for doing this.

  • @tt-rs1457
    @tt-rs145721 сағат бұрын

    Wow, very intresting video. DidnT exspect that he were talking about the german company Bauer. Bauer did a few convertibles like the BMW E21 or the Opel C-Kadett Aero...also the CD Bitter. It seems that every german designer were taught in the US at GM.

  • @THROTTLEPOWER
    @THROTTLEPOWER5 күн бұрын

    Great vid!!! 👍👍

  • @VanWinger
    @VanWinger6 күн бұрын

    Trax, Equinox, Blazer... I can't tell them apart if it wasn't for the badge.

  • @michaelsinger7008
    @michaelsinger70086 күн бұрын

    I also enjoy cars. I enjoy going to classic car shows. I enjoy drawing I’ve been drawing since I was 8. Been drawing cars since 2022 so for two years. I also enjoy racing cars. So maybe I’ll do a mixture of the two like Carol Shelby did.

  • @xelphinx
    @xelphinx7 күн бұрын

    .○.○. This is GOOD!🏁jdF FL/NM☮️

  • @davidcrawford219
    @davidcrawford2196 күн бұрын

    🎥👀🏁

  • @davidcrawford219

    @davidcrawford219

    6 күн бұрын

    Wish cars would be remade. 70's charger

  • @ezghthrt7733
    @ezghthrt77337 күн бұрын

    There are two similarly interesting clips about the Bitter CD and how it came together, narrated by Dave Ruzzin: kzread.info/dash/bejne/nm2Y2shwpde6mrQ.html and kzread.info/dash/bejne/l5x9yrORqLLTkc4.html

  • @robertsmith5744
    @robertsmith57446 күн бұрын

    Cars in the 1950's were designed by artists that were High on the fumes from Marks-a-Lot.

  • @afterthought3341
    @afterthought33415 күн бұрын

    How GREAT is this, it's got a lot more than BIG Cadilac FINS!

  • @chrisjeffries2322
    @chrisjeffries23227 күн бұрын

    Excellent interview. Thank you for sharing with us fans. 🚖🚙🛻

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