Imagine an awesome WORLD of MOTORAMA and it almost happened
Many years ago, I did a film that was tentatively titled MOTORAMA. Based on the Concept Cars of the 50’s, but a slightly more modern take. A Jetsons-like design language that wasn’t quit Jetsons, but had that feel.
The Director loved the Jestsons, but did not have the rights for them. So the idea was to create vehicles as the mainstay for transportation, homes and pretty much everything. A campy wonderworld where Spacey was it.
The film would have gotten made had the Studio loved CARS, but sadly… they didn’t get it. Big surprise. Point is… that selling anything to the right buyer is about identifying what the buyer IS and NOT what they love. People at Car Shows don’t say that they love cars, so much as they say that “I’m a Gar Guy” or “I’m a Car Girl.”
This Concept MOTORAMA was inspired by the original GM Firebird 3. A slightly outlandish design and slippery on screen. Maybe someday, it will circle back, but it’s IN THE GARAGE NOW under “concept” and on Canvas for your enjoyment! CHECK IT OUT!
BONUS SKETCH re-envisions the MOTORAMA FIREBIRD 1…
Fun to play with ideas and I’ve always been a fan of MOTORAMA. Today’s Series of Bonus Sketches brings back GM’s FIREBIRD 1 as a simplified fun Hot Wheels-esque Rocket Car. Be fun to see someone do this as a DIECAST. Who’s up??
FIREBALL MOVIE ART… #Firebirds #ClassicCool #Concept #CarDesign #Toys #Diecast @shadbalch
These designs I did as a series of toy concepts based on GM’s original MOTORAMA Concept Cars of the 50’s. Sadly, the toys were never made, but check out some of the casts AFTER THE JUMP that finally showed up, although pretty rough and bad proportioned. I still own the designs, so if any of you have a toy company… 😉
What if… MOTORAMA WAS BACK??!!!
I like old cars. But not just ANY old cars. Concept Cars. Cars with vision. Visions of futures that never happened. It was the reason I like Tomorrowland at Disney and then became their Chief Designer in the late 80’s. But these cars were created with an intense vision that was unlike anything anyone had ever seem. And it influenced millions.
So, I set it upon myself to ask WHAT IF? What if we were to re-design the visions of tomorrow, but with a mind for today? And then, I got a little squirrly with it. Oops. The result? MOTORAMA MAYHEM!!!!
The bodies of the old ones are cool for sure. But nowadays, design is more than just form. It’s texture, color, light, purpose. We’re pretty advanced now, so movies like THE CRAWLING EYE don’t really cut it. Get my drift? I even took keys on these new versions from my Uncle Mike’s Hawker Sea Fury Racing Plane. He was a big cheese racer in the 60’s and won every race. (That’s ’cause the flames intimidated everyone…)
Motorama Shows of the 50’s inspired generations. Proposing what was next. But unfortunately, cars still don’t fly. They should… and will if I get a hold of ’em.
Check it. MOTORAMA MAYHEM….
