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Dodge Norseman concept

February 3 2009 at 7:47 PM

Chuck  (Login 65460)

The best I could do is provide the link to the pics
[img]http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=591727&d=1233642180[/img]
[img]http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=591728&d=1233642180[/img]
[img]http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=591726&d=1233642180[/img]
You could think of the striking Norseman as handsome lad who never made it to his prom. Heres the story. Chrysler chief designer Virgil Exner was working overtime in the early 1950s to help transform his companys dowdy product styling. Among the steps taken, Exner began a relationship with the Italian design house, Ghia. The relationship resulted in several concepts and a handful of low-volume production models.

During 1955-56, one of Ghias main projects was to bring the Norseman to life based on sketches and models created by Exners studio. The body was to be fully functional and placed over a Hemi-powered Chrysler chassis. Working more than a year, the talented Italians handcrafted every element of the exterior and interior, struggling a great deal with the striking cantilevered roof. Nearly all of the roofs mass needed to be supported at the rear so that the leading edge did not to place any stress on the delicate wrap-around windshield. Completing the roof structure was further complicated by the innovative power-retractable sunroof (think Porsche 911 Targa).

On schedule, the completed Norseman was carefully loaded onto the Andrea Doria, a modern and luxurious ocean liner. The Chrysler design team back in Highland Park, Michigan eagerly awaited the cars arrival. It was July, and the trans-Atlantic trip would deliver the Norseman to the states in plenty of time for the 1957 auto show circuit.

The Norseman never made it. In an accident chalked up to human error, the Andrea Doria collided with a passenger ship, the MV Stockholm, off the coast of Massachusetts . The liner sank within hours, taking all of its cargo to the sea floor. Few Americans ever saw Exners clean, nearly chrome-free design at full size. Perhaps, if the Norseman had completed its crossing, the design would have positively impacted Chryslers styling as the company dealt inelegantly with the transition from the "fin" to "no-fin" era.

 
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(Login koolminx)

Re: Dodge Norseman concept

February 3 2009, 10:21 PM 

WOW! From the Rear tire forward, it looks Fantastic!

But the back looks too much like an AMC Marlin .... Yucky...

The rest is gorgeous!

 
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(Login samthecrewman)

Re: Dodge Norseman concept

February 3 2009, 10:34 PM 

I thought the Andrea Doria was similar to the Titanic, unsinkable, but also a luxury passenger ship. Didn't know it shipped cargo.

 
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(Login Johnny_Ray)

Re: Dodge Norseman concept

February 3 2009, 11:12 PM 

Nice looking ride!

I can't help but to wonder what might have been!

 
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Beoweolf
(Login beoweolf)

Re: Dodge Norseman concept

February 4 2009, 4:54 PM 

Beautiful car. However, anyone with even an inkling of, just a mere hint of engineering knowledge would suspect "roller-over" survivablity in that car would be  .... Duh - about zero. One of the reasons Hardtops and convertiables went off the market for a while were due to a combination of federal law and common sense.

Don't get me wrong, I'm certian I would have bought one in a hot minute - in the post war days, style trumped safety 100% of the time. wink.gif

I considered myself to be pretty knowledgable about automotive history, This car escaped my notice - I've never seen or heard about it before.



    
This message has been edited by beoweolf on Feb 4, 2009 5:13 PM


 
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