Touraine Road in Grosse Pointe Farms, built in 1929 by industrialist John B. Ford and lived in by the Harley Earl family. Harley J. Earl (November 22, 1893 – April 10, 1969) was an American automotive designer and business executive. He was the initial designated head of design at General Motors, later becoming vice president, the first top executive ever appointed in design of a major corporation in American history. He was an industrial designer and a pioneer of modern transportation design. He introduced the “concept car” as both a tool for the design process and a clever marketing device. Earl’s Buick Y-Job was the first concept car. He started “Project Opel”, which eventually became the Chevrolet Corvette, and he authorized the introduction of the tailfin to automotive styling. Harley Earl was born in Hollywood, California. Earl studied at Stanford University, but left prematurely to work with, and learn from, his father at Earl Automotive Works building custom bodies for Hollywood movie stars, including Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle and Tom Mix. Go to Domustoria.com/signup/ and get posts like this every week!
