If Jacque Saoutchik or Guiseppi Figoni were alive, what would their designs look like? I contacted John Caswell, a recent honors grad of the Art Center School, and sent him photos of Ronald Benach's incredible Saoutchik 1948 Delahaye. I told him to design a massive car with that "feel" in styling which lent itself to having the desired draft and contours required to release from a carbon fiber mold. The SULTAN, John's 17-foot long, two place roadster, wrapped in sweeping brightwork spears, was the result.
In mid 2007 I presented John Caswell with the challenge of taking this project from inception to completion. In July he then took the next step and generated 1/4 scale "tape drawings" showing the top, side, front and rear views. Next pro clay model maker Todd Storrs of Automotive Jazz (12025 Woodbine, Redford, MI 48239) took John's dimensions and, working together, they transformed it into the 4.5 foot long 1/4 scale clay "clown suit" (1/2 half model, to be displayed up against a mirror) shown here. These photos were taken early in the process and more shaping and detail was accomplished.
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Once we were happy with the clay model, we had it digitized by computer whiz Sean Halpin in Troy, MI. In 2007 that clay model was on display in our booth at Pebble Beach. Our original intent was to manufacture these cars from carbon fiber. At Pebble Beach we encountered a firm in Argentina that builds aluminum bodied cars. In October 2007, Terry Cook visited their facility in Buenos Aires, but it was decided to stay with carbon fiber construction.
The bodywill sit on a 135-inch wheelbase chassis we already have that is based upon the design fabrictated by One Off Technologies of Gilford, NH for our Delahaye project.
Recent developments involve the firm Revolution Design Studios of Royal Oak, MI. Steve Wilkonski and Leonard Hayden worked with John Caswell to resurface the SULTAN, improving the design and taking the project one step closer to completion. Stunning renderings by Revolution Design Studios stopped traffic when they were on display at our booth at RETRO AUTO in Pebble Beach in August 2009.
Interested parties can contact Terry Cook at 00+ 1+1 (908) 876-9100.
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And they say the clay modeler and designers never get their picture put in the books and magazines,
giving them credit. Todd Storrs (left) and John Caswell were both present at the birth of the
1/4 scale SULTAN "clown suit" in Redford, MI on July 6, 2007.
Below: After some more hours of love by Todd Storrs, the Sultan 1/4 scale clay really starts taking shape
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