FreightWaves Classics/Extra: Brooks Stevens designs are just amazing!
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Brooks Stevens in 1950 at the age of 39. (Photo: Milwaukee Art Museum)
Today’s FreightWaves Classics article profiled industrial designer Brooks Stevens, who was born on this date in 1911. Here is a link to the article.
After seeing many of his designs during my research for the article, I thought you might like to see more of his design work. While there are quite a few images/photos presented in this article, just type his name in a search bar and you will see hundreds more!
The Brooks Stevens Archives is one of several special collections/archives at the Milwaukee Museum of Art. It was acquired from the Stevens family in 1997. The archive is composed of nearly 20,000 visual materials spanning Stevens’ entire career.
Brooks Stevens designed this 1941 Ford Western Flyer. Four were built for the S.C. Johnson company. (Photos: core77.com)Stevens developed this design for a rear-engine auto for the post-war world during World War II. (Image: Milwaukee Art Museum)
A 1946 Willys-Overland Station Wagon designed by Brooks Stevens. This is the first model of the Wilys Overland Station Wagon in front of Stevens’ home that he designed and which still exists today. This 4×2 model served as the basis for all future models of the Willys Overland Station Wagon. Observe that the door and the characteristic design of the side panels is very similar, basically identical, to the same parts on the Rural Willys manufactured in Brazil until 1977. The steering wheel is a light color and the wheel hubs are chromed with the Willys “W” logo in the center. The steel side panel design and the two tone paint tried to represent the wood bodies used until this period. (Photo: Brooks Stevens Archive/Milwaukee Art Museum/text adapted from ruralwillys.tripod.com)
The gorgeous 1951 Kaiser. The “full-perimeter bumper” was Brooks Stevens’ idea dating back to facelift proposals for the ’48 models. (Image/text: richardlangworth.com)
A 1955 Cadillac Die Valkyrie, which was designed by Brooks Stevens. (Photo: journal.classiccars.com)
Another view of the 1955 Cadillac Die Valkyrie, which was designed by Brooks Stevens. (Photo: journal.classiccars.com)
Stevens designed the 1956 Gaylord for the Gaylord Brothers of Chicago. (Photo: motorcities.org)
A 1958 Willys Harlequin Rural Station Wagon, designed by Brooks Stevens. In this photo, Stevens stands alongside one of his creations, a model with special chrome adornments. The windshield on this 1958 model is a single pane of glass. The station wagons were manufactured in the United States from 1946 to 1965, being replaced by the Jeep Wagoneer station wagon and the Gladiator pickup and the Jeep Cherokee, all designed by Stevens. (Photo: Brooks Stevens Archive/Milwaukee Art Museum)
Stevens designed the all-aluminum body Scimitar in 1958-59. (Photo: carstyling.ru)
This was the design for the prototype seen below. The Utopia station wagon concept by designer Brooks Stevens in 1960. The Utopia wagon concept featured a sliding roof panel that actually made it into production on the 1963-66 Studebaker Wagonaire wagon, and was briefly revived for the 2004-2005 GMC Envoy XUV sport utility vehicle. But the hydrogen fuel-cell powertrain may have been the most utopian of all the Utopia’s features. Stevens believed that future fuel cells would allow a more compact powertrain, giving him greater flexibility to provide space for passengers and cargo. (Image: Milwaukee Art Museum; text adapted from greencarreports.com)The 1963 Studebaker Lark Wagonaire concept station wagon. Brooks Stevens design for a new generation Lark was based heavily on the existing car. Studebaker went out of business before series production could get underway. (Photo: tumblr.com)
The 1963 Studebaker Lark Wagonaire concept station wagon. Brooks Stevens design for a new generation Lark was based heavily on the existing car. Studebaker went out of business before series production could get underway. (Photo: tumblr.com)
The 1963 Studebaker Excalibur Hawk, designed by Brooks Stevens. This racing prototype was powered by the supercharged Studebaker R2 V8 engine that had a reported top speed of 165mph. (Photo: tumblr)
Stevens design for the 1966 Studebaker Sceptre concept car. (Photo: motorcities.org)
When Briggs & Stratton, the famous builder of small engines, devised a gasoline/electric hybrid car in 1980, Stevens was asked to design the fiberglass body for the six-wheel vehicle. (Photo: brooksstevens.com)
The 1949 Harley-Davidson Hydra-glide was designed by Brooks Stevens. It was the first streamlined motorcycle design and featured a horizontal shielded front fender, chrome enclosed front fork, teardrop shaped gas tank and styled instrument cluster. (Photo: brooksstevens.com)
The first to style the original mowers, Brooks Stevens also introduced the color “Lawn Boy Green” to the brand. (Photo: brooksstevens.com)
Stevens’ firm transformed the ordinary fishing boat into the first round fiberglass boat with twin 15HP outboards, throttle steering and radial seating for safe fishing. (Photo: brooksstevens.com)
Brooks Stevens designed this engine for Evinrude in 1947. (Photo: Milwaukee Art Museum)An advertisement for the Brooks Stevens Evinrude Rooney Roadster. (Image: curbside.tv)
This image shows the Brooks Stevens Evinrude Rooney Roadster as both a boat and auto. (Image: curbside.tv)
Brooks Stevens’ own rendering of the Olympian Hiawatha‘s SkyTop railcar. (Image: streamlinermemories.info)
The Stevens-designed Olympian Hiawatha SkyTop train. (Images: Popular Mechanics)
Brooks Stevens at work. (Photo: Milwaukee Art Museum)
