Alex Tremulis
Encyclopedia
Alexander Sarantos Tremulis (January 23, 1914 in Chicago
, United States
- December 29, 1991 in Ventura, California
) was an industrial designer in the North American automotive industry. Tremulis held automotive design
positions at Cord Automobile
, Duesenberg
, General Motors
, Tucker Car Corporation
and Ford Motor Company
before establishing a consulting firm.
immigrants. His parents were Antonia and Sarantos Tremulis, who came from a village near Sparta. As a 19-year old and without any formal training in art or engineering, he landed a job on the design team for the Auburn-Cord-Duesenberg Company in 1933. Among his projects were the now famous and classic Cord
810 and 812 series, as well as a custom Duesenberg
roadster having both convertible and hardtop options. In 1936, he was named Chief Stylist for Auburn-Cord-Deusenberg, and remained in that role until the company failed in 1937.
Tremulis briefly worked for General Motors before moving to Briggs-Le Baron, a custom coachbuilder
for Chrysler
at the time. In 1938 he worked for Custom Motors in Beverly Hills, California
that made unique cars for movie stars. He was also a consultant
for Crosley
and American Bantam
in 1939. His designs for American Bantam remained in production until the firm switched over completely to the production of military Jeep
s prior to World War II
. Returning to Briggs in 1939, he worked with Werner Gubitz and Howard "Dutch" Darrin to design the production
versions of the Packard Clipper
. He was also the creative source for the 1941 Chrysler “Thunderbolt” concept car
. His contributions to these two models helped establish styling trends that would influence automobile designs after World War II.
was bombed in 1941, Tremulis joined the United States Army Air Corps
. He worked on advanced aircraft concepts at Wright Field (now Wright-Patterson Air Force Base
), and developed a concept, which in the 1960s became known as the Boeing Dyna-Soar
, a gliding re-entry space vehicle. While at the Air Corps, he made the first speculative drawings of what extraterrestrial life forms would use as transportation to visit the Earth. His concept drawings were the first saucer shaped spacecraft drawings documented.
. After the demise of the company, many people believe it was Tremulis whom Preston Tucker commissioned to design a new car for the early 1950s, named the Talisman by Tucker, but in fact Philip S. Egan of the design team deserves the credit for this work as his illustrations show in his book, Design and Destiny. However, Preston Tucker's death prevented this car from being produced.
In 1957, as a Ford
employee, Tremulis was assigned the task of designing the car that "he believed we would be driving in the year 2000". Tremulis drew up plans and made a clay model of the Ford X-2000, a concept that would later be brought to life in the form of a working prototype in 1999 by UK customiser Andy Saunders, who showed it at car shows in 1999 and 2000.
Tremulis left Ford in 1963 to found his own consulting firm in Ann Arbor, Michigan
. Among Tremulis’ last designs were the 1978 to 1987 Subaru BRAT
.
Tremulis served as a consultant for the 1988 movie, Tucker: The Man and His Dream
. He was also a frequent contributor to "Road & Track
" magazine.
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
- December 29, 1991 in Ventura, California
Ventura, California
Ventura is the county seat of Ventura County, California, United States, incorporated in 1866. The population was 106,433 at the 2010 census, up from 100,916 at the 2000 census. Ventura is accessible via U.S...
) was an industrial designer in the North American automotive industry. Tremulis held automotive design
Automotive design
Automotive design is the profession involved in the development of the appearance, and to some extent the ergonomics, of motor vehicles or more specifically road vehicles. This most commonly refers to automobiles but also refers to motorcycles, trucks, buses, coaches, and vans...
positions at Cord Automobile
Cord Automobile
Cord was the brand name of a United States automobile, manufactured by the Auburn Automobile Company from 1929 through 1932 and again in 1936 and 1937....
, Duesenberg
Duesenberg
Duesenberg was an Auburn, Indiana based American luxury automobile company active in various forms from 1913 to 1937, most famous for its high-quality passenger cars and record-breaking racing cars.-History:...
, General Motors
General Motors
General Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...
, Tucker Car Corporation
1948 Tucker Sedan
The 1948 Tucker Sedan or Tucker '48 Sedan was an advanced automobile conceived by Preston Tucker and briefly produced in Chicago in 1948...
and Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
before establishing a consulting firm.
Early career
Tremulis was the son of GreekGreeks
The Greeks, also known as the Hellenes , are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighboring regions. They also form a significant diaspora, with Greek communities established around the world....
immigrants. His parents were Antonia and Sarantos Tremulis, who came from a village near Sparta. As a 19-year old and without any formal training in art or engineering, he landed a job on the design team for the Auburn-Cord-Duesenberg Company in 1933. Among his projects were the now famous and classic Cord
Cord Automobile
Cord was the brand name of a United States automobile, manufactured by the Auburn Automobile Company from 1929 through 1932 and again in 1936 and 1937....
810 and 812 series, as well as a custom Duesenberg
Duesenberg
Duesenberg was an Auburn, Indiana based American luxury automobile company active in various forms from 1913 to 1937, most famous for its high-quality passenger cars and record-breaking racing cars.-History:...
roadster having both convertible and hardtop options. In 1936, he was named Chief Stylist for Auburn-Cord-Deusenberg, and remained in that role until the company failed in 1937.
Tremulis briefly worked for General Motors before moving to Briggs-Le Baron, a custom coachbuilder
Coachbuilder
A coachbuilder is a manufacturer of bodies for carriages or automobiles.The trade dates back several centuries. Rippon was active in the time of Queen Elizabeth I, Barker founded in 1710 by an officer in Queen Anne's Guards, Brewster a relative newcomer , formed in 1810. Others in Britain included...
for Chrysler
Chrysler
Chrysler Group LLC is a multinational automaker headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan, USA. Chrysler was first organized as the Chrysler Corporation in 1925....
at the time. In 1938 he worked for Custom Motors in Beverly Hills, California
Beverly Hills, California
Beverly Hills is an affluent city located in Los Angeles County, California, United States. With a population of 34,109 at the 2010 census, up from 33,784 as of the 2000 census, it is home to numerous Hollywood celebrities. Beverly Hills and the neighboring city of West Hollywood are together...
that made unique cars for movie stars. He was also a consultant
Consultant
A consultant is a professional who provides professional or expert advice in a particular area such as management, accountancy, the environment, entertainment, technology, law , human resources, marketing, emergency management, food production, medicine, finance, life management, economics, public...
for Crosley
Crosley
The Crosley was an automobile manufactured by the Crosley Corporation and later by Crosley Motors Incorporated in the United States from 1939 to 1952.-History:...
and American Bantam
American Austin Car Company
The American Austin Car Company was a United States automobile manufacturing corporation tied to the British Austin Motor Company. The company was founded in 1929, and produced motorcars from 1930 through 1934, when it filed for bankruptcy....
in 1939. His designs for American Bantam remained in production until the firm switched over completely to the production of military Jeep
Jeep
Jeep is an automobile marque of Chrysler . The first Willys Jeeps were produced in 1941 with the first civilian models in 1945, making it the oldest off-road vehicle and sport utility vehicle brand. It inspired a number of other light utility vehicles, such as the Land Rover which is the second...
s prior to World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Returning to Briggs in 1939, he worked with Werner Gubitz and Howard "Dutch" Darrin to design the production
Mass production
Mass production is the production of large amounts of standardized products, including and especially on assembly lines...
versions of the Packard Clipper
Packard Clipper
The Packard Clipper was initially a single model of the Packard Motor Car Company introduced in April, 1941, midyear, much as was the 1964 1/2 Ford Mustang and other new departures. It was manufactured between 1942 and 1947, from the six and junior eight, to the Super-8, where it cost more than...
. He was also the creative source for the 1941 Chrysler “Thunderbolt” concept car
Concept car
A concept vehicle or show vehicle is a car made to showcase new styling and or new technology. They are often shown at motor shows to gauge customer reaction to new and radical designs which may or may not have a chance of being produced....
. His contributions to these two models helped establish styling trends that would influence automobile designs after World War II.
Air Corps concepts
After Pearl HarborPearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
was bombed in 1941, Tremulis joined the United States Army Air Corps
United States Army Air Corps
The United States Army Air Corps was a forerunner of the United States Air Force. Renamed from the Air Service on 2 July 1926, it was part of the United States Army and the predecessor of the United States Army Air Forces , established in 1941...
. He worked on advanced aircraft concepts at Wright Field (now Wright-Patterson Air Force Base
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base in Greene and Montgomery counties in the state of Ohio. It includes both Wright and Patterson Fields, which were originally Wilbur Wright Field and Fairfield Aviation General Supply Depot. Patterson Field is located approximately...
), and developed a concept, which in the 1960s became known as the Boeing Dyna-Soar
X-20 Dyna-Soar
The X-20 Dyna-Soar was a United States Air Force program to develop a spaceplane that could be used for a variety of military missions, including reconnaissance, bombing, space rescue, satellite maintenance, and sabotage of enemy satellites...
, a gliding re-entry space vehicle. While at the Air Corps, he made the first speculative drawings of what extraterrestrial life forms would use as transportation to visit the Earth. His concept drawings were the first saucer shaped spacecraft drawings documented.
Later career
After the War, Tremulis worked with the design firm of Tammen & Denison until Preston Tucker hired him to design the 1948 Tucker Sedan1948 Tucker Sedan
The 1948 Tucker Sedan or Tucker '48 Sedan was an advanced automobile conceived by Preston Tucker and briefly produced in Chicago in 1948...
. After the demise of the company, many people believe it was Tremulis whom Preston Tucker commissioned to design a new car for the early 1950s, named the Talisman by Tucker, but in fact Philip S. Egan of the design team deserves the credit for this work as his illustrations show in his book, Design and Destiny. However, Preston Tucker's death prevented this car from being produced.
In 1957, as a Ford
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
employee, Tremulis was assigned the task of designing the car that "he believed we would be driving in the year 2000". Tremulis drew up plans and made a clay model of the Ford X-2000, a concept that would later be brought to life in the form of a working prototype in 1999 by UK customiser Andy Saunders, who showed it at car shows in 1999 and 2000.
Tremulis left Ford in 1963 to found his own consulting firm in Ann Arbor, Michigan
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Ann Arbor is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Washtenaw County. The 2010 census places the population at 113,934, making it the sixth largest city in Michigan. The Ann Arbor Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 344,791 as of 2010...
. Among Tremulis’ last designs were the 1978 to 1987 Subaru BRAT
Subaru BRAT
The Subaru BRAT was the coupe utility version of the Subaru Leone from the 1970s...
.
Tremulis served as a consultant for the 1988 movie, Tucker: The Man and His Dream
Tucker: The Man and His Dream
Tucker: The Man and His Dream is a 1988 biographical film directed by Francis Ford Coppola and starring Jeff Bridges. The film recounts the story of Preston Tucker and his attempt to produce and market the 1948 Tucker Sedan, which was met with scandal between the "Big Three automobile...
. He was also a frequent contributor to "Road & Track
Road & Track
Road & Track is an American automotive enthusiast magazine. It is owned by Hearst Magazines, and is published monthly. The editorial offices are located in Newport Beach, California.-History:...
" magazine.
Death
Tremulis died on December 29, 1991. He was buried at Ivy Lawn Memorial Park in Ventura, California.Awards
- 1982 — Inducted into the Automobile Hall of Fame.
- 1987 — Honored by the Society of Automotive EngineersSAE InternationalSAE International is an organization for engineering professionals in the aerospace, automotive, and commercial vehicle industries. The Society is a standards development organization for the engineering of powered vehicles of all kinds, including cars, trucks, boats, aircraft, and others.SAE...
for the design of the Tucker1948 Tucker SedanThe 1948 Tucker Sedan or Tucker '48 Sedan was an advanced automobile conceived by Preston Tucker and briefly produced in Chicago in 1948...
, as one of the "significant automobiles of the past half century."