Classiq Designer Series—Featuring Frank Pascoe
Frank Pascoe is a retired clay modeler who worked for Chrysler and American Motors Corporation. He is the only designer that we are speaking to in this series that worked as a clay modeler. Frank worked closely with the automotive designers after their drawings were selected to move on towards production. Frank would make scale and full size clay models of future cars in the studio. Listen to him talk about his influences, cars he has worked on and his own personal collection. With over 40 years in the industry you do not want to miss some of his stories.
Future videos in the series will feature Frank Pascoe, Vince Geraci, Bill Michalak, Wayne Kady, and Bill Porter.
Video Credits: Julie Hyde-Edwards and Robert Edwards for making the videos possible, Clasiq for producing the series. Sponsored by Farmers Insurance.
Published on Dean’s Garage by permission by Charlie Rubin, Clasiq COO and Founder.
Dean’s Garage, The Future is Back release: Late January, 2020.
Chrysler Sculptor Frank Pascoe
Clay Modeling—Analog vs Digital
Hear Frank Pascoe describe the change over in Detroit from designing cars by hand to computer automated design.
Why there are no clay styling models around
Frank teaches us why there are not any clay models that have lasted from the manufacturer’s design departments. He also discusses the importance of automotive art to the industry, the community and Detroit.
AMC Pacer styling walk around
Frank Pascoe American Motors clay modeler walks us around his personal AMC Pacer as he gives us some styling facts about this funky little car.
I guess he didn’t know about the 63 corvette, had doors cut into the roof like that.
The doors in the roof was first seen in volume on the Cadillac limousines in the fifties, before the Corvette. I worked on a lot of those at Design and on the Cadillacs while at Fisher Body. That one only leans the top of the door over and really does not do much to improve entry. To do that you have to have a much larger horizontal opening. The problem with bending everything over into the horizontal was the seals that had to scrape when the door was closed. They would not last very long.
DICK RUZZIN
I never knew Frank Pasco but his commentary was well put and articulate. All of my professional life was at Chrysler, retiring Nov “89. At that time computers were just beginning to come into usage and a high percentage of all our work was done manually. I, along with several others have been able to save some of the artwork from the earlier eras. It is moldering away in a couple of old portfolios and I am perplexed as to its ultimate fate, underlined by the fact that I’m nearly 86! Dave Cummins
Super interview. We tend to forget its the sculptors, not the designers, who determine the final shape of our cars. Thanks, Farmers, for sponsoring this series. .