Nothing to do with the indulgent bachelor life, Playboy was all about primary transportation.
Popping out of World Struggle II, America’s future seemed vivid. The nation’s combating males had been returning house with pockets filled with fight pay, and had been able to take wives, purchase homes, and in addition purchase vehicles. Let’s not overlook the vehicles.
Playboy: Forgotten Automobile Manufacturers
World Struggle II
Whereas huge automakers had been retooling their factories, switching again to car manufacturing after a number of years of cranking out conflict materiel, new automotive corporations had been popping up, intent on capitalizing on what promised to be increase years.
One such firm was Playboy. Based by a profitable Packard supplier title Lou Horwitz, the company plan was to construct and retail a small, sensible automotive that bought for lower than $1000.
Working with Lou had been Charlie Thomas, a Pontiac engineer, and Norm Richardson, an completed engineer/mechanic. Working with a comparatively small funding–most of which got here from Horwitz–the trio got down to develop a automotive incorporating as a lot off-the-shelf engineering as attainable.
Not That Playboy
Notice that the Playboy Motor Automobile Company was unrelated to the Playboy, a mannequin constructed by Jordan (1916-1931), or Playboy, the lads’s life-style journal.
First constructed was a one-off prototype which differed considerably from the manufacturing Playboy in two methods. First, the prototype featured a rear-engine design, which was thought of as a method to cut back manufacturing prices. Additionally totally different was the prototype’s convertible roof, which was cloth. The manufacturing Playboy that includes a operated by hand three-piece metal prime.
Manufacturing
Serial manufacturing started in 1948. The manufacturing automotive featured engines from such suppliers as Hercules, Continental, and Willys. In line with Playboy’s lean-production plan, the engines had been fitted with Ford carburetors and Chevrolet ignitions. Every engine got here in at round 2.0-liters, and produced 40 horsepower. Regardless of the Playboy’s modest powerplants, model promoting promised a prime velocity of 75 mph. Credit score the vehicles lean 1900 curb weight.
Value
The automotive featured a single, three-person seating row, front-engine with rear-wheel drive design, and 12-inch wheels are tires, and a $985 price ticket.
Having constructed and bought a variety of vehicles in its Buffalo, New York headquarters, it was time for Playboy to broaden into an actual manufacturing unit and ramp-up manufacturing. Horwitz and mates figured they wanted to $20 million (about $250 million at this time). This cash would come from supplier franchise charges, and a public inventory providing.
Cash Hassle
Sadly, Playboy’s cash-acquisition program started simply as would-be carmaker Tucker bumped into hassle, with Tucker administration accused of working what was likened to a Ponzi scheme.
And whereas Playboy administration was not charged with fraud or monetary malfeasance, can be sellers, spooked by the Tucker state of affairs, backed out of franchise agreements, whereas curiosity in Playboy inventory collapsed.
Henry J. Kaiser
At one level Henry J. Kaiser, president and majority proprietor of carmaker Kaiser, supplied Horwitz and his companions $330,000 for the corporate, together with the Playboy design and tooling, however the supplied was refused. Kaiser would go on to construct a small automotive referred to as the Henry J, a clone of which might be bought by Sears because the Allstate. The small Kaiser was considerably extra substantial than the Playboy, and bought in some quantity. You possibly can take a look at the Henry J right here.
Unable to ascertain a manufacturing program, Playboy’s doorways had been shuttered for good in 1951. In all, one prototype, 97 manufacturing convertibles, and one unfinished automotive had been constructed. Rumors persist that a few station wagons had been additionally assembled, although no footage of the vehicles appear to exist.
Right this moment
There reportedly 43 surviving Playboys within the arms of collectors at this time, together with the rear-engine prototype.
Hearken to the Automobile Stuff Podcast
Playboy Photos
Click on beneath for enlarged photographs