Nothing to do with the indulgent bachelor life, Playboy was all about primary transportation.
Popping out of World Warfare II, America’s future seemed vivid. The nation’s preventing males had been returning dwelling with pockets filled with fight pay, and had been able to take wives, purchase homes, and in addition purchase vehicles. Let’s not neglect the vehicles.
Playboy: Forgotten Automobile Manufacturers
World Warfare II
Whereas large automakers had been retooling their factories, switching again to car manufacturing after a number of years of cranking out warfare materiel, new automobile 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 identify Lou Horwitz, the company plan was to construct and retail a small, sensible automobile that offered 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 automobile incorporating as a lot off-the-shelf engineering as attainable.
Not That Playboy
Be aware 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-about as a option to scale back manufacturing prices. Additionally completely different was the prototype’s convertible roof, which was cloth. The manufacturing Playboy that includes a operated by hand three-piece metal high.
Manufacturing
Serial manufacturing started in 1948. The manufacturing automobile featured engines from such suppliers as Hercules, Continental, and Willys. Consistent 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 high pace of 75 mph. Credit score the vehicles lean 1900 curb weight.
Value
The automobile 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 offered a variety of vehicles in its Buffalo, New York headquarters, it was time for Playboy to broaden into an actual manufacturing facility and ramp-up manufacturing. Horwitz and associates figured they wanted to $20 million (about $250 million right now). This cash would come from supplier franchise charges, and a public inventory providing.
Cash Bother
Sadly, Playboy’s cash-acquisition program started simply as would-be carmaker Tucker bumped into bother, 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, could be sellers, spooked by the Tucker scenario, 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, provided Horwitz and his companions $330,000 for the corporate, together with the Playboy design and tooling, however the provided was refused. Kaiser would go on to construct a small automobile known as the Henry J, a clone of which might be offered by Sears because the Allstate. The small Kaiser was considerably extra substantial than the Playboy, and offered is a few quantity. You possibly can try 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 automobile had been constructed. Rumors persist that a few station wagons had been additionally assembled, although no photos of the vehicles appear to exist.
As we speak
There reportedly 43 surviving Playboys within the palms of collectors right now, together with the rear-engine prototype.
Take heed to the Automobile Stuff Podcast
Playboy Photos
Click on beneath for enlarged pictures