User:Pyxelyz/1948 Buick Norman Timbs Special

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INTRO

The Norman Timbs special stands out as an example of futuristic, forward-looking design to this day. Although it never itself achieved mass-market production success, it inspired a generation of automotive designers and engineers to push the limits of the manufacturing status quo, promoting a whole new way of designing and constructing automobiles. It was inspired by the German racers of the time, putting supreme emphasis on streamlining all parts of the bodywork.

STYLING

Making it’s first press appearance in Motor Trend’s second issue in 1949, Timb’s “Sport Custom” was a one-off even within its own class. Unlike other Sport Customs which rarely held tuned engines, adapted suspensions, light purpose-built chassis, or anything to qualify the “sport” tag, Timb’s Special was almost entirely hand-built for this purpose, with only the base engine and steering column (Octane Magazin) being purchased from mass manufacturer Mercury. The engine in fact had been tuned to produce 200hp (and a speed in excess of 120 mph), far exceeding its stock power (Supercars.net). After its introduction in Motor Trend Magazine, it went on to be featured in many other publications such as Popular Mechanics and Motor Life.

It also notably lacked doors (as well as a roof and mirrors), but Timbs pointed out that this would cause a break in its sleek lines. In fact, although many expected a production run of this design, Timbs himself acknowledged that it would cost too much (it cost him $10,000 to build) and the streamliners of the time were already beginning to give way to the jet-inspired designs of the 1950s (DriveTribe).

NORMAN TIMBS Sr.

Norman Timbs seems to have been almost forgotten from the history books, despite his varied and significant career. After graduating from USC, Timbs worked for Preston Tucker as a junior engineer, designed the Halibrand famed quick-change rear axle, and pioneered the use of negative pressure underneath race cars (which is known today as ground effects) to create significant downforce at high speeds(DriveTribe). Just before starting work on his own special, Timbs’ Blue Crown Specials designs won the 1947,48, and ‘49 Indy 500 races, while other designs were equally as successful (Ken Gross).

Timbs later went on to become chief engineer at Halibrand, where he applied his advanced work on many lightweight specials, including the Shrike racecar and the 1965 Honda Grand Prix car (Ken Gross). Timbs also advanced aerodynamic work on the Keck Streamliner in the Caltech wind tunnel, achieving the first use of aerodynamically-generated wind pressure to create downforce in the bottom of a car. He also designed a LIM (linear induction motor) high-speed train in the 1970s that was tested at a special track in pueblo, CO at a speed of almost 260 mph (Ken Gross).

Timbs died in 1993 at age 76.

HISTORY

The Norman Timbs Special then had a busy few years, appearing in Buck Rogers (a science fiction series), a restaurant in California (the Halfway House), where children played on its fragile aluminium body, among other seemingly random spots, before being lost to the desert and finally rediscovered to be purchased by a film studio outfitter (Octane Magazin). Despite being built at a cost of $100,000 (adjusted for inflation) by Timbs, it was sold to Gary Ceverny for $17,600.

The Norman Special then underwent a refurbishment at a Colorado repair shop (Custom Auto in Loveland, CO) (Ken Gross), where the worksop manager described the process as “a killer job”, claiming extreme difficulty with the mechanics and troublesome details such as the paint job, which had to be colour-coordinated perfectly with just the right amount of gold flakes incorporated into the mixture. Fortunately, they had access thanks to Norman Timbs Jr. (the original designer’s son), to Timbs Sr.’s original sketchbook, along with the original cover of Motor Trend Magazine featuring the automobile in its intended state. After its renovation, the Timbs Special appeared at the 2010 Amelia Island Concours, winning the “best open car” RM auction trophy.

FATE

During the 2018 Malibu wildfires, the Norman Timbs special was lost along with the rest of collector Gary Cerveny's 30+ collection. However, Cerveny has expressed interest in rebuilding the car, who’s aluminum body appears to have survived the fire, unwarped.