Paul Bracq to be nominated...

[mdsalemi]

...to the Automotive Hall of Fame.  Induction into the Automotive Hall of Fame is the greatest single honor bestowed on individuals who have dedicated their lives and careers to the automotive industry.  Induction is reserved for individuals who have made a dramatic impact on the development of the automobile or the automotive industry.  Members of the Automotive Hall of Fame include people such as Wilhelm Maybach, Gottlieb Daimler, Karl Benz, Giorgetto Giugaro, Louis Renault, William Mitchell, Giovanni Agnelli, Enzo Ferrari, August Horch, and others whose names you know.

The nomination is being sponsored by the International Stars Section of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America.  The nomination is supported by the national club as well.  If the entire SL113.org group supports this, a letter stating this will be included just as we included the letter from MBCA national.

I have prepared a 14-Page nomination that will be submitted well before the November deadline.  The written part was prepared with the assistance of Douglas Kim.  The supporting information consists of many photos of his work, from the Mercedes 250C, SL's and 600 to the early 1970's BMW's that helped take BMW from a boutique manufacturer to the powerhouse it is today.  Mr. Bracq designed the original 320; 520; and 630 coupes.  Personally, with a portfolio that includes these cars, it is astounding that he isn't already in and has not been nominated before!  One thing I found in my research is that the BMW M series, attributed to Giugaro and ItalDesign, is so derivative of the BMW Turbo of 1972 and Mr. Bracq rarely gets the credit.

I asked Mr. Bracq to send me any additional information he had about his life outside the automotive industry--and wouldn't you know it?  He has worked with the local Rotary Club in Bordeaux, and has done work at a local hospital as well.  Be still my heart--he called me on the phone today to tell me he's sending me this additional information so we can firm up the nomination.

At the appropriate time, we'll (International Stars) issue a press release to the media.  Copies of the nomination (sans personal information) will be available upon request to SL113.org members.

For a virtual visit: http://www.automotivehalloffame.org/

Michael Salemi
1969 280SL
Signal Red w/Black Leather
Restored

[TA250SL]

That's a fantastic idea, and I hope the well deserved nomination is well received.  For anyone interested in his accomplishments, here is a link to his website, complete with email access to Mr. Bracq.  Click on his name at the bottom of the first page to enter additional pages devoted to his art and coachbuilding history.

http://www.idcenter.co.jp/en/bracq/paul.htm

Tom
Early 1967 250SL
Euro version    
Los Angeles

[TR]

Good stuff Mike.  Thanks for sharing.

Tom in Boise
'71 280SL 4-spd, signal red w/lt. tan interior, restored/enhanced

[mdsalemi]

quote:Originally posted by TA250SL

That's a fantastic idea, and I hope the well deserved nomination is well received.  For anyone interested in his accomplishments, here is a link to his website, complete with email access to Mr. Bracq.  Click on his name at the bottom of the first page to enter additional pages devoted to his art and coachbuilding history.

http://www.idcenter.co.jp/en/bracq/paul.htm

Tom
Early 1967 250SL
Euro version    
Los Angeles

Hi Tom (and others)

My communications with Mr. Bracq have been, on his end, quite literally, handwritten--no computer, no typewriter.  Good old fashioned pen and ink!  I don't think he has a website, but rather I think that the website you reference might be a "fan" site out of Japan.  And, the email doesn't work! (been there, done that...)

The nomination was well received on his end, and we'll see how well it goes at the AHOF.

BTW anyone coming up to Dan Caron's in July might want to take a side-detour to see this Hall of Fame if time allows.  It's in Dearborn (Detroit).

Michael Salemi
1969 280SL
Signal Red w/Black Leather
Restored

[France]

Hi guys,

If anyone goes to Dearborn, please visit the Ford museum and say hello to my grandfather's Daddy Long Legs, a custom 1914 auto that resides there... I have photos of my mummy and uncles sitting in the car in 1915.  My grandfather used to drive it to San Francisco with a load of hand grenades next to him.  He'd throw them under the axles of the road hogs who drove slowly in the middle of the road.  They thought they'd had a blowout and pull over, and he'd speed by.  Top speed was 115!!  Of course, this was a guy who shot two bankrobbers dead as they emerged from the Spokane bank with bags of stolen money... quite a character...


Trice
1968 280SL US, signal red/bl leather, auto, kinder
Sarasota FL; Alsace France
If you're not the lead dog, the view never changes.

[mdsalemi]

The nomination was submitted today, 8/10/06.  Thanks to JonnyB and Douglas Kim for assistance.  Nominations are due by November 15th; selections made by February 2007; announcements made at the NY Auto Show in April 2007; and formal induction in October 2007 at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Dearborn, MI.  Yes it is a long process.  I do indeed hope he "makes the cut"; frankly I don't see how he couldn't, but hey you never know...

I am going to try and get the nomination posted up on the International Stars website soon.  It has 39 pages, mostly illustrations of his work.  If I can get it up there in .pdf or similar form, then anyone who wants a copy can get one.  Its way to big to even email out.

Michael Salemi
1969 280SL
Signal Red w/Black Leather
Restored

[Mike Hughes]

Hey, Mike, nice write up in the new edition of THE STAR just out.

- Mike Hughes  -ô¿ô-
  1966 230SL Auto P/S
  Havanna Brown (408)
  Light Beige (181)
  Cream M-B Tex (121)

[mdsalemi]

quote:Originally posted by Mike Hughes

Hey, Mike, nice write up in the new edition of THE STAR just out.

- Mike Hughes  -ô¿ô-
  1966 230SL Auto P/S
  Havanna Brown (408)
  Light Beige (181)
  Cream M-B Tex (121)

Hi Mike (and everyone else interested)

Well the "New" Star is supposed to be more connected to the MBCA club members, and by that they mean members can write an article and get it published.  The proof is in the first issue.  This kicks off an ongoing series (that's their idea at least) regarding highlighting various museums, so since I had stuff partially written, what with the Paul Bracq nomination, and the Bruno Sacco stuff last fall this seemed to be a natural starting point.

Glad you enjoyed it!

Michael Salemi
1969 280SL
Signal Red w/Black Leather
Restored

[mdsalemi]

Sad to report that Mr. Bracq did not make this year's cut.

Five individuals representing automotive racing, design, manufacturing, and management have been selected for induction into the Automotive Hall of Fame. The Inductee class of 2007 includes A.J. Foyt, Dan Gurney, Charles B. King, Sergio Pininfarina, and Shoichiro Toyoda. The Inductees were announced April 4th at the International Motor Press Association meeting at the New York International Auto Show. Formal induction ceremonies will take place in Dearborn, Mich., on Tuesday, October 16, 2007.

There's always next year.

PS.  Anyone heard of that Pininfarina guy?

Michael Salemi
1969 280SL
Signal Red w/Black Leather
Restored

[Douglas]

Who are those clowns they picked?    On principle, I'm boycotting the event this year.

Douglas Kim
New York
USA

[mdsalemi]

quote:Originally posted by Douglas

Who are those clowns they picked?    On principle, I'm boycotting the event this year.

Douglas Kim
New York
USA

Here are the "clowns":

2 x "boy racers"
1 x very famous, extremely talented, unbelievably prolific engineer that nobody's heard of.
1 x pompous Italian "designer" most famous for what his father did!
1 x industrialist best known for propane powered forklifts and "cars that begin with C", and the arch-nemesis of some guy named Honda.

Seriously, all guys worthy of what they've earned.  Apparently they keep the nominations on file...(just like that Harvard application, yep, they'll call any day now.)  Realistically, they don't get many nominations, they choose themselves.  I know this because Mercedes in Germany thought that I had nominated Sacco!  I thought THEY did.  Truth be told, he wasn't nominated at all, but chosen.

Michael Salemi
1969 280SL
Signal Red w/Black Leather
Restored

[Mike Hughes]

The house of Farina, founded by Battista "Pinin" Farina, was virtually on the rocks by the end of the 1940's.  Sergio, the son, designed a pair of cars, one coupe and one drop-head, using as many common body panels as possible, mounted on the cheapest sporting chassis he could find at the time, the new M.G. TD, and showed them at Turin.  "Wacky" Arnolt, a Chicago businessman and British car importer, was so taken with the pair of cars that he asked if they were for sale.  When told they were he replied, "I'll take 100 of each!"  The cars bacame known as the M.G. Arnolt.  Ultimately only 65 of the coupes and 35 of the drop-heads were built but this single transaction saved Farina from bankruptcy and paved the way for the future success of Pininfarina. For more information on this look in the newest issue of Hemmings Sports & Exotic Car (the one with the grey Ferrari on the cover).

- Mike Hughes  -ô¿ô-
  1966 230SL Auto P/S
  Havanna Brown (408)
  Light Beige (181)
  Cream M-B Tex (121)