Gaylord Gladiator: The Btersweet Tale Of ‘The World’s Bt Car’

Contents:

• GAYLORD GLADIATOR: THE BTERSWEET TALE OF ‘THE WORLD’S BT CAR’
• 1955, 1956, 1957 GAYLORD
• GAYLORD CAR
• HISTORY MATTERS: GAYLORD MOTOR CAR COMPANY STARTED 110 YEARS AGO
• HISTORY MATTERS: REMEMBERG THE MAN WHO SAVED THE GAYLORD CAR
• FD YOUR NEXT R AT ACTN MOTOR SAL GAYLORD, MI
• AUTO MANUFACTURG USED TO THRIVE IN GAYLORD, TRAVERSE CY, AND AROUND THE NORTH
• GAYLORD GLADIATOR
• BILL MARSH FORD GAYLORD
• BILL MARSH FORD GAYLORD
• GAYLORD
• BILL MARSH FORD GAYLORD
• WELE TO GAYLORD OPRYLAND RORT & CONVENTN CENTER
• GAYLORD ROCKI PARKG
• GAYLORD NATNAL RORT & CONVENTN CENTER

GAYLORD GLADIATOR: THE BTERSWEET TALE OF ‘THE WORLD’S BT CAR’

If thgs had worked out differently for the Gaylord brothers, the 1950s would have seen the birth of the ft r the world had ever seen.

The Gaylord Gladiator me wh a whisker of beg the world’s bt r. As post-War Ameri got back to normal, brothers Jam and Edward (Jim and Ed) Gaylord were searchg for a way to create a legacy to outlast that of their mega-rich father, who vented the bobby p – those ridiculoly tratg metal hair clips that turn up lerally everywhere.

1955, 1956, 1957 GAYLORD

The brothers Gaylord wanted to be the power and style of the Amerin way wh the handlg and class om Europe. Gaylord, which was never officially registered as a r-buildg enty separate om the bobby p bs, need to sell jt 25 per year to make the project viable.

Jim and Ed Gaylord wanted the shell to rell both the ntemporary Amerin trends, as shown the tail fs and the ntrastg si panels flung out rearwards om the ont wheels, and the pre-War Brish and German ins, terpreted wh a neo-classic twist one of the most strikg ont ends ever signed. Havg chosen the German pany Luftschiffb Zeppel, former makers of the hydrogen-filled airships, to build the productn-spec Gladiator, the Gaylord brothers, already strsed to breakg pot by the procs of tryg to realise their dream r, were not happy wh the work done by the German factory.

We’ll never que know what might have been if the relatnship between Jim and Ed Gaylord and Zeppel hadn’t gone south. Maybe, jt maybe, we’d be talkg about ultra-luxury triple-tts between a Rolls-Royce, a Maybach and a Gaylord. The stylg of the 1955, 1956, 1957 Gaylord, by Brooks Stevens Associat, wasn't up to the engeerg, maly bee of a ntradictory goal: "a morn r wh classic overton.

GAYLORD CAR

For example, the Gaylords had wanted P-100 headlamps -- but they ma the r look like a malevolent four-foot owl, and had to be scbbed. The door sign of the 1955-1957 Gaylord, which Stevens lled the "Washgton ach door, " looked terrific -- a sleek upward cut, openg along the le of the ivory two-tone lor panel, self spired by the classics. Fal touch of novelty on the 1955-1957 Gaylord were a retractable hardtop which disappeared to the ck, and a spare tire that slid out om a rear panel and flopped upright on the road, where uld easily be rolled to posn.

The retractable top on the 1955-1957 Gaylord -- much simpler than the later Ford Skyler's -- required only one motor for the whole operatn, and the sequence uld be reversed at any pot. When GM's chairman saw the Gaylord top retract at the Paris Auto Salon 1955, he remarked to his dre of engeers, "You bastards told me this uldn't be done.

HISTORY MATTERS: GAYLORD MOTOR CAR COMPANY STARTED 110 YEARS AGO

Shown wily Ameri and Europe durg 1955-1956, the Gaylord was orred by everybody om Dick Powell to Kg Faro, but the project lgered, whered, and fell apart -- the end only a show chassis and three plete rs were built.

HISTORY MATTERS: REMEMBERG THE MAN WHO SAVED THE GAYLORD CAR

Tremendo problems of f and fish occurred wh the bodi on the 1955-1957 Gaylord, built by Spohn (prototype) and Luftschiffb Zeppel (later mols).

FD YOUR NEXT R AT ACTN MOTOR SAL GAYLORD, MI

In the midst of a lawsu agast Zeppel for failg to perform, the stra got to Jim Gaylord and he had a nervo breakdown. The prototype 1955-1957 Gaylord wh open wheel wells was broken up, and one "productn" r disappeared Europe -- may still exist. The third r, along wh a magnificently crafted show chassis, is on display at the Early Amerin Mm Silver Sprgs, Florida, to which was donated by the Gaylords.

AUTO MANUFACTURG USED TO THRIVE IN GAYLORD, TRAVERSE CY, AND AROUND THE NORTH

See the specifitns of the 1955-1957 Gaylord on the next page. 319 W MaGaylord, MI 49735.

GAYLORD GLADIATOR

Be sure not to miss the Gaylord Car loted  our Gaylord Informatn Center 319 W Ma St, Gaylord. The Gaylord Motor Company (GMC) was started 1910. The r was first assembled Detro and returned to Gaylord.

BILL MARSH FORD GAYLORD

It was lled the Gaylord Mol 30. One hundred ten years ago, a group of people Otsego County, Michigan, pooled their money to create the Gaylord Motor Car Company (GMC) lumberg dtry was drawg to a close and the lol enomic future was lookg bleak.

BILL MARSH FORD GAYLORD

) The funds would be enough to build a factory and purchase to parts so that a few rs uld be assembly plant was built 1910 on 6 acr of vant land the southern part of the village of Gaylord near the Bagley Township Cemetery. Durg May and June 1910, the headl of the Otsego County Herald and Tim (now named Gaylord Herald Tim) touted all the excg news. The Gaylord Car was featured at the New York Automobile Show 1911.

This feature was pecially appropriate for fort cut over lands Northern Gaylord Motor Car Company experienced typil growg pas of a new bs. The price of the Gaylord Car was $1, 250 which was double what Ford was three years of productn, the Gaylord Car Company went bankpt 1913. Lewis “have bought out the stock of the Gaylord Motor Car Company.

GAYLORD

” We n assume stock refers to ventory and not shar the rporatn sce the two men owned the Gaylord Auto Repair one Gaylord Car is known to exist and is on display at the Gaylord Area Chamber of Commerce’s Visor Center.

The 1911 mol of the Gaylord 30 was disvered the 1960s by Elmira native Ivan Pol. Dpe s short-lived existence, the Gaylord Car was and ntu to be an important part of our lol history. So even though the pany failed fancially, still succeed creatg muny more rmatn about the history of the Gaylord Motor Car Company, check out the new webse addn to photos, documents and tra journal advertisements, this onle rource featur a recently acquired 20-page sal booklet.

BILL MARSH FORD GAYLORD

As a boy growg up Elmira, Ivan Pol dreamed of owng an elive Gaylord Car. Eventually he achieved that goal and years later the r he affectnately lled “The Pri Of Gaylord” returned to s hometown.

WELE TO GAYLORD OPRYLAND RORT & CONVENTN CENTER

As fate would have , Ivan stopped to ask for directns and durg that nversatn learned a nearby farmer had a Gaylord thought of fally fdg a Gaylord Car was almost too much for Ivan — pecially by such cintal circumstanc. ”Ivan paid the man $50, soped up all the r parts, and head years later, Ivan and his fay moved to Montana, takg wh them the remnants of the only known Gaylord Car.

Several years of pastakg, meticulo renovatn rulted the Gaylord Car back nng ndn the tumn of 1974.

GAYLORD ROCKI PARKG

He told of the historic day when the Gaylord Car was driven for the first time 40 years.

Ivan also shared his knowledge of the Gaylord Motor Car Company’s short life of 4 years and his hope to brg the r home sometime the near though his offer to sell the r to the Gaylord Chamber of Commerce didn’t materialize, a later purchase did occur wh a subsequent owner. A muny fund raiser 1981 generated the money need to buy the fully rtored gem time for Gaylord’s centennial celebratn. The Gaylord Car returned home 70 years after rollg off the assembly the only remag Gaylord Car turned 100 years old 2011, Ivan was ont and center at a special program held at the Otsego County Library.

He ptured the attentn of the packed dience as he relived the excement, challeng, and many twists and turns he experienced wh the Gaylord Car. Thankfully that prentatn was rerd so future generatns will be able to hear Ivan’s story beg told as only he Gaylord Car is now on display at the Visor Center downtown Gaylord.

GAYLORD NATNAL RORT & CONVENTN CENTER

He often referred to his historic tomobile as “The Pri of Gaylord.