From Corvette-style two-tone pat to Cadillac V8, everythg about the Gaylord Gladiator aged well--except s name. Learn more...
Contents:
- 1955, 1956, 1957 GAYLORD
- GAYLORD GLADIATOR: THE BTERSWEET TALE OF ‘THE WORLD’S BT CAR’
- GAYLORD GLADIATOR 1955-57 - AMERI'S FT SPORTS CAR?
- 1957: A R THAT LOOKS LIKE A TUXEDO – HELLO GAYLORD GLADIATOR!
- GAYLORD GLADIATOR
- GAYLORD GLADIATOR SPORTS TOURG (1956)
- JIM GAYLORD
- THE GAYLORD GLADIATOR MIGHT HAVE THE STRANGT NAME IN AUTOMOTIVE HISTORY
1955, 1956, 1957 GAYLORD
The 1955-1957 Gaylord was a luxury vehicle signed by the heirs to the bobby-p fortune. See pictur and a profile of the 1955-1957 Gaylord. * jim and ed 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. 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.
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 * jim and ed gaylord *
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. 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.
Tremendo problems of f and fish occurred wh the bodi on the 1955-1957 Gaylord, built by Spohn (prototype) and Luftschiffb Zeppel (later mols).
GAYLORD GLADIATOR 1955-57 - AMERI'S FT SPORTS CAR?
Brothers Jim and Ed Gaylord, a qut for the ultimate sports r, missned the famed Brooks Stevens for the 1950s Gaylord ncept rs sign. Stevens was an dtrial signer, and the brothers asked him to build the first of their Gaylord ncept rs for the 1955 Paris Auto Salon. His prototype was hastily * jim and ed gaylord *
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. See the specifitns of the 1955-1957 Gaylord on the next page.
The Gaylord Gladiator me wh a whisker of beg the world’s bt r. Here’s the story of the Amerin Rolls-Royce-beater that fell at the fal 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. The brothers Gaylord wanted to be the power and style of the Amerin way wh the handlg and class om Europe.
1957: A R THAT LOOKS LIKE A TUXEDO – HELLO GAYLORD GLADIATOR!
In the early fifti brothers Jim and Ed Gaylord, sons of the man who had vented the bobby p, cid they should build the world's most spectacular st-no-object r. They missned Brooke Stevens to style the body and the r was shown at the 1955 Paris Motor show. The r, wh strange... * jim and ed gaylord *
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 perhaps the most obv nversatn-starter was the body stylg. 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.
GAYLORD GLADIATOR
View Jim Gaylord rults cludg current phone number, addrs, relativ, background check report, and property rerd wh Whepag. * jim and ed gaylord *
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.
Built by Spohn of Germany, the first Gaylord buted at the 1955 Paris Auto Show.
GAYLORD GLADIATOR SPORTS TOURG (1956)
Zeppel of Germany built the send and third Gaylords wh Cadillac V8s, but the brothers never reached their mimum thrhold of twenty-five orrs, doomg their dream of seri Gladiator was well sorted, featurg hand-built qualy, a spare tire that slid out on a tray, a dashboard knob that allowed the driver to dial their preferred amount of power-steerg boost, a lube-ee chassis when that was unheard of, a retractable metal top and hot performance spe s hefty, two-ton bulk. A sgle prototype and two “productn” Gaylord Gladiators were built.
JIM GAYLORD
But unfortunately, doomed by s exorbant price and Jim Gaylord's perfectnism, the Gaylord soon pped a flat on the boulevard of broken dreams. A lawsu wh the Zeppel pany put Jim Gaylord the hospal wh a nervo breakdown.
Sadly, the Gaylord’s failure to lnch mirrored the sorry lot of many dreamers who’ve dared to attempt productn of their own first Gladiator was stroyed. We proudly prent: the Gaylord Gladiator ma 1957! Jim and Ed Gaylord were two Amerin brothers that had a soft spot for rs and everythg that was fast and expensive.
THE GAYLORD GLADIATOR MIGHT HAVE THE STRANGT NAME IN AUTOMOTIVE HISTORY
The Gaylord brothers wh their Gaylord Gladiator.
Lookg at the featur of the r, one uld tell that the Gaylord brothers did not only have a fe taste. The Gaylord Gladiator also me wh a nvertible roof that uld be fold down pletely to the tnk at the touch of a button.
Also the key of the Gaylord Gladiator was a sword, aga provg the exquise and luxur approach of the r.