Solved: GTE 618 - Shell Halbert Renaissance by Douglas Halbert

[pnegyesi]

Was it advertised for sale in the last 6 months?

[gte4289]

Was it advertised for sale in the last 6 months?

Not that I'm aware.

[pnegyesi]

Was the builder known for other cars?

[gte4289]

Was the builder known for other cars?

Good question. The builder was known for other cars, but not as the builder of other cars.

[pnegyesi]

Was the builder known for other cars?

Good question. The builder was known for other cars, but not as the builder of other cars.

Was he a dealer?

[gte4289]

Not a dealer

[pnegyesi]

Designer?

[gte4289]

Designer?

Yes

[pnegyesi]

Independent of worked for one of the Big Three?

[gte4289]

Independent of worked for one of the Big Three?

Neither

[pnegyesi]

So he was not a car designer, was he?
Industrial designer?

[fromwien]

Was the builder known for other cars?

Good question. The builder was known for other cars, but not as the builder of other cars.

Was he a race driver?

[gte4289]

So he was not a car designer, was he?
Industrial designer?

He was a car designer, known for designing other cars.

[fromwien]

Shot into the dark: Larry Shinoda?

[pnegyesi]

So he was not a car designer, was he?
Industrial designer?

He was a car designer, known for designing other cars.

Was he an employee of a design studio?

[gte4289]

Shot into the dark: Larry Shinoda?

Not him

[gte4289]

So he was not a car designer, was he?
Industrial designer?

He was a car designer, known for designing other cars.

Was he an employee of a design studio?

Not that I'm aware.

[fromwien]

Tom Tjaarda?

[pnegyesi]

did he design race cars?

[gte4289]

Tom Tjaarda?

No

[gte4289]

did he design race cars?

No. He was employed internally for a manufacturer and helped to design some well-known production cars.

[pnegyesi]

okay, was it AMC?

[fromwien]

Gerald Wiegert?

[gte4289]

okay, was it AMC?

No

Gerald Wiegert?

No

[gte4289]

This is my oldest unsolved non-BH puzzle. I didn't expect it to last very long at all. Let's make it go away.

The builder of this car was an automotive designer for more than two decades. He spent most of that time working for one manufacturer, where he was the lead designer of numerous production cars. One of those cars featured a single design element that he considered to be his signature touch -- the one thing he'd be most remembered for as a designer. So when it came time to recondition the puzzle car (also when he swapped out the motor), he integrated that design element into this car. I chose this particular photo for the puzzle because the angle conceals that design element.