RIP , Lee Iaccoca

[vintage53]

Find a copy of his Book, you will not be disappointed.   

Started his career as an Engineer at Ford, and made it to the top.

The Mustang, and Minivan.  Saved Chrysler!

[ohiorider]

Find a copy of his Book, you will not be disappointed.   

Started his career as an Engineer at Ford, and made it to the top.

The Mustang, and Minivan.  Saved Chrysler!

Thanks for posting this notice.  For some reason I missed it on the news.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee_Iacocca

Bob

[Darren Williams]

Agree his book was a good read.  I have a lot of respect for his sensibilities in design and management. And I forgave him for the minivan thing, after a while.

[JJ]

Find a copy of his Book, you will not be disappointed.   

Started his career as an Engineer at Ford, and made it to the top.

The Mustang, and Minivan.  Saved Chrysler!

Agree...his book is a great read...R.I.P. Lee...Father of the Mustang....and Godspeed...he made it to 94...A true icon of the car industry...

[Two Checks]

Ford rejected the minivan and what became the K car. (Yes, the Chrysler minivan was derived from the K)
Ford rejected both concepts.



Bad move, Henry.


Lead, follow or get out of the way.
If you can find a better car, buy it.

[blackcat]

Bad move, Henry.

“If a guy is over 25 percent a jerk, he’s in trouble,” Mr. Iacocca later said. “And Henry was 95 percent.”

Ford "...fired Mr. Iacocca in July 1978, saying he just did not like him. He never gave more detailed reasons. The company posted a $1.8 billion profit that year. Some industry observers said Mr. Ford could not tolerate a nonfamily rival, especially one of Mr. Iacocca’s brass. In his memoir, Mr. Iacocca detailed a long struggle between them, and called Mr. Ford a man of limited vision with ethnic and racial biases."

Lido was a visionary, Ford was an entitled jerk.

[fatbob]

I remember when many were trying to persuade him to run for President.   Don’t remember the year though. 

[canuck750]

A great man, he had the leadership and vision when both Ford and then Chrysler most needed it.

My first car was a 65 Mustang 2+2, Lee Iaccoca is credited with the leadership of developing and launching the car. Really no more than a Ford Falcon with sexier sheet metal, it was Iacocca's understanding that a good looking everyman's car would be a success, he repeated it with the many iterations of the K car, remember how special the K Car convertible was when it was released?

I still remember seeing the first K Car based min van's displayed in a shopping mall and the crowds gathered around.

Iacocca repaid the US Government bail out of Chrysler 7 years ahead of schedule and he did while not taking a salary until Chrysler was back in the black.

Think about that,

what CEO would do that today?

[Gliderjohn]

But the K cars were sooo ugly and a POS. But it did save Chrysler.
GliderJohn

[LowRyter]

Brilliant man.

He was among the first CEOs to obtain notoriety by gouging $ scores of billions after his company was bailed out by the US taxpayers. Gordon Geeko should be proud.

And who can forget the exploding Pinto and all those great Fords, Mercs and Lincoln Marks from the 1970s?  And certainly all you fans want to find a pristine (not rusted to dust) K-Car for your collection- perhaps with Corinthian leather?

Let me find some snakeoil to mix in my drink to continue this love fest.   

[Roebling3]

Iacoca did a fine job leading the funding and restoration of the Statue of Liberty. Also his 1st wife was a type 1 diabetic and died from the complications; he raised awareness and funding for greater research into finding better treatments and care.
He didn't take a salary until Chrysler was in the black; according to Wikipedia.  R3~

[oldbike54]

 Nope .

 Dusty

[oldbike54]

 Can we discuss this sans hostility ?

 Dusty

[rocker59]

 
And who can forget the exploding Pinto and all those great Fords, Mercs and Lincoln Marks from the 1970s?   

1972 Mark IV is pure art.  Fantastic 460 V8-powered personal luxury coupe at its best:




image hosting

[Rough Edge racing]

   The so called exploding Pintos were not really more of a risk an a Toyota of that era...The big deal was the memo from Ford saying it would be cheaper to pay off lawsuits rather than redesign the gas tank...That sealed their fate...
 By the 70's US cars were  poor build quality, struggling to deal with emission controls and the increase in imported cars...it was a tough time and I believe Iaccoca did a good job with what he had to work with..

[LowRyter]

1972 Mark IV is pure art.  Fantastic 460 V8-powered personal luxury coupe at its best:




image hosting

absolutely gorgeous, as well as it's corporate cousin, perfect car for the fuel crisis and 55mph speed limit. 

 

[rocker59]

absolutely gorgeous, as well as it's corporate cousin, perfect car for the fuel crisis and 55mph speed limit. 

'72 was the ultimate year.  Those 5mph bumpers really hurt the styling, '73 onward, thanks to Uncle Sugar.

[kirkemon]

The movie comes out in November
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zyYgDtY2AMY

[LowRyter]

'72 was the ultimate year.  Those 5mph bumpers really hurt the styling, '73 onward, thanks to Uncle Sugar.

More that a car.

Lovely Landau Roof with Trim Bar.  And that Crushed Velour says luxury.

[Seventy One]

Brilliant man.

He was among the first CEOs to obtain notoriety by gouging $ scores of billions after his company was bailed out by the US taxpayers. Gordon Geeko should be proud.

And who can forget the exploding Pinto and all those great Fords, Mercs and Lincoln Marks from the 1970s?  And certainly all you fans want to find a pristine (not rusted to dust) K-Car for your collection- perhaps with Corinthian leather?

Let me find some snakeoil to mix in my drink to continue this love fest.   

Just the other day I was thinking about how much fun it would be to run out and buy an '83 Plymouth Turismo but the local dealers were fresh out of 'em. How weird is that?

You'd think low cost economy cars would last forever and ever and ever.

I am shocked (shocked!) that 40 year old economy cars are no longer with us.

[LowRyter]

Just the other day I was thinking about how much fun it would be to run out and buy an '83 Plymouth Turismo but the local dealers were fresh out of 'em. How weird is that?

You'd think low cost economy cars would last forever and ever and ever.

I am shocked (shocked!) that 40 year old economy cars are no longer with us.

For sure, you should only be looking at new Plymouths on showroom floor.

[bad Chad]

Some of you kids have smoke in your eyes.  70s Thunderbirds were not what you think you remember.

[JJ]

Some of you kids have smoke in your eyes.  70s Thunderbirds were not what you think you remember.

C'mon now!!   Ford's version of the 4-wheeled ORCA!!

Large...low...heavy ...and all metal!  Imagine plowing into one of today's subcompacts with one of those at 70 mph?!?
 
("Doooooohhhh!!")

[sidecarnutz]

We owned a convertible K car for three years and it was a lot of fun. Had an issue with the belt tensioner and the cruise control switch stalk. And that was all that wore out while we had it. I got it used with 40k miles.

[rocker59]

Some of you kids have smoke in your eyes.  70s Thunderbirds were not what you think you remember.

So, what WAS a 429-powered 1972 Thunderbird?

[LowRyter]

So, what WAS a 429-powered 1972 Thunderbird?

actually a 460, still a dog

[rocker59]

actually a 460, still a dog

For 1972 Thunderbirds:  429 standard.  460 optional.

Taken in context, the cars were not "dogs".  They were popular, beautiful, and worked well for their intended mission. 

Honestly, I don't get the hate.  My dad had a 1976 Mark IV new in 1976.  Not nearly as beautiful as the 1972 models, it was a sweet machine.  Heavy, comfortable, powerful (for its time with 225 Net HP), and a really enjoyable cruiser. 

Horses for courses.  A 1972 Corvette is a better sportscar than a Mark IV.  The Mark IV is a better luxury car than a Corvette...

Like him, or not.  Good guy, or not.  Lido was an influential player.  He had his hands on design and development of some landmark cars.  We should all be so lucky.

[ohiorider]

I thought Lee I. was extremely talented, and obviously knew how to move a board of directors in his direction. 

Bob

[LowRyter]

For 1972 Thunderbirds:  429 standard.  460 optional.

Taken in context, the cars were not "dogs".  They were popular, beautiful, and worked well for their intended mission. 

Honestly, I don't get the hate.  My dad had a 1976 Mark IV new in 1976.  Not nearly as beautiful as the 1972 models, it was a sweet machine.  Heavy, comfortable, powerful (for its time with 225 Net HP), and a really enjoyable cruiser. 

Horses for courses.  A 1972 Corvette is a better sportscar than a Mark IV.  The Mark IV is a better luxury car than a Corvette...

Like him, or not.  Good guy, or not.  Lido was an influential player.  He had his hands on design and development of some landmark cars.  We should all be so lucky.

Hate is such a strong word and I never called it an Orca.

My pop had a 74 Grand Marquis and a 72 460 Ranchero.   I stand pat.

[JJ]

Hate is such a strong word and I never called it an Orca.

Just a joke now...take it easy...  

I owned and drove a few whales in my youth as well:

* '67 Pontiac Bonneville convertible
* '69 Old Delta 98
* '65 Cadillac Coupe de Ville
* '75 Cadillac El Dorado