Get Our Extension

Phaeton body

From Wikipedia, in a visual modern way
1897 Daimler Grafton phaeton
1897 Daimler Grafton phaeton
Cadillac V-16 1932 with dual cowl
Cadillac V-16 1932 with dual cowl
Cadillac phaeton carrying President Johnson, 1967
Cadillac phaeton carrying President Johnson, 1967

A phaeton is a style of open automobile without any fixed weather protection, which was popular from the 1900s until the 1930s. It is an automotive equivalent of the horse-drawn fast, lightweight phaeton carriage.[1]

A popular style in the US from the mid–1920s and continuing into the first half of the 1930s was the dual cowl phaeton, with a cowl separating the rear passengers from the driver and front passenger.[2]

Phaetons fell from favour when closed cars and convertible body styles became widely available during the 1930s. Eventually, the term "phaeton" became so widely and loosely applied that almost any vehicle with two axles and a row or rows of seats across the body could be called a phaeton.[3] Convertibles and pillarless hardtops were sometimes marketed as "phaetons" after actual phaetons were phased out.

Discover more about Phaeton body related topics

History

The term phaeton had historically described a light, open four-wheeled carriage. When automobiles arrived it was applied to a light two-seater with minimal coachwork. The term was interchangeable with spyder, derived from a light form of phaeton carriage known as a spider.[4] Originally meant to denote a faster and lighter vehicle than a touring car, the two terms eventually became interchangeable.[5]

A detachable folding or rigid roof could be added before a drive in preparation for inclement weather, and side curtains or screens could be installed once the roof was in place. This was mainly temporary and partial relief rather than the more permanent, watertight protection offered by a convertible. As a result, a phaeton was much lighter than the sturdier, weather-ready convertible. Since the body was entirely open, it was easy to add or remove an extra row of seating where space had been left in the original construction.

A phaeton differs from a convertible in having no winding or sliding windows in the doors or the body, and no permanent rigid roof.[6]

Discover more about History related topics

Phaeton (carriage)

Phaeton (carriage)

A phaeton was a form of sporty open carriage popular in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century. Drawn by one or two horses, a phaeton typically featured a minimal very lightly sprung body atop four extravagantly large wheels. With open seating, it was both fast and dangerous, giving rise to its name, drawn from the mythical Phaëthon, son of Helios, who nearly set the Earth on fire while attempting to drive the chariot of the Sun.

Roadster (automobile)

Roadster (automobile)

A roadster is an open two-seat car with emphasis on sporting appearance or character. Initially an American term for a two-seat car with no weather protection, usage has spread internationally and has evolved to include two-seat convertibles.

Touring car

Touring car

Touring car and tourer are both terms for open cars. "Touring car" is a style of open car built in the United States which seats four or more people. The style was popular from the early 1900s to the 1930s. The cars used for touring car racing in various series since the 1960s, are unrelated to these early touring cars, despite sharing the same name.

Hudson Motor Car Company

Hudson Motor Car Company

The Hudson Motor Car Company made Hudson and other branded automobiles in Detroit, Michigan, U.S., from 1909 until 1954. In 1954, Hudson merged with Nash-Kelvinator to form American Motors Corporation (AMC). The Hudson name was continued through the 1957 model year, after which it was discontinued.

Isotta Fraschini

Isotta Fraschini

Isotta Fraschini was an Italian luxury car manufacturer, also producing trucks, as well as engines for marine and aviation use. Founded in Milan, Italy, in 1900 by Cesare Isotta and the brothers Vincenzo, Antonio, and Oreste Fraschini, in 1955 it was merged with engine manufacturer Breda Motori and renamed F.A. Isotta Fraschini e Motori Breda.

Doubles and triples

There were also double phaetons, with two rows of seats, triple phaetons, and closed phaetons.[4][3]

After 1912, American use of the term began to be most closely associated with the "triple phaeton" body configurations that had room for three rows of seats, whether all three were installed or not. This also led to the term "phaeton" becoming similar to, and eventually interchangeable with, the term "touring car".[7][8]

Specific use of the term phaeton is with the dual cowl phaeton, a body style in which the rear passengers were separated from the driver and the front passengers by a cowl or bulkhead, often with its own folding windshield.[9]

Decline in popularity

1948 Willys-Overland Jeepster, the last phaeton to be made by an American manufacturer
1948 Willys-Overland Jeepster, the last phaeton to be made by an American manufacturer

The phaeton and the touring car were popular up to the 1930s, after which they were largely replaced by the convertible, which also had a retractable roof, but also included side windows so that the car could be completely enclosed.[10]

The Willys-Overland Jeepster was the last true phaeton produced by a major US automaker,[11] and was introduced ten years after the previous phaeton to be offered by an American manufacturer.[12] The post-World War II demand for automobiles - of any description - was an opportunity for Willys-Overland to build on the Jeep's military recognition and they evolved the 1946 Jeepster two-door station wagon to the 1948 phaeton.[13] It provided a "Spartan but adequate appointments" that included plastic side curtains rather than roll-up glass windows and thus providing standard "air conditioning" by simply opening the hinged vent windows and driving faster.[13] Marketed from 1948 to 1951, the Jeepster phaeton was a rather expensive niche vehicle and "though admired by many, it was purchased by relatively few."[14]

In 1952, a year after Willys last offered the Jeepster, Chrysler built three Imperial Parade phaetons for ceremonial use, one by New York City, one by Los Angeles, and one intended for the White House, but ultimately used for events throughout the United States.[15] These were dual-cowl phaetons custom-built on Chrysler Corporation's stretched Imperial Crown Limousine chassis.[16]

Discover more about Decline in popularity related topics

Willys-Overland Jeepster

Willys-Overland Jeepster

The Jeepster is an automobile originally produced by Willys-Overland Motors from 1948 to 1950. It was developed to fill a gap in the company's product line, crossing over from their "utilitarian" proto SUVs and trucks to the passenger automobile market.

Quarter glass

Quarter glass

Quarter glass on automobiles and closed carriages may be a side window in the front door or located on each side of the car just forward of the rear-facing rear window of the vehicle. Only some cars have them. In some cases, the fixed quarter glass may set in the corner or "C-pillar" of the vehicle. Quarter glass is also sometimes called a valence window.(AKA quarter lite)

Willys

Willys

Willys was a brand name used by Willys–Overland Motors, an American automobile company, founded by John North Willys. It was best known for its design and production of World War II era and later military jeeps (MBs), as well as civilian versions, and branding the 'jeep' military slang-word into the '(Universal) Jeep' marque.

Chrysler Imperial Parade Phaeton

Chrysler Imperial Parade Phaeton

Three Chrysler Imperial Parade Phaetons were produced in 1952 by Chrysler as ceremonial vehicles. They were styled by Virgil Exner and were in many ways a preview of the new "100 Million Dollar" styling that would debut in 1955 on the newly separate Imperial marque and on other full-size Chrysler Corporation Cars.

White House

White House

The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. It is located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., and has been the residence of every U.S. president since John Adams in 1800 when the national capital was moved from Philadelphia to Washington, D.C. The term "White House" is often used as metonymy for the president and his advisers.

As a model name

In the late 1930s, Buick included a "convertible phaeton" body style, which was actually a four-door convertible, as the doors had roll up windows in them and the car could be fully closed.[17][18][19]

During the 1956 model year, Mercury marketed the four-door hardtop versions of its Montclair and Monterey models as "phaetons."[20][21]

In 2004, Volkswagen introduced a vehicle with the name Phaeton, which has a typical four-door sedan body style.[22]

Discover more about As a model name related topics

Convertible

Convertible

A convertible or cabriolet is a passenger car that can be driven with or without a roof in place. The methods of retracting and storing the roof vary among eras and manufacturers.

Hardtop

Hardtop

A hardtop is a rigid form of automobile roof, typically metal, and integral to the design, strength, and style of the vehicle.

Mercury Montclair

Mercury Montclair

The Mercury Montclair is a series of full-size sedans that were manufactured and marketed by the Mercury division of Ford. The nameplate was used by the division twice, from the 1955 to the 1960 model years and from the 1964 to the 1968 model years. While not offered as a station wagon, the Montclair was offered as two-door and four-door hardtops, four-door pillared sedan, and a two-door convertible.

Mercury Monterey

Mercury Monterey

The Mercury Monterey is a series of full-size cars that were manufactured and marketed by the Mercury division of Ford from 1952 to 1974. Deriving its name from Monterey Bay, the Mercury Monterey served as the upscale version of the Mercury Custom which replaced the Mercury Eight, the debut model line of the Mercury division. During its production, the Monterey would be offered in multiple body styles, ranging from coupes, convertibles, sedans, hardtops, and station wagons.

Volkswagen

Volkswagen

Volkswagen, abbreviated as VW, is a German motor vehicle manufacturer headquartered in Wolfsburg, Lower Saxony, Germany. Founded in 1937 by the German Labour Front under the Nazi Party and revived into a global brand post-World War II by the British Army Officer Ivan Hirst, it is known for the iconic Beetle and serves as the flagship brand of the Volkswagen Group, the largest automotive manufacturer by worldwide sales in 2016 and 2017. The group's biggest market is in China, which delivers 40 percent of its sales and profits. Its name is derived from the German-language terms Volk and Wagen, translating to "people's car" when combined.

Sedan (automobile)

Sedan (automobile)

A sedan or saloon is a passenger car in a three-box configuration with separate compartments for an engine, passengers, and cargo.

Volkswagen Phaeton

Volkswagen Phaeton

The Volkswagen Phaeton is a full-size luxury sedan/saloon manufactured by the German automobile manufacturer Volkswagen, described by Volkswagen as their "premium class" vehicle. Introduced at the 2002 Geneva Motor Show, the Phaeton was marketed worldwide. Sales in North America ended in 2006 and global sales ended in 2016.

Source: "Phaeton body", Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, (2023, January 1st), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phaeton_body.

Enjoying Wikiz?

Enjoying Wikiz?

Get our FREE extension now!

References
  1. ^ "Definition of Phaeton". The Free Dictionary. Retrieved 17 December 2017.
  2. ^ Haajanen, Lennart W. (2017). Illustrated Dictionary of Automobile Body Styles (Second ed.). McFarland. p. 71. ISBN 978-1-4766-2404-4. Retrieved 17 December 2017.
  3. ^ a b Terry, Christopher W.; Hall, Arthur (1914). "The Varieties of Motor Bodies". Motor Body-building in All Its Branches. London: E. & F. N. Spon. pp. 1–6. Retrieved 15 May 2014.
  4. ^ a b Roberts, Peter (1974). "Carriage to Car". Veteran and Vintage Cars. London, UK: Octopus Books. p. 111. ISBN 0-7064-0331-2. Phaeton – A light car with seats for two and the minimum of coachwork, similar to an early racing car. Phaetons could be double (four seats), triple, or closed. Sometimes also calles a spider, or spyder.
  5. ^ "Definition of Phaeton". Merriam-Webster.com. Retrieved 17 December 2017.
  6. ^ "Phaeton vs. Convertible?". Jalopy Journal - The H.A.M.B. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
  7. ^ Gove, Philip Babcock, ed. (1966). Webster's Third New International Dictionary of the English Language, Unabridged. Vol. L–Z. Springfield, Mass.: G & C Merriam. p. 2417. ISBN 0-7135-1037-4.
  8. ^ Culshaw, David; Horrobin, Peter (2013) [1974]. "Appendix 5: Coachwork Styles". The complete catalogue of British Cars 1895 - 1975 (E-book). Poundbury, Dorchester, UK: Veloce Publishing. pp. 482, 484. ISBN 978-1-845845-83-4. Particular names originally associated with the Tourer tradition were Tonneau and Phaeton, the latter revived many years later, mainly in the United States up to the Second World War.
  9. ^ Schreiber, Ronnie (11 August 2015). "Nothing Arrives in Style Like a Dual Cowl Phaeton". The Truth About Cars. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
  10. ^ Taylor, Thom (16 May 2018). "Sure, phaetons are fabulous; just don't try riding in the back seat". Hagerty. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
  11. ^ Matar, George (December 2005). "1948-1951 Jeepster". Hemmings Classic Car. Retrieved 11 December 2012.
  12. ^ Brown, Arch (1994). "Chapter Four – Postwar Plans for Willys: 1945-52". Jeep: The Unstoppable Legend. Lincolnwoood, IL: Publications International. p. 76. ISBN 0-7853-0870-9. But it was an open car—the first American phaeton in a decade—and it certainly had a sporty flair.
  13. ^ a b "1949 Willys Jeepster Phaeton". Christies. 15 August 1998. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
  14. ^ The Auto Editors of Consumer Guide (30 October 2007). "Introduction to the 1967-1973 Jeepster Commando". HowStuffWorks.com. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
  15. ^ Siler, Steve (19 February 2019). "Chrysler Imperial: The Most Beautiful Presidential Limo in History". Car and Driver. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
  16. ^ Heinzman, Paul F. "Imperial Parade Phaeton". teamchicago.com. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
  17. ^ "Buick brochure". Img.inkfrog.com. Archived from the original on 17 May 2014. Retrieved 15 May 2014.
  18. ^ Gunnel, John (2004). Standard Catalog of Buick 1903-2004. Krause Publications. pp. 40, 41, 43, 45, 47–63. ISBN 0-87349-760-0. Archived from the original on 19 September 2016. Retrieved 11 December 2012.
  19. ^ McCourt, Mark J. (March 2020). "The 1938 Buick Century Convertible Phaeton offers great bang for the buck". Hemmings Motor News. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
  20. ^ "Four-door hardtop is the newest member of 1956 Mercury line". Popular Science. 168 (1): 136. January 1956. Retrieved 15 May 2014.
  21. ^ "1956 Mercury Hardtops brochure (Meet Mercury's new fleet of low-siluette hardtops ... featuring glamorous, new 4-DOOR Phaetons)". oldcarbrochures.com. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
  22. ^ Joseph, Jacob (22 July 2012). "Biggest Automotive Missteps: Volkswagen Phaeton - The "Peoples' Car" brand simply couldn't get away with a full-blown luxury sedan". CarBuzz. Retrieved 22 December 2020.

The content of this page is based on the Wikipedia article written by contributors..
The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence & the media files are available under their respective licenses; additional terms may apply.
By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use & Privacy Policy.
Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization & is not affiliated to WikiZ.com.