[Chrysler300] Virgil Exner, Visoneer Book Signing and Car Show -- Sep 29, 2007, Notre Dame, IN

["Dave Stragand" <dave.stragand@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi All,

 

I got this from Virgil Exner, Jr., about a great event coming up on
September 29th.  A new book on Virgil Exner, Sr. is about to be
published, and they are having an event and book signing at Notre Dame.
He "would love to get a '37/'38 straight 8 (maroon if possible) Pontiac
(father's first production car design)"  for the show.  If you know of
anyone who would be able to help out with this request, please let me
know!

 

Virgil Exner, Jr. is greatly looking forward to meeting many of us at
the event.  I'll keep everyone posted with more details as I receive
them.

 

-Dave

 

 

VIRGIL M. EXNER, JR.

 

I have confirmed the details with the University of Notre Dame for a
Saturday, Sept. 29 Exner book signing and car show.

 

Notre Dame Art & Design Department's Charles Barber, Chairman, and
Design Professor Paul Down have arranged for Virgil Exner designed
milestone cars to be on 'special display' in the Stephan Center, a
unique geodetic domed building, used for large dances and other events
with an excellent stage, large trucking and public entrances, and has
excellent paved, as well as, open grass field parking adjacent for the
many 'Ex fan' car clubs invited to freely display their cars. This
facility was built in 1956 as the major convocation event site, and I
attended my senior prom there and then. It will easily accommodate up to
the ten only cars that I am arranging to be on special display in two
circles in the center of the building surrounded by roped stanchions and
police guards. That leaves space for free walk around public viewing and
their access to the stage that will include a large display of my
father's design and art work and for the book signing, after an address
by the author and me. Seating will also be available. Lighting is
excellent. Of course, we have built a much larger convocation facility
since. Notre Dame will soon provide great publicity. Design students are
now, not only hard at work for their 'finals', but also creating our
posters, flyers, car dash plaques, and a show Web site.

 

Timing has been set for guarded gated entrance to the paved parking
areas by car club owners with their cars no later than 10 A.M. Free
public admission and parking in many areas of the campus grounds is
always available. The special show cars will have to be in the building
the night before and doors will open at 10 A.M. The building has been
reserved from early Friday evening through Sunday afternoon. The
addresses will begin at 11 A.M. Signing will follow. The show will end
by 4 P.M. Light catering is available in the facility.

 

The 10 invitees to be part of the Exner cars special display are:

 

Joe Bortz, Chicago: The 1954 Dodge Firearrow, The 1955 Chrysler Falcon,
The 1956 Chrysler Dart/Diablo, and the 1966 Exner Duesenberg.

 

Ele Chesney, Tom's River, NJ: Her 1954 Plymouth Belmont. 

 

A 1971 Stutz Blackhawk. (madle.org).

 

A 1957 Chrysler 300 C.

 

Through the Studebaker Museum: a 1947/'48 Studebaker Starlight Coupe. 

 

Gen. William Lyon, California: either the Mercer Cobra or the Bugatti
101. 

 

I am trying to get a 1937/'38 Pontiac (father's first production
design).

 

The Univ. of Notre Dame campus is a completely self contained entity. It
employs over 23,000 for only 10,000 students, including graduate
students, and ranks among the top 15 universities in the country
academically. The campus is one of the most beautiful in the world. Of
course, we play a little football, too. The campus includes the Morris
Inn (a top hotel and restaurant), and Legends among the 5 public
restaurants on campus.

 

My father attended N. D. in 1926 and '27, and became a member of the
Arts and Letter's Advisory Council. My mother was a member of ND's
Women's Advisory Council. I graduated from ND in 1956 having been
awarded the Jacques Gold Medal of Fine Art, and, along with my Design
Professor, initiated ND's first transportation design course, then took
my M.A, in art, in 1957.

 

The biography on my father is being written by Mr. Peter Grist, an
English automotive enthusiast who has had many articles and a book
published with the cooperation of the Walter P. Chrysler Museum.

 

Peter's book, Virgil Exner Visioneer, is being published by Veloce
Publishing in England in conjunction with Motor Books International in
the U.S.. Advanced copies (veloce.co.uk) will be available in
mid-August. We have arranged to present a memorial plaque for Buchanan
High School's Art Building with the book signing. Father was raised in
nearby Buchanan, MI. Peter and I have lined up at least 100 collectible
automobiles, through several car clubs, to attend the event. The owners
are the many 'Ex' fans. Peter will attend to a Walter P. Chrysler Museum
book signing on Sunday, the next day, at Auburn Hills, MI.

 

National publicity with further details will soon be released.

 

Virgil M. Exner, Jr.



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