Hasta La Ideas

Recently, I did a Google search for the Saab Sonnett III to post an image into the Core77 discussion boards (we were discussing V4 engines). On Google’s image search, I noticed a really well-done presentation sketch for a modified Sonnett. Intrigued, I clicked to visit the page and found myself on a blog with some 70-odd presentation sketches for cars, hot rods, engines, suspensions, car interiors and other vehicular concepts, all of equally excellent execution.

I immediately wanted to share this treasure trove of design inspiration with everyone I knew, but thought that I’d contact the blog owner first: Jack Ashcraft in Southern California.

After a career in the USAF, Ashcraft owned a Saab-Fiat-Citroën dealer and also raced Saabs and Fiats in hillclimbs and autocrosses in California. That kind of serious automotive addiction led him to study transportation and industrial design at Art Center. After graduating in 1976, he stayed in California and designed aftermarket parts, kit cars and aircraft and consulting for some major auto makers. On the side, Ashcraft continued to stoke his passion for Saabs by restoring them and dealing in parts for vintage Saabs. Today, he’s semi-retired, but keeps himself busy with restoration projects, his own Fiat hot rod project and reconditioning distributors and vintage speedometers.

This brings us to his sketch blog. All the time, he had been amassing sketches of all kinds of dream projects. A couple of years ago, one of his sons decided to start scanning the sketchbooks and share them with the Internet leading to this very unique collection.

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