1948-1954 Design Question (historical)

[Deleted User]

1948-1954 Step-down Design historical question..

Does anyone know what happened to designers Bill Kirby and Arnold Yonkers? Bill was more high profile with this design while Yonkers left in the middle of work. I have been able to locate all of the others associated with the project – correct full names as well as birth/death dates but these two seem to be a bit elusive.

When Robert Andrews gave an interview for Automobile Quarterly he said that Kirby was in his mid 30s when he came on board and was considered by later standards as a bit of a hippie. I was able to locate a William Kirby born c.1915 and seen in Michigan’s census with two other men listed as “partners” rather than other regular relationships such as husband, wife, son, brother, border, lodger, etc... a bit odd seeing partners for 1940 leading towards being a bit unusual and an artist too hence hippie? He was listed as an artist while another a photographer and the third some other line of work. As for Yonkers, it was stated he left in the middle of the project and was deeply into religion and was a tall thin Dutchman. I have yet to find a Arnold Yonkers that matches but there is one Arnold Jonker(s) that is a possibility but says worked with windows and the Jonker(s) spelling is correct for the Nederland’s – or Arnoldus Jonkers. Just like I saw one printed interview shows Toncray as Concray – spelling error. Does anyone have any leads for me? My main interest is in the chassis design which I think fell under Millard Toncray?

Thanks.
Jim

hudsontech

Give Dave Kava a jingle - he might have the answer for you.

HETdjksetex@yahoo.com (drop the HET)

Hudsonly,
Alex Burr
Memphis, TN

[Deleted User]

Alex, the email doesn't work - bounced back saying he doesn't have an account at yahoo - and I did drop the HET.

Do you have another for him?

[Deleted User]

Think I got it now doing a past post Google - you gave me one too many 'e' in the address :-)
Now waiting for a reply, thanks.

hudsontech

No doubt - I can't see all that good at the moment - cataracts. Got to wait another 10 days before surgery to get that cleared up. Believe me I'm climbing the walls trying to use my computer. Fortunately the left eye is only partially blocked; the right one totally.

Hudsonly,
Alex Burr
Memphis, TN

Jon B

I interviewed both of Millard Toncray's daughters about their father and the development of the StepDown, back in the 90's. Because Hudson didn't have its own test facilities, Mr. Toncray would bring a prototype Hudson home on a Friday and drive around in it over the weekend to test drive it, with his family in the car! They recalled his bringing home a 3-door car (like those small styling models, with one door on one side and two on the other, Hudson evidently made a 3-door prototype for testing purposes). Toncray noted that there was some risk in driving his family around in an unproven prototype but the car ought to be proven safe before it was put on sale to the buying public.