LeBaron Incorporated
Encyclopedia
LeBaron Incorporated was a design and coach building company
from 1920 until 1953.
American designers Raymond H. Dietrich
and Thomas L. Hibbard
had met while working for Brewster
. Tiring of the corporate environment they started freelance work in their spare time and when William H. Brewster discovered this he fired Dietrich and Hibbard left.
LeBaron was founded in Bridgeport, Connecticut in 1920 by Raymond H. Dietrich
and Thomas L. Hibbard
. The company originally was called LeBaron, Carrossiers Inc., and served as design consultants. Dietrich and Hibbard were unknown outside of Brewster, so a clever new name - LeBaron, Carrossiers - was arrived at by the two partners using a list of French words that had the ring of prestige and could be easily pronounced through a telephone.
Business increased enough in 1920 that Thomas Hibbard offered his friend, Ralph Roberts, who had just gotten his Bachelors of Science degree from Dartmouth, a job. Tom Hibbard met fellow designer, Howard A. "Dutch" Darrin in 1923. Hibbard and Darrin decided to go to Paris, initially to try to sell LeBaron designs but instead decided to set up their own company and founded Hibbard & Darrin
. Hibbard resigned from LeBaron in 1923. Dietrich and Roberts continued operating LeBaron with a new illustrator, veteran Roland L. Stickney.
In 1924, LeBaron merged with the Blue Ribbon and Bridgeport Body companies and changed their name to LeBaron Inc., becoming body builders as well as designers.
LeBaron became one of the many prominent coachbuilder
s in the 1920s to provide bodies for luxury cars. Until the late 1930s, most of the great prestige automakers - Rolls-Royce
, Hispano Suiza, Duesenberg
, Packard
- often supplied only a running chassis, which wealthy buyers would outfit with custom bodywork at substantial extra cost.
Dietrich received a lucrative offer from Murray Corporation, one of Ford's
and Lincoln's
main body builders, in 1925 and resigned from LeBaron to start Dietrich, Inc.
. With both founders gone, LeBaron could have been in trouble. But Roberts continued to run the company and orders kept coming in.
Walter O. Briggs began talks with Roberts in 1926 to buy LeBaron and move it to Detroit.
LeBaron was purchased by Briggs Manufacturing Company of Detroit in 1926 and operated as a subsidiary. Briggs was already supplying bodies to Chrysler
, Essex
, Ford
, Hudson
, and Overland
. As Briggs subsidiary, LeBaron handled special custom work, provided design ideas for the main business, and supplied exquisite custom bodies for various car companies such as Chrysler
's luxury Imperial
line, Duesenberg
, and Cadillac
. In 1932, for example, they built 28 beautiful Custom Imperial Convertible Coupes, Chrysler's top model, which rode a 146-inch wheelbase and used a 384.8 cubic-inch straight-8 engine.
Thomas L. Hibbard
became design director at Ford
in 1947. Raymond H. Dietrich
was hired by Chrysler
in 1932 to become the first official Chrysler
stylist.
Coachbuilder
A coachbuilder is a manufacturer of bodies for carriages or automobiles.The trade dates back several centuries. Rippon was active in the time of Queen Elizabeth I, Barker founded in 1710 by an officer in Queen Anne's Guards, Brewster a relative newcomer , formed in 1810. Others in Britain included...
from 1920 until 1953.
American designers Raymond H. Dietrich
Dietrich Inc.
Dietrich Inc. was an American coachbuilder founded by Raymond H. Dietrich. It was later called Raymond H. Dietrich and finally Ray Dietrich Inc....
and Thomas L. Hibbard
Hibbard & Darrin
Hibbard & Darrin was a French coach building company.Two American designers, Thomas L Hibbard and Raymond H Dietrich had met while working for Brewster...
had met while working for Brewster
Brewster & Co.
Brewster & Company was an American coachbuilder, active from 1810-1937. Their first known bodywork on an automobile was in 1896, on an electric car, and a gasoline powered car in 1905, on a Delaunay-Belleville chassis. Eventually they would use chassis from a variety of makers...
. Tiring of the corporate environment they started freelance work in their spare time and when William H. Brewster discovered this he fired Dietrich and Hibbard left.
LeBaron was founded in Bridgeport, Connecticut in 1920 by Raymond H. Dietrich
Dietrich Inc.
Dietrich Inc. was an American coachbuilder founded by Raymond H. Dietrich. It was later called Raymond H. Dietrich and finally Ray Dietrich Inc....
and Thomas L. Hibbard
Hibbard & Darrin
Hibbard & Darrin was a French coach building company.Two American designers, Thomas L Hibbard and Raymond H Dietrich had met while working for Brewster...
. The company originally was called LeBaron, Carrossiers Inc., and served as design consultants. Dietrich and Hibbard were unknown outside of Brewster, so a clever new name - LeBaron, Carrossiers - was arrived at by the two partners using a list of French words that had the ring of prestige and could be easily pronounced through a telephone.
Business increased enough in 1920 that Thomas Hibbard offered his friend, Ralph Roberts, who had just gotten his Bachelors of Science degree from Dartmouth, a job. Tom Hibbard met fellow designer, Howard A. "Dutch" Darrin in 1923. Hibbard and Darrin decided to go to Paris, initially to try to sell LeBaron designs but instead decided to set up their own company and founded Hibbard & Darrin
Hibbard & Darrin
Hibbard & Darrin was a French coach building company.Two American designers, Thomas L Hibbard and Raymond H Dietrich had met while working for Brewster...
. Hibbard resigned from LeBaron in 1923. Dietrich and Roberts continued operating LeBaron with a new illustrator, veteran Roland L. Stickney.
In 1924, LeBaron merged with the Blue Ribbon and Bridgeport Body companies and changed their name to LeBaron Inc., becoming body builders as well as designers.
LeBaron became one of the many prominent coachbuilder
Coachbuilder
A coachbuilder is a manufacturer of bodies for carriages or automobiles.The trade dates back several centuries. Rippon was active in the time of Queen Elizabeth I, Barker founded in 1710 by an officer in Queen Anne's Guards, Brewster a relative newcomer , formed in 1810. Others in Britain included...
s in the 1920s to provide bodies for luxury cars. Until the late 1930s, most of the great prestige automakers - Rolls-Royce
Rolls-Royce Limited
Rolls-Royce Limited was a renowned British car and, from 1914 on, aero-engine manufacturing company founded by Charles Stewart Rolls and Henry Royce on 15 March 1906 as the result of a partnership formed in 1904....
, Hispano Suiza, Duesenberg
Duesenberg
Duesenberg was an Auburn, Indiana based American luxury automobile company active in various forms from 1913 to 1937, most famous for its high-quality passenger cars and record-breaking racing cars.-History:...
, Packard
Packard
Packard was an American luxury-type automobile marque built by the Packard Motor Car Company of Detroit, Michigan, and later by the Studebaker-Packard Corporation of South Bend, Indiana...
- often supplied only a running chassis, which wealthy buyers would outfit with custom bodywork at substantial extra cost.
Dietrich received a lucrative offer from Murray Corporation, one of Ford's
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
and Lincoln's
Lincoln (automobile)
Lincoln is an American luxury vehicle brand of the Ford Motor Company. Lincoln vehicles are sold mostly in North America.-History:The company was founded in August 1915 by Henry M. Leland, one of the founders of Cadillac . During World War I, he left Cadillac which was sold to General Motors...
main body builders, in 1925 and resigned from LeBaron to start Dietrich, Inc.
Dietrich Inc.
Dietrich Inc. was an American coachbuilder founded by Raymond H. Dietrich. It was later called Raymond H. Dietrich and finally Ray Dietrich Inc....
. With both founders gone, LeBaron could have been in trouble. But Roberts continued to run the company and orders kept coming in.
Walter O. Briggs began talks with Roberts in 1926 to buy LeBaron and move it to Detroit.
LeBaron was purchased by Briggs Manufacturing Company of Detroit in 1926 and operated as a subsidiary. Briggs was already supplying bodies to Chrysler
Chrysler
Chrysler Group LLC is a multinational automaker headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan, USA. Chrysler was first organized as the Chrysler Corporation in 1925....
, Essex
Essex (automobile)
The Essex was a brand of automobile produced by the Essex Motor Company from 1918–1922 and Hudson Motor Company of Detroit, Michigan between 1922 and 1932.-Corporate strategy:...
, Ford
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
, Hudson
Hudson Motor Car Company
The Hudson Motor Car Company made Hudson and other brand automobiles in Detroit, Michigan, from 1909 to 1954. In 1954, Hudson merged with Nash-Kelvinator Corporation to form American Motors. The Hudson name was continued through the 1957 model year, after which it was dropped.- Company strategy...
, and Overland
Overland Automobile
-History:The Overland Automobile "runabout" was founded by Claude Cox, a graduate of Rose Polytechnic Institute, while he was employed by Standard Wheel Company of Terre Haute, Indiana, USA, in 1903. In 1905, Standard Wheel allowed Cox to relocate the Overland Automobile Company to Indianapolis,...
. As Briggs subsidiary, LeBaron handled special custom work, provided design ideas for the main business, and supplied exquisite custom bodies for various car companies such as Chrysler
Chrysler
Chrysler Group LLC is a multinational automaker headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan, USA. Chrysler was first organized as the Chrysler Corporation in 1925....
's luxury Imperial
Chrysler Imperial
The Chrysler Imperial, introduced in 1926, was the company's top of the range vehicle for much of its history. Models were produced with the Chrysler name until 1954, and again from 1990 to 1993. The company tried to position the cars as a prestige marque that would rival Cadillac and Lincoln...
line, Duesenberg
Duesenberg
Duesenberg was an Auburn, Indiana based American luxury automobile company active in various forms from 1913 to 1937, most famous for its high-quality passenger cars and record-breaking racing cars.-History:...
, and Cadillac
Cadillac
Cadillac is an American luxury vehicle marque owned by General Motors . Cadillac vehicles are sold in over 50 countries and territories, but mostly in North America. Cadillac is currently the second oldest American automobile manufacturer behind fellow GM marque Buick and is among the oldest...
. In 1932, for example, they built 28 beautiful Custom Imperial Convertible Coupes, Chrysler's top model, which rode a 146-inch wheelbase and used a 384.8 cubic-inch straight-8 engine.
Thomas L. Hibbard
Hibbard & Darrin
Hibbard & Darrin was a French coach building company.Two American designers, Thomas L Hibbard and Raymond H Dietrich had met while working for Brewster...
became design director at Ford
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
in 1947. Raymond H. Dietrich
Dietrich Inc.
Dietrich Inc. was an American coachbuilder founded by Raymond H. Dietrich. It was later called Raymond H. Dietrich and finally Ray Dietrich Inc....
was hired by Chrysler
Chrysler
Chrysler Group LLC is a multinational automaker headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan, USA. Chrysler was first organized as the Chrysler Corporation in 1925....
in 1932 to become the first official Chrysler
Chrysler
Chrysler Group LLC is a multinational automaker headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan, USA. Chrysler was first organized as the Chrysler Corporation in 1925....
stylist.