Ed Cole
Encyclopedia
Edward Nicholas Cole was an American automotive executive for General Motors.
. He then enrolled in General Motors Institute, where he was a member of the Phi Kappa Epsilon (now Pi Kappa Alpha
) Fraternity. Cole was such a good student, that he was offered a job at GM before he graduated. Soon after Cole married his hometown sweetheart, Esther Engman. He worked in engineering, rising to co-head a team (with Harry Barr) that developed the 1949 Cadillac V8
. He was briefly assigned to run a GM plant in Cleveland, Ohio
, when Chevrolet
general manager Tom Keating requested his assignment as chief engineer.
He became chief engineer of the Chevrolet Division in 1952. His most important task was to develop a new engine for Chevy's lineup to replace the stove-bolt six; that new engine was Chevrolet's small-block V8
. He collaborated with Zora Arkus-Duntov
to revitalize the weak-performing early Corvettes
, and he also introduced engineering and design advancements in the Chevrolet car and truck lines between 1955 and 1962.
Cole was promoted to general manager of Chevrolet in 1956. During these years, Chevy was a perennial sales leader, but with only larger cars in the lineup. As general manager of Chevrolet, he directed the development of the Corvair
intended to pursue the compact car market. The strong early sales of the new car with its radical design with rear-engine, rear-wheel drive layout, put Cole on the cover of Time
magazine October 5, 1959 issue. Cole was promoted to head the GM car and truck group in 1961, then to executive vice-president in 1965, and to president in 1967.
Cole was chief engineer of the Chevrolet Vega
and directed the GM design staff in developing their first subcompact
, four passenger vehicle. Cole's persistance in getting his advanced engineering projects to the production line resulted in the innovative aluminum engines in both the Corvair and Vega. He "would preside over Vega's troubled launch, which was intertwined with a disastrous 1970 confrontation between GM and the United Auto Workers
." Ironically, Cole's greatest engineering triumph came the same year. Cole ordered engine compression ratios reduced after 1970 knowing regulations would tighten. He deserves credit for weaning American cars off leaded gasoline and prepared GM for catalytic converter
s in 1975.
Cole retired from GM in 1974. He then became chairman and CEO of Checker Motors Corporation
and Chairman of International Husky, an air-freight company. In 1977, the Rifle River Scout Canoe Base was renamed the Edward N. Cole Canoe Base to reflect the dedication of Edward N. Cole to Scouting in the Detroit Area. He died at age 67 in a crash during a storm. He was piloting his private twin-engine Beagle B.206
Series 2 plane near Kalamazoo, Michigan
, about 50 miles (80 km) south of where he was born. Cole became a member of Michigan Gamma Chapter of the Tau Beta Pi
Engineering Honor Society in 1952. In 1998, Cole was posthumously inducted into the Corvette Hall of Fame.
His son, David E. Cole, is Chairman Emeritus of the Center for Automotive Research (CAR) in Ann Arbor, Michigan
.
Career
Cole was the son of a dairy farmer. In his youth, he designed, built, and sold homemade radio sets, and as a teenager became a field representative for a tractor manufacturer. He wanted to be a lawyer, but landed a part-time job in an auto parts store while attending Grand Rapids Community CollegeGrand Rapids Community College
Grand Rapids Community College is a community college located in the city of Grand Rapids in the U.S. state of Michigan. GRCC offers an Associate's degree, a variety of certification programs, occupational training, and other learning opportunities for the surrounding community.-Campuses:In...
. He then enrolled in General Motors Institute, where he was a member of the Phi Kappa Epsilon (now Pi Kappa Alpha
Pi Kappa Alpha
Pi Kappa Alpha is a Greek social fraternity with over 230 chapters and colonies and over 250,000 lifetime initiates in the United States and Canada.-History:...
) Fraternity. Cole was such a good student, that he was offered a job at GM before he graduated. Soon after Cole married his hometown sweetheart, Esther Engman. He worked in engineering, rising to co-head a team (with Harry Barr) that developed the 1949 Cadillac V8
Cadillac V8 engine
Cadillac was the first automobile maker to mass produce a V8 engine. The company has produced eight generations of V8s since 1914, and was the last General Motors division to retain its own V8 design.-L-Head:...
. He was briefly assigned to run a GM plant in Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
, when Chevrolet
Chevrolet
Chevrolet , also known as Chevy , is a brand of vehicle produced by General Motors Company . Founded by Louis Chevrolet and ousted GM founder William C. Durant on November 3, 1911, General Motors acquired Chevrolet in 1918...
general manager Tom Keating requested his assignment as chief engineer.
He became chief engineer of the Chevrolet Division in 1952. His most important task was to develop a new engine for Chevy's lineup to replace the stove-bolt six; that new engine was Chevrolet's small-block V8
Chevrolet Small-Block engine
The Chevrolet small-block engine is a series of automobile V8 engines built by the Chevrolet Division of General Motors using the same basic small engine block...
. He collaborated with Zora Arkus-Duntov
Zora Arkus-Duntov
Zora Arkus-Duntov was a Belgian-born American engineer. His work on the Chevrolet Corvette earned him the nickname "Father of the Corvette."- Early life :Zora was born Zachary Arkus in Belgium on Christmas Day, 1909...
to revitalize the weak-performing early Corvettes
Chevrolet Corvette
The Chevrolet Corvette is a sports car by the Chevrolet division of General Motors that has been produced in six generations. The first model, a convertible, was designed by Harley Earl and introduced at the GM Motorama in 1953 as a concept show car. Myron Scott is credited for naming the car after...
, and he also introduced engineering and design advancements in the Chevrolet car and truck lines between 1955 and 1962.
Cole was promoted to general manager of Chevrolet in 1956. During these years, Chevy was a perennial sales leader, but with only larger cars in the lineup. As general manager of Chevrolet, he directed the development of the Corvair
Chevrolet Corvair
-First generation :The 1960 Corvair 500 and 700 series four-door sedans were conceived as economy cars offering few amenities in order to keep the price competitive, with the 500 selling for under $2,000...
intended to pursue the compact car market. The strong early sales of the new car with its radical design with rear-engine, rear-wheel drive layout, put Cole on the cover of Time
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
magazine October 5, 1959 issue. Cole was promoted to head the GM car and truck group in 1961, then to executive vice-president in 1965, and to president in 1967.
Cole was chief engineer of the Chevrolet Vega
Chevrolet Vega
The Chevrolet Vega is a subcompact, two-door automobile that was produced by the Chevrolet division of General Motors for the 1971-1977 model years. Named after the star Vega, the car was powered by a lightweight aluminum-block inline four-cylinder engine...
and directed the GM design staff in developing their first subcompact
Subcompact car
Subcompact car is a North American term used to describe automobiles whose class size is smaller than that of a compact car, usually not exceeding in length, but larger than a microcar...
, four passenger vehicle. Cole's persistance in getting his advanced engineering projects to the production line resulted in the innovative aluminum engines in both the Corvair and Vega. He "would preside over Vega's troubled launch, which was intertwined with a disastrous 1970 confrontation between GM and the United Auto Workers
United Auto Workers
The International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America, better known as the United Auto Workers , is a labor union which represents workers in the United States and Puerto Rico, and formerly in Canada. Founded as part of the Congress of Industrial...
." Ironically, Cole's greatest engineering triumph came the same year. Cole ordered engine compression ratios reduced after 1970 knowing regulations would tighten. He deserves credit for weaning American cars off leaded gasoline and prepared GM for catalytic converter
Catalytic converter
A catalytic converter is a device used to convert toxic exhaust emissions from an internal combustion engine into non-toxic substances. Inside a catalytic converter, a catalyst stimulates a chemical reaction in which noxious byproducts of combustion are converted to less toxic substances by dint...
s in 1975.
Cole retired from GM in 1974. He then became chairman and CEO of Checker Motors Corporation
Checker Motors Corporation
Checker Motors Corporation was a Kalamazoo, Michigan based vehicle manufacturer and tier-one subcontractor that manufactured taxicabs used by Checker Taxi...
and Chairman of International Husky, an air-freight company. In 1977, the Rifle River Scout Canoe Base was renamed the Edward N. Cole Canoe Base to reflect the dedication of Edward N. Cole to Scouting in the Detroit Area. He died at age 67 in a crash during a storm. He was piloting his private twin-engine Beagle B.206
Beagle B.206
|-See also:-External links:* http://...
Series 2 plane near Kalamazoo, Michigan
Kalamazoo, Michigan
The area on which the modern city stands was once home to Native Americans of the Hopewell culture, who migrated into the area sometime before the first millennium. Evidence of their early residency remains in the form of a small mound in downtown's Bronson Park. The Hopewell civilization began to...
, about 50 miles (80 km) south of where he was born. Cole became a member of Michigan Gamma Chapter of the Tau Beta Pi
Tau Beta Pi
The Tau Beta Pi Association is the oldest engineering honor society in the United States and the second oldest collegiate honor society in America. It honors engineering students who have shown a history of academic achievement as well as a commitment to personal and professional integrity...
Engineering Honor Society in 1952. In 1998, Cole was posthumously inducted into the Corvette Hall of Fame.
His son, David E. Cole, is Chairman Emeritus of the Center for Automotive Research (CAR) in Ann Arbor, Michigan
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Ann Arbor is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Washtenaw County. The 2010 census places the population at 113,934, making it the sixth largest city in Michigan. The Ann Arbor Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 344,791 as of 2010...
.