Age, Biography and Wiki

Irvin Rybicki (Irvin W. Rybicki) was born on 16 September, 1921 in Detroit, Michigan, US, is an American car designer. Discover Irvin Rybicki's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. Learn How rich is he in this year and how he spends money? Also learn how he earned most of networth at the age of 79 years old?

Popular As Irvin W. Rybicki
Occupation Car designer
Age 79 years old
Zodiac Sign Virgo
Born 16 September 1921
Birthday 16 September
Birthplace Detroit, Michigan, US
Date of death 24 July, 2001
Died Place Sandwich, Massachusetts, US
Nationality United States

We recommend you to check the complete list of Famous People born on 16 September. He is a member of famous President with the age 79 years old group.

Irvin Rybicki Height, Weight & Measurements

At 79 years old, Irvin Rybicki height not available right now. We will update Irvin Rybicki's Height, weight, Body Measurements, Eye Color, Hair Color, Shoe & Dress size soon as possible.

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Dating & Relationship status

He is currently single. He is not dating anyone. We don't have much information about He's past relationship and any previous engaged. According to our Database, He has no children.

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Irvin Rybicki Net Worth

His net worth has been growing significantly in 2023-2024. So, how much is Irvin Rybicki worth at the age of 79 years old? Irvin Rybicki’s income source is mostly from being a successful President. He is from United States. We have estimated Irvin Rybicki's net worth, money, salary, income, and assets.

Net Worth in 2024 $1 Million - $5 Million
Salary in 2024 Under Review
Net Worth in 2023 Pending
Salary in 2023 Under Review
House Not Available
Cars Not Available
Source of Income President

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Timeline

1921

Irvin Walter Rybicki (September 16, 1921 – July 24, 2001 ) was an American automotive designer widely known for his career as a designer with General Motors and his tenure as the corporation's Vice President of Design from 1977-1986, succeeding Harley Earl and Bill Mitchell in that role.

Rybicki was born September 16, 1921, in Detroit to Wladyslav Walter Rybicki (1895-1972) and Helen Biess Rybicki (1899-1987).

1938

His earliest sketching focus on airplanes changed when he saw his uncle's 1938 Cadillac Sixty Special, declaring it "the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen," and turning his interest to cars.

After he graduated from high school, Rybicki's father took his design sketches to General Motors without his knowledge, speaking with Jules Andrade, one of Harley Earl’s assistants.

GM showed interest in Rybicki's work, retaining his information and as it turned to wartime production.

Wounded in the United States during his military service, he was discharged and never went abroad to fight during World War II.

1940

Rybicki attended Catholic grade school, and at an early age, began sketching and modeling airplanes while attending Detroit's Chadsey High School, graduating in 1940 — and summering at his father's place at Portage Lake.

He would later study art at the Meinzinger Art School in Detroit.

1944

In February, 1944, in pursuit of an automotive styling career, Rybecki applied for and was hired as a project engineer by GM's Engineering Standards Laboratory at the GM Proving Ground.

1945

In September 1945, a colleague at the lab asked to show Rybicki's sketches to Harley Earl, whereby he was transferred to the GM Styling Staff (now GM design) as a junior designer.

He studied with the Forty Milwaukee, GM's school for trainee designers — led by Ned Nickles and later Frank Hershey.

1946

In 1946 Rybicki married Hazel Lee Ryland Rybicki (1926-2023).

They lived in Bloomfield Hills, and after his retirement from General Motors maintained a residence in Jensen Beach, Florida.

1947

He was promoted to designer in 1947 and senior designer in 1950.

He spent six years in the Cadillac studio under future Styling VP Bill Mitchell.

1948

Rybicki was noted for innovating the concealed gas cap for the 1948 Cadillac, hidden within the flip-top taillight.

1953

Over a career spanning 43 years with GM, Rybicki contributed significantly: from his work on the 1953 Cadillac Le Mans; his forecasting the potential market for an inexpensive, sporty four-passenger car, what would become the first generation 1967 Chevrolet Camaro (i.e., a Ford Mustang before there was a Ford Mustang); his contributions to the successful 1973 Chevrolet Monte Carlo and, as Vice President, his design leadership on the 1982 Chevrolet Camaro, 1984 Chevrolet Corvette, 1984 Pontiac Fiero and the 1985-1990 GM C-bodies: the Buick Electra, Oldsmobile 98 and Cadillac Deville/Fleetwood among others.

Having served successfully as a styling director for each of GM's five brand divisions, Rybicki assumed the corporate design leadership just as the industry entered a period of tremendous pressure: in quick succession, the federal government mandated waves of increasingly strict and comprehensive automotive emissions, fuel efficiency and safety standards, — severely hindering the industry's ability to adapt — a period that became widely associated with austere and ungainly design, referred to in retrospect as the Malaise era.

Rybicki's legacy is tied to his numerous innovations, his excellent design credentials, his collegiality and support of his designers, and yet simultaneously his acquiescence to corporate finance management and product engineers — and his limited success in elevating General Motor's styling direction during his tenure as Vice President of Design to the level of his predecessors.

Rybicki styled the interior and instrument panel of the 1953 Cadillac Le Mans concept car.

1956

In 1956, Rybicki became assistant chief designer at the Oldsmobile Studio where he was subsequently promoted to chief designer, remaining for five years.

1962

in February 1962, Rybicki became the chief designer in GM's Chevrolet studio, where he helped make GM’s lowest priced cars and trucks appear more upscale.

1963

In 1963, Rybicki and his team presented Bunkie Knudsen with a styling concept for a four-seater car with a sporty image that could augment the Corvette — what could have effectively leap-frogged the first Ford Mustang.

1965

Rybicki became group chief designer for the Chevrolet passenger car and GMC truck studios in 1965 and became the executive in charge of exterior design for Chevrolet and Pontiac passenger cars and Chevrolet and GMC trucks in 1970.

1967

Knudsen rejected the idea and GM was forced to play catch-up, introducing the first Camaro in 1967.

1971

GM’s management liked the small window and gave it first the 1971 Cadillac Eldorado.

When it arrived on the Monte Carlo, it thus carried the halo of a Cadillac design detail.

1972

Rybicki remained in his position over Chevrolet, Pontiac and GMC until 1972, when he was named executive in charge of Oldsmobile, Buick and Cadillac.

1973

Rybicki led the team that redesigned the Monte Carlo for the 1973 model year, which Chevrolet general manager John Z. DeLorean approved for production without a single revision.

The design featured an opera or coach window in the B-pillar.

The oil crises of 1973 and 1979, along with the Energy and Conservation Act of 1975, required the company build more fuel-efficient cars.

To this end he oversaw the styling for the corporation's transformation to front-wheel-drive, including the J-Platform cars, A-platform cars, C/H Platform cars as well as the GM-10/W-platform cars.

1977

Rybicki worked on the design of the first generation Cadillac Seville and had a major role in GM's massive downsizing of the 1977 full-size and 1978 intermediate cars.

Rybicki superseded Bill Mitchell, an outspoken, passionate designer, as GM Styling vice president on August 1, 1977 — at a time when the industry and company faced new fuel economy, safety regulations and emissions regulations; increased foreign competition, and a more controlling upper management.

He was only one of seven to hold the Vice President of Design position, including Harley Earl, Bill Mitchell, Chuck Jordan, Wayne Cherry, Ed Wilburn and Michael Simcoe.

Physically reserved and discreet, Irvin Rybicki neither wore the flamboyant outfits of his predecessors, nor had their forceful, outsized egos.

1982

He oversaw the 1982 Chevy Camaro and Pontiac Firebird, 1984 C4 Corvette and Ed Welburn's Olds Aerotech design.

1983

Notably, Rybicki oversaw a design period under CEO Roger Smith where the A-bodies were called out on the cover of the August 22, 1983 issue of Fortune Magazine — for their cookie cutter design.

2001

He died 24 Jul 2001 at 79 in Sandwich, Massachusetts and was survived by his wife, son David Irvin Rybicki and daughter Susan Rybicki Sheehan.

2016

All automotive design staff competing in the United States faced complex federal regulations; Motor Trend magazine noted in 2016 that "confusion over how to cope with these new laws from a design and engineering standpoint led to poor decisions that affected the exterior and interior appearance of GM’s cars through the late 1970s and 1980s."