Automotive Illustrator Tom Hale

by Robert Tate, Automotive Historian and Researcher

I had the pleasure of meeting Tom Hale when I worked at the Walter P. Chrysler Museum many years ago. I was very impressed with his automotive illustrations that highlighted the history of the automobile with great colors and a beautiful contrast of tints. Tom’s illustrations are recognized by many automotive enthusiasts from all over the world. Tom is not just a gifted automotive illustrator and a fantastic artist; he is also a perfect gentleman with a great personality, which many people have come to admire.

Hale’s journey began at the age of seven when he started drawing futuristic automobile designs. When he entered high school, his passion for drawing automobiles continued. Hale graduated from high school in 1958, and he started his career in the U. S. Navy serving aboard a destroyer for two years.

After completing his naval service in 1963, Hale enrolled at the Art Center College of Design in Los Angeles to further explore his education. His time at Art Center College of Design created a path to becoming a talented automotive designer. He has said that his enthusiasm for art and automobiles carried him through his college days. In 1966, Hale graduated with a degree in transportation design.

To learn more about Tom Hale's career and see examples of his work, click below.

This Week's Story

Join MotorCities Now as a Member! Early Bird Drawing Deadline is Friday

The MotorCities National Heritage Area has a 25-year legacy of impacting thousands of lives to the tune of thousands of jobs and millions in grants that stimulated millions of additional dollars in our local economy.

You can support our work and join a growing number of people passionate about the automobile and its history by renewing your MotorCities membership. Your support allows us to make an even greater impact.

If you renew your individual membership by Friday, December 15, you’ll qualify for our Early Bird Drawing for a chance to win one of five great prizes:

 - Family four-packs of tickets for both the Sloan Museum of Discovery (pictured above) and the Longway Planetarium, part of the Flint Cultural Center (a $74 value);
 - A 2024 Accelerator Membership for the Ford Piquette Plant Museum (a $100 value);
 - A package of NASCAR memorabilia from the ROUSH Automotive Collection in Livonia (a $156 value);
 - A private New Center or Dearborn Walking Tour for up to 12 people from City Institute (a $750 value);
 - A customized guided tour of Detroit with Local 4/WJR Radio personality Greg Russell for up to 10 people on a party bus, including food and water, courtesy of Russell Brothers City Tours ($750 value).

Thank you in advance for your support.

Join MotorCities Now!

This Week in Auto Heritage

On December 14, 1909, workers laid the final of the 3.2 million, 10-pound bricks that paved the oval track at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

In the years since, most of that brick has been covered by asphalt, however, one yard still remains exposed at the start-finish line. Kissing the bricks after a winning race continues as a tradition among Indy drivers.

In 1908, auto-headlight maker and race promoter Carl Fisher made a decision to build a new five-mile track, allowing car manufacturers a safe place to test and showcase vehicles. After landing three partners, Fisher bought 320 acres of farmland on the outer edge of the city of Indianapolis, across the street from his Prest-O-Lite headlight factory. Ultimately, plans were revised to build a 2.5-mile banked oval featuring grandstands all around.

As Fisher's behest, the original surface of the track was a sticky combination of gravel, limestone, tar, and 220,000 gallons of asphaltum oil. Steamrollers then pressed the mixture into a solid road surface.

This track surface idea proved disastrous, as the first races of both motorcycles and cars suffered blown tires and drivers dealt with the rapid disintegration of the abrasive pavement. Five people died during the first auto race alone, and Fisher was forced under threat of a boycott to suspend racing at the track until a safer surface could be installed.

Bricks were chosen because traction tests showed they were less slippery than gravel and sturdier than concrete. When the “Brickyard” opened, it was much less dangerous, and only seven people were killed at Indy between 1909 and 1919.

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Events Coming to the MotorCities

Sunday: Free Admission to the Detroit Historical Museum

This Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m., enjoy free admission to the Detroit Historical Museum, the final weekend of their Free Holiday Sunday program.

Enjoy exhibits like the popular America's Motor City (pictured below) and much more!

For more information, click here.

Hey Kids!  Become a MotorCities Junior Ranger! Click here for details!