Book Report — Glenn Pray, The Untold Stories
By Ed Sunkin
11/10/2010
The book details of how a poor Oklahoma farm boy rose to the top of his game, despite overwhelming obstacles, to become an automotive inventor, patented classic car designer, king of barter, motivational speaker and even an aerobatic airplane pilot.
Glenn Pray, The Untold Stories is a fascinating and inspirational look at the life of an automotive industry icon who became known in automotive circles as “The King of Trade” — the world’s foremost authority on trading.
Pray is also often referred to as the “Will Rogers of the Automobile World” because of his ability to capture a live audience with his humor, sincerity and wit.
Drawing on tales from his early childhood through today, “The Untold Stories,” as told to author Cyndie Warner-Gardner, is brimming with hilarious and sometimes frightening stories that reveal why Pray admittedly “worked his guardian angel to death.”
After buying the Auburn-Cord-Duesenberg Company in 1960 with a borrowed 20 dollar bill, Pray’s name became world headline news throughout the 1960s and ’70s when he boldly proclaimed that he would resurrect the Cord and Auburn automobiles and create “second generation” Marques from the ashes of a bygone era.
His Cord 8/10 Sportsman would be the first American car made after WW II with front wheel drive. Strangely though, his prototype first Cord would be stolen and mysteriously returned two weeks later to the same location. Was there a plot by the major automakers to steal Pray’s design?
The book also details of how a poor Oklahoma farm boy rose to the top of his game, despite overwhelming obstacles to become an inventor, patented classic car designer, king of barter, motivational speaker and aerobatic airplane pilot.
The book also details how Pray was arguably the first to design an “office on wheels”— the first mini van. He also would be the first to design, patent and create the Auburn duel cowl phaeton automobile — a highly collectible model to this day.
Even before the 316-page paperback book was completed, major film producers were vying to win the rights to produce his story. And, despite success, Pray humorously claims that he “started out with nothing and has most of it left.”
Glenn Pray, The Untold Stories (ISBN: 978-0-88144-204-5) is available for $19.95 through amazon.com.