In looking at my cars, I initially didn't see a pattern. At first
blush,
none have much in common with the others. I have long gravitated
toward
specific Imperials because my grandmother owned a '64 Crown 4-door and
it
was one of three cars I learned to drive on (the others being my
mother's
'74 Monaco Brougham and my dad's '77 Monte Carlo). My first old car
acquisition was a '72 boattail Riviera, because it was similar to one
I had
in high school and college. The difference was that the college car
was a
good Riv, and the one I owned 15 years later was a pile of crap!
After I recovered financially from that fiasco, all I knew was that I
wanted a really big car. The first choice was a Bill Blass Lincoln
Mark V,
until I drove one and discovered it was like piloting an aircraft
carrier.
Then in the fall 1998 I saw a '59 Imperial in the Washington Post in
suburban Maryland, and thought that I'd see if it was as hard to drive
as
the Lincoln. Surprisingly to me at the time, but of course not to
die-hard
IML-ers, the '59 Imp was quite easy to drive, feeling nothing like the
barge the Lincoln was. That particular Imperial needed more cosmetic
work
than I was willing to swallow, but I diligently set out to find a nice
one,
and wound up with the one I currently have, which is finally in the
prolonged throes of a restoration.
Two years after I bought the Aquitania, I decided to track down a
really
nice '72 Riviera again, and found one in San Diego. In spring 2003
it was
time to retire my daily driver '83 Cordoba which I have owned since it
was
almost new. Buying a used grocery-getter '97 Riviera brought the
fleet up
to four cars.
I certainly wasn't in the market for another car that fall, but as
many of
us do, I was skimming the eBay auctions and came across a turquoise '65
Bonneville 4-door hardtop. No one in my family, and few friends have
ever
owned a Pontiac, but this one just pushed the right buttons. Primarily
because it is a lovely color and is loaded. Finally, a little over a
year
ago, I came full circle and found a suitable Imperial like
Grandmother's.
Most of the Engel-designed Crown sedans I've found are (to my mind)
boring
white or beige or gold, but this one was the famous Haze Green, sort
of the
color of grass. Another San Diego car, she's in great condition and
will
be at Carlisle next week.
When I look at my cars, the only real thread I see is that they are all
PPA'd (packed with power accessories). While that really means that
there
is more to go wrong with them, I can't image not having power windows,
seats, or air conditioning. Each of them is also somewhat unique from
a
styling standpoint than most other cars of their year. The '59
Imperial
had the most graceful fins of most any '59 car from any manufacturer.
There was nothing remotely similar to the boattail Riviera in 1972.
The
'66 Imperial is one of the most elegant cars in 1966, and it has that
aforementioned Grandmother quotient. The Bonneville I call my glamour
barge, because few cars in 1966 were quite as flashy, popular or
well-remembered. The '97 Riviera is not really what one would call a
collectible, but it is unique in its own way. I really can't say I'm
in
love with it, but I like the practicality of a full-sized luxury
coupe, and
choices were pretty limited in the late '90s - the Riv and Lincoln Mark
VIII were about it.
The '83 Cordoba is the only one that isn't really a standout - most
cars
were boxy in 1983. But I can't walk away from Christine without
looking
back and thinking that she is still a fine-looking car 20+ years after
I
got her. I parked her next to a Lincoln Mark V once, and realized that
whoever at Ford designed the Mark must have been involved in the early
'80s
Cordobas. The proportions are uncannily similar, only in a manageable
size. I guess I wound up with my "Mark V" after all!
In short, I'm drawn to large, well-equipped, flashy cars which have
something unique about them. I love driving them around town knowing,
perhaps in my own mind, that anyone with $45,000 can buy a Lexus or
Cadillac or Chrysler 300C, but I have something truly unique that not
everyone else has - or more probable - wants! Among the fun ones I've
spotted recently which tripped my trigger are a red & white '76 Buick
Electra Limited Park Avenue, with a console between the front seats and
tufted velour for days; and a lipstick edition '76 Mark IV (white,
lipstick
red landau roof, white leather with lipstick red straps on the seats).
I've not seen a '67 Toronado or '73 Imperial in a color that really
wows me
in some time, but they're on the short list too, as is a '78 Toronado
XSR
with the wrap-around rear window, like this one on eBay now.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/
eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1,1&item=4558791
718&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT
Sorry if I've strayed too far away from the Imperial topic, but since
Mark
is one of the IML's Webmonsters (isn't he?) and threw out this thread,
I
figured it's fair game.
Neal Herman
Washington, DC
1959 Imperial Crown 4-door Southampton "Aquitania"
1965 Pontiac Bonneville 4-door Vista "Bonnie Prince Charlie"
1966 Imperial Crown 4-door "Miss Dorothy"
1972 Buick Riviera "Bianca d'Azur"
1983 Chrysler Cordoba "Christine"
1997 Buick Riviera "Le Nouveau Riv"
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