Re: IML: That Salon

[Christopher H <imperial67@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Yes, the Salon has the âformal backlightâ of the â74-75 Imperials (in fact,
the grain stamped into the aluminum rear window surround trim matches the
Boar grain of the Imperials and not the Elk grain of the â78-only Salon
roof). However, since the Imperials and '76-77 NYBs used the âhaloâ vinyl
roof (which stopped before reaching the drip rails) and the â78 NYB used a
full roof finish, the overall roof treatment is unique to the Salon. And
since itâs padded Elk grain (very smooth grain) and metallic silver, itâs
quite different! (And wherever did they find metallic silver elk?)

The wheels, which are part of the Salon Package, are actually a bolt-on
fascia. The finned part you see is an aluminum casting that bolts from
behind to what is essentially a wider, flat-black steel wheel...a version of
the well-known âchrome styled road wheelâ that is a unique part number for
this wheel treatment. There is a flat stainless-steel trim ring around the
outside, inset with a white reflective stripe, but what you end up with is a
steel wheel with the look of an alloy wheel (or as I sarcastically put it,
the weight savings of steel with the easy care of aluminum). I love the look
of exposed lugs on a luxury car...itâs so sporty.

The only other Salon-exclusive part is the leather-wrapped steering wheel.
That and Chryslerâs very first clearcoat paint (which the car in the photos,
which happens to be my 17,500-mile original, still wears). All other
elements of the package were collected from the regular option list. In
addition, four other options were required with the Package: Trunk dress-up,
fender skirts (which had become optional on NYBs for 1978), electrically
heated rear window, and JR78-15 wider-whitewall tires. With all of these
options plus the optional Corinthian leather (velour was standard), the
Salon Package added $1,130 to the $7,715 base MSRP of a 1978 NYB 4-door (15%
of the base price).

Thanks for the kind words on the pix, Anthony!

Chris in LA
78 NYB Salon (âThat Salonâ)
67 Crown

On 5/30/06 4:16 PM, anthony bianchini at abianchini@xxxxxxxxx wrote:

> Yes, the article did say that the salon used the smaller rear window. In fact
> there are beautiful pictures of the 1978 New Yorker Brougham with the salon
> package and special wheels. I have never heard of or seen oneâever. Great
> Article on these full sizers.
> -Anthony Bianchini
> 1966 LeBaron-refuse to give up!
>  
> -----Original Message-----
> From: mailing-list-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> [mailto:mailing-list-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of randalpark@xxxxxxx
> Sent: Tuesday, May 30, 2006 12:18 AM
> To: mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: IML: That Salon
>  
> 
> The article that you discuss is the first place I have seen any mention of the
> Salon Package that was available on the '78 cars. That particular version of
> the car looked more like the last Imperial than anything else. Didn't it also
> say that the Salon used the smaller rear window which had disappeared with the
> '75 Imperial?
> 
>  
> 
> Paul W.
>  
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Christopher H <imperial67@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> To: IML (main) <mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Mon, 29 May 2006 21:21:51 -0700
> Subject: Re: IML: The Imperials keep getting printed...
> 
> The Collectible Automobile article is actually on the Å74-78 Chryslers and
> 
> only includes the Imperial as a sidebar, but since the Å74-75 Imperial
> 
> became the Å76-78 NYB, itÂs an integral part of the story.
> 
>  
> 
> The design saga reveals how the Imperial almost never made it past Å73 save
> 
> for the desire of a certain design chief who fell in love with the waterfall
> 
> grille idea and wanted to see it brought to life. This was the first time I
> 
> had heard of a connection between the Å74 cars and my favorite car designer,
> 
> Elwood Engel. Turns out he even personally picked up a knife one day in the
> 
> studio and carved the little bevel on the Âspare tire hump (a la 1964) on
> 
> the trunk lid, so I guess I own more Engel-supervised cars than I thought!
> 
>  
> 
> There are a few small reproductions in the CA articleÂs sidebar of the
> 
> design sketches leading up to the Å74 Imperial, but theyÂre too small (and
> 
> too few in number) to reveal how much of EngelÂs earlier Imperials is in
> 
> this car, and how the design continuity was carried through. (IÂve always
> 
> thought my Å78 and Å67 look quite related when parked side-by-side.)
> 
>  
> 
> There is a much better place to see these sketches and more: our own
> 
> website! A reprint of a fantastic article from the WPC Club News from what
> 
> seems to be 1979 or '80 is at:
> 
>  
> 
> http://www.imperialclub.com/Articles/74-75WPC/index.htm
> 
>  
> 
> Interestingly, Chrysler seemed to think at the time of Imperial's 1975
> 
> demise that moving its body to the New Yorker combined the best of both
> 
> worlds: The name recognition and appeal of "Chrysler New Yorker" and the
> 
> design of the Imperial. When Chrysler let the New Yorker name die in the
> 
> late 1990s, it was the longest-continuously-running car nameplate in the
> 
> industry. (Funny how they couldn't make Imperial as marketable a name.)
> 
>  
> 
> Oh, by the way, if you happen to get the new (August 2006) issue of
> 
> Collectible Automobile, you can also see the first-ever mass-printed photos
> 
> of the 1978 New Yorker Brougham Salon Package, a model that did not appear
> 
> in any brochure or PR photography during its one model year. Twenty-eight
> 
> years later, a Salon has finally appeared in print!
> 
>  
> 
> Chris in LA
> 
> 67 Crown
> 
> 78 NYB Salon
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> On 5/24/06 8:14 AM, Christopher Middlebrook at delamothe@xxxxxxxxxx
> <mailto:delamothe%40excite.com>  wrote:
> 
> Â
> 
>> Hello Imperialists,
> 
>> Â 
> 
>> Well, the fine folks at Collectible Automobile magazine have done it again.
> 
>> Their latest issue features a great article on the 74-78 Imperials and NYB's.
> 
>> Keep your eyes out for it at the newsstands, it just arrived.
> 
>> 
> 
>> Chris Middlebrook
> 
>> 1962 Custom Southampton
> 
>> 
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
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