If they had made an IMPERIAL in '78, that should have been it, and it only should have been available in that color, just like it was for the Salon. What a knock out!
Actually, the Salon roof is unique to the Salon in several ways.
- The 1974-77 models used a "halo" style roof, which leaves a thin spear of the
body paint visible between the upper side window trim and the edge trim of the
vinyl roof. Since all 1978 models with vinyl roofs use a non-halo roof (the
vinyl extends to the upper side window trim, or drip rails), the Salon is the
only 1974-78 Chrysler product with both a formal backlight (reduced-size rear
window) and non-halo roof.
- The Salon roof is padded, whereas the other 4-door vinyl roofs were not (only
the St Regis/Crown Coupe roof for the 2-door models was padded).
- As noted already, the smoother "Elk Grain" was unique to the Salon.
Bill's listing of package contents is correct, though he left off the wider, and
wider-whitewall, tires (unless they were not required in Canada, though they
were in the US). The car came with Firestone 721 JR87-15 tires with a 1-5/8"
whitewall. Still have one in the garage (not on the car, of course, though my
car does still wear modern 721s in a matching spec)!
Chris in LA
78 NYB Salon
67 Crown
-----Original Message-----
>From: Bill Watson <wwatson5@xxxxxxxxx>
>Sent: May 31, 2006 9:29 AM
>To: mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>Subject: Re: IML: That Salon
>
>
>The Salon was available only as a NewYorker 4-door hardtop - the St.Regis
>continued as the fancy 2-door package ($636) in both Newport and New Yorker
>(series..
>
>The Salon package (sales code A71) included :
>- Silver Crystal coat metallic paint (RA3), "buffed to a high gloss on
>horizontal surfaces" (so says Chrysler Canada's "Specials of the Year"
>folder)
>- 50/50 cloth bench seat in Dove Gray (A3) or Canyon Red (R4)
>- Silver "Elk Grain" vinyl roof
>- Red lower body side and deck stripes
>- Formal backlite window
>- Tilt / Telescope steering wheel
>- Leather covered, 2-spoke, steering wheel
>- Aluminum fascia road wheels
>
>Not included, but were mandatory options (meaning you got them and paid more
>for them) :
>- Trunk dress up
>- Electric rear window defogger
>- Rear fender skirts
>
>Thus the roof was, except for style of vinyl, the same as the 1974-75
>Imperial LeBaron 4-door hardtop. The regular Chrysler vinyl roof was
>similar, but without the smaller formal back window. And only the St.Regis
>used the canopy style vinyl roof with the non-covered C pillar and the side
>opera windows..
>
>Bill
>Vancouver, BC
>
>
>
>
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: anthony bianchini
>To: mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>Sent: Tuesday, May 30, 2006 4:16 PM
>Subject: RE: IML: That Salon
>
>
>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 one?ever.
>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 ?74-78 Chryslers and
>only includes the Imperial as a sidebar, but since the ?74-75 Imperial
>became the ?76-78 NYB, itÂs an integral part of the story.
>
>The design saga reveals how the Imperial almost never made it past ?73 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 ?74 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 ?74 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 ?78 and ?67 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 wrote:
>
>> Hello Imperialists,
>>
>> 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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