Re: IML: A '56 Imperial Story

["Dr David George Briant" <drdgb@xxxxxxx>]

Dear Brooks,

 

Thank you for your message about the 1956 Imperial and her lady owner. 

 

While caring for my 1956, 1962, and 1966 Imperial coupes as equal opportunity enjoyment, trips have shown that more folks want to talk about the '56--others want to be photographed with the '62--others wonder just what the '66 is--including confusing her briefly with some Lincoln models. 

 

Special parking privileges frequently were offered or granted for all three.  The '66 in San Francisco, CA, taking up two sports car spaces in underground parking.  Also offered was no-fee employee/VIP parking in Albany, NY's fancy capitol complex.  A special treat was pier parking overnight under the watchful eye of hotel personnel next to the former RMS Queen Mary. 

 

Appreciation for their highway manners grew during seven Rallye competitions requiring time and distance performance driving.  Of course, shout outs of praise in traffic sooth the ego.  Hearty cheers for Mrs. Givler!

 

Brooks, get busy and find your very own 1956 Imperial!

----- Original Message -----

From: Brooks Harkey

To: mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Sent: Friday, August 18, 2006 8:23 AM

Subject: IML: A '56 Imperial Story

 

I might as well tell this here, or it’ll never get told.  I’ve never owned a ’56, but I do admire them and would enjoy having one, so this story is for all you ’56 owners out there.

 

In the mid-late 1960’s (this story comes from somewhere between 1965 and 1972) my sister (born 10/1954, HS class of ‘72) had a friend whose father was a dentist in Irving, TX – a Dr. Givler.  That’s all I know.  (his daughter’s name was Karenlea).

 

Her mother drove a ’56 Imperial.  The Dr. had tried for years to get her to trade it in, get a new car, but she would not part with her black ’56.  She LOVED the ’56.  She liked the styling, the way it drove, etc.  My sister would relate these stories to me and say “You and Mrs. Givler would get along so well” (unfortunately, I never met Mrs. Givler, just knew who she was; my sister is deceased, and had long lost track of Karenlea).  Of course, Karenlea and my sister both ridiculed the car – it was an “old car” to them and they were on the Dr’s side – get a new car!  LOL!  But Mrs. Givler would have none of it.

 

Anyway – I would always admire that car if Mrs. Givler brought Karenlea over to our house, or when I would see it on the road.  Then the unthinkable happened:  It got rear-ended.  I even saw the car after it had happened, before it was towed away.  It just made me sick.  Crunched pretty bad in the back, while at a stop sign.  I knew it was totaled.  All I could think of was “Oh, NO, not the IMPERIAL!”  Again, this would have happened somewhere between 1965 and 1971…. So I’m sure they probably totaled the car and crushed it.

 

But Mrs. Givler pined for that car.  My sister would tell me stories of how Mrs. Givler was more concerned about the car after the accident than if anybody had been hurt!  She reportedly kept lamenting “Oh, no, my Imperial!  My Imperial!”

 

Of course, then they had to get a newer car, don’t know/remember what kind, but my sister would always tell me Mrs. Givler was never satisfied with another car after that ’56.  Nothing else ever measured up.

 

So there ya go – for you ’56 owners out there.  That’s all I got.

 

 

--Brooks in Dallas

  ’61 Custom

  ’63 Crown Convertible in boxes (shut up, George (:-D) )

 

 

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