It's possible, because Engel was at Mercury for awhile, I believe. I would
have to check, but I think he was. And usually they are designing cars 2-3
years out-- at least they were at that time. So it's possible that the design
for the '64 was already done by the time Engel left in '60 or '61 (again,
sorry, I can't remember the exact dates he left).
Even if he did not do it himself the designers may have followed the concept
that he established. I seem to recall that someone on this list said that even
the designs of the '66 & '67 Lincoln were based on sketches Engel did before he
left. Don't know if this is true.
OK, and to keep this IMPERIAL . . . you can see evidence of the '67 & '68
Imperial in a design exercise Engel did at Ford called the X65, particularly in
the rear with the "slab sided" fenders that extend beyond the bumper.
Many have said that the '64-'66 Imperial was originally intended to be the next
Lincoln (after the design that debuted in '61 ran its course), but in the
article I mentioned a few days ago another designer said that the design of the
'64-'66 Imperial was not a Lincoln, but another concept car or design exercise
Engel did at Ford. (The design for the '61 Lincoln, BTW, was originally going
to be a Thunderbird.)
This is running longer than I intended, but I guess it's partially a matter of
economics that Engel's ideas persisted at Ford & Mercury even though he was
gone. Once they have commited a large amount of time & money in the design
effort, and the engineering effort, they don't want to change a design just
because the original creator is gone-- it would just be too costly. So I guess
his influence carried over for at least 3 years . . . maybe more?
Okay, LAST THING. What surprises me is that I don't see Engel's influence
persisting at Chrysler for so long after he left . . . or maybe I'm just not
recognizing it.
Mark
MM
Dick Bachman wrote:
> I just returned from a car show in Idaho, and there was a 64 Merc, that
> looked very much like a 66 chrysler,........was the Elwood influence
> at Ford that long?
>
> dick & jeanette
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
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