If not 57 Styling, what?

[Mark McDonald <tomswift@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Good question, Henry.

I haven't read anything on this subject in a long time, but I do not 
recall hearing anything about the 57s being "rushed" into production.  
There would be no need.  What would Chrysler be responding to?

I think the rush was on the part of GM styling, who glimpsed the '57 
Chryslers while they were being developed and suddenly realized they 
made GM's entire line for '57 look outdated.  Then there was a scramble 
to restyle to make the GM products more competitive.

The impression I got was that Chrysler had been planning this new look 
for 1957 but, like Hugh said, they just didn't anticipate their success 
and weren't able to meet the demand.

MM


On Tuesday, November 11, 2003, at 07:27 PM, Henry Hopkins wrote:

> The accepted thinking is that the 57s were rushed into production a  
> year
> ahead, maybe 2??  Recall the "Suddenly, it's 1960" ad campaign.  I have
> never read or seen pics of what would have been the Mopar 57s if they 
> had
> not rushed in what we know as the 57s.  Anyone out there know of 
> styling
> studio pics of a continuation of the 55 and 56 Forward Look theme??
>
> Seems to me by now there would have been an article or two about the 
> 57s
> that never were because Chrysler made the decision to leap ahead with 
> later
> designs.  I have seen articles on what the 62s might have been if 
> Exner had
> kept on.  Instead we got the sliced off finless look, sigh.
>
> Just a thought.
>
> Henry Hopkins, Richmond, CA  61/60/57
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Rob P" <fristpenny@xxxxxxxxxxx>
> To: <mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Tuesday, November 11, 2003 2:36 PM
> Subject: Re: IML: Quality of the 1957 Imperial
>
>
>> It might have been nice for Chrysler's styling to have been two years 
>> in
>> front of where it was, but I think most people here agreed that the 
>> rush
> job
>> on the '57s is what caused many of the quality control issues. Also a
>> perception that Imperial and Mopar styling was behind by the mid-late 
>> 60s
>> may rise from Engel coming over from Ford.  This made the clean new 
>> Mopars
>> more similar in style to older Ford products.
>>
>> Rob
>>
>> PS I think Chryslers deserved much of their reputation as "rusters."
>> Remember the Aspen/Volare actually had a rust related recall, with Ma
> Mopar
>> providing new front fenders for free.
>>
>> _________________________________________________________________
>> Is your computer infected with a virus?  Find out with a FREE computer
> virus
>> scan from McAfee.  Take the FreeScan now!
>> http://clinic.mcafee.com/clinic/ibuy/campaign.asp?cid=3963
>>
>>
>>