Hi My 1955, which is pretty much an original car has no such device. If there is no 12 volt equipment, ie battery, maybe it was used to allow jumping from a 12 volt without frying the car, God knows they needed planty of jumping. Jan in Ojai, CA ----- Original Message ----- From: "roger crabtree" <rcrabshish@xxxxxxxxxxxx> To: <mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Friday, January 02, 2004 2:21 PM Subject: Re: IML: Gadget for the Day > Speaking of 55 Imperials and gadgets, I would like > information on the gadget on my 55. It is an > electrical device that is boxed shaped and is bolted > to the cowl between the horns and radiator. It has > three wires going to it. It states that it is a 6 to > 12 volt converter of some type. It has a red push > button mounted under the dash. The wiring that goes to > the box returns to the button and to the power side of > the switch. The car has no 12 volt equipment in it. > All wiring is the same type as the factory wiring and > the box looks like is original equipment. Do you think > is is a dealer option? When you push the button > nothing happens. Do any of the owners of 6 volt > Imperials have this in their cars? RC Billings > Montanaaaaaa > --- RandalPark@xxxxxxx wrote: > Becoming the owner of > a '55 Imperial rather late in > > my collecting history (1997) I am finally enjoying > > the delightful use of the FLIGHT LEVER! I think it > > may actually have been spelled Flite Lever since, as > > with most gadgets, it had to have a special name. > > > > This little feature was a one year only phenomenon, > > replacing the column shift of previous years and > > being replaced itself by push buttons in 1956. As > > most on the IML know, the lever protruded from the > > dash board just to the left of the radio and is used > > to operate the Power Flite two speed automatic > > transmission. > > > > I find it to be quite satisfying to operate, > > probably because it is so unique. Everytime I drive > > that car and reach for that lever I crack a smile > > that lasts for hours! Practically speaking, it has > > its share of issues, not the least of which is its > > easy access by anyone of two other adults or as many > > as four misbehaving children sitting in the front > > seat of the car. > > > > Chrysler stated that it was designed to break off > > easily in the event of a collision, but I wouldn't > > want to see my nose after it won a battle with the > > Flite Lever during an unwanted incident on the > > highway! In my years of spotting wrecked '55 > > Chryslers in salvage yards, I never saw one with a > > broken Flite Lever. > > > > The Flite Lever: Strange, Gimmicky, Unique! What > > more could you ask for? > > > > Paul > > > > In a message dated 12/31/2003 6:42:58 AM Eastern > > Standard Time, 65luxuryliner@xxxxxxxxxxxxx writes: > > > > > > > > > > > Paul, > > > > > > The Panelescent Lighting was definitely on my > > 'gadget' list! Great story! > > > With all the posts about swivel seats, I started > > thinking about how gimmicky > > > '50s and '60s cars were and Imperials and > > Chryslers were no exception. Push > > > button transmission selectors, rear view mirrors > > on the dash board, remote > > > buttons on the floor to change the radio stations > > (my '65 Imperial has that > > > feature), hi-way hi-fi, tissue dispensers tempered > > glass headlight covers to > > > keep rocks from cracking the headlights. And of > > course the unusual > > > fin/taillight shapes. The list goes on and on. > > > > > > Thanks for sharing your story. I enjoyed it! > > > > > > Greg > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > > From: <RandalPark@xxxxxxx> > > > To: <mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> > > > Sent: Tuesday, December 30, 2003 11:01 PM > > > Subject: Re: IML: Gimmickry and Gadgetry > > > > > > > > > > Greg, > > > > > > > > I think that you have a great idea, and I > > wouldn't mind starting with my > > > one of my favorite Imperial Gimmick/Gadget's being > > the Panelescent Lighting. > > > What a beautiful set up, but imagine owning the > > car when it was 10 years > > > old, with no dash lights, and no one readily able > > to fix it. Here is a sad > > > little story to go with it. > > > > > > > > I once knew an elderly man who was still driving > > his 1962 Imperial Crown > > > when it was 15 years old. It had not been taken > > care of and among the many > > > things that were not right was the Panalescent > > Lighting. Never fear, because > > > my old friend was nothing if he wasn't ingenious! > > He had purchased a small > > > light that plugged into the cigarette lighter > > socket that he mounted over > > > the speedometer, wire and all. He turned it on at > > night so that he could see > > > the instrument cluster. > > > > > > > > The same gentleman screwed a door bell button > > from the hardware store into > > > the padded portion of the steering wheel. This was > > used to activate the horn > > > after the horn ring was broken off. He also had a > > very durable replacement > > > for his long since sheered off turn signal lever, > > a bright green tooth brush > > > sticking out the side of the steering column. > > > > > > > > Paul > > > > > > > > In a message dated 12/30/2003 7:17:33 PM Eastern > > Standard Time, > > > 65luxuryliner@xxxxxxxxxxxxx writes: > > > > > > > > > Hello List! > > > > > > > > > > There have been a number of posts on the List > > lately regarding swivel > > > seats. This morning I mentioned my experience > > with swivel seats and in > > > another post I wrote about a very useful gadget in > > another make of car I > > > own. My apologies to the List for mentioning > > another make! Had I not been > > > pressed for time this morning, I would have added > > to that (other make) post > > > with an idea I got while reading about the swivel > > seats. The idea is this: > > > In the last day and a half of 2003, I thought it > > might be kind of fun for > > > the members of the List to write with their > > experiences and or knowledge of > > > gimmicks and gadgets down thru the 20th century > > that helped sell (kill sales > > > of) our Imperials. I guess it would be out of the > > question for the IML > > > moderators to allow mention of gadgets and > > gimmicks from other makes. But > > > the gadgetry of Imperials and Chryslers alone > > could certainly generate some > > > interesting emails. How about it List? Does > > anybody have any interesting > > > stories to share or just want to mention some of > > the gadgets that have lured > > > us into the showrooms and helped get us to sign on > > > > > the dotted line! > > > > > > > > > > Greg McDonnell > > > > > '65 Imperial convertible > > > > > Other makes > > > > > > > ?ÿÂz.mNTjjzÊÊ"®1SS.z-TSSs?-¢w®¦{..w.¯x½Tjj¶?¶®z®¢mzÁj®z.mNI > > ¢§s?-¢z±m > > > > > > > > > > > > ----------------- http://www.imperialclub.com > > ----------------- > > > This message was sent to you by the Imperial > > Mailing List. Please > > > reply to mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx and your > > response will be > > > shared with everyone. Private messages (and > > attachments) for the > > > Administrators should be sent to > > webmaster@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx > > > To UN-SUBSCRIBE, go to > > > http://imperialclub.com/unsubscribe.htm > > > >