Outside Mirror Position - '56

[RandalPark@xxxxxxx]

Dick,

I agree with you. I have long thought that the mirrors on '55 and '56 Imperials 
may have been installed by the dealer which would explain the differences 
between the cars. Many photos of the cars show no mirror at all.

I also think it is at least possible that the mirrors on '55 and '56 Imperials 
were installed at the factory, but we may never know for sure. There are 
factory photos of '60 Imperials with no mirrors, and I am sure that they were 
installed at the factory. Go figure!

Paul

In a message dated 3/8/2004 11:21:22 AM Eastern Standard Time, "Dick Benjamin" 
<dickb@xxxxxxxxx> writes:

>I'd like to contribute the following to this discussion of mirror placement.
>
>I don't know anything about the issue with regard to Imperial, but I do know
>about industry practice in 1956, especially with regard to outside rear view
>mirrors (I bought a new Plymouth in 1956, so I was there!).   The cars did
>not come from the factory with mirrors, as they were considered a dealer
>item.   The dealers could put them anywhere they wanted, and they could buy
>their mirrors from any source.
>
>There WAS a factory recommended mirror, which could be ordered from the
>accessory catalog, and there was a factory recommended location for the
>factory recommended mirror, but not all dealers paid any attention, to
>either which mirror they put on the car or where they put it.
>
> To be specific, on Packards, (about which I can speak with some authority),
>the recommended mirror was very plain looking, and recommended to be placed
>on the driver's door, just about even with the vent window.   Some dealers
>complied (if you want to see an example, e-mail me for a picture).   Many
>dealers sold much more elaborate mirrors, (the famous "Yankee Pacesetter"
>for example), and there was a fad in those years of putting them up on the
>front fenders -where they are pretty useless, given the distortions of the
>wrap around windshields of those days.   I have examples of those also.
>The fancy mirrors might be put on the door also.  About 20 years later, the
>"mirror on the front fenders" craze hit Japan - if you look at pictures of
>cars sold in Japan in the 70s and early 80s, you'll see the same odd
>placement.
>
>Dick Benjamin
>----- Original Message ----- 
>From: <Black55Imperial@xxxxxxx>
>To: <mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>Sent: Monday, March 08, 2004 5:22 AM
>Subject: Re: IML: Outside Mirror Position - '56
>
>
>>
>> On my '56 Crown Imperial, the mirrors are on the fender and it is a
>basically
>> unmolested original car so I believe they came in that position on MY car.
>>
>> Randy Still
>> '56 Crown Imperial
>> '55 Imperial Sedan
>> '64 Imperial Crown Coupe
>>
>
>
>
>
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