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I can't believe that this is 2005 and we are still hearing about how bad
Imperials were in the late 50's! I bought a 58 Imperial coupe in
1959 and had no major problem with it at all. Having "been there" gives
one a different perspective of the time. As it is today
with most "journalists" in the back pocket of leftist politicians, the
50's was a time of blatant payola on every front. Before I am
branded with a conspiracy hound label, check out the 1957 Imperial
review in the respected, learned journal, none other than the "unbiased"
Consumer Reports. The writer concluded that a lady would have
difficulty removing the spare tire from under the trunk lid. That was
typical of the honest journalism of the day. To this day, Chrysler is CR's
favorite whipping boy.
The only objective "untouchable" writer of the era was Tom McCahill
of Mechanix Illustrated.
Not since the Tucker was GM so off guard than in 1957. They
followed up with the beautiful chrome laden Pontiac and Oldsmobile wart
hogs. Chrysler was not alone in build quality problems in that
era, and in basic design, GM led the pack over both Ford and Chrysler as
the champions of chintz. As an engineer friend once commented, they
brought chintz to a fine art. So it all boils down to one thing:
perception.
Suggested reading: Vance Packard; The Hidden Persuaders,
1957. It's even more applicable today.
Personally, I benefited from the mind set of the day. One could
buy a beautifully engineered, one year old Chrysler for far less than a
mundane "faultless" GM or Ford.
Then spend a few weekends reassembling what the overpaid, piecework
Detroit assemblers slapped together, and Viola! A classic for
the next century to appreciate.
Ken Stephenson '82 Imp
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