Re: IML: Imperial interior lights

[Christopher H <imperial67@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I believe this is exactly the reason, or close to it.

Remember, 4-door Imperials and other luxury sedans were often used with a
driver or chauffeur. The separation of the rear compartment from the front
dates to when there was a divider or an actual closed rear cabin (which
probably pre-dates interior lighting but establishes the employer/employee
zones of the rear and front cabins). If the driver needs to open the front
door for some reason, he would not want to awaken or reduce the privacy of
his passengers, so they made the front lighting not only separate but quite
discreet (a low map light below dash level, for example, so it would not
illuminate the rear passengers).

It also allows the driven passengers to turn on only the rear-cabin lights
to read or whatever while the driver drives from a relatively dark front
seat (easier to see out at night).

If you think about it, it's a rather elegant feature. And it's why low-end
family cars just lit up the whole car if any door is opened, often from a
single dome light in the middle of the roof.

As for the two-doors, not only are they rather impractical for chauffeuring,
but with no rear doors, what would activate the rear lights anyway? Keep in
mind that the "lucky person" in a luxury sedan was the one being driven in
the back seat. In a luxury coupe, it's the driver!

Chris in LA


On 2/24/06 11:23 PM, jsadowski at jsadowski@xxxxxxx wrote:

> Perhaps some found it annoying to be in the back of a "fine" car & have the
> rear lights come on when someone opened the front doors?
> John
> From: "rex crews" <rexcrews@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> To: <mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Friday, February 24, 2006 6:35 AM
> Subject: IML: Imperial lights
> 
> 
>> I am afraid this is how the lights were designed to come on.  In my '58 and
>> '60, only the map light comes on when the front doors are opened while the
>> dome light is only for the rear.  In two-doors, all the lights come on.   I
>> have puzzled on the reasons for this--low lighting to make older men and
>> women look more glamorous? :)  mood lighting?  I have a '58 Cadillac that
>> operates the same way, but as you go down the line, say to a Buick, all the
>> lights come on in a four door.  It's one of those myriad questions I would
>> like to ask the designers.
>> 
>> Rex Crews
>> 
>> 
>> 
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> 
> 
> 
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