brougham script

[Mark McDonald <tomswift@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

James,

I really don't know the answer to your question, but I'm guessing it was
created by the design dept., or the "Styling" dept., or whatever they
called it in the mid-1970s, at Chrysler.  I doubt it came from anywhere
else.

My 1970 New Yorker has a similar crest on it, which I think was only used
on New Yorkers, never Imperials (to my knowledge).  On mine it looks
almost like a stylized castle.  These things appear as if they were
loosely based on English heraldic crests that certain families used on
flags, banners, shields, etc. in medieval times (going out on a limb
here-- no expert on heraldry!)-- but I think the styling dept. tried to
modernize them or at least figure out a link between the model of car and
the symbols they used.  The Newport had a crest, too, with 3 little
"doo-dads" in it (never looked closely at one, so I'm not sure what they
were).

This is one of the thing that fascinates me about old cars: the crests are
a touch of fantasy & fun.  American manufacturers seemed to want to give
their customers the feeling that their vehicles had a history, or a sense
that by buying a particular vehicle you became a part of some special
group with a unique and "ancient" history-- maybe even something royal or
Kingly.  As if by buying a NYB you suddenly became a member of the Royal
Family or something!  (ha ha)  If a man's home is his castle, then it
seems only fitting that the car he drives should have a crest on it!

I mean, in one sense, it was phony.  The grand history of the New Yorker
doesn't go back hundreds of years, and some people may view a crest with
lions on it as hokey or stupid, but I think it's kind of cool.  At least
it's better than today's total disregard for even the hint of a heritage
(except in Chrysler products), and the neutral non-references on Japanese
and German cars . . . I mean, just how excited can you get about a series
of numbers and letters??  The XLI 3.2?  Wow, is that a computer file or a
car??

Give me a car with a LION on it somewhere!  (Or at least a griffin!)
Something to get your imagination going-- I think that's all it is.

Mark M  :)

James wrote:

> Hi,
>
> Does anyone know the history of the Brougham crest used on the NYB's?
> Did Chrysler concoct it themselves, or was it robbed from somewhere
> else?  Is there any meaning to the crest and the lions?  How many years
> did Chrysler use it?
>
> Okay, that's enough questions for now!
>
> James
>