Woo-Hoo! Gotta love this angels on a head of a pin stuff! And about '58s,
too, my fave subject! So, let's face it: We are all tripping because of the
price tag, right? Cool. And, probably, none of has that kind of loose
change right to hand. Soooooo . . . .
I say the air cleaner is correct, Arran. Same as '57. It should have
labels on it, too, as should the "generator." As to the cover for the spark
plug wires, well, I have tried to establish this definitively, and have not
yet managed it, but I tend to believe they matched the engine in '58. I
know they were black in '57, but there was a different valve cover that
year, which did not have the IMPERIAL stamping. I have taken mine down to
the metal on both sides and have never detected a trace of black, which I
did on the oil filler cover.
For $30K, I'd be wanting a whole lot more information than these pictures
supply. The toilet seat trunk lids leak notoriously badly, so you'd want to
scope the trunk very thoroughly. Regardless of its condition, you could
still justify the purchase on the basis of rich man's logic. If I buy a
painting for $1,000,000.00 I am just as wealthy after the purchase as I was
before. My assets have just taken a different form, but one which will at
the very least hold value. Imperials are not on many peoples top cars to
own. The 57s & 58s command the greatest public awareness, and the
convertibles are at the top of the pecking order. There is a demand, there
is a very limited supply, and not only do the cars look fantastic but the
owner gets to be a little outside the main frame and hence have the cachet
of being just a little more exclusive and discriminating.
I for one am all in favour of these cars achieving high prices. The more
sought after these cars are, the greater the chance of the breed surviving
and of parts being available. I know several people who have spent more on
just a paint job, and so do y'all, probably.
Hugh
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