Welcome Currell, tell us more about your 53. There
are quite a few of us 53-54 owners on the list.
Kerryp
54 Imp, bunch of others
--- Currell Pattie <currellpattie@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> Hello: I am new to this Forum (53 Imp) and came
> across this posting. I live
> in the Detroit area, and was a friend of Dave Holls,
> the late GM designer
> who influenced a number of GM designs from the 50s
> through the 70s. I also
> was around during the 50s and have some first hand
> opinions of what really
> happened.
>
> It is true that GM was caught unawares by the '57
> Chrysler line. And it is
> also true that Ford outsold Chevy for '57. But the
> '57 Chevy was not by any
> means viewed as a "bad" design. Chevy was on its 3rd
> year of a design theme,
> whereby Ford and Plymouth (Chrysler, in general)
> were in the initial year.
> Chevy's roofline also was higher, which made it look
> a bit less "futuristic"
> vs its showroom competition. But to say that the
> Chevy's fins were simply
> "added on" just isn't accurate; it was instantly
> acknowledged in late '56
> that Chevy had successfully updated their vehicle.
> It's just that the
> competition was really on its game for that one
> year.
>
> All three, Chevy, Ford and Plymouth, did a great
> design job in '57. This is
> why 1957 is considered such a watershed year now,
> especially in comparison
> to the '58s, GMs especially! Ford's '58 hood
> airscoop and grille change were
> unsuccessful, and they reverted back to 2nd place.
> (Ford regained the sales
> lead in '59, cut this primarily was because of the
> steel strike that year
> [Ford made its own steel], and Chevy had the
> "Batmobile that year).
>
> Chrysler's problem in the late 50s was not design,
> it was quality control.
> It was obvious in the showrooms, and in short order
> was raising its ugly
> head on the highway. Chrysler's decision to extend
> "50s styling" into the
> early 60s really hurt, especially when confronted
> with the clean '61 line
> that GM presented, now influenced by Bill Mitchell
> (Earl had retired by
> then).
>
> Currell Pattie
>
>
> >From: "ERIC C MARSH" <ECMarsh@xxxxxxxxxxx>
> >Reply-To: mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> >To: <mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> >Subject: Re: IML: Classics & Imperials
> >Date: Tue, 21 May 2002 09:32:38 -0400
> >
> >The AACA uses Classic Car Club of America
> designations for pre-WWII
> >vehicles. When we talk about post -WWII the
> designation is Prestige
> >Vehicles
> >and are shown in Class 29. The Crown Imperial is
> shown in that class. My
> >1956 doesn't qualify for class 29 but my 1965
> convertible, when completed ,
> >does. I consider both to be classy vehicles.
> >----- Original Message -----
> >From: Hugh & Therese <hugtrees@xxxxxxxx>
> >To: Imperial Mailing List
> <mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> >Sent: Monday, May 20, 2002 1:56 AM
> >Subject: IML: Classics & Imperials
> >
> >
> > > Hmm, if beauty is in the eye of the beholder,
> then some folks need to
> >visit
> > > their optician. If 59's are soooo good why do
> there owners always want
> >to
> > > "improve" them. Pinnacle of the breed, indeed.
> > >
> > > (The above is intended as a humorous retort. A
> joke, in other words.
> > > Sigh.)
> > >
> > > But, here's a thing. I don't think there are
> ANY Imperials on the
> >Classic
> > > Car Club Of America's semi-official list of cars
> that can truly be
> >described
> > > as design classics. Maybe one or two or the
> coach built one off cars
> >from
> > > the 30's, but nothing else. From my preferred
> era I think a 300 C or
> >maybe
> > > the D makes their cut. Can anyone confirm or
> refute this?
> > >
> > > I caught the back end of a show on the History
> channel the other day
> >about
> > > the GM motorama car series, the so-called "Dream
> Cars" episode. What
> >caught
> > > my attention was the interview with some of the
> actual GM designers, now
> > > elderly, of course, who were thought of as the
> young Turks within GM's
> > > design ranks at that time. They thought Harley
> Earl was past his best
> >work
> > > and that the designs coming out from Chrysler
> Corp were leaving them in
> >the
> > > dust. They may have sold better but both the 58
> Cadillac and the 58
> > > Lincoln - an abomination designed by one Elwood
> Engel, it should be
> >noted -
> > > were poor designs in comparison to what Chrysler
> Corp was putting out.
> >The
> > > GM designers were wowed at the time by the
> Forward Look, particularly
> >the
> > > incredibly thin roof lines and the fully design
> integrated fins.
> > >
> > > Behind Mr. Earl's back they began to create
> their own versions of the
> > > forward look. What is funny is that this was
> well known and understood
> >at
> > > the time. The fins on the '57 Chevy were simply
> added on to the '56s,
> >and
> > > the car sold badly as it was regarded at the
> time as a poor cut and
> >paste
> > > job rather than a fresh design.
> > >
> > > Dan Wing submitted a fun reminder of this from
> the December 1958 issue
> >of
> > > Road & Track. The magazine asks why Cadillac's
> by now glorified '59 -
> >which
> > > the "Dream Car" TV shows describes as the
> pinnacle of late 50s excess -
> >is
> > > simply a knock off of the 58 Imperial. The
> similarities are there to be
> > > seen. I had the chance to scope one very
> recently and was very stuck by
> >the
> > > heavy handed duplication of many of the 58
> Imperial design elements.
> >Here
> > > is a link to the Road and Track item:
> > >
> > > http://www.58imperial.com/IMPCADDY
> > >
> > > Hugh
> > >
> > > PS. I had the joy, today, of seeing a lovely,
> virtually original 1957
> > > Chrysler Saratoga. Less than 60K since new,
> original paint and looking
> > > very, very nice. The owner has just joined our
> local club and was keen
> >to
> > > see our two cars together. Along with a 1958
> Plymouth "Christine"
> >clone,
> > > which appeared last year, I am happy to report a
> growing interest in
> >Exner
> > > era Mopars.
> > >
> > > On a more contentious note, I was asked to
> contact a local man who is
> > > working on a 1961 Imperial and who needs help
> finding parts, especially
> >for
> > > the brake system.. He has some plans for the
> coupe that make me wince a
> > > little, including chopping the roof line and
> making a "Hot Rod" out of
> >it
> >in
> > > terms of appearance, while keeping the
> mechanicals
=== message truncated ===
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