Chrysler Imperial

["Rog & Jan van Hoy" <vanhilla@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I thought Bill Watson did his usual excellent analysis of
why the '81-'83 Imperial was an Imperial make, NOT a
Chrysler.  Position 2 of the 17-digit VIN is "A"=Imperial.
"C"=Chrysler.  The Imperial was the only "Y" carline
[Position 5].

Comparing the two analyses, I notice in the last post the
words, "I can only imagine" and "probably."  This leads me
to believe that of the diverging opinions Bill was right as
usual.

Bottom line, who gives two hoots?  Imperials were a special
car for special people, and still are, whether they're a
"model" or a "make."  Or whether or not the '66 was the last
"true" Imperial.

--Roger van Hoy, '55DeSoto, '42DeSoto, '66Plymouth,
'73Duster, '81 Imperial, Washougal, WA


----- Original Message -----
From: "Christopher Hoffman" <imperial67@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Sunday, July 21, 2002 4:48 PM
Subject: Re: IML: Chrysler Imperial


| The '81-83 Imperials are indeed Chrysler Imperials,
regardless of body
| designation (as are the '90-94 models).
|
| I can only imagine that in 1981, the first year Chrysler
switched over to
| the now-standardized 17-digit VIN system, they planned to
re-launch the car
| as a model line but instead chose at the last minute not
to burden dealers
| with replacing the Imperial signage and all that kind of
stuff that had been
| obsolete since 1975.
|
| Ultimately, they probably listed both A and C VINs as
"Chrysler"
| designations.
|
| Another example of Chrysler muddying the marketing of
their finest
| product...
|
| Chris in LA
|
| Bill Watson (wwatson@xxxxxxxxx) wrote:
| > Same problem registering / insuring my 1983 Imperial
(which is also not a
| > Chrysler).   The second digit of the VIN is the make of
the vehicle, and I
| > pointed out to the nice lady behind the counter that my
car was "A", not
| > "C".    She checked, and sure enough, all Chryslers (New
Yorker, LeBaron,
| > Fifth Avenue, Cordoba, etc.) cars were "C" and, yes, my
car was "A", but her
| > lists showed the car as a CHRYSLER Imperial.   Yes, "B"
was Dodge, "P" was
| > Plymouth and "E" was Eagle, but "A" was Chrysler, just
like "C".