--- Mark McDonald <tomswift@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> I'm curious what draws a younger person to an older
> car, and in particular to an Imperial?
My interest in Imperials has always been a state of
mind.
When I was a kid, my Mom drove a '67 Newport sedan, my
Grandfather had a '65 Newport sedan (6 window, no
less!), and my Grandmother always drove Imperials.
The first Imperial that I remember was a '69, although
I was too young to remember much of it. When I was
about 4, Grandmother got a '71 Imperial, and that's
the car that got me solidly hooked on Imperials.
And in retrospect, I guess there was sort of an
intellectual snob appeal as well. :o) I remember
being about 12 or 13, and just becoming interested in
cars. All the other kids would read (browse?) Car &
Driver and such and get all wiggly over the new
Mustangs, Camaros, Trans Ams, and so on. And if
anyone's family was actively working on an old car, it
was from the same genre. Those cars never excited me,
and they still don't.
I found early on that I appreciate things that are
different and unusual, including my taste in cars.
Imperials are pretty different and unusual! They also
happen to be among the classiest, most tastefully
designed, as well as solidly engineered and built,
cars on the planet. Total comfort combined with
smooth, strong power were also two features that
appealed to me.
I bought my first Imperial (a '71) when I was 16.
Now, at the ripe old age of 30, I have that car, my
Grandmother's '71, a '71 parts car, a '70 Imperial
LeBaron, and a '65 Imperial LeBaron. The hook was set
deeply by age 12, and these magnificent cars just keep
reeling me in. ;o)
Why? As an adult, I think it's partly because I
recognize the difference between something that's
sufficient (my '01 Saturn is great basic, sufficient
transportation) and something that's EXCELLENT . . .
or Imperial.
Elijah
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