finned cars

["Chris Bray \(Bray's Auto Body\)" <braysautobody@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Greg,

The canted fins, or actually "slanted" fins came on several cars of the late
50's.  The most pronounced canting of the fins are on the Chrysler and
DeSoto for 1960 and 1961.  Plymouth had canted fins in 57, 58, and 59 as did
Chrysler, and Dodge.  The Dodge fins are barely slanted, and can only be
seen as such straight from the back end of the car.

Imperial also had canted fins from 57 to 60.  The cant on these fins was
slight, especially the 60.

Apparently, this engineering was supposed to give these cars a "dart flight"
look.

The 61 Imperial has huge fins, but I'm not sure if they are canted or
not--I've never seen one up close.

Hope this helps you!!

Chris     60 Imperial Crown Sedan







----- Original Message -----
From: "Greg and Russell" <65luxuryliner@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Saturday, December 21, 2002 9:21 AM
Subject: IML: finned cars


> Hi finned car entusiasts!
>
> Although I don't currently own one I love the fins too.  I was just
> wondering and thought I'd ask the fin experts which Imperials or other
> Chrysler/Dodge/Pltymouth models had canted fins? When I think of canted, I
> think of the headlights on the '62 Chryslers.  As for canted fins, I think
> of the '59 Impala or the '60 Ford cars.  I will be eager to be
enlightened!
>
> Greg (no finned car yet but wishing for one)
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Alan Harper" <alan__harper@xxxxxxxxx>
> To: <mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Saturday, December 21, 2002 3:31 AM
> Subject: IML: finned cars
>
>
> >
> > >The Exner-era cars have a bad reputation, but it wasn't Virgil's
designs
> that
> > >caused this it was the corporate big wigs at Chryslers. Virgil Exner
was
> a
> > >meticulous designer. Today people mostly remember the decadent fins of
> the
> > >late fifties and equate them to Exner. The fin was only one of many
> design
> > >elements incorporated into these cars. All fins are not created equal,
> > >however. Exner actually tested models of his designs on a wind tunnel
to
> get
> > >the most efficient aerodynamics. This is how he came to the conclusion
> that
> > >the canted fin was best. Unlike Exner, GM's designers tacked on
> inefficient
> > >straight up style fins on their cars. The casnted fin proved itself in
> wind
> > >tunnel test to have the best aerodynamics and ability to cheat the
effect
> of
> > >cross winds. This is why Mopars have canted fins rather than straight
up
> > >fins. The design that we know as "Forward Look" was originally slated
for
> the
> > >1960 model year. As I mentioned before the big wigs wanted to push the
> > >production of these designs three years forward for 1957. While they
did
> > >steal GM's crown, the rush of these cars into production meant poor
> quality
> > >control. This is the true reason why these cars rusted prematurely. The
> fin
> > >era ended as abrubtly as it started. While today nouveau folks think
that
> > >winged cars are laughable. In the late 50's they pointed the way to a
> future
> > >that wouldn't arrive.
> > >
> > >                  Doug
> > >                  58 Crown coupe (Exner designed)
> >
> > ============
> >
> > I always equated the finned car design to the public's attention to the
> new
> > jet planes that were arriving on the scene.  The Canadian Avro Arrow
> CF-105
> > was a very advanced plane in the late 50's.  I'm not all that familiar
> with
> > the American ones, but that was the time when the sleek fighters first
> > appeared with delta wings and various fins on them.
> >
> > Even more attention-getting was the space program.  In 1957, I was 10
> years
> > old.  We didn't have a television yet, but I read the newspapers and
> > listened to the radio.  Nothing, but NOTHING, was bigger news than those
> > pesky Russians putting the first ship in orbit.  The space race was on
and
> > every launch was front page news, with pictures.  Those space ships all
> > had, you guessed it, FINS!
> >
> > That aerodynamic design, emphasizing speed and power with its fins
caught
> > the publics attention, big time, and that included car design.  The car
> > companies built those fins on cars, because it sold cars.  Its what
people
> > wanted, at least for 3 or 4 years until the novelty wore off.
> >
> > I remember reading a full page article in the Toronto newspaper, in
1957,
> > which predicted that in 10 years, 1967, we would all be driving flying
> > cars, and it had drawings of cars with fins and wings big enough for
> > flight, flying all over the city.  Like Doug said, that future never
> arrived.
> >
> > Anybody else notice that?
> >
> > Alan Harper
> > 64 Mercury 3/4 ton flatbed
> > 69 Dodge D100 pickup
> > 76 Chrysler New Yorker Brougham
> > 92 Ford T-Bird
> > alan__harper@xxxxxxxxx
> > SI VIS PACEM, PARA BELLUM
> >
> >
> >