Hi Greg;
I own a 61 Imperial and the fins are slightly canted on it also.
Sincerely,
John & Shirley Nimmo
(Miss Anne - 1961 Crown Imperial)
>From: "Chris Bray \(Bray's Auto Body\)" <braysautobody@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
>Reply-To: mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>To: <mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>Subject: Re: IML: finned cars
>Date: Sat, 21 Dec 2002 11:27:57 -0600
>
>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
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > ----------------- http://www.imperialclub.com -----------------
> > > This message was sent to you by the Imperial Mailing List. Please
> > > reply to mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx and your response will be
> > > shared with everyone. Private messages (and attachments) for the
> > > Administrators should be sent to webmaster@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> > > To UN-SUBSCRIBE, go to http://imperialclub.com/unsubscribe.htm
> > >
> >
> >
> >
Back to the Home of the Forward Look Network