Hello All,
I am offering this comment without sufficient data to back it up. I had always heard that the reason for Chrysler's poor body quality had to do with Chrysler's buying of The Briggs Company. In late 1954 Chrysler bought the outside supplier of it's main body stampings. Prior to this, Chrysler had bought main body assemblies from this fine old car body company. The first year of corporate cars to be affected were the 57's. I lived in the upper Midwest during this time. I vividly remember year old Chrysler products with the headlights nearly falling out of the fenders!
As an aside, my family car was a 56 Imperial. At 200,000 miles it was traded on a 59 Imperial. The coachwork of the 56 was exemplary. The drivetrain, and all attendant systems still operated perfectly. The 59 was just the opposite. I do remember it feeling newer but at a price in overall quality. In my opinion, Chrysler never really was able to regain it's reputation for a producer of high quality automobiles. Everyone that was bought down to the last NYB had one problem after another. I hate to admit it, but GM really had it all over Chrysler in overall workmanship.
Okay, I am ready for the "slings and arrows" of other IML members!
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