My ultimate goal is to have my 1959 Imperial smell, feel, and drive as if I just drove it out of the dealership in 1959. I have already encountered this feeling on several occasions, with the smell part left out, when everything comes together and works just right. It may never smell like a brand new '59 Imperial since there is a lot which goes into that fabulous new car smell, and fabrics, padding, and other materials have changed, but I can still have the feel of what it was like to drive a '59 Imperial back in 1959. If I altered something as major as the transmission or engine, this very important feeling would also be altered, and I would not be driving the same car. It is true I have upgraded to an alternator, but this is not changing the way the car operates other than recharging the battery, and is a small alteration which can be easily redone to it's original state. I cannot see how putting in a GM transmission will make your car any safer. These old Imperials with a good set of seat belts are probably safer than anything on the road today. The sheet metal alone is thicker than most of today's car bumpers, and who needs air bags when you out weigh almost everything on the street by a ton. Finally why bother to bring the car to shows, what area will you park it in, MISC.?
Bill '59 Crown
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