Re: IML: IML'74 on Ebay. Special Handling?

[<pnkmoore@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I worry that I ask questions that have been the subject of previous threads,
but what the heck is "special handling?"

It's on the tag of a cool '74 that popped up on Ebay today, No. 2497278212.

See it at
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=43905&item
=2497278212&rd=1

Everytime I see one of these last of the great Imperials, I sigh with
longing (and gratitude that I have neither the money nor the place for them)
because I want them all.  I was only ten when this one was new, but I
remember them and marveling at the skirting side panels and the front grill.
I thought they were fabulous, I still do and I've never seen their equal.

But "special handling?"  I assume it means it was built to specs ordered by
the buyer?  I remember when people did that.  You never hear about "special
ordering" a car anymore.  The modern robots spitting out the car of today
can't be disturbed, I suppose, to make one to suit a particular owner.  I'm
not bashing modern automobiles.  I'm impressed with the modern technology
and I know no one could afford to build a yacht like the '74 Imperial tody,
or any other of the fine Imperials that we love, much less afford to buy
one.  It's too bad, however, that you can't seem to "order it from the
factory" anymore.

AND, I'm not ignoring the early 80s models (one of which I saw today pulling
onto Hwy 190 between Covington and Mandeville here in St. Tammany Parish,
Louisiana.  Light blue and pretty) nor the early 90s cars.  I admire and
lust for them too.

Anyway, I was intrigued and thought I'd ask all you brains out there what
"special handling" meant.

Thanks

Patrick
'58 Southampton

----- Original Message -----
From: "Tony Fortner" <keith_f79@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Sunday, October 24, 2004 7:55 PM
Subject: Re: IML: Fuselage Era - TO CARMINE!


>   HEy Carmine....
>
> I hate to tell you but the 69 is..for now out of commissioin....I hit an
old
> man at 65mph in it and it really did her in...BUT I WILL put it back on
the
> road..maybe not now  and maybe not tomorrow. But it will live again I am
> thinking that I will start on it in the spring......I put it back together
> once, and I most certainly do it again....Reply for pics.
>
>
>                                                        Tony Fortner
>
> >From: K C <chromacolor2@xxxxxxxxx>
> >Reply-To: mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> >To: mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> >Subject: Re: IML: Fuselage Era - further notes
> >Date: Sun, 24 Oct 2004 16:21:28 -0700 (PDT)
> >
> >
> >
> > > I myself have always preferred the fuselage era
> > > cars, especially the
> > > 69-71.  Maybe it's because I myself am a 1969 model,
> > > or those are the
> > > only ones I've had personal exposure to.
> >
> >I remember my first fuselage experience as a child. My
> >parents brought a book for me from the library called
> >"70 Years of Chrysler" (Which should have been titled
> >"50 years", as the book stopped around 1974!). I was
> >probably around 8-9 at the time (1980). No one in my
> >family had a fuselage car, they were all cheapskates
> >and drove Darts! Anyways... I remember looking through
> >this book and loving the massive, mean-looking 69-73
> >Imperials. Yep, I skipped right past the Chargers,
> >'cudas, etc. and right into the land-yacht section.
> >This was not to say that I didn't like the other cars
> >(I did) but I thought the Imperials were the bomb.
> >
> >I bought my first car at age 15, a 1969 300 4drhtp. I
> >did a lot of crazy stuff with that car, but I loved
> >it. That smooth, extruded look was just so cool. The
> >loop bumpers were distinctly "Mopar", except for the
> >best-looking Chevy ever, the '69 full-size, but even
> >that looks cheap next to the real deal.
> >
> >Fast-forward to 1996, when I'm dating my future wife
> >and driving a '69 300 Coupe. She had a '69 Cadillac
> >Coupe DeVille (she was 21!) First time I drove that
> >sloppy Caddy on a date, it was like "Yeeech! This is
> >why people dis' big American cars!" I let her drive my
> >300, and she was like "I need to sell this Caddy."
> >
> >So one day we're flipping through a car-book, and she
> >says "Wow, what is this?" I say, "that's a 1969
> >Imperial.." (Without telling her it was one of my
> >favorite cars.) Long story short, we drove out to
> >Minnesota in my '77 NYB and came back with a '69 Imp.
> >Well, we eventually sold that one to Tony Fortner (on
> >the list) because we needed the money/time to start a
> >business, but I'm happy to say she soon was driving a
> >big 'ol C-body wagon!
> >
> >There has got to be something about these cars, with
> >all the loyal customers... Too bad for the late
> >Chrysler Corp, they were 30 years too late!
> >
> >Another C/Y-body note... One of the houses I just
> >re-habbed and have on the market
> >(eastsidehomes.5u.com) had just one owner until I
> >bought it in 2004; a 94-year-old man who worked his
> >entire career on the line at the Jefferson Avenue
> >Assembly plant. I was really hoping to find some NOS
> >goddies stashed away, but have only found a few NOS
> >hood releases and one set of CHRYSLER block letters
> >from 1966. Ironically, I'm storing two '73 Imps in the
> >garage! An old neighbor came over one day, and looked
> >over the yellow '73. He said he owned several
> >Imperials when they were new, and always wished he had
> >ordered a sunroof.
> >
> >Finally, there is a '71 New Yorker coupe with a
> >sunroof on Ebay right now! '71 is my favorite NY'er
> >year, but I dare not bid!
> >
> >Carmine F.
> >
> >
> >
> >_______________________________
> >Do you Yahoo!?
> >Declare Yourself - Register online to vote today!
> >http://vote.yahoo.com
> >
> >
> >-----------------  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
> >
>
> _________________________________________________________________
> On the road to retirement? Check out MSN Life Events for advice on how to
> get there! http://lifeevents.msn.com/category.aspx?cid=Retirement
>
>
>
> -----------------  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
>



-----------------  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