I`ve been wondering for decades why there aren`t any -61 Imperials that haven`t been customized? Is it because it´s too radical from the beginning to start with or what? Anyone got a clue or idea`? Just wondering, Christian.
More like the 4 decades of laughing at them hasn't polished their image any! Chrysler lost their way in styling a BIG way in the early 60s. They progressed from innovation in the mid-30s to Granny's cars in the 40s-early 50s to interesting in the late 50s to WTF in the early 60s.
No customized Imperials? Here is a pic from the late sixtys. I hijacked the picture here on the HAMB. I recogniced the licenceplate and located the builder to Hudiksvall. Rumors are told that the car is still alive, and are spotted in an backyard in somewere in Stockholm.
I just found a 57,8,9 Imperial sitting behind a warehouse today, left a name and number next door, guys outta town... Black... Didn't look too shabby from about 100 ft away... We'll see..
Love that Dagostino car. I remember the build up series in R+C. Don´t forget that glass is custom made, before you rush into a roof chop. Post some pictures of your car!
Sorry to say, but that is not an Imperial. It is a -58 Dodge Coronet, and the photo is from Colorod magazine #1-1973. And the car do still exist! I took photos of it, when it was parked in a backyard south of Stockholm. The owner collects Swedish customs and he have more than this one. I published some of my photos of it in Rolls & Pleats #1-2001 but I have many more...
Custom Rodder showed another one, a rootbeer brown car, I forget just what issue but in the last couple years the mag existed. Not as traditional a car but not bad and nothing radical, another '57 2-door. But Imperials have mostly been a place to rob parts from for other cars - taillights, deck lid spares, 57-8 headlights, 59 grilles, 60-62 headlights... etc.
'61 Imperial is a favorite of mine, I would love to own one. The D'agustino car is amazing, I remember reading all about the build in Custom Rodder and I just loved it. It took balls to cut the fins down, I don't know if I could have done it but in the end it turned out very nice, as did the stainless roof insert and the custom made glass. As to why there are so few customs, one is just the fact that they are extremely low production cars. There were less than 2000 '61 Imperial 2 door hardtops built, and only around 12000 total production. That's not very many. Then factor in their tendancy to rust out early, the desirable parts on them which were often robbed like 413 engines, and (most unfortunately) their desirability for demolition derbys. There just aren't very many around. That doesn't mean I wouldn't love to see some though.
Yep, I knew offcourse about D`agostinos Imperial, who wouldn`t? Wery fine car. It is outstanding. About -61;s I have an photoshopped image of one that I did many years ago, sorry for the bad taste flames, I don`t know what I was thinkin`...
I loved those build stories that Custom Rodder used to do. I couldn't wait until the next issue to see what was going to happen next. They followed the build of a number of John's cars.
Ok, got an idea. How about light customizing? Photoshopped an DeSoto grill to this car; What would you say?
I like Imperials. Not sure what you could really do with yours, aside from a bit of dechroming. Just lower it on some Astros and skinny whites and paint it glossy black. Satanic!
Thank you for your kind words, I`ve now added Buick portholes and lakepipes... Oh, and yes I faded the original parklamps away...
The Desoto grille would look better with all 4 headlights and just lose the DeSoto parking lights. (would look like a '59 Imperial grille) And Buick portholes are for Buicks.
I agree, dual lamps look alot better. The portholes was just an idea which leads to original designer Virgil Exner, who draw the Stutzes after getting kicked from Chrysler...
I like Your photoshop top chop. That would look wicked done right. Of course having the glass made might get a little pricey. If You must change the fr end, I agree it would look best with the stock quad headlights. I´d stay away from the ´55 Soto grille however, everybody else and their brother has one plus it´d be way too easily recognized. How about a ´59 Imperial -unit instead...? For the same sake, stay away from all and any flat paints, scallops, flames and such. You can never go wrong with gloss black. Add a set of fat, bias-ply whitewalls, some stock-looking hubcaps the smoothest variety You can find, lower it and tint the windows pitch black...
Now were talking Been thinking of the -59 Imperial grill actually too. And that "crap off the roof" seems interesting... Hmm...
Well, they might have... I just remember that I posted photos of the Chrysler/Dodge in an earlier post (or at least as it did look a few years ago) http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=35904&highlight=51+lincoln+taillights&showall=1
Yesterday I went for a testdrive with my Imperial. It was the first time since 1971 that the car was in traffic. Everything went quite well except that the converter seal started to leak and the powersteering fluid boiled over...
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