Thread: Ultimate fin car???

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For me,it would have to be a late 50s Mopar..A good opportunity to build another stroked B/B for it...

Got my first ticket in this exact car, red leather interior.
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Originally Posted by Dave Severson

Yeah Jay, glad you added the Imperial--don't remember what year it was but if I ever find one that is both affordable and buildable good possiblity everything else would get put on hold till the Chrysler was built!. When I was a kid I worked at a gas station, a Doctor in town had one of the Imperials, it was almost a privilege to just service the car when he came in...When he stopped for gas, he always got a bit of extra service, too! What a classic!!!!

When I got to AZ in '73, there was a body shop in Mesa that had a '58 Imperial sitting at the back of the lot, solid black, white leather interior. I stopped one day and inquired about it. They told me the fellows name who owned it and gave me his phone number. I called him and asked if the car was for sale. He said yeah, what do you have to trade for it. I had sold out all my stuff in N.C. before coming out west, so the only thing I could think of was a Polaroid camera that had belonged to my dad. I said I would trade it and the guy said "bring the camera to my house and I'll sign over the title". I did and he did. I'm pretty sure he wouldn't have made the deal if he had known that I only wanted the motor, a 392 Hemi. I pulled the hemi and Torqueflite out of it and junked the rest. See how smart I am? All I had to do was sit on it for 20 years.

The motor and transmission went into a '57 MGA roadster. Then, before I could get it done, a fellow came along and wanted to buy the body, but not the motor/trans. I pulled them and he towed the body away. Another fellow I knew had a flatbottom boat and was looking for a motor for it, so we made a deal and I helped him put it in the boat. I had been through the motor and freshened it up with a Racer Brown cam and assorted goodies, including two four-barrels, so it moved the flatbottom pretty well.

That is the sad story of how one beautiful Imperial met its demise.

"......That is the sad story of how one beautiful Imperial met its demise......"

Not to get too far off topic, but I personally believe that one of the main reasons that a lot of the old 51-58 Chryslers, Dodges and DeSotos survived the crusher (especially the less popular more door and luxury versions) was the fact that they still had a HEMI under the hood. The number of 392 HEMIs that are still out there amases me considering that it was only in production for 2 years and only fitted into the high end Chryslers.

One unusual "fin" treatment that also comes to mind is the 58 Chevy. Not nearly as pronounced as the sideways fins (wings) on the 59 and 60 models, I personally kind of developed a soft spot for them, although a lot of people will claim that one of the big factors for the popularity if the 57 Chevy was the introduction of the 58

the 1957 Ghia Crown Imperial was a big car . there was one out back of a body shop up north over 25 years ago i work at rusting away $$$$$$

On a related topis, I ran into a friend at a car show last night. He just found a '60 Buick two door he will probably buy. :-)

In an earlier century---(long,long ago, in a place far aWAY) as we were traveling across the country, we kept an eye out for what was behind the barns--looking for New Yorkers and Imperials so we might find a 392---remember buying 4 blocks from a gut one time----what are you ever going to do with 4 blocks??????:

Then there is the sunbeam tiger

59 Seville is pretty flashy

I think these are the biggest I've seen!

But wait there is more
I loved this one as a kid




But ultimately it does seem the 57 Chevy's show up intact all the time. Heck they even made them into boats they were so popular!

Heck I forgot the trucks too

Some how it always seems to come up "Mopar" don't it?

Originally Posted by jerry clayton

In an earlier century---(long,long ago, in a place far aWAY) as we were traveling across the country, we kept an eye out for what was behind the barns--looking for New Yorkers and Imperials so we might find a 392---remember buying 4 blocks from a gut one time----what are you ever going to do with 4 blocks??????:

jerry you should of told him you were in to weight lifting .i still remember when i was a kid my dad lifting and carrying them blocks to the basment and kept the cranks by the back door.mom was not loving that

Thanks for putting up the pics Steve!!! Some really unique stuff from back in the days when styling was still a consideration at the car companies!!!

I know its one of the trendy rides, but the 59 chevy is still leader in my book!