"Suddenly it's 1957!" Cadillac vs. Imperial

[MrObsessive]

I was surfing YouTube and came across this very interesting dealer promo film about the then new '57 Chrysler Imperial. Lots of comparisons done to the '57 Cadillac Series 62 sedan and it's interesting to see how they did things back in those days.

No moving pictures..........everything was done in a "slide show" fashion, but neat to see just the same. Wouldn't it be just neat if we could get current kits of the Newport (shown later) and the '57 Imperial?? Modelhaus made one, but prices for those are simply outta sight these days!

Enjoy!

 

[ChrisBcritter]

And if you prefer the moving image (although poorer quality):

Note FoMoCo isn't represented here - wonder how Mercury and Lincoln would have measured up?

[SfanGoch]

Mopar......accept no substitutes.

[Spex84]

I am very curious to know how much of this is BS and how much is true. I suspect Mopar took a very slight advantage and exaggerated it as much as possible to make their cars look vastly superior to the competition.

That said, I sure wouldn't want to be flinging an Olds around tight corners at speed after watching this video!

Very entertaining regardless. Thanks for posting!

*Edit* I agree that it would be great to have more kits of the various '57 Chrysler models. I prefer the New Yorker and Windsor/Saratoga grilles and side trim to the Chrysler 300 of the same year.

Edited December 1, 2019 by Spex84

[Rodent]

If you want to disappear down a rabbit hole for hours, there are dozens of these old dealer training films on YouTube. I was watching Imperial vs. Lincoln for 1959 last night when Bill posted this thread.

[Deuces]

8 hours ago, SfanGoch said:

Mopar......accept no substitutes.

At least they had the 392 Hemi......

[59 Buick]

 

Ah YouTube (I want my 30932 hours back please),  but there are some great dealer videos appearing and i could lose more hours in that “Rabbit Hole”

A nice colour one And a couple of more dealer promo’s

 

 

 

Its great seeing these videos coming to light, although a shame that the quality isn’t better.

regards

Marty

 

Edited December 2, 2019 by 59 Buick

[OneTrickPony]

On 12/1/2019 at 4:58 AM, SfanGoch said:

Mopar......accept no substitutes.

Mopar or no car!

[espo]

You would have to be a really good salesman to sell the benefits of that toilet seat in the middle the Imperial's trunk lid.    

[stitchdup]

1 hour ago, espo said:

You would have to be a really good salesman to sell the benefits of that toilet seat in the middle the Imperial's trunk lid.    

Ah sir, I see you are a travelling farm equipment salesman. Have we got the feature for your long drives into the country. Are you often caught short on these trips well the new chrysler (tm) trunk potty is just what you need and for a small extra charge we can also provide a portable curtain for privacy.

[Richard Bartrop]

9 hours ago, espo said:

You would have to be a really good salesman to sell the benefits of that toilet seat in the middle the Imperial's trunk lid.    

"Here we have a look that combines the style of the Continental spare with modern practicality.  Jet age styling that still evokes the classic cars of a more elegant time."

Retro styling is nothing new, and just like now, your results may vary.

[espo]

8 hours ago, stitchdup said:

Ah sir, I see you are a travelling farm equipment salesman. Have we got the feature for your long drives into the country. Are you often caught short on these trips well the new chrysler (tm) trunk potty is just what you need and for a small extra charge we can also provide a portable curtain for privacy.

Now that's funny. 

[espo]

8 minutes ago, Richard Bartrop said:

"Here we have a look that combines the style of the Continental spare with modern practicality.  Jet age styling that still evokes the classic cars of a more elegant time."

Retro styling is nothing new, and just like now, your results may vary.

I agree with the whole Retro thing and we see it now as much as ever. Not sure if that was what Chrysler had in mind at the time. I just remember many rude remarks concerning this styling feature.  

[Richard Bartrop]

Oh, Exner loved his retro.   Here's the Imperial for '61

:

And of course he was responsible for the Revivals not long after he left Chrysler.

[espo]

The Head Lights would work good for a '30's or early '40's 1:1 street Rod. 

[ChrisBcritter]

8 hours ago, espo said:

The Head Lights would work good for a '30's or early '40's 1:1 street Rod. 

Joe Wilhelm's "Wild Dream" roadster used a pair of them.

(Hot Rod Magazine via kustomrama.com)

Edited December 5, 2019 by ChrisBcritter

[espo]

3 hours ago, ChrisBcritter said:

Joe Wilhelm's "Wild Dream" roadster used a pair of them.

(Hot Rod Magazine via kustomrama.com)

Great looking little Roadster. I wonder what the time frame for this build was. I notice he has Pie Crust Slicks on both the front and back. I remember a guy who had a '57 Chevy 210 around '62 or '63 and he had a set of Casler Slicks all the way around. They had just enough of a tread pattern that the Cops left him alone. He just couldn't drive it in the rain. Within a few years the major tire manufactures started offering 78 series tires followed by the 70 series. By the '70's we had 60 & 50 series tires. My be Joe was ahead of his time and going for the better handling from the wider tires. Back to the subject, this is exactly what I was thinking with the Imperial head lights.  

[Richard Bartrop]

11 minutes ago, espo said:

Great looking little Roadster. I wonder what the time frame for this build was.

According to Kustomrama, it was but over a three year period, and appeared on the Jan 1964 issue of Rod & Custom, so early '60s.  It also shared an AMBR win with the Invader in 1968.

[espo]

3 minutes ago, Richard Bartrop said:

According to Kustomrama, it was but over a three year period, and appeared on the Jan 1964 issue of Rod & Custom, so early '60s.  It also shared an AMBR win with the Invader in 1968.

That would put it right in that same time frame as the guy's '57 Chevy. At the time I thought it odd  but a few of years latter I was buying the widest tires I could find for my car both front and back. This guy was just ahead of the times. 

[espo]

On 12/4/2019 at 8:42 PM, Richard Bartrop said:

Oh, Exner loved his retro.   Here's the Imperial for '61

:

And of course he was responsible for the Revivals not long after he left Chrysler.

Just a little food for thought. I just check the Mecum Auction sales for today here in Kansas City. They had a '73 Imperial 2 owner car with about 43k on it. Sold for $3300.00. Now if your just needing a go to work car what can you buy for that ? It is Beige in color but looks very nice and the pictures seem to show a very well cared for car.