Hi Hal and All:
Just offering my own two cents to say not to let
hobbyists who don't 'get' Imperials (or "Forward Look-
cars in general) 'get you down'!! I'm continually
amazed at how tight of a grip that 'group-think' has
on our hobby. Why does everybody have to collect
Corvette's, Mustangs and '57 Chevy's? The following
is my humble rationale for the 'fin-era' and
Exner's 'neo-Classic' themes. Read or skip according
to your personal inclination... :-)
Exner's Forward-Look generation was designed in the
early and mid-1950's, when jets and rockets were the
most advanced technology immaginable. Anything 'high-
tech' would surely be connected somehow to jets
and 'space-travel'. So of course, it was accepted
that the "look" of ALL truly advanced technology would
be draw upon JET/ROCKET themes. Why? Because it
was 'advanced'.
But technology changed at 'jet speed' during that
decade. It soon became aparent that there was no one
single "LOOK of technology" - it simply didn't exist.
Industrial designers quickly and uniformally accepted
the 'form-follows-function' aesthetic - and they were
basically correct... Whilt it sure is cool, it
probably is not most efficient for a dashboard to look
like a gyroscope.
But that DOES NOT mean that Exner's designs
were 'wrong,' flawed, short-sighted, or invalid.
Indeed, Exner's designs are more ergonimically correct
than most other designs of the period. But they were a
glorious product of that particular space-in-time, and
should be celebrated as such.
Sure, by the end of the Sixties, we knew that a flat
spoiler perched horizontally across the trunk (and an
air dam below the front bumper) would better aid
efficiency and stability. But who would have
purchased such a car in 1957...? Nobody, that's who!
With his (comparatively) lowered front ends, raised
tails, and elongated fins, Exner was taking the
necessary first steps TOWARD that kind of thinking.
It just amazes me that so many critics (amateur AND
professional) fail to acknowledge that Exner's were
the first contemporary American designs to truly
wrestle with the 'form-follows-function' equation.
Car design probably changed faster between 1948 and
1958 than at any time before or since. In 1948,
although cars had become more 'streamlined', we were
still in the era of separate fenders, domed hoods, two-
piece windshields (there was still a space for running
boards) - the same basic shapes worn by automobiles
since the dawn of the 20th century.
Just take the 'pure' '57 Forward-Look line for an
example... If you take away the fins (<gasp> I know,
sacrelige..., I love them too, but just 'go there'
with me for a moment), you have the first example of
the 'modern' American sedan - long, low and wide; flat
hood; slim roofline... It's all there - 3 to 5 years
before everybody else in the industry!
And what of Exner's 'post-classic' themes of '61
through '63? I think Exner also realized the validity
of the form-follows-function concept, but he wanted to
do it with some style! His '61-63 Imperial updates
both hark back to his 'pure automobile' look of '55-
56, AND presage the 'neo-classical' look that would
dominate the industry by the end of the decade - the
protruding grille, hood ornaments, padded/textured
roof treatments, long-hood/short-deck, landau bars -
but Exner did it first!!
I've always been especially troubled by those
hobbyists who go on and on about how 'outlandish' they
find the the length, the chrome and, of course, the
fins on our mid-Century Mopars. To my mind, those are
all hallmarks of the era. If one doesn't find delight
in such things, then why not just get a new, egg-
shaped, econobox and leave it at that?! If you want a
new car..., go on and buy one!
Ahhh..., my first 'styling tirade' of the new year!!
I just love the IML - LOL! Enjoy your '63, Hal, and
every quirky, distinctive line of it!!
Jim Byers
1960 Le Baron Southampton
Washington, DC
--- Original Message ---
From: Hal Coble <hal@xxxxxxxxx>
To: mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: RE: IML: 1963 Background
>Thanks for the info. That is exactly the type of
education I need. Now I
>can say that my 63 is like none other because it is
between two years that
>had clearly defined styles. The pictures and info
you have given me are
>great also. They only create one problem! I am at
work and have to pull
>myself away from all of this great info! Thanks
again.
>
>Hal Coble
>1963 Crown Imperial Southampton
>Georgia
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: mailing-list-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>[mailto:mailing-list-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf
Of Mark Evans
>Sent: Wednesday, January 01, 2003 10:22 AM
>To: mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>Subject: Re: IML: 1963 Background
>
>
>Hal,
>Glad to have another '63 enthusiast on the list! The
source of the 63
>status probably comes from Exner's departure in
late '61. He had a heart
>attack in '56 as Chrysler was ramping up the design
of the '61 cars. '62 and
>'63 were the last of the "Forward Look" with their
tailfins shaved. '62's
>free-standing taillamps harkened back to '55's
while '63 even lost that
>styling cue. Many show cars of the late 50's hint of
the direction Exner
>planned for 61 and beyond. For example, here's
the '59 Plymouth XNR:
> http://www.madle.org/exnr.htm
>
>In 1961, Elwood Engel took control of styling at
Chrysler. In a dramatic
>break with the past, Imperial took on design cues
from Continental in 1964.
>Some feel that, as a transition car, '63 neither had
the drama of Exner's
>previous cars nor did it have the "modern look" that
Engel brought to the
>marque. Here's a comparison photo of the '63 Imperial
next to a '63
>Continental (sorry if the URL gets split):
>
>http://www.imperialclub.com/yearbyyear/1963/FactoryPho
tos/63-imp-linc-small.
>jpg
>
>Regardless, with its free-standing headlamps and all
the interior gadgetry,
>you have a fine example of what I consider the best
Chrysler offered. I
>first fell in love with the '63 upon discovering a
green Crown in 1985. I
>bought and drove that car until '95 when I sold it to
start my search for a
>convertible example. I found one in '99 and enjoy the
stares I get as people
>try to figure out what it is when stop for gas.
>
>I put a copy of the factory service manual up on the
web site at:
>
http://www.imperialclub.com/yearbyyear/1963/63FSM/index
.htm
>
>Looking like a nice day here in Houston. I'll see if
I can figure out how to
>get to the latch.
>
>Again, welcome to the club!
>Mark Evans
>1963 Imperial Crown Convertible
>http://www.io.com/~maevans/MyImperial/index.html
>1968 Dodge Polara 500 Convertible
>http://www.io.com/~maevans/MyPolara/index.html
>
>
>
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