Re: IML: Fuselage Era cars

["Bill Watson" <wwatson5@xxxxxxxxx>]

The 1972-73 Mopar C bodies were, indeed, fuselage as they kept the curved
sides.   The 1972 restyling of the Chrysler and Imperial removed some of the
side character lines but the curvature was still there.   The 4-door hardtop
rooflines of the 1972-73 models were carried forward from the 1969-71 models
with virtually no change.  The 2-door hardtop roofline was changed for 1972
and was shared with the Fury (non-formal), Polara, and Monaco.    The
1969-71 Chrysler/Imperial roofline differed from their lower-priced brothers
in the C-pillar and rear window areas.   By the way, the 1969-72 Fury 2-door
formal hardtop used the Fury 4-door hardtop roofline.

But what really makes the 1972-73 models different from the 1969-71 models
are the fender caps, front and rear.  The front fender ends on the 1972-73
models are larger and boxier while the rears are more vertical.   Both give
the 1972-73 Imperials a heavier, boxier look.  They seem to have lost that
slim, aerodynamic look the first generation fuselage models had.

When the 1969 models were introduced, they were described as "distrinctly
aerodynamic in appearance", with "curved sideglass and rounded body
contours".   Chrysler also declared the new bodies were roomier on the
inside with the Imperial having over three inches more shoulder room, front
and rear.

I have an advertisement for a 1969 Chrysler 300, showing the rear of a green
2-door hardtop.  Underneath a line drawing of the C-body cross-section
appears, "It can surround you with a fuselage.  A sweeping new design where
body and frame are one."

And from the hype on the bottom of the same ad :
"Your next car can have a fuselage-frame that curves up and around you in
one fluid line.  Close the window and the arc is complete.  From under the
doors to over the cockpit."

The fuselage models were Elwood Engel's last for Chrysler.  The theme would
appear in 1970 for the E bodies (Barracuda and Challenger) and in 1971 for
the B bodies (Satellite, Sebring, Coronet and Charger).   They were also to
appear for the A body (Valiant and Dart), but with the Valiant and Dart
selling so well, the styling was shipped to Australia where it was refined
and appeared as the (Chrysler) Valiant.

If Virgil Exner had had his way, the "fuselage" look would have appeared for
1962.  His proposals in 1959 for the S-series (1962) had curved side glass
and very curved side contours with no break in the C pillar from body sill
to roof.  The 1962 Plymouth and Dodge Dart were the remnants of that idea,
along with the 1963 Chrysler, which was Exner's 1962 Imperial modified to
fit the 1960-62 Chrysler shell.

Ironic that the last works at Chrysler of both Exner and Engel were around
the same theme.

GM followed Chrysler's lead in 1971, with their B and C bodies having one
Engel trademark Chrysler's C bodies did not - a low beltline.   Compare the
glass area of the 1965-68 C body with that of the 1969-73 and you will see
what I mean.


Bill
Vancouver, BC




----- Original Message ----- 
From: Mark McDonald
To: mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Thursday, August 18, 2005 9:53 PM
Subject: IML: Fuselage Era cars


Hi folks,

First, that is spelled "fuselage" and refers to the rounded shape of the
body of a 1969 Imperial when viewed in cross-section. Chrysler stylists (or
maybe the marketing department) coined the term to describe the resemblance
between an aircraft fuselage and the body of all their cars that year, not
just the Imperial. This shape is characterized by a large amount of what
stylists call "tumblehome" and "turnunder." Tumblehome is an extreme
curvature of the "B" pillar and side glass toward the top of the car (when
viewed in cross-section), and turnunder is an extreme curvature of the
sheetmetal from the middle of the body downwards to the bottom of the car
(again, when viewed in cross-section).

Most cars of the 1960's prior to the fuselage cars had very little
tumblehome or turnunder, and were relatively flatsided or box like, with
flat glass and little curvature of the body toward the rocker panels (i.e.,
the '68 Imperial, a near perfect box). Of course, today, 36 years later,
this kind of curvature is quite commonplace, but in 1969 it was years ahead
of its time.

The term "fuselage era" came along later and was, I think, the creation of
collectors who wanted a term to describe the cars of that period. To my
knowledge, this term was never officially used by Chrysler.

Second-- and there is disagreement about this-- in my opinion, the fuselage
era only lasted for three model years, 1969, 1970, and 1971. After that, the
Imperial was redesigned and lost the curved cross-sectional look associated
with the previous three years. Some people like to think of this period as
"2nd generation fuselage," but there really is no mention of this term in
any Chrysler literature that I'm aware of. If you look at a '73 next to a
'69 there is very little resemblance between the two. Yes, you can see that
both start from the same basic underpinnings, but the '73's do not have the
sleek, streamlined feel of the 69-71 years, and are much heavier and box
like.

Other people seem to think that if stylists came up with a name for a
particular design trend, well then by gosh every year of Imperial has to
have a special term or an "era" associated with it. This is not the case. To
my knowledge, there was no special design term associated with, or created
for, the 67-68 model years, or the 64-66 years. I think the "fuselage" term
was a good idea that simply came about, took hold, and lasted about 3
years-- the normal cycle for design trends in Detroit at that time-- and
after that they simply moved onto another look (maybe you would call it the
Massive Slabsided Look?).

Okay, all owners of 72-73 Imperials may now attack me freely. :)

Mark M



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