Re: IML: odd LeBaron/branding question

["Bill Watson" <wwatson5@xxxxxxxxx>]

Little late in this, but the eagle, its wings, weaths, etc. were not the
symbol of LeBaron coachworks.   First,  "LeBaron coachworls" existed only in
the minds of the design, markerting, and advertising personnel of the late
1950's and eatly 1960's.

To give a litle history on LeBaron (and please pardon the rudenss of quoting
myself - too lazy to re-type it) :

 "Someone asked where the name came from.  Actually, it was chosen for the
same reason as the partners decided to call it "Carossiers" instead of "Body
Company" - it looked and sounded French.  In the era just after World War I
France was considered the leader in auto body design and thus the French
names.  It was strictly to tie the firm's image with French design
leadership in  the minds of luxury car buyers.   Which is also why Hibbard
and Darrin went to France and eventually joined forces for form a design
firm in Paris.   It was the place to be."

"As for the plant in Bridgeport, Connecticut,  LeBaron used that plant from
1924 (when it merged with Bridgeport Body) to 1930, when the firm closed its
doors.   The LeBaron bodies of the 1930's were built by LeBaron-Detroit, a
subsidiary of Briggs, in a plant on Meldrum Avenue in Detroit.   LeBaron
bodies of the late 1940's and very early 1950's were apparently assembled in
Briggs's Mack Avenue faciltity, one of the plants that Chrysler acquired
when it purchased Briggs's American body facilities in 1952/53.   Chrysler
also acquired the rights to the LeBaron name at that time.

"There were three LeBaron firms :
   LeBaron Carossiers, Inc.  (1920-1924)
   LeBaron, Inc. (1924-1930)
      Formed after merger with Bridgeport Body
      Purchased by Briggs in 1926
   LeBaron-Detroit Company  (1927-1941)
      Subsidiary of Briggs"

The last true custom bodies produced by LeBaron were probably the Chrysler
Thunderbolt and Phaeton, both Chrysler designs.   Post-war work was
basically modifications of  production bodies.  The late Hugo Pfau, a
designer with LeBaron in the 1920's and 1930's, joined forces with another
ex-LeBaron employee to form a new LeBaron company in the mid-1950's.
Shortly after announcing their venture, they were informed by Chrysler's
legal counsel that Chrysler owned the rights to the LaBaron and had acquired
same as part of the Briggs purchase.   Mr. Pfau, without a reputable name
for his new firm, abandoned the idea.

One of the founders of LeBaron Carossiers, Inc. was Raymond H. Dietrich, who
would leave the firm in 1925 to form Dietrich, Inc., with financial backing
from the Murray Corporation.  Murray was a mass-producer of car bodies, as
was Briggs.   Dietrich left the firm in 1930, although Murray retained the
rights to his name.   He did some design work for Graham in 1930-31 and was
head of Chrysler styling from 1932 through 1938.

As for the eagle, it datea back to 1951 and formed the basis for the hood
ornaments on the 1951-54 Chrysler Imperials.  The first eagle with wings
spread out appeared on the front grille and rear trunk of the 1955 Imperial,
the eagle looking to its right.  The first Imperial LeBaron appeared for
1957, and as with all Imperial LeBaron models until the end in 1975, was
built on the same assembly line as the lesser Imperials by the same
workers..

For 1961 the eagle had the wings turned up, and in 1962 was placed in a
circle for the hood ornament, forming the design we are all so familiar
with.  For 1971 only the Imperial LeBaron used the eagle, bascially due to
the fact that the only Imperial offered in 1971 was a LeBaron..  Prior to
1971, ALL Imperials used the eagle, right down the the cheapest Custom
model, right back to 1951.  In 1973 the ring became a wreath and appeared on
the last full-size Imperial in 1975.  It would not appear again until the
1977 Chrysler LeBaron and, as a result, was not used on the 1981-83
Imperials. It appeared for one final round (so far) on the 1990-93 Chrysler
Imperials .

Bill
Vancouver, BC





----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Rob P" <fristpenny@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Tuesday, June 06, 2006 2:26 AM
Subject: RE: IML: odd LeBaron/branding question


> I believe the "wings" were the symbol of LeBaron coachworks, so they went
> with the LeBaron, not the Imperial.
>
>
> >From: Nat Hall <nathall@xxxxxxxx>
> >Date: Mon, 05 Jun 2006 22:33:03 -0700
> >
> >This one has bugged me for a long time, but I've got to ask.
> >
> >The 1977-1981 LeBarons retain the Imperial "wings" badge on the
taillights,
> >cornering lights, some even have the Imperial hood ornament. Before I
> >became more knowledgable on Imperials, I actually always thought these
> >*were* Imperials.  (When the LeBaron became a K-car in 1982 or 1983 this
> >disappeared.)
> >
> >So what's the explanation for this? I thought the wings badge was an
> >exclusive indication of an Imperial. Are these supposed to be Imperials
in
> >essence (or something) despite the fact the Imperial line had been
> >discontinued during this time? I've never seen this mentioned or even
> >acknowledged anywhere in Imperial texts or on our website.
> >
> >Maybe I just missed something? :)
> >
> >
> >-------------------
> >Nat Hall
> >1982 Imperial Coupe
> >1987 Chrysler New Yorker
> >http://newyorker.digital-forever.com
> >-------------------
>



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