----- Original Message -----
Sent: Wednesday, December 31, 2003 5:09
PM
Subject: IML: why Imperials were so
expensive, more thoughts on chromed stainless
More thoughts on my stainless,
I have been working on updating the story of my '60 "LeCrown".
My car went off the lot
for $8067 when new. I found that amount to equal $44,570 in 2003
dollars. Why did an Imperial Crown sedan cost twice as much as a
fully loaded '60 Impala convertible? Here are my thoughts on the
obvious:
Low production
Larger size, huge body and frame, more steel
Finer interior upholstry
Chevrolet, for example, offered almost as many gizmos for 1960, so I
don't think that acounts for the balance of the price gap. Was
build quality really that much better? I have tried two different trunk
lids on my Imperial and neither fits well, and both fit poorly in different
ways. There are other small things too, I don't think the cars were
quite as "coach built" as some seem to think. So why the price
chasm? I think the difference may be that they were outfitting the
Imperial with finer details, more expensive cast
chrome parts, grill and tail lights, and detail stuff. I think
they were chrome plating stainless!
Lowell Howe told me that the wheelwell stainless was laquered at the
factory, anyone find that to be true? Almost all the chrome on my 1952
Pontiac was laquered because it was very thin due to the Korean War and the
chrome shortage. ObviousIy not a problem in 1960. Why on earth
would you manufacture a piece of stainless, give it a flash of chrome, and
then clear laquer it? That certainly would
be overkill!
If you read my first e-mail you know I am polishing stainless and the
color seems to be affected upon sanding or buffing. Because stainless
steel does not need to be protected from rust you would not need to chrome
it. However, if you wanted to improve the trims' reflective quality then
you might give it a quick chrome. My color change happens very quickly
when I am working on the trim. I think Imperial gave their stainless a
quick flash of chrome to give it extra brilliance. This would certainly
make the car look more expensive and transitions from pot metal to stainless
would not be so obvious. These transitions happen at the fender
brows, the fin tips, and at the gas door. As I mentioned before, I
have never seen 40 year old stainless age this well or have this quality of
reflection. I am just trying to repair some damaged trim and was baffled
as to why I couldn't get the trim quite back to the original look. This
is my theory and I would like to know others' thoughts on
this.
Richard Burgess
'60 "LeCrown"
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