Oddly, I saw an Imperial in action one time while impacting a Toyota. It was a terrible scene, but at the same time a remarkable tribute to solid steel construction, full frame engineering and sheer weight.
It was 1988 and I was running around South Florida, goofing off after college. I had a job in Miami, but on the weekends I would often drive to the Keys. One of my former college roomates lived on lower Matacumbi (sp?), and I'd often stay with him. US Hwy 1 runs through the Keys, a famous old two-lane highway.
One Saturday, I was in front of a bait shop on Islamorada, about 40 miles north of Key West, leaning against my 1970 Chrysler 300 waiting for my buddy to come out from the store. It was early in the morning and not many cars were on Hwy 1. Always keeping a keen eye out for Imps, I watched with surprise as a black '66 approached from the north. Even then there were rare to see. A Supra was heading on the opposite direction. As I watched the Supra crossed the centerline to pull into the same bait shop, directly into the path of the oncoming Mighty Mopar. When they impacted it was like an explosion as plastic and fiberglass went flying. I was only about 20 feet away. The Imperial driver, a guy in his early 50s, had nowhere to go but straight, and I remember a glimpse of him standing on his brakes (literally) just as the front right headlights of his car were cutting into the Supra's passenger side like a knife through butter. The two cars skidded off the road and eventually came to a halt, still crunched together.
The Supra was almost halved. The driver was alone, thankfully, but suffered a broken arm and other injuries. The Imperial's passenger side front fender was mauled, but the wrecker driver was able to separate to two cars, start the Imp and pull it away from the wreckage. It was not driveable, but it was quite apparent that the Imperial was the "winner" in the match. The driver bumped his head on the roof of the car, probably from jumping on the brake, and he bloodied his knees upon impact. He was seat-belted, but the Supra driver was not.
As you might imagine, the scene drew a crowd of emergency vehicles and gawkers. Everyone talked about how the Imperial had imposed the greater weight and bulk against the Japanese car, and how except for the front fender, the Imperial was unscathed. In reality, it was apparent to me and the Imperial driver that his drivetrain was shifted and that the Imp had probably run it's last mile, but he was kind of giddy about walking away from the accident and kept saying "Thank God for Detroit!" At one point he limped over and asked if my 300 was for sale!
Among my young preppy friends of those years, no one particularly cared about my hulking, aging fuselage car. Sometimes I wished I could afford a Supra or some similar can of cheap crap, but after that I drove my 300 with new respect. I also never left the driveway again without both belts securely fastened, a habit I persist in even today!
Patrick E. Moore
58 Southampton
Southeast Louisiana.
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