RE: IML: appreciating a 68 when new

["Dick Benjamin" <dickb@xxxxxxxxx>]

Actually, I then and now prefer the styling of the 67 to the 68.  I was
shopping in late 68, so the 67 was not really an option then.  I felt the 69
Electra was also a very attractive car, and it was more in my price range,
so I bought it.  Styling was not a big item with me, but fit and finish
were, and especially noise level, then and now.  I hate wind noise, road
noise and vibration.

Unfortunately the Buick turned out to have serious design and quality
problems - I didn't keep it very long.  

A few years later, I bought a used 69 LeBaron 4 Dr, and after that a 69
Continental 4 Dr, and then as mentioned, 69 and 70 Cadillac Coupes.  I wish
I had more precise recollections of all those cars, but that was a long time
ago.  I'd rank their quality of fit and finish very high on all of them.
The city driving experience was really nice in the Cadillacs - the high
speed driving was good in both the Imperial and the Cadillacs.  The Lincoln
was not up to the standards of the others in performance or handling, and
mine had wind noise problems.  The Buick was a dog -with vibration, poor
ride and handling, and a very flexible feeling to the front end - which
turned out to be some welds on the frame that didn't hold.  The performance
was also disappointing, but this was a less expensive car, remember. The
Imperials, all years I ever drove, had the best seats by far.  

I now wish I had kept the 69 Imperial, but I had  put a lot of miles on it,
and I would have had to spend a lot of money on it to get it back into the
condition I insist on - and I had other fish to fry at that time.  I bought
a new V6 Capri to replace it - neat car, but a little small for someone with
6 kids!  Of course I had the various Packards for the family outings, one a
9 passenger (which I still have).   My problem is I have never seen a car I
didn't want - with the possible exception of a Pinto!  I've owned close to
200 cars (lost count years ago) - a real idiot!

Dick Benjamin

-----Original Message-----
From: mailing-list-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:mailing-list-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of
dardal@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Monday, November 22, 2004 6:59 AM
To: mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: IML: appreciating a 68 when new

Dick, you said you had test driven a 68 back then.  You mentioned about the
steering, the responsiveness, and acceleration you liked.  How about the
styling, inside and out.  Did you like it, or was that not much of an issue
to
you?  If styling was of importance to you, how did the styling and overall
quality of the car compare with other cars of the time, through your
perspective?

D^2 


-----------------  http://www.imperialclub.com  -----------------
This message was sent to you by the Imperial Mailing List. Please 
reply to mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx and your response will be 
shared with everyone. Private messages (and attachments) for the
Administrators should be sent to webmaster@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
To UN-SUBSCRIBE, go to http://imperialclub.com/unsubscribe.htm






-----------------  http://www.imperialclub.com  -----------------
This message was sent to you by the Imperial Mailing List. Please 
reply to mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx and your response will be 
shared with everyone. Private messages (and attachments) for the
Administrators should be sent to webmaster@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
To UN-SUBSCRIBE, go to http://imperialclub.com/unsubscribe.htm