C body Concept Cars

[300Nutter]

For some reason I remembered there were a couple C-body Concept Cars that Chrysler put out in the '60s and '70s.

The "70x" was one I really remembered. I think it was and idea that came out right about the time the Fuselage Generation was launched (1969).

I've seen it in a few books and online.

Wonder whatever happened to it?

 

[300Nutter]

View attachment 54340

 

[300Nutter]

 

[300Nutter]

That front shot kind of reminds me of this from Star Wars:

Princess Amidala could have used it for her land transport / limo.

Anyway, I like the look and the fact that Chrysler had not given up on the future of the C body at that point!

 

[Xenon]

front look similar to 1971 Thunderbird....

 

[commando1]

First gen Elderado

Gran Prix

 

[butchr66]

First gen Elderado

Gran Prix

I was gonna say Riv but yeah you're closer. Hidious

 

[300Nutter]

Guess I was thinking more along the lines of the '68 Chrysler 300:

 

[300Nutter]

Ok, finally found the pics of the 1966 "300x" concept car.

It's a factory modified '66 300, with "advanced concepts" mainly in the cockpit area.

Clean looking cosmetic upgrades too. At least Chrysler was trying to put some more "pizzaz" in the C body.

 

[commando1]

1961 Dodge FliteWing

 

[300Nutter]

I really like that Dodge Flightwing.

Too bad they didnt put that into production!

 

[amazinblue82]

Our "cousins" at the Imperial Club have shown a 1971-ish rendering of the 1974 Imperial.

Obviously a styliized drawing, but a few cues (that "notch" at bottom of C-Pillar, skirts, etc) made it to the production car --sorta.




More of the backstory of how the Imp rendering looks the way it does (down on its "haunches") was a car that was on the road in 1971.

The ' 72 Eldo vert is pictured..in fairness its "concept" drawing from late 1960's is shown too

You be the judge.:icon_confused:

 

[300Nutter]

Caddy, Lincoln and Imperial were all look at each other's styling, I think, back then.

Lots of folks who drove all three.....picked the Imperials as the best drivers of the lot.

Unfortunately, Chrysler just couldn't convert that opinion into very many sales.

And...let's face it...a fully optioned New Yorker was "nearly as good" as an Imperial for less $$$.

(DUCKING, so I don't get hit!)

 

[amazinblue82]

I aint gonna swing atcha bro'...all of our opinions on vehicle styling are welcome I think.

 

[300Nutter]

The reason I was ducking was for this comment:

"And...let's face it...a fully optioned New Yorker was "nearly as good" as an Imperial for less $$$."

Don't tell an Imperial fan that!

 

[amazinblue82]

I gotcha...I have a '67 Crown Coupe (had newer ones too) so I am an Imp fan

yeah, i guess somebody could take offense (tongue-in-cheek I hope) to the statement..but it might have been close to true.

you could trick-out a "lower" model pretty good back in the day, for many of the Big Three manufacturers' models.

dunno for sure in the case of New Yorker/Imperials of this era but it wouldnt surprise me.

 

[amazinblue82]

The late 1950's concept cars to revive DeSoto brand...never saw the light of day of course before Chrysler whacked the DeSoto brand.

I am pretty sure Desotos are not "C" bodies--having said that I don't know what platform they were..can anybody chime in?




and then a version of the Turbine car from 1961...probably wholly "unbuildable" but ya gotta admire the audacity of the design (check out that wing)

 

[commando1]

I am pretty sure Desotos are not "C" bodies--having said that I don't know what platform they were..can anybody chime in?

Technically,
Full size Mopars weren't designated by any platform nomenclature until the 1965 models.

 

[300Nutter]

Yes, I've seen the drawings of the 62 Desoto concept. Sure looks a lot better than what ended up as the 62 Dodge and Plymouth!

I've read the stories about how Extner was recovering for his heart attack about that time but before they made into production, there was the crash yo switch to the shorter wheelbase and the styling went WEIRD for about two years there. Really hurt Dodge and Plymouth sales too.

If they stayed with the longer 122" wheelbase and the plan to smooth the wings down, probably would have helped.

On the other hand, the shorter chassis eventually became the B chassis and with better looking bodies, Chysler Corp. sold lots of them throughout the 60s and 70s.

 

[cm23uoc]

Close resemblance to the 1st gen. Charger taillight Strip, closer than the actual 65 Show car for that part.