Magnificent Imperial from the Past

[MarPar]

The taillight Treatment is one of the outstanding Styling cues and the most controversial, they Held on to them for quite a while, the more integrated look of the 57-61 was best IMHO at some Point they had plans to add another circle around those tail lights for following model years IIRC.
When they went back to the tacked on type in 62 I always thought how great the rear view would have looked if they already had the possibilities of putting a narrow light band along the rear character line replacing that U-shaped Chrome Strip instead of the tacked on taillights.

View attachment 307953

 

[cm23uoc]

That's an Attention getter....

I just had to watch that movie again last week.

 

[Duncan]

I always have loved that taillight design! It really said space age to me!

 

[1957Imperial]

That RF fender is a '55 300 fender. Odd and really takes a lot from the car, and no mention of it or why in the ad.

 

[saforwardlook]

That RF fender is a '55 300 fender. Odd and really takes a lot from the car, and no mention of it or why in the ad.

The right front is from a 56, the left one is correct. This was pointed out above.

 

[1957Imperial]

The right front is from a 56, the left one is correct. This was pointed out above.

Well with all due respect, I asked the seller. I was told it is a fender from a 1955 300. That mismatched 300 fender was on the car when the current owner bought it and the person he bought it from had it for over 25 years and the 300 fender was on it when he bought it, and he didn't know why it was replaced. So the mystery of what happened to the car remains. I'm pretty sure he's correct on it being a 300, but hey maybe someone knows more than the last couple owners.

 

[ceebuddy]

Your right... the fenders are different. Beautiful car nonetheless. But it does make a difference to the purest or someone who could afford it.

I tried to spot the differences but didn't see them. So where exactly is the difference visible?

 

[1957Imperial]

I tried to spot the differences but didn't see them. So where exactly is the difference visible?

Look at the curve the top of the drivers fender makes over the tire, then look at the front passenger fender and you will see instead of a curve over the tire it makes more of a flat line across the tire. Once you see it, it becomes very obvious.

 

[saforwardlook]

Well with all due respect, I asked the seller. I was told it is a fender from a 1955 300. That mismatched 300 fender was on the car when the current owner bought it and the person he bought it from had it for over 25 years and the 300 fender was on it when he bought it, and he didn't know why it was replaced. So the mystery of what happened to the car remains. I'm pretty sure he's correct on it being a 300, but hey maybe someone knows more than the last couple owners.

Maybe I misread your post - I was only trying to say the left fender was correct, not the right side one.

The 55 & 56 Chrysler 300 and the 1956 Imperial used the same fender I believe, so the distinction between those three is not meaningful more than likely:

 

[Snotty]

Headlights are different on all three cars pictured above.

 

[saforwardlook]

Headlights are different on all three cars pictured above.

That doesn't mean the fenders are different - note in the photo below that the headlight treatment is an add-on to the fender (as is the lower fender trim too):

 

[ceebuddy]

Look at the curve the top of the drivers fender makes over the tire, then look at the front passenger fender and you will see instead of a curve over the tire it makes more of a flat line across the tire. Once you see it, it becomes very obvious.

Oh yeah, there it is. Once you know it, it screams at you all the time...

 

[78Brougham]

"Jew" him down over the fender blunder and get it replaced. Or just leave it. Ya can't see both sides at once. Not many would notice, however, it does devalue the car a bit if you're talking AACA or Pebble Beach and the price should reflect that.

 

[DonC]

Beauty!