Show us your Imperials!

bajajoaquin · Sep 5, 2014

I'm not sure stock is 2". I think mine is 2-1/4". If you search for resonators on this site, there was some discussion of them. My recollection is that they are mostly a pass-through to reduce drone, and don't add much back pressure. You might have more luck using less restrictive mufflers and keeping the resonators.

kmccabe56 · Sep 5, 2014

bajajoaquin said:
I'm not sure stock is 2". I think mine is 2-1/4". If you search for resonators on this site, there was some discussion of them. My recollection is that they are mostly a pass-through to reduce drone, and don't add much back pressure. You might have more luck using less restrictive mufflers and keeping the resonators.

The maximum useful dimension for an "oversize" exhaust system is the diameter of the opening in the exhaust manifold/header collector. After that you're pretty much wasting your money unless you're spending the bucks on an "X" pipe. That's as far as you're going to reduce the back pressure. The down side of opening up the exhaust pipe(s) diameter is you've changed the harmonics of the pipe. The larger the diameter, the lower the frequency of any harmonics the system will create. Other things that can affect include changing the location of the muffler in the system which will change the pitch of the harmonics and also adding a "resonator".

I experimented with a /6 '65 "A" body years ago. Opened the pipe up to the diameter of the manifold outlet and put on a much larger, but otherwise factory "stock" muffler. Along with a few other tweaks, I essentially increased the fuel economy of the car by about 50%, but also eliminated the possibility of conversation in the car over about 50mph.

detmatt · Sep 5, 2014

For your listening pleasure...

https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=VQMEaIgPv10

vdk2010 · Sep 5, 2014

Very nice sound!

I could listen to that all day long!

bajajoaquin · Sep 5, 2014

detmatt said:
For your listening pleasure...

https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=VQMEaIgPv10

That there is a fine sounding automobile. I think I'll go drive mine right now!

furyfinn · Sep 5, 2014

Matt, your Imperial sounds AWESOME! Exactly how a CAR should sound like... Thanks!

detmatt · Sep 5, 2014

Thanks gents! The sound on the video doesn't really do it justice though.

bajajoaquin · Sep 6, 2014

Is your car factory dual exhaust? If not, did you build locally, or buy?

detmatt · Sep 6, 2014

bajajoaquin said:
Is your car factory dual exhaust? If not, did you build locally, or buy?

No it was a single exhaust car originally and the dual system was put on in the past. I just replaced the mufflers.

commando1 · Sep 6, 2014

We're still kids. Lol

Posted via Topify on Android

detmatt · Sep 6, 2014

Damn straight!!!

KcImperial · Sep 6, 2014

Here's one of mine. This one started as a '57 but I cloned it into a '58

commando1 · Sep 7, 2014

That's interesting.

kmccabe56 · Sep 8, 2014

commando1 said:
That's interesting.

How so? All '57 Imperials(*) got this design of grille. Initially they were all two headlight cars, but midway through the year 4 headlights became optional. And each headlight configuration got it's own grille p/n. (I think)

(*) Except '57 Ghia limos. They got a grille that "looked" like the '58 grille, but wasn't. The grille on a '57 Ghia limo was all individually cast and plated brass pieces, all attached from the back to a framework. Good thing there was all that extra length behind the cowl to offset the extra weight on the front end!

commando1 · Sep 8, 2014

Seriously, someone HERE really needs to post this as "here's my, Imp:"

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Chrysler-Im...ce7c0778b&item=261586188171&pt=US_Cars_Trucks

patrick66 · Sep 8, 2014

I remember when I could've bought a near-identical car, needing only paint, back in 1999 for just a grand. It had 42K original miles, second owner, always an Oklahoma Imperial. Ran like a top!

kmccabe56 · Sep 8, 2014

This ain't an Imperial but THIS is the Rbody to have if somebody has a yearning for them.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Chrysler-Ne...a96d4bdaf&item=251638627759&pt=US_Cars_Trucks

This is the New Yorker Limited Edition. There were two versions, and I believe this is the later of the two. The first edition looked the same but also had a padded vinyl panel on the center vertical face of the decklid in vinyl matching the roof. Sales of these is probably in the low 3 digits. And what makes this one even more unusual is that the rear bumper is peeling like a bad sunburn - something Rbody bumpers did if you looked at them the wrong way. Given all of the mechanical shortcomings of these cars, this car either needs to be a museum piece of a very limited special occasion driver.

This car was to an Rbody what a '78 Salon was to a NYB.

KcImperial · Sep 8, 2014

kmccabe56 said:
How so? All '57 Imperials(*) got this design of grille. Initially they were all two headlight cars, but midway through the year 4 headlights became optional. And each headlight configuration got it's own grille p/n. (I think)

(*) Except '57 Ghia limos. They got a grille that "looked" like the '58 grille, but wasn't. The grille on a '57 Ghia limo was all individually cast and plated brass pieces, all attached from the back to a framework. Good thing there was all that extra length behind the cowl to offset the extra weight on the front end!

True about two headlight grilles being different than 4 headlight grilles and having a different p/n.

The Ghia limos got '58 styled grilles because they were behind in production and the '58 models were soon to be released. I didn't know they were cast and plated brass! A standard '58 grille and bumper assembly is light enough to carry under your arm.

kmccabe56 · Sep 9, 2014

KcImperial said:
True about two headlight grilles being different than 4 headlight grilles and having a different p/n.

The Ghia limos got '58 styled grilles because they were behind in production and the '58 models were soon to be released.
Agreed.

I didn't know they were cast and plated brass! A standard '58 grille and bumper assembly is light enough to carry under your arm.

The '57 Ghia grille will fit in a relatively small, albeit substantial box. Found out about the grilles being cast/plated brass when I was interviewing the fellow who was Chrysler liason to Ghia for the inception of the programme. He was telling me about a fellow who contacted him around 1970 who had a '57 Ghia that needed a grille and he was close to begging to getting one. The Chrysler guy told me he had all the pieces for one in a bottom drawer of his desk that had been sitting there for 13 years and he figured this was as good a way to dispose of it as any. So he shipped it to him.

Not sure that would/could happen nowadays.

mpgmike · May 28, 2015

Just acquired this '59. Barn stored for 27 years. Engine & trans rebuilt (never installed), radiator & heater core redone. Haven't even brought it home yet. Deal struck last Saturday (5 days ago).