Weight blocks in'66 Imperial Convertible

[patinated_imperial]

Asking for a fellow Imperial owner, who has a '66 convertible.

In each side in the very rear of the car, it has what appears to be a cast iron weight or block. They are attached to the outer bumper bracket and the floor.

Can anyone explain what the purpose of these is?
(I am guessing it is related to vibration or some other vehicle dynamics, but please enlighten us!)

 

[detmatt]

Same on the ‘64s as well. They are convertible only and there’s also weights in the front corners as well however I haven’t yet been able to put my eyes on them. They are for dampening vibrations.

 

[marty mopar]

I have these 2 for a 1964-66 Imperial convertible:
2449992 R GRILLE EXTENSION BALLAST BLOCK /BRKT 2449990 cast on part 50 LBS
2449993 L GRILLE EXTENSION BALLAST BLOCK /BRKT 2449991 cast on part 50 LBS

I was told they were because the convertible body had more flex and these took care of that. The description above is from the part book. The weight was a guess by
me as at the time I got them I neglected to bring a scale............

Just what you need is an extra 8 tons of ballast (as in Boat Anchor) added to your car.

When I got these I could not believe that they were used for any reason at all and good luck picking up 2 at once without your nads exploding!

 

[detmatt]

I have these 2 for a 1964-66 Imperial convertible:
2449992 R GRILLE EXTENSION BALLAST BLOCK /BRKT 2449990 cast on part 50 LBS
2449993 L GRILLE EXTENSION BALLAST BLOCK /BRKT 2449991 cast on part 50 LBS

I was told they were because the convertible body had more flex and these took care of that. The description above is from the part book. The weight was a guess by
me as at the time I got them I neglected to bring a scale............

Just what you need is an extra 8 tons of ballast (as in Boat Anchor) added to your car.

When I got these I could not believe that they were used for any reason at all and good luck picking up 2 at once without your nads exploding!

I’d like to see pics if possible Marty, please?

 

[xxcarguy]

His nads exploding?
I would like to see that too!

 

[CBODY67]

The first-gen GM F-bodies has vibration dampers in their trunks, too. In the GM case, they were supposed to be a spring-supported weight in a bath of oil in a sealed case, as I recall. There to dampen vibrations (as in sympathetic resonances) in the convertible structure.

In the Imperial's cases, where they are "weights", their presence will change the various harmonics in the body under certain road conditions. Hopefully yielding a more-solid feel, or something to that effect.

Ever watch the early Toyota Tundra videos from the 2000s? Where, on CA freeway expansion joints, the soft drink in the console cup holder is frothy and the bobble-headed doll in the rear child seat's head is bouncing so much it's about to come off? With the addition of a weight on the rear of the bed, just in front of the closed tailgate, no more froth and a more composed rear seat passenger. Quite a difference.

Enjoy!
CBODY67

 

[Ross Wooldridge]

I've seen those on 67 and 68 Camaro and Firebird verts.

 

[marko]

64-66 imperial convertibles also have fluid filled damper cannisters inside the front fender ends and in the trunk outer ends

 

[garyh]

Those Rear blocks make it a Pain in the *** to remove the bumper mounting bolts in the corners.

 

[My65cuda]

They didn't think the car was heavy enough lol. I love my 65 imperial convertible, my favorite car to drive

 

[detmatt]

I've seen those on 67 and 68 Camaro and Firebird verts.

I think they were referred to as cocktail shakers in the GM circles.

 

[detmatt]

64-66 imperial convertibles also have fluid filled damper cannisters inside the front fender ends and in the trunk outer ends

Are you sure Mark? I’m still kind of new to this generation of Imperials but I’ve never seen nor heard of their use. Now I’m going straight to my shop to look.

 

[Ripinator]

Are you sure Mark? I’m still kind of new to this generation of Imperials but I’ve never seen nor heard of their use. Now I’m going straight to my shop to look.

 

[patinated_imperial]

Thanks a lot to everybody who replied!

The thought of adding more weight to an Imperial seems crazy. I have never seen a car/frame so heavily built and the steel used are of extremely tough quality (I spent 2 hours to correct a bent flange on a body-mount). But I can see a convertible having less rigidity in the vertical plane.
I don't think they discovered the fluid filled dampers yet.

 

[detmatt]

64-66 imperial convertibles also have fluid filled damper cannisters inside the front fender ends and in the trunk outer ends

Details man, not only do I not see them on my car which seems mostly untampered with in this regard but I also don’t see where they might have been.

 

[tommya]

I’d like to see pics if possible Marty, please?

Matt, If you look straight up in front of the front splashshield, they are bolted in above the headlight surround. The bolts are behind the grille, with a reinforced bracket to hold them. My replacement fender came from a 4-door, and I had to redrill the bolt holes in the headlight surround to mount the block.

 

[detmatt]

The couple of times I looked for it I didn’t know I was looking right at it.

 

[3175375]

The couple of times I looked for it I didn’t know I was looking right at it.
View attachment 443430

I have no idea what you people are referencing.
I understand that there is a chunk of iron in the picture, but it would be great if it was highlighted or pointed to in marked up picture, for us slow ones...

 

[detmatt]

I have no idea what you people are referencing.
I understand that there is a chunk of iron in the picture, but it would be great if it was highlighted or pointed to in marked up picture, for us slow ones...

In Tommya’s post it’s the silver piece with the part number and in mine it’s covered in undercoating. Both are just behind the headlights.

 

[3175375]

this? If it is, then it must have some height to it, as it doesn’t look that large...