GTP Cool Wall: 1981-1983 Chrysler Imperial
- Thread starter Snikle
- 22 comments
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- 2,827
- United States
It's definitely uncool. As I said in the nomination post, that first year was basically a trial run for Chrysler's fuel injection and it was a complete mess. I think we only had to convert one or two of them back to carburetors as they weren't a big seller in general. But the digital instrument clusters also gave problems not too long into the vehicle's life.
Those seats were very cushiony but had no support and were not very comfortable on a long drive. I hated these cars along with that whole M body Chrysler 5th Ave, Dodge Diplomat, Plymouth Gran Fury line they made from 1982-1989. But my dad loved them and we did sell a ton of them. But he really loved this Imperial.
- 5,897
- Ottawa
- Pyano1132
This one's odd. The road version looks like a car that unsavoury or shady characters would drive like drug lords or pimps. So I'd give it a solid SU. American road cars from this era were just trash in general regardless.
But the NASCAR version would get a solid SZ from me.
But the NASCAR version would get a solid SZ from me.
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- 2,827
- United States
Good call. Yes he did and I had forgotten about that. Buddy was a Mopar guy, pretty much the only one we had left back in those days. The Mirada was built from 1980-1983 and the Imperial was from 1981-1983. About the only thing I can think of why he would switch was maybe the Imperial was more aerodynamic? Here is his Mirada racecar.
- 23,682
- Here to Eternity
- TexRex72
I'd wager it would have been somebody else's call to switch. Seems likely the Dodges sold better than the Imperials.Good call. Yes he did and I had forgotten about that. Buddy was a Mopar guy, pretty much the only one we had left back in those days. The Mirada was built from 1980-1983 and the Imperial was from 1981-1983. About the only thing I can think of why he would switch was maybe the Imperial was more aerodynamic? Here is his Mirada racecar.
- 23,682
- Here to Eternity
- TexRex72
Well, I did say I don't do NASCAR.
I just generally think of these sorts of decisions as being made from up on high; that "win on Sunday, sell on Monday" mantra.
I disagree completely. While the Continental is my preference on the whole, I think the Cadillac bore the best bustle of the bunch. Horizontal lights best suit the form, and the Lincoln's namesake feature makes that difficult to pull off.
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- 39,365
Main problem with the Seville (aside from being powered by a murderer's row of garbage drivetrains, but it's not like the Imperial was any better) is that it looks like two different cars. Everything in front of the B-Pillar just looks almost identical to the original Seville, before that fussy character line plunges into the trunk area. Now that was sort of a problem with Sheer Look GM in general following the original Seville and it's not nearly as bad as when the awful subsequent generation looked nearly identical to the Grand Am; but the end result might as well be a Parisienne that someone grafted a Zimmer-esque mess on the back of it. The Imperial in comparison is a very 70s folding paper reinterpretation of the styling they were both aping, and from some angles the Imperial even looks like some sort of... bizarro American version of the Aston Lagonda. The main letdown for it stylistically is that the wheel and tire diameter are both much too small and the track too narrow when all three are about perfect on the Seville.
Cadillac didn't commit fully to the look and Chrysler did. Lincoln seemingly got cold feet when they saw the thud the other two hit the market with. I think the Seville would have worked much better if it looked like an Eldorado sedan with a bustleback.
Cadillac didn't commit fully to the look and Chrysler did. Lincoln seemingly got cold feet when they saw the thud the other two hit the market with. I think the Seville would have worked much better if it looked like an Eldorado sedan with a bustleback.
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- 336
- New Zealand
The bustleback is a lot more interesting than the usual notchback styling. The concealed front lights are a highlight too. But the overall design is quite dated for the early 80s, looking more like a mid 70s design. Added to that, you have barely enough power to pull the skin off a rice pudding and well its not even Meh. Uncool.
- 127
- Kijŏng-don
- PS1 Memory Card
I like it in a very '70s sort of way. Unique enough to set apart from the awkward Cadillacs of that era.
*Cool*
*Cool*