Chrysler has never been such a famous brand here before Chrysler Europe came into existence. And disappeared again. Here we usually had to deal with GM and Ford Americans. But in homeland The States, Chrysler was one of the big players. And the New Yorker line from Chrysler was the top line there for quite some time.
The name New Yorker has had the longest duration in North American car history
The New York line was also a very long-running model series: The Chrysler New Yorker was made between 1940-1969. But before that there was already a New York Trim interior in 1938 and the name New Yorker was used for the first time in 1939. The New Yorker was initially more luxurious than the 'normal' V8s from GM, Ford, Dodge and Plymouth. But they were just below the price / top level of Cadillac and Packard.
The first series was sold between 1940-1942
The first post-war model line ran from 194-1948. From 1949 to 1954 there was another generation. Next came the series that was sold nice and short American from 1955-1956. From 1957-1959 there was also something new. Between 1960-1964, Chrysler New Yorkers had dual headlights and partly 'Chinese eyes'. In 1965-1986 the Chryslers had rubber-mounted front subframes that eliminated vibrations very well. From 1969-1973 the Chrysler New Yorker had the stretched Fuselage Styling. Between 1974-1978 there were folding lamps and the so-called 'Waterfall Grille' in which chrome very cleverly took the place of water. Between 1979-1981 the car had become considerably smaller, but still remained large. In the following year, the New Yorkers became too small to dream about it here.
The American Dream was just as a shock for the post-war Dutchmen who found mouse gray a rather daring color and were looking open-mouthed at a three-cylinder DKW two-stroke car. American cars? They were huge. Extremely exuberant. With Calvinistic standards such an excess of senseless adornment and excess that many good Dutchmen were shocked by it. And somewhere that feeling lingered. Because even when the last full sized Americans after 1976 had become considerably smaller, there was still reluctance about it. "They are whore boats".
That approach is not very fair
The cars were made for quiet long journeys in a large country where tight speed limits were maintained and the gasoline was nearly free. And we knew from the earliest colonial times that cheerfully colored and shiny things make people happy. Chrome is beautiful. More chrome is therefore more beautiful. Moreover, it was all to those Americans before the nation "downsizing"discovered so incredibly over-dimensioned that those V8 powered gas guzzlers were incredibly reliable and lasted until the end of days, even in the case of a typical American lack of maintenance. Moreover, the parts provision remained exemplary. For Chryslers, the parts here in the Netherlands are not on fairs and in all corners. But what you can't get or buy here is easy to order in the States.
The mid-fifties still have classic curves
Under original hoods, original specimens can easily contain such a legendary 'Hemi' V8, an engine the hemispheric - hemispherical - heads. These blocks had a phenomenal combustion for their time by an optimum flame front after ignition of the mixture. Unlike the Chevrolet 5,7 liter 'narrow blocks', those Hemi blocks are not as widely available. Because of their tuning possibilities, they were enthusiastically deployed in drag racing for decades. In the interior it is striking that the dashboard, steering wheel and upholstery often have the same color scheme. Of course the case is then capped with chrome and appropriate stitching.
As we already mentioned: Chrysler has never been such a big player here
But still we found a whole nest of Chryslers from the fifties and later at Joop Stolze in de Lier. Joop has been importing directly from the States for years with his own taste as a solid guideline. The Chryslers were 'by-catch' for us. We were there actually because an AMK reader had unsuccessfully tried to integrate his Ford Mustang into its new homeland. The relevant officials in Australia made demands such as a 100% clean underbody, a rinsed engine block, a statement that no asbestos was used in gaskets and an actually documented bacterial condition of the interior ...
Upon arrival there, a classic, complete with 'biohazard' stickers first goes into quarantine. And because we knew that Joop Stolze also exported to Australia ... Our conclusion about importing a classic to Australia? Outsource it or do not start it. The Ozzies are like death that something scary, dirty or dangerous comes into their country. But the Chryslers make us dream.
Oh yes: the 14e generation that ran from 1994-1997? We think they look nice.
Imperial was the independent luxury brand of Chrysler, such as Lincoln at Ford and Lexus at Toyota for example.
Wasn't the “Imperial” an even more luxurious version?