# An artifact from a bygone era



## Ukko (Jun 4, 2010)

I spotted this artifact in the local shopping plaza:

https://download.yousendit.com/YTY5eFVUTStLVld4dnc9PQ

(a jpeg photo)

The piece of memorabilia on the left is a Chrysler Imperial. I don't know the model year, but it's from the big old days. The Yaris is mine. When I first looked at the Imperial, the hood/bonnet (and the trunk) seemed as long as my entire ride.

There must be something of deep philosophical significance here. I can tell because it makes me feel funny.


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## samurai (Apr 22, 2011)

That "boat" looks like it's from '68 {That's 19, not 18} when gas was probably about 30 cents a gallon! What a blast from the past--nice find!


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## Krummhorn (Feb 18, 2007)

In 1968, side marker lights or reflectors were required for all US cars - amber in the front side, and red at the rear side. This one has neither, so it has to be 1967 or earlier.

For sure a boat ... gas was 19 cents where I lived - those road barges though had the best ride and lots of power, too. 
I used to own a 1970 Dodge Charger RT ... 440 Magnum 4 bbl V8 spitting out over 400 horse power ... gas was 25 cents a gallon then. Sure wished now I had kept it ... <sigh>


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## samurai (Apr 22, 2011)

Hi Lars, Thanks for the 411 on both the year and price of gas--1967 was a year before I obtained my driver's license. gas was almost as cheap back then as a White Castle slider {talk about gas, what!}.


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## Ukko (Jun 4, 2010)

There are side lights - in front anyway, low on the fender; you can barely make them out in the photo. If the car is parked in the plaza tomorrow, I'll take a side-view shot. Should have anyway, to show the length of trunk and hood better. The car is clean, but not restored. There is some rust and bubbled paint below the rear window, and I think the headlights were hidden when it was new. There is a Dartmouth College decal in the rear window; it probably belongs to a collegian. 

In the spring of '73, just before the embargo, gas was 23¢ a gallon in southern Vermont. A few months before that, a 'gas war' got it down to 18¢.


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## Krummhorn (Feb 18, 2007)

I think those particular side lights were "turning" lamps, that illuminated when the turn signals were activated. They helped see "around the corner" to whichever direction the car was turning, illuminating the roadway during a turn. I could be mistaken, though. 

It's a beautiful car indeed ... nice paint job, probably the original colour.


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## Ukko (Jun 4, 2010)

Thanks, Samurai and Lars, for sharing my enthusiasm. May the name *Chrysler Imperial* live forever in song and story.

If I were a composer, I would compose a string quartet in its honor.


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## Krummhorn (Feb 18, 2007)

Looks like leather seats, too ... with its outside condition so pristine (considering its age) I'll bet the ride is quiet and cozy, too. Those land barges were seldom lacking horsepower either - probably a 383 CI engine (6.2L) and their Torqueflite transmission which was extremely smooth - couldn't feel the shift points at all when taking off from start. 

That era of car needed 'leaded' fuel ... which isn't sold anywhere I know of in the US. Wonder if the driver uses a lead additive. 

The headlight covers were electrically operated ... my 70's Dodge Charger had those, too. Really snappy looking grille when those are closed. Love all the chrome ... that's real chrome, not this chrome plate over plastic we get on cars today.

Kh


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## Ukko (Jun 4, 2010)

Lead additive; that's an odd construction nowadays.... The top grade of Amoco gas wasn't leaded, and that was a selling point. I don't remember now how that worked out for cars, except that users claimed longer life for the sparkplugs. Riders of British motorcycles (I was one of that number) liked the clean combustion chambers resulting from its use. Riders of motorcycles in those days tended to see the interiors of engines more often then folks do now.


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## Krummhorn (Feb 18, 2007)

Interesting about Amoco ... we didn't have that brand of fuel on the West coast that I recall. We had Hancock though ... where one could 'blend' your fuel, combining various octane levels of gasoline together to get the best mix for your car's engine. 

I am trying to remember, and could be wrong about it, but thought the leaded fuels contained some sort of lubricant that would help coat the combustion chambers and thus keep the pistons from wearing out, promoting longer engine life. Of course, those muscle engines of that era were 12:1 compression ratio, at least my Dodge Charger 440 CI (7.2L) was. Only got 12 mpg out of that one, but then, fuel was dirt cheap unlike it is today. 

These days with unleaded fuel as the norm,


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## Ukko (Jun 4, 2010)

Krummhorn said:


> Interesting about Amoco ... we didn't have that brand of fuel on the West coast that I recall. We had Hancock though ... where one could 'blend' your fuel, combining various octane levels of gasoline together to get the best mix for your car's engine.


The Sunoco pumps were set up like that for awhile; six or eight 'grades' of blending to get different octane ratings.



> I am trying to remember, and could be wrong about it, but thought the leaded fuels contained some sort of lubricant that would help coat the combustion chambers and thus keep the pistons from wearing out, promoting longer engine life. Of course, those muscle engines of that era were 12:1 compression ratio, at least my Dodge Charger 440 CI (7.2L) was. Only got 12 mpg out of that one, but then, fuel was dirt cheap unlike it is today.
> 
> These days with unleaded fuel as the norm,


My memory says (with no conviction) that Amoco 'white' was 96 octane, so useful up to about 10:1 compression. The lead compound was added to keep low octane gas (84 octane was common I guess) from causing pre-detonation. I don't know if the lubrication thing was fact or excuse. The gas companies also added _really_ toxic stuff - MBT? - to raise effective octane rating.


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