My old man drove an Imperial for a couple of years. In the early days, Dad always bought his cars used, and our dark green 4-door ’56 Imperial was no exception. The car was monstrously huge and it rode as if it were floating on air. I remember one time we were all in the car when it lost its steering. Something mechanical came undone and we ended up in a cornfield, of which there were many in rural central New Jersey in the late 1950s. I can’t remember if that’s why Dad sold the Imperial or if it was something else, but I remember the car. And that’s why when I came across this YouTube video I knew I had to share it with you.
The sales approach back in those days was a little different than what we might see in an advertisement today. These are two more Imperial videos that I think are cool.
This next one, which obviously had as its target market rich old white guys who never went anywhere without a police motorcycle escort, is especially cool (and it fits with our theme of occasionally providing interesting motorcycle content).
So there you have it: 1950s Chrysler Imperial advertising and more. And hey, if you were intrigued by those police Harleys in the video above, pick up your own copy of The Complete Book of Police and Military Motorcycles.
Don’t forget: Visit our advertisers!
Good old American muscle!
Indeed. Cool stuff. Thanks for commenting, Terry.
Very cool! Todays cars are so boring looking . Nice 50’s cars made from USSteel . Today cars are made of the thinnest mil sheet possible and plenty of plastic . Wind tunnel crap.
Those Harley’s were cool.
Nice article!
Thanks, and yeah, the police Harleys were very cool. As to the steel, you might enjoy this Jay Leno video on Imperials….
Unbelievable! My father had a 1956 Chrysler Windsor, 2 Door hardtop, in two tone paint. Dark Green bottom and light green top. Hemi with push button automatic. Big car and smooth as slick. I loved that car. What a coincidence!
There must have been something in the New Jersey water.
My dad bought a 59 Cadillac in the early 60’s. I asked him why he chose the Cad and he said that he had earned comfort when traveling. I remember that it had an automatic headlight dinner that didn’t work very well, and that he put a trailer hitch on it to tow a camping trailer. We did a 30 day camping trip with it from El Paso to southern California, Oregon, Colorado and home a couple of years before we moved to Colorado in 64.
That’s pretty cool, Dan.