Re: Postwar LWB Market Production

Posted by Leeedy On 2016/4/1 21:17:42
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Rusty O\'Toole wrote:
Quote:

jfrom@kanter wrote:
he 14,000 or so 49-54 long wheelbase Imperals, Chryslers, Desotos and Dodges were manufactured in-house by Chrysler's Briggs body division. Derham made some one-offs for Chrysler and Imperial divisions and of course some on request for individual owners both on standard and long wheelbases.. The 250 approx 55-56 catalog long wheelbase C-70 8 pass sedans and limousines were likewise made in-house by Briggs. There was one very special 55 Imperial Derham limousine made for the Eisenhowers with no C pillar , resulting in hardtop styling for the rear compartment. It also sported a sunroof so Ike could stand up and wave during parades.

In 57-65 and possibly later, factory offered Imperial limousines were constructed by Ghia of Turin Italy. At no time did Derham ever produce more than a handful of Imperial limousines per year, all were retail sales.

We have a LWB 55 Imperial in our restoration shop and it has none of the traditional Derham features, it's just a longer Imperial.


My understanding was that Chrysler built the Dodge, DeSoto, and lesser Chrysler limousines and 8 passenger sedans in house, while the Crown Imperial limousine and 8 passenger sedans were completed by Derham to prewar custom car standards. They also did special modifications, and built complete custom bodies to order.


This is yet another train that may never be stopped... but a simple way to de-rail it is to get ahold of the 1956 private customer prospectus brochure for Creative Industries of Detroit. Of course this brochure is so rare, I've only seen two of them in my life. Creative went way out of their way to prevent the general public from knowing their stealth activities for the big (and little) car companies. But they did what they did... even if nobody knows it even to this day in the 21st century.

If you read this brochure closely... and look at some of the small illustrations closely, a lot of the stuff that people think GM, Chrysler, Ford, Briggs, Derham, Dietrich and a lot of others (yes, including Packard) supposedly did... well, let's just say... they didn't. It's like the line in the movie about Roswell when the guy says, "You know what they say about those little green men in flying saucers? Wellll? They ain't green!"

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