American Cars of 1958

[Monksdream]

This example of a 58 Imperial ragtop fascinates me. I don't quite know how to describe the paint job. Notice the chrome strip along the side. Other 50s models, including those by Chrysler and its Dodge, DeSoto and Plymouth divisions, featured decorative accents from front to rear. Also notice the spare tire bulge on the trunk. It's fake. Virgil Exner designed it to make the rear more interesting. The rear bumper is certainly massive enough, but other 50s models were even more massive. Notice the location of the gas cap lid. On the other side the marque's name in cursive. You would never see that now.