69 Imperial - Whitewalls or not, and "bigger size" ?

[Chryslerdude]

I'm far from being a purist. I am tastefully respectful.

One mans tastefulness, can be another mans (or actually several men's) headache..
I learned this in partucullar, from this very thread :-D

 

[detmatt]

Great passion yields honesty.. and I appreciate all the feedback..!

I certainly wish you'd keep your car and and do anything you pleased with it. It's your car and it's blatantly obvious that you're not going to let any harm come to it. I personally think that wide whites would look out of place especially if you end up dragging a camper around the countryside, that would look downright silly. My survivor '67 had a frame mounted hitch on it when I bought it, it was added out of necessity at some point and adds to the story of how it survived. I still have the hitch assembly if you'd like a visual(you know I removed it and you can't even tell it was ever there). As far as ride height?, put it where you want it, mine is lower than it should be due to age and I really don't want it any higher. Lastly, never hesitate to drive your classics during the season! Mine see daily use and between the 2 of them over the last 3 years or so I've put near 20K miles on them. My cars make me smile and do a happy dance when I use them.

 

[fc7_plumcrazy]

Kasper buy and save the golden one.
I think you can sell the blue one without loosing money if you don't want to keep it.

Carsten

 

[Chryslerdude]

Kasper buy and save the golden one.
I think you can sell the blue one without loosing money if you don't want to keep it.

Carsten

I just wrote him again now..

I got a mail from him about a month after the blue wonder auction, where he asked me if I was still interested, to which I replied "yes", but he did not write me back again... and I drowned in work again.. but I hope he will reply now! I seem to remember the car was in "New London" ? Is there such a place in NY, and is there anyone here on FCBO, that lives nearby, who would take a look at it..

I certainly wish you'd keep your car and and do anything you pleased with it. It's your car and it's blatantly obvious that you're not going to let any harm come to it. I personally think that wide whites would look out of place especially if you end up dragging a camper around the countryside, that would look downright silly. My survivor '67 had a frame mounted hitch on it when I bought it, it was added out of necessity at some point and adds to the story of how it survived. I still have the hitch assembly if you'd like a visual(you know I removed it and you can't even tell it was ever there). As far as ride height?, put it where you want it, mine is lower than it should be due to age and I really don't want it any higher. Lastly, never hesitate to drive your classics during the season! Mine see daily use and between the 2 of them over the last 3 years or so I've put near 20K miles on them. My cars make me smile and do a happy dance when I use them.

Thanks Matt - And your'e right again.. The Imp IS safer with me, than it would be with MANY other owners. I've seen it to many times.. ppl with more money than insight, or "respect" for the original. They are always buying nice original cars, and messing them up BADLY.. And that is a universal misunderstanding.. If you want to modify, why not start with a car that needs the attention. I've seen it to many times.. right from Gas Monkeys, ONLY modding cars that are super fine, to Boyd Coddington, cutting up immaculate Impala bubble top floor pans, to fit some dragster drive line, that will render the car useless.. and Chip Foose, shaving anything but his face.. and it's the same over here.. :-(

About the "not driving to much, in order to not put miles on the odo".. You're right again, and I am working hard on laying aside my little "inner custodian", and enjoy driving these cars.. but in all honesty, I'm no further in the process, than I'd prefer to drive the blue wonder straight to a C-Body museum. BUT, it was this "Inner custodian", who cost me the 300, and made me almost never drive the 71 Charger. I think that I sold it with 13.8XX miles on the odo. I felt more like a custodian than the owner, and what happened next.. it now has wide shiny 19" rims, and a "loud exhaust".. and it attends ALL US car events.. all over Denmark :-( But on the other hand.. the new owner LOVES it.. in a non-custodian way!

Thanks for the tow-recommendations. Unfortunately, Danish law is very elaborate.. and the area of towing gear is NO exception. There are VERY strict rules in this regard, and the gear has to be built by a licensed "producer", and safety inspected. Nonetheless, as there are no originally certified towing gear available here, the max weight will never be approved for more than half the weight of the car.. ~ 1100 Kilo, or a sad little caravan. I am still working on finding some way around this..!

If not to much trouble, I'd love to see the hitch.. and I'd most certainly try to keep it at the frame.. I'd feel less pain drilling into the frame. I bought one once, but it disappeared in Poland, with the 300.. It came of a Newport in New Mexico (with my disc brake setup for the 300), and as I remember it, it was mounted in both frame, trunk pan, and rear bumper.

Thanks again Matt !

 

[detmatt]

I still have it if you want better pics.

 

[Chryslerdude]

I still have it if you want better pics.

View attachment 71760 View attachment 71761

Hi Matt

Pics are super fine.. thank you..! I will show these to the "constructor", and ask if he believes we can do a frame-rail-only monunted tow-gear.. I hope so.

PS: Looking at the 67 rear end is not good for me.. I feel an urge building, to own one of those babies..

 

[Chryslerdude]

Kasper buy and save the golden one.
I think you can sell the blue one without loosing money if you don't want to keep it.

Carsten

The NY Imp was sold.. a few months back, "for asking price".. :-(

 

[jmustian]

Hey Good C-PPl

I was just about to order some new tires for the Imp, and with the white vinyl roof, (and my dream of a white interior some sunny day), I decided to go "full whitewall"... I am aware that there may be mixed emotions on this, and would love to hear these. Maybe I will change my mind, if I hear the thoughts of the C-Jury.. but for now, I imagine it will look SWEET on "the blue wonder", and actually think it will continue to look good, (at least through the duration of one set of WW-tires..!)

View attachment 71141

Here's the only Fusie-Imperial example with WW's I could find on Google..
View attachment 71084

The whitewall plans has produced a few questions, that I hope someone will comment on here..

I plan to do some Swedish / German "US-car event-cruising" in the Imperial, so I want a good quality tires.. so I asked around for quality whitewalls, and here in Denmark, whitewalls START at DKK 5000,- pr tire, which will be about 3000 USD for a set, so I guess I'm am buying in the US..

I got "Diamond Back Tires" recommended by a Caddie-friend. Anybody here know Diamondback, or have other suggestions? From what I read, it sounds like Diamondback knows what they are doing..

Here's one of their "Diamond Back II" tires..

View attachment 71088

My last thoughts is about size. Imp has 235/75/15 on it now, but I thought of going a little bit wider, but does anyone has experience / adwise in regards to how wide I can go, before the tires make "unwanted contact" with the wells, fenders or skirts, and more important.. when will the increased tire width screw up the handling of the car.

I also plan to buy a set of lowering brackets from FFI, lowering the Imp about an inch
View attachment 71089
Any comment will be appreciated :-D

My 1969 300 vert has 235/75/15 radials and I have to jack up the body to get them on and off. Once installed there is plenty room for a little wider but not going to change them

 

[jmustian]

WELCOME!
I sell tires for a living and somewhat a purist.
However I can suggest a comprimise.
I like the Diamond Back Tire Company offerings.
If you dig deeper into their catalogue look carefully at the "Luxury" double pinstripe whitewalls for Cadillac's and Lincolns.
Pages 33 and 36 in their online catalog.
Since they were the Imp's competitors they will be suitable since you want something different from stock and not be goofy looking with the old Pfft wide whites.
Stick with the 2357515's not just for size,but also load range.A 5000 lb car needs good tires to support the heft.
Hope this helps

What was the original white wall design on like my 69 300. Single stripe, double, triple, narrow, wide? Anyone know?

 

[cbarge]

What was the original white wall design on like my 69 300. Single stripe, double, triple, narrow, wide? Anyone know?

According to the Dealer Data guide, standard tire fir 69 300 was blackwall with a single stripe whitewall optional.
Being the " sporty" model, the factree did not offer a double pintstripe.
But that never stopped anyone back in the day to buy double pinstriped whitewalls when tires needed replacing! Lol!
It was a common practice---even today-- for dealers to swap tires to satisfy the customer to close the seal on a new vehicle.
I work at a Goodyear factory. Many people here ask for our brand of tires whrn buying a new vehicke.

 

[jmustian]

According to the Dealer Data guide, standard tire fir 69 300 was blackwall with a single stripe whitewall optional.
Being the " sporty" model, the factree did not offer a double pintstripe.
But that never stopped anyone back in the day to buy double pinstriped whitewalls when tires needed replacing! Lol!
It was a common practice---even today-- for dealers to swap tires to satisfy the customer to close the seal on a new vehicle.
I work at a Goodyear factory. Many people here ask for our brand of tires whrn buying a new vehicke.

Thanks. Gonna keep my single stripe. I think black walls stink on a car this size.

 

[jmustian]

Thanks. Gonna keep my single stripe. I think black walls stink on a car this size.

My tires are Goodyear GT4. Made in 2000. They were store off the ground and look like new. No cracks or wear. I've been riding on them almost 2 years now with no issue. Love my Goodyear.