How to NOT drive an Imperial.

[cantflip]

Most of us have done this in one car or another ...

17 years old. Missed the school bus, helped myself to the family truckster. Carload of my peers riding back from votech, I was goaded into a burnout... I misjudged the clutch and stalled...peers laughed. Restart, and I did a one wheel peel the entire length of the highschool parking lot... given a few days off once the principle stopped laughing when I told my story. I think he really appreciated my reasoning... "My ego just wouldn't allow me to deal with it any other way." He laughed everytime he suspended me that year, and several years later his grandson played hockey with my brother in another school district... we sat together and watched practices and games... I outgrew the burnouts eventually.

 

[cantflip]

Moparfest (and Carlisle the times I was there) had burnout demonstrations. At New Hamburg one year they trashed the drive train on a new Viper. My limit is watching once a year for some adolescent amusement.

I have yet to view that event... doubt I'll feel the need this year. I know it's popular and I don't fault others who want to watch, but the whole idea kinda turns my stomach a little.

 

[imperialman]

I have yet to view that event... doubt I'll feel the need this year. I know it's popular and I don't fault others who want to watch, but the whole idea kinda turns my stomach a little.

Yea, I have never gotten in to trashing/thrashing any car that I have owned. Don't enjoy watching other people doing it either. Just how I roll

 

[live4theking]

I've done a few burnouts 20 years ago. The kids like them now. They saw a guy catch his new Challenger on fire at Carlisle last year or the year before.

 

[moper]

Only problem I saw was he was upshifting too early. Should have held it in first and let it pull...

 

[CBODY67]

That was not a real burnout! That was "peeling out". Neat display of Chrysler durability, but even GM's would have stood up to what we saw there.

The "real burnouts" have been observed at Mopar Nats, where the rear tires popped from the heat. When the accumulated smoke cloud looks like something big on fire! AND when the rocks in the asphalt become shrapnel behind the car!

Look for the video of the then-new Charger SRT with Ralph Gilles and Jay Leno, post-Daimler pre Fiat. Jay does the test drive with Ralph as passenger. Jay does a weak burnout, then Ralph says "Let me show you how to do a proper burnout." And then does it. Very funny!

Notice how the rear end of the Imperial rose under torque? That indicates a good rear suspension design to plant the rear tires better. No "squat" from the torque reaction. Many drag racers don't achieve that!

A really nice car, even if it might have been "used inappropriately".

CBODY67

 

[CBODY67]

When I was in the old band hall one summer (1968) friend drove up in a '63 Polara and said "I can lay a stripe from here to the street (about 200 ft). I asked what engine? 318 2bbl. I thought "No way". but he did it. He punched "R" and backed-up a few feet, then punched "D" and floored it. Instant tire spin, then smoke, and the car inched forward on a layer of hot rubber. No car issues after that. I learned a while later that the trans finally gave up. But it looked good while it lasted. He could have won some money doing that! The fact it didn't spill its guts in a puddle of oil was amazing and proved how tough Mopars were, to me, although I knew they were. Never saw any Chevies do that stuff very long! But then most of them still had PowerGlides at that time . . . not enough "gear".

Those were the days . . .
CBODY67

 

[MAXWEDGECHAR]

The full frame Imps have the factory traction bars do the unit body cars?

 

[detmatt]

The full frame Imps have the factory traction bars do the unit body cars?

No.

 

[78Brougham]

The full frame Imps have the factory traction bars do the unit body cars?

Traction bars? Never knew they had them on Imperial's. Hmmmm

 

[68PK21 440.6bbl]

Got a hold of grandma's keys when nobody was paying attention.

Got a hold of Ma's keys when parents were on vacation.

Had to teach a older but not yet licensed friend of mine how to do a J patch on his mothers sweet looking 67/68? 390 Ford Fairlane 2dr HT.

Got it right on the second try. Dualies on a open carrier too.

Several vacations, business trips later they took the keys with them, so...

 

[68PK21 440.6bbl]

Only problem I saw was he was upshifting too early. Should have held it in first and let it pull...

Yep... Left foot on the Power Disc Brake pedal hard, trans in low, right foot mashed to the floor.
When the speedo hits 65 mph and the tires are good an roasted, remove pressure on brake pedal, real simple on a 440 cop car. One reason I stopped this foolishness was that the tire smoke made me extremely nauseous and when a friend in HS that knew that went and scooped up a softball size amount of burnt rubber and tossed it into my back seat floor without me knowing, days later I'm going WTF that's smell is still here.

 

[BigblueC]

He punched "R" and backed-up a few feet, then punched "D" and floored it.

Never saw any Chevies do that stuff very long! But then most of them still had PowerGlides at that time . . . not enough "gear".

Many years ago I bought a 64' Chevy for about 1/3 of its market value because the dumbass who owned it at the time thought he was cool by doing burnouts that way. He did it one too many times and broke something. He told me that something "exploded" and he thought the trans was shot (PowerGlide). After a year of sitting on jack stands I made him a low ball offer and he needed money so the car was/is mine. A little investigation revealed that the rearend was out (he sheared 3 teeth off the pinion and shredded about 8 on the ring). About $100 and 2 hr of work later she was go to go.

 

[70bigblockdodge]

I'd do it, who cares. Feels good sometimes, if this has to be explained, you are old. Just make sure you pull it into low to protect the sprag once the tires get greasy. Then you can upshift.

 

[rapidtrans]

I was eighteen once! I could brake-torque an Imp or N.Y. like nobody. How else do you prove it has Sure-grip to your buddies? Squawking the tires on R.R. was too easy.

 

[Sammy]

Total *** wipe
You want to do burn outs grab an Srt not luxury cruiser
Probably has insecurity issues

 

[mr. fix it]

I admit that I skimmed through the comments but I recall this seller was demonstrating the burn out capability by doing this video and posted it along with the sales advertisement

 

[rapidtrans]

Another fond H.S. memory has a buddy of mine doing dry donuts with his Dad’s Plymouth Sport Suburban. An impressive site!

 

[cantflip]

I admit that I skimmed through the comments but I recall this seller was demonstrating the burn out capability by doing this video and posted it along with the sales advertisement

That wouldn't actually increase this car's value...

 

[and003]

You want to do burn outs grab an SRT not luxury cruiser

Or perhaps an Imperial fitted with a custom chassis and a supercharged Viper engine? I remember reading about a Canadian hot rod shop building such a car. I wonder what would happen if that particular Imperial was fitted with a Helllcat engine instead.