New Member, 1967 Imperial

[bajajoaquin]

So I'm editing this because I uploaded from my phone. This is frequently the way I finally get a good look at them!

Pinstripes on the sides look good, but they didn't actually do the ones on the trunk yet. I re-sent pictures of the original stripes, so I'll be curious to see how it comes out.

Dropped off the new vinyl top, the headliner, and the turn signal indicators. They're going to adjust the RF fender/bumper because it's wonky, as well as the trunk alignment. Also fix the power windows (which worked when I dropped it off at the first shop). Saying a week or two from here. Since the car has been painted waiting on parts from me for about three weeks, I tend to believe them.

Of course, we went for tacos. That's one huge "trompo" for tacos al pastor. They also have these really good spicy beans in the cooking liquid with a slice of cheese that's all gooey. I love going there. All my colleague and I could eat and a generous tip for $12.

Last, If you look closely, there's some dude mowing the baseball field with a push mower. An important reminder of the different economics of a country just 20 minutes away: labor is cheaper than a riding mower.

If anyone is interested in really good wild-style graffiti, there was some good stuff on the way to the border crossing as well.

Pretty happy. Bummed it came to this, but happy it's coming together. Looking forward to driving it for a few months before sending it back down for engine and trans rebuild....

 

[bajajoaquin]

Viny top guy said it’s ready to go. Not quite sure yet. Haven’t talked to painter to see about signals, windows, or wrapping up the pinstripes.

But maybe tomorrow I will brave the border traffic!

 

[bajajoaquin]

Dude is still out there mowing that lawn

 

[bajajoaquin]

Oh, wait..... is that an Imperial headliner I see in that picture?

Why yes, it is. It idled fine while sitting in a 90 minute border wait. Painted, windows working, seats working, turn signals working (right repeater needs to be fixed -arrrgh!) cornering lights... you get the idea. It works, looks, and drives lovely.

 

[The Goose]

Congrats man. Long hard road but then again you did get to stop for Mexican food along the way !!!

 

[78Brougham]

Congratulations! I've been following this for a long time. It looks like it was well worth the wait!

 

[detmatt]

Who needs emojis This picture says it all! Congrats!!

 

[bajajoaquin]

Still to do: find someone to recreate the factory trunk pinstripes, put on hubcaps and fiddle with some interior trim that’s not quite right.

But overall I’m happy. There were some missteps along the way, but now I have a reliable, quality resource I can count on. I’ll drive it for a while, decide what the heck to do with my engine specifications, then take it back down to rebuild the engine, transmission, and rear end. Car should be a good driver for the next ten years.

 

[ImpJay]

Are you planning to keep the tow hitch support?

If you´re not going to tow, I recommend removing it, because it doesn´t really belong to a car on that high price class. Just my opinion and yours is the final word.

 

[78Brougham]

find someone to recreate the factory trunk pinstripes,

I could be wrong, which happens often enough, but I'm thinking they never had any on the deck lid. I've got the '67 sales brochure in front of me right now and none of them have stripes on the deck lid.

 

[bajajoaquin]

That could be so, but the ones that were there before were a dead ringer for color and wear pattern. If they weren’t factory, they were painted on at roughly the same time.

My memory (also imperfect) suggests I’ve seen the stripes elsewhere. Maybe I’ll ask the Imperial club peeps.

 

[78Brougham]

Additionally mine doesn't have them on the deck lid either. When I redid the ones on the side of my car I played with the idea of putting some on the trunk... I just couldn't seem to make them look proper so I never put them on.

 

[78Brougham]

Pics from the brochure

 

[bajajoaquin]

I get what you guys are saying, and they’re not in the brochure. However, it’s been discussed that brochures aren’t definitive for a number of reasons (pre-production cars, artistic license, myriad options). It’s good evidence and I’m not trying to say you’re wrong, just that it’s not 100%.

On the flip side is that my car had them, was originally bought by a repeat Imperial owner then owned by some car guys who kept it original in all other respects. THe stripes matched in color and wear to the ones on the sides. If they’re not factory options, they appear to be a period addition.

Regardless, I like them and I’m going to replicate them when I can find a pinstriper.

Regarding the hitch, I keep trying to take it off but neither paint shop got around to it. The guy I bought the car from had reason to believe that it was installed by the original owner. There’s some small chance I would put my dirt bike carrier in the hitch and use it to go riding, so I keep hedging. It hangs down and scrapes so I don’t like it. But I might use it so I waffle.

As to it’s appropriateness, I disagree. Hitches were available before 67/68 and after. I think they just didn’t offer them in the first generation of the unibody as they had other fish to fry.

My major issue is that it hangs down too low and is a pain.

 

[78Brougham]

Definitely not stock, or the time period. I had similar ones painted on my wife's 86 CJ7 when it was new, and they looked damn good, but that was a Jeep not an Imperial, so that's probably the time period they were put on.

Its up to you but I would leave them off. Your car so you have to decide. There are plenty of hand pin stripers around that could do the job for you or give you advice on what to put there if so inclined.

As for the hitch... Ditch the Hitch. To me Imperials are far too classy for a hitch. Although they do have some nice hidden ones today. But how often are you going to use it? Do you have a camper or ATV to tow?

 

[The Goose]

I get what you guys are saying, and they’re not in the brochure. However, it’s been discussed that brochures aren’t definitive for a number of reasons (pre-production cars, artistic license, myriad options). It’s good evidence and I’m not trying to say you’re wrong, just that it’s not 100%.

On the flip side is that my car had them, was originally bought by a repeat Imperial owner then owned by some car guys who kept it original in all other respects. THe stripes matched in color and wear to the ones on the sides. If they’re not factory options, they appear to be a period addition.

Regardless, I like them and I’m going to replicate them when I can find a pinstriper.

Regarding the hitch, I keep trying to take it off but neither paint shop got around to it. The guy I bought the car from had reason to believe that it was installed by the original owner. There’s some small chance I would put my dirt bike carrier in the hitch and use it to go riding, so I keep hedging. It hangs down and scrapes so I don’t like it. But I might use it so I waffle.

As to it’s appropriateness, I disagree. Hitches were available before 67/68 and after. I think they just didn’t offer them in the first generation of the unibody as they had other fish to fry.

My major issue is that it hangs down too low and is a pain.

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After all the $#%& you’ve gone thru to get here - stripe that sucker Von Dutch !!!! You’ve earned it.

I’d leave that hitch on, the minute you zap it you’ll have a reason to need it.

Nice to know somebody at the car rally can tow us home too LOL !!!

 

[bajajoaquin]

I’m sure I’ll just leave it as is because it’s done.

Found a few other things. Nobody put the trunk rubber on, and my seat belt wasn’t re-attached after the upholstery was done.

Luckily the rear seat belts were in and the car seats still work fine.

 

[78Brougham]

Nice Photo of you and yours! Congrats! Looks like you're having the time of your lives. Where'd you go for ice cream? Lol

 

[bajajoaquin]

No ice cream. We were coming back from bike riding practice. we live in a hilly area so we aren’t doing the basics here. She wanted to take my car, but the bike wouldn’t fit in the trunk with training wheels. I told her that we could either take my car and she would start riding without training wheels or we could take my wife’s car. She wanted to go in the Imperial so much she made the jump to bike riding.

The forum won’t accept my video, but she rode without training wheels the very first try. Very proud.

 

[bajajoaquin]

Screen grab!