Tires : Was Re: IML: Were pin stripes original on 66 Crowns?

["Bill Watson" <wwatson5@xxxxxxxxx>]

 

Whitewall tires were optional on 1966 Imperial Crown models.   Of the 13,742 Imperials built for 1966, 98.0% were ordered with whitewalls.  Which means 275 1966 Imperial Crowns rolled off the Jefferson Avenue assembly line with blackwall tires.  This was an increase, in percentage at least, over 1965 when 97.8% of 1965 models were ordered with whitewall tires.  Given that 1965 production came to 18,399, that 2.2% with blackwall tires came to 405 cars.

 

The standard tire on the 1965 and 1966 Imperial Crown was a 9.15x15" rayon blackwall.   Optional tires included, of course, 9.15x15" rayon whitewall tires, which were standard on the LeBaron.

 

No belted tires of any kind were offered in 1965 or 1966.  The fibres nylon and rayon were used in the tire's cord.  Before radial tires with their steel/fibreglass belts and sidewall cords perpendicular to the bead, tires were constructed with pairs of crossply layers.  The cord that gave these layers strength were made of either nylon or rayon in the 1960's.  One layer had the cord running almost at a 45º angle to the bead while the second layer was at 135º.  Thus the cords in the plies crossed almost perpendicular to each other.  And now you know what a 2-ply tire is.   A 4-ply tire had two sets of the 2-ply layers,  a 6-ply tire had 3 sets, an 8-ply tire had 4 sets, etc.

 

Nylon was quite durable, but in cold weather it would freeze into the shape of the tire.  When a car is sitting, the part of the tread touching the ground flattens out against the ground.  And with a nylon cord tire, the nylon would freeze into that flat tread shape.  When you started off, you would go 'bumping' down the road until the nylon cord warmed up enough to return to its original shape.   Have many memories of riding in Dad's 1955 Dodge Regent with the flathead six and Powerflite, on a cold -40º morning in Winnipeg, bumping down the road in low gear until the tires warmed up enought to smooth out the ride, the engine warmed up enough to put out heat and the transmission warmed up enough to shift to second. 

 

Rayon tires came in the 1960's and did not freeze in the winter. 

 

And you are right.  The glass headlamp covers were standard on both 1965 and 1966 Imperials, as well as 1965 Chrysler New Yorkers. 300-L,  300 (USA) and Saratoga 300 (Canada).

 

Bill

Vancouver, BC

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

----- Original Message -----

From: Wm. R. Ulman

To: mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Sent: Monday, July 04, 2005 7:26 AM

Subject: IML: Were pin stripes original on 66 Crowns?

My '66 Crown Convertible Coupe has the gold lined headlight covers, and was original to the car, as was the pinstripe (White stripe on Baby Blue/Robins Egg, Whatever it was called!).  The pinstripe was an added cost feature as were the original tires.  What Bias-Ply tires could be optional on an Imperial?  Whitewalls?  Bah!  Although I seem to recall something about Nylon belted (?) maybe?  Nowhere on the window sticker did it say anything about the headlight covers being neither optional, nor extra cost.  The '65 with the vertical stripes and the '66 with the solid single band around the perimeter of the headlight cover, I would argue were not extra cost.  They were also on lesser (?)  Chryslers, such as the 300L, and I believe the New Yorker.  Although I have never seen headlight covers of this vintage without the gold striping.  I may be wrong,  yes, it has happened before, but if it is in writing somewhere, I sure would like to see it and know how many cars DID NOT have the gold, which goes back to my comment that all I have ever seen is WITH the gold striping.  My original window sticker got stolen by a crack addict (I assume) a few years back along with the original Certi-card, owners manual, and blue vinyl cover. 

 

This type of malicious act of vandalism should be punishable by death via Pinto rear ending.  No, this is not too extreme a punishment, but that is just my own conservative side coming out.  I have not found replacements of any afore mentioned items.

 

May a reproduction of the window sticker from Chrysler Archives be obtained at whatever cost?  Does the Certi-Card have to be specific to the VIN on the car, or would any one work for show?  As in were they randomly issued for the cars and the dealer input the car?s information into the pre-historic, archaic, monolithic, lights a gaa-gaa, takes up an entire room, kept cold for the computer that would now have more function and memory, processing power in a Palm Pilot?

 

If anyone has an owners manual, blue vinyl cover, and/or Certi-Card I could sure use one of each.

 

Since I have a convertible, I will stay away from the interior dome light issue.  I personally prefer the black bars of the convertible top, if it is up, which is rare.

 

Happy 4^th of July to everyone!  Please keep in mind the spirit of the day and the mighty will, determination, the insufferable sacrifice our compatriots had, and endured, for a young colony to be independent and free.  This right to freedom for EVERY American holds true to this very day.  Though we are heading in a direction, our founding fathers would frown upon IMHO.  I still cherish, and celebrate our freedom?while we still have it.  Please remember our freedom cannot, should not, will not ever be taken for granted?unless we as a nation, the people, let it.  Freedom can be removed (is?) slowly, and under pretense.  We may have yet another revolution in our future if those who run this country (Bi-Partisan) do not watch their step.  Viva la USA!  (Plagiarism, true, but appropriate).

 

Wm. R. Ulman

Seattle, WA 

'66 Crown Convertible Coupe - Doris Day

'95 Buick Roadmaster - Rock Hudson

twolaneblacktop@xxxxxxxxxxx

 

-----Original Message-----
From: mailing-list-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:mailing-list-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of FltSgt@xxxxxxx
Sent: Monday, July 04, 2005 5:07 AM
To: mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: IML: Where pin stripes original on 66 Crowns?

 

Kelly

 

For those of you who have a vehicle and who do not know about the vehicles,

this is a starter.

 

The pin stripes on the side of your Crown was a pay option.  They were done

by hand all by the same person.  If your original owner had purchased the Le

Baron ( which was not a "cookie cutter" automobile ), the hand painted pin

stripe was included in the price of the car.

 

The real Gold stripe on the inside of the headlight glass cover was not done

by hand.  The headlight Gold stripe was a measured and will pay a luxury tax

on item.

 

                                       Rodger & Gabby

                                       Colo Spgs

 

'47 De Soto Custom w/Fluid Drive & passenger door mounted swamp cooler

'62 Crown Coupe w/std A/C & Auto-Pilot ( cookie cutter auto )

'66 Le Baron w/dual A/C & reverbed AM/FM ( non-cookie cutter auto )

'70 Overlander - InterNational Dbl

'77 D150 w/360, NP 4 Spd, 12 Bolt Axle, OEM Buckets & etc

 

 

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