Tuesday, April 24, 2012

CARS, BABY CARS AND THE LOVELY MR IMPERIAL

Once upon a time when I was young, foolhardy and far too young to drive I fancied one of these. A giant boisterous cruiser.


Classic and Vintage cars have always been something I have appreciated my entire life but lately they keep me up at night. They call and tempt me I am flushed with compelling desire and its all about chrome, head or tail lights, streamlining and paintwork. Dashboards and instrumentation feature heavily. I imagine the luxurious interior, the possibility of pinhole vinyl, leather quilting, mahogany inlays or a faux timber veneer its all good as long as its not rigid formed plastic like the cars of today.  I really should avoid car shows and put blinkers on while I drive.

Sexy tail lights, like fluttering lashes to me.

Check out this loveliness!
Faux timber 70's dash inlay....ahhh and check the tail.





Now while my expectation may have not been met I did love my first car...



Ahh she handled like a giant majestic tank, slow and heavy on the ground, ahh the 3 on the tree gear lever, ahh the huge square red leather seats, the stunning mahogany dash - she was a gentle wide beaut! After much time and money though the 1965 Humber Vogue had to make room for a very practical substitute and so its been ever since.


Now call it madness but I have a thoroughly divided and intense band of focus it involves the following.

The small fugly car. The kind of car I never really understood - they made me snigger Escorts, Cortinas, Datsuns etc. I didnt get the guys that loved them in the 80's dropped an oversized or rotary engine in them spent a fortune on wheels and pimped them, I thought they were small comical cars - a tall woman unfolding from an acorn of a car...not me.

I have actually seen cars like this with roll cages and racing harnesses namely in the northern suburbs but really as a concept what's with that? Where are you going? Whats going on? I simply did not get it at all. Please don't mention Calder please or use the word 'Drag' as in racing - cringe shudder.


But now my cynicism has waned and I see an altogether design before me. This genre of car to me is a unique and fascinating anomaly - they are actually quite cool. Now I must state however my preference is for cars on their original state...strictly production line. I like the Venetians, original interiors and colours.

 


Note the 'Fastback'!


Look at this dignified 1963 Cortina  the grill and lines are quite beautiful for a compact car, they are seriously starting to fascinate me.


Moving right along...

Recently I met and made visual and tactile love to Mr Chrysler Imperial

All it took was one look...

'Hi I'm Chrysler Imperial, pleased to meet you'...swoon. Sounds like a really sexy guys name. Where do I start? Long, lean, streamlined, flamboyant yet elegant and tasteful, like a really classic suit design. I love the badges, I love the chrome, I love the lines of theses vehicles. The little boy in this image with me was a delight to chat to. His grandfather owns the car I was so happy to experience this machine it was truly magnificent. I better go lay down.















2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Very cool - you have impeccable taste! Mark

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