Imperial Over Lincoln for 1959 Comparison Dealer Promo Film

Imperial Over Lincoln for 1959 video from the Chrysler Master Technician Service Conference Training Series. Used as a training tool for dealer salesmen and a sales tool for potential customers.
Mopar is a registered trademark of Chrysler Group LLC. Master Tech series training materials are the property of Chrysler Group LLC and are used with permission.

[@4406bbldb]

TRUE STORY. MY uncle had a Impieral and the majority of farmers had Cadillacs. So one day a few of them asked him a question, why do you have a Impieral he said it's the only car that can get me to Fargo in 1.5 hrs and it can also pull a tractor out of a slew. They agreed.

[@JackF99]

So in other words your uncle drove his Imperial faster than the top speed of a Cadillac for 90 minutes. Seems he'd be in jail long before he got to Fargo.

[@davidcookmfs6950]

Chrysler started using "headlights at slant in 1961 on the 300G, so they must have changed their mind about it.

[@davidprosser7278]

Yes, they look great on the 'bankers hotrod'.

[@0samabinbobbin485]

I'm sold, where can I get one? Will they take my Kia in trade?

[@frankburns8871]

Heh, imagine driving a Kia into a 1959 Chrysler dealership.

[@0samabinbobbin485]

Frank Burns yeah, we could put it in the trunk of the Chrysler!

[@Drchainsaw77]

In 1959, KIA still meant only *Killed In Action.*

[@VinylToVideo]

It still does. I'd never buy a *Killed in Action*.

[@stun3282]

0sama Bin Bobbin I own an imperial

[@wesfrazier5822]

can't believe a toilet seat on the trunk never took off

[@humdidoadi]

ill go to the dealer order the imperial now..

[@3windowcoupe]

They really had to stretch for some of the criticisms of Lincoln. "The headlight switch is next to the steering column!" "The turn signal lever is too skinny! etc. etc. Oh horror!

[@HITEKSTRANGER]

It's a wonder they sold any Lincolns at all with this Imperial as competition . Incredible features that would make many modern cars better. Mopar rocks 👍👍👍

[@LeopoldoNotarianni-rk9vv]

Brand loyalty I think.

[@brianallen9810]

Now I know where all the chrome in Rhodesia went.

[@bobt5778]

Padded dashes always felt better when you got launched into them during a collision for the lack of seat belts.

[@TeeroyHammermill]

That Imperial was one hell of a car with features ahead of it's time.

[@christopherorourke6362]

dstarks80 the Imperial outsold the Lincoln from 1957 to 1960. After seeing the 1958 to 1960 Lincoln which was heavier than the Imperial & Cadillac, the Imperial was the most beautiful of the 3 luxury cars. The Imperial stared in the Green Hornet tv series, it also stared in the Beverly Hillbillies tv series.

[@christopherorourke6362]

dstarks80 the Imperial outsold the Lincoln from 1957 to 1960. After seeing the 1958 to 1960 Lincoln which was heavier than the Imperial & Cadillac, the Imperial was the most beautiful of the 3 luxury cars. The Imperial stared in the Green Hornet tv series, it also stared in the Beverly Hillbillies tv series.

[@christopherorourke6362]

dstarks80 the Imperial outsold the Lincoln from 1957 to 1960. After seeing the 1958 to 1960 Lincoln which was heavier than the Imperial & Cadillac, the Imperial was the most beautiful of the 3 luxury cars.

[@Teraforce88]

My uncle owns a 1959 Lincoln Continental Mark IV convertible that's been in my family since 1970. I remember reading the blurb in the brochure about the huge brake linings, and his response was, "It takes an act of GOD to stop that car!"

[@kfl611]

And to launch it.

[@Teraforce88]

@@kfl611 With 490ft/lbs torque, it'll do burnouts quite easily.

[@bertpryor1158]

But couldnt keep up with chrysler, as usual.

[@commodore665]

Hi I'm Troy Mc Clure , you may remember me from such public information films such as , I am Joe's colon

[@jhancock1575]

4:55. Well, I’m not buying the Lincoln because the jack in the trunk will scratch my luggage. That’s a deal breaker for me.

[@johnhiram1207]

Both great looking cars.

[@alexmaclean1]

I am fascinated by these old videos. It really shows that the world of sales has always just been filled with marketing wank. This video says long wheelbase had less to do with ride because the Chrysler is shorter, another video from a couple years later says the wheelbase is the most important thing to the ride because that model was longer than the competition lol Sales people have been full of shit for all eternity lol

[@pcno2832]

16:37 A self-dimming mirror is pretty impressive for 1958. My '05 Honda Accord had just about every option but a sunroof and the navagation system (much to my relief), but for some reason the mirror still had a manual dimmer; I had to install one myself, which included the other important feature Honda forgot, a compass.

[@ZerokillerOppel1]

Lincoln looks like a brute. My kinda car!

[@mikeyp2277]

I could watch these all day, great stuff. Thanks for uploading.

[@jamesfox2579]

In my opinion, BOTH Cars were Incredibly Beauuuutiful!💕

[@desotokid99]

I guess in 1959 it was a man who bought the car;the woman who picked from the pretty available colors !

[@ryan9570]

that is a good point about the windshield wipers. I don't know what year Ford Motor Co. finally went with electric wipers, but those vacuum operated wipers sucked dead donkey balls when accelerating.

[@MerleOberon]

+Ross Ewage some AMC cars had them till the early 70s

[@matadorman78]

+MerleOberon that is correct. however, today's cars actually mimick Vacuum wipers electronically. as the car slows down so do the wipers, duplicating the Vacuum effect. man, I own a taxi company a what would I give for s 1975 Matador 4 door to be in the fleet.what s taxi

[@taylorsutherland9447]

My 1959 Ford has electric wipers, I believe they were optional.

[@pcno2832]

Reminds me of my 1986 Dodge Lancer turbo; the air from the dashboard vents would go to the floor whenever you stepped on it. It was a problem on all the early K-related cars with the 2.2 liter turbo engine.

[@w9gb]

... and both Ford and Chrysler fought Robert Kearns on his 1964 patent (intermittent windshield wiper). en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Kearns

[@pcno2832]

4:07 When I was a kid, I thought there was a washing machine under there, but I guess other people assumed it was a toilet. Either way, it wasn't the best Idea Chysler ever came up with.

[@kfl611]

Reminds me of a 60's studebaker, they had back tires in the trunk like that.

[@aaardvarkkk]

Those were really lame points he made but the Chrysler is still far better than the Lincoln in every way. He just didn't make the right points. Ugly-ass Lincoln. Incredibly beautiful Imperial.

[@williamg2552]

With Torsion-Bar Suspension, The IMPERIAL was FAR more roadable than Lincoln or Cadillac. and Lincoln's unit construction was also more prone to rust.

[@JackF99]

A Mopar torsion bar is merely a coil spring laid out straight. Both use round bar stock that twists in acting on the wishbones to resist suspension deflection. Zero difference in handling or ride between either approach. Only advantages to torsion bar are more room in the engine compartment and probably a little easier to adjust ride height.

[@LeopoldoNotarianni-rk9vv]

Interesting

[@williamj515]

This must have been a filmstrip. The ding sound was used let you know when to advance to the next frame, the audio being on a record. The rear view mirror on the dash, couldn't have been very practical, when there were passengers in the back blocking it.

[@petermainwald6413]

Chrysler always had superior engineering.. Their styling usually was a bit out of the box. To the average idiot, looks meant everything and hence why Chrysler was always in third place. To me, they were very beautiful and distinct... and the better engineering was the icing on the cake.

[@mikesamra9126]

PETER MAINWALD I'm a diehard Ford/Mercury fan and I agree with you.The Chrysler products were ahead of their time in features and style and this was also the case with the Edsel believe it or not and Americans are always slow to embrace change in automobiles.I do like the Imperial and you can see a lot of thought had gone into the car.

[@peter455sd]

PETER MAINWALD The average idiot nowadays buys Toyota, screws up the traffic,and believes he has the best car in the world despite all the scandals,i guess they have short memory too........

[@rixtunz3625]

They lacked durability was their rep in the 70's.

[@surearrow]

"...and we have bigger fins!"

[@jimsteele2072]

Im sure that was a pavlovs call for a few sales...lol

[@CEOkiller]

I see they broke the bank making this film...

[@tracer740]

+CEOkiller -lol!!!

[@GLC2013]

Do you know what a 16mm projector with magnetic sound used to cost? They were out of sight and not necessary for a dealer who just needed to give his staff a training refresher. This was a "filmstrip" which was shown in conjunction with an LP record on an ordinary record player. When you heard the tone, you advanced to the next slide. Way more cost-effective for most businesses; we used to watch them all the time in school.

[@dennisolson498]

i miss my 58 imperial... it was spring green...392 loved it

[@heatherblankenship7663]

Thanks but I'll keep my Hudson.

[@augustkelly8772]

This thing was way ahead of its time

[@dullaverage1667]

Nothing dumber than turn indicator controls on the dash. Easier to speed up and cut in..

[@bennetfox]

A land yacht is a land yacht is a land yacht!

[@guidedmeditation2396]

I like the Lincoln Continental's rear window and interior better but the Imperial's roofline and rear deck and fins are beautiful. Including the spare wheel ornamentation on the trunk lid although It looks like where you would install a Nuclear power module.

[@Slazlo-Brovnik]

Funny: abot 10 years later, Lincoln went back to frame and body, whole the 1970 Imperial was a frameless monocoque construction. And sure enough the dealer promo movie for that imperial pointed out how good frameless monocoque is and how bad the oldfashioned frame and body setup is.

[@jamesculbertson1746]

Having "gunsight taillights" would be offensive, & trigger some people in 2017.

[@jimsteele2072]

Where would you be able to park that thing.... Its longer than a mini van

[@justenough730]

@@jimsteele2072 same place you park a 4dr PU

[@justenough730]

How I would love to deport those people to europe

[@waterheaterservices]

Liberalism is a plague

[@davidcorbin6489]

I think the 66 imperial was the best looking the green hornet, s Car

[@5610winston]

5:18 ...and Chrysler went to unitized construction for all models (except Imperial) the next year...

[@jimdelton1767]

Body on frame is far better, all aspects considered, than unibody. The reason most light fleet are unibody is because it’s cheaper.

[@stun3282]

I own an imperial

[@loveisall5520]

That pasted-on, overchromed front end, along with the pasted-on brightwork on the lower rear fenders, really made this this the homeliest Imperial to date.

[@SecsSells]

Surprised he didn't mention the larger ashtray!

[@andrewarmstrong7310]

Which four?

[@zachotek9499]

Andrew Armstrong sometimes 5

[@stevehoward3049]

He was just about to get to that but they ran out of vinyl record space.

[@williamg2552]

I don't know about you,but, if I were YOU, if I were paying a lot of money for a car, I would be really concerned about the "torsional bending" issue with Lincoln's Unit Construction. Who wants a car that bends ? The Lincoln of that era was the first time in automotive history that unit construction was used on a car THAT LARGE . But , it would be YEARS before car manufacturers could properly build a large unit construction car. IMPERIAL not only had a full- perimeter frame, it had the STRONGEST FRAME in the industry !!

[@bigwu100]

outlawed on the demolition derby circuit.

[@bobtis]

Massive is right. I love the Lincoln

[@rockermarco]

"...lively good taste that a man looks for in a car." Hilarious!

[@kfl611]

Yeah, what about the women drivers?

[@oliver_klozoff]

​@@kfl611 they were in the kitchen

[@LearnAboutFlow]

Both these cars are incredibly hideous compared to their 1960s versions that were timeless designs.

[@Ed-lz4jv]

now dealers a bunch of kids ripping you off, always have to check with the manager LOL

[@550MustangGT]

Beautifull car

[@2023-Sucked]

Lincoln or imperial Me: Cadillac

[@TWTR4EVER]

Lol......They both have to content with the Cadillac Eldorado and neither one of them was a match!

[@hikdingle2210]

Caddys have always been over priced junk

[@waywardboi]

Funny how all the references to the prospects are towards men!

[@johnazhderian5734]

These cars are the size of most houses in Europe! This car is the size of a Greyhound bus!

[@sirloinofbeef3862]

Funny. I've seen a few of the lincolns. Never an Imperial.

[@kfl611]

I was thinking the same thing, I never even heard of an Imperial.

[@jasoncarpp7742]

Although I like the grille of the Lincoln Continental, I prefer the more horizontal position of the headlamps of the Imperial. Although I like the styling of the Ford and General Motors cars, I like the engineering of Chrysler cars. Just because the general public doesn't talk much about safety, that shouldn't mean that car makers shouldn't implement safety features in their cars. :)

[@MisterMikeTexas]

The pimp decklid would have been a huge strike against the Imperial for me. Just bleh!

[@4gauge10]

The crown Imperial with its bug-eyed Homer Simpson looking headlights and it's grille that looks like one of the Osmonds smiling at you, it is one ugly dog ass looking car. The back of the car looks like a turtle with fins on it from a dolphin. The Lincoln had it all over Chrysler anything back there then,longer wheelbase more interior room,just a better car.

[@yeoldesaltydog7415]

My buddy bought a 59 Imperial for quite cheap and she is clean!

[@allencrider]

Lincolns were butt ugly. Be a garish American Imperialist!

[@TheHeretic435]

Fuck the Lincoln. I'm getting the '59 Imperial.

[@thoughtfinder]

Imperial Crown and Imperial Lebaron was a very beautiful unique car that shared no other parts with Chrysler. That all changed in 1969 when Chrysler used the fuselage design and ruined the car.

[@johneddy908]

I beg to differ. The '69 Imperial was the best Imperial yet. Imperial was still the biggest of all Chrysler Corporation cars; the fuselage design added more room, and LeBaron had a two-door model for the first time ever.

[@tracer740]

That Imperial grille looks like my bedroom closet every Saturday when my ma told me to straighten up my room!

[@allenpinnix5241]

the Lincoln looks better---- the Imperial looks likes pieces from several cars all stuck together. Now the '65 Imperial convertible was nice!

[@m4rs12]

Back when women have no business in buying a car...lol

[@rogerspice7743]

Boy, I feel like a real knuckle-head! Wish I seen this before I bought that POS 59 Lincoln. What are the boys at the club going to say? I feel like a real idiot. I'm embraced to no end driving that overweight boat anchor. I want an Imperial!

[@mgtowp.l.7756]

When You Drive A Lincoln Continental You Get That Old Continental Feeling. When You Drive A Imperial You Get That Old Imperial Feeling..

[@Michael_in_Vt]

In 2019 I would take either one of them!

[@stevehoward3049]

Love that swivel seat. They should bring it back for 2022 models

[@stephenpellegrino7504]

I drove a '59 Imperial once; the most annoying thing was the turn signal switch. It was mounted on the dash and you had to take your eyes off the road in order to find it, and then reach to rotate it left or right. How many prospects walked out of Chrysler dealers in frustration because of that so-called "modern feature"?

[@kfl611]

This was when 'Push Button' really meant 'the future is here and you are part of it', also 'even a woman can use it, all it requires is a finger tip and a push'.

[@thoughtfinder]

All Cadillac ever was was a glorified Oldsmobile. Lincoln was a true and separate unique car up till 1968. After that Lincoln became nothing more than a glorified Ford LTD. Imperial was always separate from the rest of Chrysler up till 1968

[@BuzzLOLOL]

All Cadillac needed to be was a glorified Oldsmobile... Olds was technology leader in those days... they invented Hydra-Matic tranny... a 4 speed automatic in 1940!

[@thoughtfinder]

BuzzLOLOL wait a minute. Chrysler as of 1953 had the most advance transmission in the world torqueflite transmission. Torqueflite transmission was so advanced with the hemi engines that NASCAR driver Richard Petty Sr switched from Oldsmobile to Chrysler. From 1958 to 1963 was the leader and winner in NASCAR races. They so far ahead that Ford and GM didn't stand a chance. So to give Ford and GM a little leverage NASCAR started introducing limitations on horsepower performance. And Chrysler retaliated by staying out of NASCAR for three years. Although GM's early transmission we're good and I won't doubt that but they could not keep up with torqueflite on the NASCAR circuit

[@thoughtfinder]

Daver G I don't know how NASCAR is controlled today. Ford GM and Chrysler have there own testing grounds they use but at some point all three companies will try and test there potential product in the real world before giving it to the general public.

[@thoughtfinder]

@Daver G i didn't say I know everything about NASCAR. I had relatives that worked at Ford motor company. They told me alot, not all, of automotive technology was tested in NASCAR during the early years. Including the 351 V8. Are you going to deny the fact that the Ford Galaxy 500 in it's early years at NASCAR had the 351 V8? The cam technology that was used in the 430 V8 Lincoln engine was tested at Ford's testing grounds and at NASCAR for two years. You can laugh at me all you want but my relatives I have that worked at Ford motor company know Alot more then you. One of my relatives was responsible for the design of Ford cars in the 1980s. So LOL at you.

[@chrisxaf1237]

even the cheapest dynamic 88 had better build quality than the flagship imperial

[@Bossrich6287]

That ugly front end on the imperial tells it all.

[@cornellgreen3692]

I personally would take a '64 or '67; they had some cool styling and sharp lines, especially the '67.

[@morthedgebuckle227]

My favourite is the 1960

[@KevinSmith-cp1gf]

You never trash a competitor's product. It just makes you seem desperate

[@belloviper]

They need to bring back the Imperial name

[@MadMax069]

AT 1:56 I HAVE TO GIVE THE NOD TO LINCOLN. THAT TAIL FIN GROWING UPWARDS TO THE REAR END OS CRAZY LOOKING TO ME.

[@fitzgeraldhanover3921]

The 1959 Lincoln was the best car I ever owned. I owned expensive foreign cars to include Porshe and BMW. The 1967 Lincoln Continental was not as good as the 1959.

[@timshepley6837]

Evil

[@jimdelton1767]

I spent some time with both a 60 and a 67 Lincoln. Styling is always subjective.. I like both a lot. But the dash on the 60 was head and shoulders nicer that the 67. If I was choosing a classic today it would be 60 Lincoln. The imperial is overall the best car though but I’m not going to be racing them over rr tracks or running them in competition so the difference between doing 0 - 60 in 8.7 vs 9.6 just doesn’t matter.

[@markpelley]

I’m sold, swivel seats!! I love my dads generation!!

[@stevehoward3049]

Yes me too. Also love those little vent windows. I wish car companies would bring back both the swivel seats and those little vent windows.

[@charlesmacgilchrist3648]

JFK should have got imperial - the tempered glass would have saved him.

[@m4rs12]

Not a chance with 2nd/3rd shooters...

[@kennybranshaw7526]

Love most Imperials. Never thought to compare the 2. Interesting watch.

[@allencrider]

I sure don't want no knee-knocking workouts, Bud!

[@kfl611]

Boot knocking maybe.

[@gregorytimmons4777]

Imperial is just not that luxurious inside.

[@jimdelton1767]

That’s where the 58 59 60 Lincoln’s shined. The attention to detail in them was obsessive. Everything is jewel like. Look at the power window switches… the elegance of the steering wheel.. and of the control knobs. The way the AC vents are a continuation of the horizontal fins of the sweep of the dash. And all with a real quality feel of substance. When the 66 came out the dash was the same cheap looking plasticized chrome look you got in a Ford. The thin line of top pad sagged in the middle.

[@Mike_Collins392]

I have read that the 392 FirePower engine was available for 59 Imperial ( an extra run of 1958 engines were produced and stashed for this ). That would be a fantastic car to see.

[@2right4words]

didn't Elvis Presley sing with the torsionaires?

[@fob1xxl]

Continental LOOKS like MONEY ! The design and features of the Lincoln are far more futuristic. Nothing wrong with Imperial at all. I basically , even today as an adult am always drawn by style not electronics, or technology. They all in line AFTER I find my eyes desire.

[@MrLuvOldies]

Nice car.Mmmmmmmm

[@ryanlambert1205]

Notice how they do not compare to cadillac this time 😂. The 59 cadillac was the most beautiful car in its time and still holds today!

[@LearnAboutFlow]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/sGLQfmywjMhmqtk

[@danielthoman7324]

the 59 Cadillac was a monstrosity. 🤮

[@TheXJ12]

If you want to know more about Imperial drum brakes, Jay Leno posted "1958 Imperial Convertible" some time ago.

[@rosewhite---]

what was going through mind of designer of the Imperial front chromery!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@rafaelallenblock]

This year body on frame is GOOD and unibody is bad, next year or model unibody GOOD and body on frame old-fashioned and noisy. Or one year the Chrysler is busy and massive, the next their front end is simple and classic. The hype in these promos is off the charts.

[@2right4words]

and the Imperial comes with a free toilet seat glued to the trunk lid

[@billbright1755]

Come back when you grow a set of fins. I need far more gleaming Crome plated steel!

[@hanssiegel9882]

Would prefer Jack Rebney's (Winnibago man) comparison. Eg. " Do you believe that shit "

[@wintersbattleofbands1144]

The '59 Imperial was a looker for sure, but the grill was decidedly old-fashioned.

[@philiptucci2458]

I always preferred Lincoln

[@kfl611]

Me also.

[@carkenny2]

I am so sold. Imperial rocks. Lincoln sucks.

[@tracer740]

+Teresa67 Factoid - No, no and ... no!

[@carkenny2]

Liche Christ All the cars of 1959 were beautiful works of art, that just happened to have wheels as well.

[@dicarlo57]

no, the lincoln rocks, you suck!

[@dilburger6902]

That's why imperial is still a brand

[@burtbenz9964]

Got 1 in vegas pink 2 door yea in the storage yd at near road house lower east side. Wow met some other mmopar friends soldit! That was in 2001

[@joelonzello4189]

My Great Grandfather had one. Use to back into other cars...look at the damage and say "that's not so bad" and drive off lol

[@sethhuber25]

What’s with the Chrysler motor company and bumper protection

[@artjones2498]

say what you want....back in the day they were all beautiful land barges...to each thier own

[@kdkatz-ef2us]

Tom macahill raved about the imperial for years but it still lagged in sales. Too bad.

[@timpriddy73]

I would take the Lincoln Mopar in 59 did nothing for looks, the imperial is king ugly.......

[@williamg2552]

Tim Priddy IMPERIAL for me !! I think it is a much better-looking car..and FAR better engineered !!! I do like the Continental Convertible, but ,I'm partial to convertibles in general anyway ...and given the choice, I'd rather go with the Imperial Crown Convertible . Less gee-whiz gadgetry means far less that can go wrong , and with full perimeter frame construction VS Lincoln's unibody, and Imperial's superior suspension, it's a no brainer .

[@paulsharp6559]

I like the Lincoln it’s a better looking car.