Like his Austrian forbear, Herr Doktor Niedermeyer has graced us with his personal interpretation of some wild dreams, specifically those of one Virgil Exner. As head designer of Chrysler in the late 1950s and early ‘60s, Mr. Exner is a fascinatingly troublesome analysand; or, in plain English, he often drives us to ask, “What was he thinking?!” But with all due respect to our shrink-in-chief, let us welcome the triumphs of Virgil’s epic, not just its grotesque sorrows. (Yes, I’m mixing and mangling references and metaphors here. What dream doesn’t?)
Exhibit A: The 1955 Chrysler New Yorker convertible. I won’t even pretend to analyze this dream categorically. (For a proper treatment of the species, see JP Cavanaugh’s CC about a minty green ’55 New Yorker sedan here.) I’ll just present a contrasting example as I saw it, this past Sunday. How Stuff Works claims that 946 New Yorker ragtops were made in ’55, and only some of those had this St. Regis 2-tone treatment. The owner told me it came from storage in Arizona, and the restoration was completed just last week. I wish I could close my eyes and drift into its company right now.
Schlaf gut!
A very rare car. I have never, ever seen a 55 Chrysler convertible in person (or a 56, either, now that I think of it). Looking at the pictures, it looks like this one has dual 4 barrels on it, possibly the setup from a 300?
I could never live with that color combo, though. We are Indiana University fans in our house, and I would never live it down if I drove a car in the colors of arch-rival Purdue University. 🙂
The New Yorkers came with two 2-tone treatments – this one is the St. Regis, and another was called the Newport (which had the simple contrasting side spear as on the sedans). I think I prefer the simpler version – a black car with that gold side spear would be wicked.
As both of my sisters, grads of St Marys would have said, ‘Boo Purdue, Screw Pudue. Just sayin.
I used to see this 55 convertible every year in the Pride parade in San Diego, but I haven’t seen it now for a long time. This photo was taken in 2003.
One of the few facts I know about Indiana is that the old Monon Railroad painted freight diesels black and gold, and the passenger engines were IU red and gray. If I find a Stude in those colors I’ll send it your way.
IU is actually cream and crimson. You might be thinking of Ohio State with the red and gray.
Around here black and gold means Iowa Hawkeyes. That car would be very popular in Iowa City–and perfect for the University of Iowa Homecoming parade.
Nice find Alan!
JP, perhaps the colors on this CC from last year would be more acceptable to an Indiana University fan: https://www.curbsideclassic.com/curbside-classics-american/curbside-classic-1955-chrysler-new-yorker-deluxe-st-regis-hows-that-for-a-long-name/
Perfect! Maybe we need to stage a drag race between this one and the gold/black convertible. The winner gets a ratty old wood bucket. 🙂
Beautiful car I like the colour scheme though Black and Silver for NZ would look nicer Ive not seen a live one either since they only made 900 odd I’m not likely to.
The colors selected seem more likely to be used on a DeSoto of this or the following year. The cars were so similar but as I remember DeSoto just went where the seemingly more conservative Chrysler would not have done.
It’s even more beautiful than the blue one!
Oooh, it has REAL wire wheels too!Sweet!
I’d give Mr Exner a pass on this (if he does prove to be responsible). I love it!
My guess is the guys down the hall in marketing dreamt up the St Regis / Nassau twins all by themselves.
…and this one has the rare clock-in-steering-wheel option!
Between the blue ’56 Imperial convertible (a previous Mopar Week post) and this New Yorker St. Regis, my bucket list is complete.
Holy Chronometer, I didn’t spot that and I took the damn picture. Thanks!
That color combo is awesome! Suits my AFL team, too.
Those were the days when men truly designed great automobiles. They didn’t take drugs, swear in public, or were impolite too.. Yesterdays are more appreciated today than the todays will be tomorrow ..** If you live long enough to see them. God Bless us all….