Imperial Home Page -> Imperials by Year -> 1967 -> Michael Amodt's 1967 Mobile Director Coupe
The newest prestige car in a decade reveled Chrysler motors Corporation. Yet, in spite of all the effort and costs involved, only 13,227 Imperials were produced that year. Cadillac outsold Imperial by a ratio of 15 to one!
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| Featured prominently in it's advertising of Imperial '67, was the Mobile Director option. It was described as an executive board-room paneled with rare wood, complete with conference table, turn-around executive chair and a high-intensity reading lamp that mounts in any of the four cigarette lighter sockets. The inspiration for this novel accessory was a lavish experimental luxury car displayed throughout the country at the 1966 automobile shows. Called the Imperial Mobile Executive car, it had the fittings listed above as well as a small television, 2-way radio-telephone, Dictaphone and an early version of the fax machine. It was designed to permit the busy executive to conduct business while the car was in motion. Reacting to its favorable response at the auto shows, Chrysler decided to offer a scaled-down version in production models. Available on in the Crown Coupe, the cost of the Mobile Director option was a staggering $649.65 (approximately $5,500 in today's currency). Sources differ as to the number of Imperials equipped with the Mobile Director option. Figures range from 71 to 172. The Price for the option was lowered to $317.60 in 1968. | ||
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| Why did the original owners of these cars opt for such a highly unnecessary and expensive feature? This example (which appeared in Special Interest Autos, April 95 issue) was ordered from Normandin Chrysler Plymouth by the Chief of Staff of O'Connor Hospital who also maintained a private practice. She believed the table would be useful for record-keeping while performing house calls. Sadly, when the car was but a few months old, the doctor died suddenly, leaving it to here closest friend, a San Jose Businesswoman. It was to be her car for the next twenty-eight years. After giving up driving at the age of 88, she offered her beloved Imperial to me. Though spot-painted at times during her ownership, the car is original and in the condition in which it was received. | ||
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Table
with Lamp, and with lamp lit! |
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| Blank-Off piece (it weighs 3 pounds). Chrysler provided for the possibility the owner might want to remove the table at times so the cap covers the floor mount! | Literature for the Mobile Director option states the lamp stores under the front seat but if it does, I have never been able to figure out how. | |
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Armrest |
Swivel
Seat turns towards rear |
Voila
armrest turns into table |
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