I love to take long drives on old roads. Whenever I find a section of old road left behind after it was rerouted and improved, I follow it. Where the old segment ends, I frequently find old cars left to rot. These three Imperials – two from ’64-’66 and one from ’70-’71 – are moldering on old US 40 near Hendrysburg, Ohio. They look like they’re being parted out. I would have liked to move in closer for more photos, but when you’re in the middle of nowhere, you never know how friendly the locals are.
That ’71 looks fairly complete and all the windows are rolled up. That one looks more like a candidate for restoration than dismantling- especially considering how rare those must be nowadays.
Very cool, Jim! This post combines two of my favorite things: big, old Chryslers and abandoned highways. I always want to go exploring old highways, but never do, since it’s not my friends’ idea of a good time and because I’m always worried I won’t find anything, but this is encouraging.
Perry: When you want to get away by yourself, I recommend US 40 west from Indy. Lots of old alignments. I know of an abandoned bridge and several sections of concrete road poured in the 1920s that you can still drive on. And after you cross into Illinois, there’s twenty miles of abandoned brick highway that parallels the modern highway.
Would I want to up 37 and THEN take 40 West, or could I begin somewhere well west of Indy?
I’d take 37 to 67 to 39. I’d backtrack to just west of Plainfield to see the abandoned bridge, and then I’d go west from there.
Oh, and 37 has some killer old alignments, including a little 1920s concrete and the very very best abandoned road segment I’ve ever found. Highly recommended.
http://jimgrey.net/Roads/SR37IndyBloomington/index.htm
Jim and Perry: Frequently in no salt country you can see them from the interstate. I agree though that old highways are more fun. Haven’t done a “two lane blacktop” trip with the bride in a few months. Time is awasting.
Must not be a recent photo, there are leaves on the trees.
Right. From the archives. 2011 I think.
It isn’t quite moldering yet, although this ‘Cool Tub’ has been seen lumbering around Des Moines for several months now and hasn’t quite made it back to its apparent state of licensure (Montana). I’m trying to locate the owner of this ’71 Imp for a story. I’m guessing the dog in the front seat has been sworn to secrecy.
Back in January…
Fantastic colour. Nice patination. Wouldn’t mind this one at all.
Nice post, Jim.
Nice pic Jim. Especially since it is located so far off the beaten path.
Google Maps and Streetview is one of my favorite technology tools. An amazing way to explore highways from our home or office. I love learning the history and evolution of highways. Including their cultural impact.
Fortunately, where I live, there is an outstanding website that documents Ontario’s highways. Including many historical photos. Ontario is a very large province, and the webmaster has managed to personally travel and photograph every significant thoroughfare. Including documenting many abandoned sections and road markers.
Here’s the link: http://www.thekingshighway.ca/
That’s a great resource! I wish there were one for my state, Indiana.
I would highly recommend you to run such a site!
Perhaps when you are closer to retirement, it could be a fun hobby. I know governments and local historical societies would be more than willing suppliers of facts and interesting photos. And you’d have high standards for quality.
As a kid in the 70s, I found it was that era when some of the most dramatic engineering improvements to roads occurred. It was still possible at the time to encounter some roads with engineering (and dangers) straight from the 1920s. Even the most remote Ontario highway today, meet high safety and engineering standards. Too bad Google Maps wasn’t around to document those big changes.
There is a very extensive website that documents Wisconsin’s state highways: http://www.wisconsinhighways.org/
http://www.michiganhighways.org/
This one covers Michigan
Didn’t happen to see a skinny kid setting on a porch plucking on a banjo, did ya?
Love these, the 64-66 versions especially.
In my small hometown, a baby blue 1964 Imperial hardtop sedan in immaculate condition was still being used as a daily driver in the early 1980s. Given that Pennsylvania winters are hard on cars, this was no small feat.
The driver was a 50-something woman who regularly visited the bookstore where I worked to buy as many cartons of whatever brand of cigarette was on sale. In those days, tobacco companies regularly offered promotions of various brands of cigarettes. I don’t know if the cigarettes were for her or her husband, but I always wondered if that otherwise spotless Imperial smelled like a tobacco shop on the inside. Plenty of older people in those days thought nothing of smoking in their car while keeping the outside spotless.
She died in the early 1990s, and I saw her Imperial parked at the local Chevrolet-Oldsmobile-Cadillac dealership soon after. It was still in spotless condition. I never saw the car again, so I’m hoping that a collector bought it.
Judging by the way that white one is stripped I’d be willing to bet its final destiny was a demolition derby. Sad that so many ’64-’66 Imperials met that fate, damn things were overbuilt.