Chrysler gave all its cars new bodies for 1969 and the bowed out shape was called the 'fuselage look' on account of it resembling the sides of an aircraft. This was the brainchild of Elwood Engel who completely altered the look of the 1969 year Chryslers across all brands. Chrysler even curved the glass inwards so that the curve went from the sill line up onto the roof. The original design had a horizontal line below the beltline (waist) but this was smoothed away for the 1972 re-skin. The imposition of federal safety bumpers spoiled the fuselage designs and in 1974 a new body took over.
Chrysler New Yorker Brougham 1973 front
Chrysler New Yorker 1969-73. Chrysler's biggest car (the Imperial was bigger) with a massive 7,206cc V8 which only gave 215 bhp because of emissions equipment. Panels were shared across Newport, New Yorker and Imperial, but they got different front and rear treatment
Chrysler Newport Custom 1970 4-door sedan front
Chrysler Newport Custom 1970 4-door sedan. The sixth generation Newport was launched for 1969 and the standard power was a 6,286cc (383) Hemi V8. The new 'fuselage' styling, so called because of the body curvature from sills to the roof was given a crease line below the belt line until 1973.
Imperial 1973 LeBaron hardtop sedan front
Imperial 1973 LeBaron hardtop sedan. Offered in 1973 as a 4-door hardtop sedan, or as a 2-door coupe, the 1973 Imperial was powered by a 7,206cc 208 bhp (emissions) V8 engine
