1956 Chrysler Dart Concept

As I discussed here, the 1956 model year Chrysler Corporation line had small tail fins tacked onto the restyled 1955 bodies for the model year facelift.  Then for 1957 the line was redesigned again, this time with the incorporation of such fins as a major part of its styling theme.

During the lead-ups to the 1956 and '57 model introductions, Chrysler publicized the idea that tail fins were the way things were going in some advanced, high-performance machines other than automobiles.

Examples included delta-wing (and tail) jet fighters such as the Convair F-102A Delta Dagger, shown here in a Air Force museum photo.

Another example was Gold Cup hydroplane racers such as the famous world speed record setting Slo-mo-shun IV seen here on Seattle's Lake Washington in the early 1950s in a photo whose origin I do not know.  It too has a delta-shaped tail fin.

To further publicize the tail fin theme, Chrysler commissioned the Delta Dart show car from Gia in Italy, the subject of this post.  Some background information is here.

The link mentions that the body shape was tested in a European wind tunnel, which raises the question of whether the design was by Chrysler stylists or by Ghia designers working on a Chrysler-specified theme.  However, it should be mentioned that the 1955 Ghia-designed Gilda was an aerodynamic exercise with features carried over to the Delta Dart.  I am away from some of my reference material as I draft his post, and will add more detail on this matter if I find it.

Gallery

The windshield resembles that used on Imperials starting in 1957.

The grille-bumper design is logical considering the overall design theme.  However, it would not be practical (or even legal in the USA) for a production version.

An interesting feature is the chromed bar/bumper element that encircles the car.  The design is fastback, which, due to contrasting heights, serves to emphasize the tail fins even further.

But that fastback top was retractible, an interesting touch not strictly related to the finned, aerodynamic theme.

Profile view.  Pretty much in keeping with the F-102 and Slo-mo-shun shown above.  Later production Chrysler Corporation car with tail fins were less conceptually pure than this show car.