SEPTEMBER 12, 2012: LAST OF THE 4-DOOR HARDTOPS FROM DETROIT—A 1978 CHRYSLER NEW YORKER

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Four-door hardtops made their debut in the mid-50s and the last one rolled off the Chrysler assembly line in 1978.

 

Albert Domsky is the current “caretaker not owner” (his words) of one of the last four door hardtops made in North America and he loves his giant blast from the past.

 

Albert is a self-described “car nut” who enjoys the contact with people at car shows. Most of the younger car show visitors have never seen a giant four-door hardtop before they laid eyes on Albert’s New Yorker, so he gets a lot of questions about his big car.

 

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Clearly it is easy to see that Albert enjoys his role as a spokesman for his remarkably well-preserved New Yorker. He is the fourth owner and it is very clear that the previous owners were also excellent caretakers for the Chrysler because it looks like it just came out of the showroom.

 

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The car has never been painted or restored in any way and it even has its original factory markings under the hood and trunk. It also has its original spare tire but Albert chooses to carry a second spare because he “does not trust a 34-year-old spare”.

 

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Albert respects the car’s complete originality and invites the public to sit in the car and experience the high-end luxury of his car circa 1978. His New Yorker is a full load car that has all of the creature comforts available in a vehicle from the Chrysler stable during the dark days of disco.

 

Albert has made one minor change in the car: he has added a kill switch to the battery so he can keep the doors open during car shows. He drained his battery before the switch installation because the massive interior also has nine interior lights that sucked the life out of his battery during his first show.

 

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Albert admits that he was simply looking for a big block power train when he discovered the big Chrysler but the thought of cannibalizing this remarkably well-preserved survivor was not on the table for him.

 

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Albert wanted to ensure that the New Yorker was going to enjoy a pampered life of summer car shows in smaller towns because Albert likes to get out of the big city where he lives and enjoy the experience of small town car shows.

 

People are more relaxed and the pace is slower in the smaller communities, so Albert gets to meet more curious fans of his big Mopar.

 

We have caught up with Albert and his pristine ’78 New Yorker four-door hardtop many times at the smaller town shows over the past few summers and we have always enjoyed his friendly willingness to share an unusual survivor from the 70s. It is a perfect fit of owner and car.

 

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We wish the two of them many happy hours on the road together in the future and hope to cross paths with them again in 2013.

Jim Sutherland

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