Vehicle Description
One of 474 built. Loaded with options and features, nice
restoration about 10 years ago. Runs and drives well, recently
serviced including brakes with new master cylinder. Extra parts and
manuals included. Lots of luxury convertible at a great
price!Chrysler positioned the Imperial and Imperial Crown at the
top of the lineup, akin to Cadillac and Lincoln-in fact, you won't
find the name 'Chrysler' anywhere on this car (yes, I know we
listed it as a Chrysler Imperial in the ad, but that's the only way
the various advertising venues' databases would accept it). In
1969, the Imperial would be folded back into the Chrysler lineup
and was little more than a trim package on the New Yorker, making
this final year ragtop something special. We acquired it from an
estate, so its history is not known, but it's obviously the
recipient of a fairly comprehensive and expensive restoration not
too long ago. The Polar White paint shines atop some very straight
bodywork and those impossibly long quarters are in excellent
condition with no signs of accidents or wholesale panel
replacement. We do not believe this was a rusty car. Doors fit well
and close with a solid THUNK and not the rattle that you'd expect
and panel fit is quite good throughout. Details like the
taillights, intricate gas filler cap, and fine-toothed grille are
all in excellent condition, and those are parts that just can't be
restored or replaced so they must be excellent originals. Factory
'Imperial' emblems are the only indication of this car's identity,
adding to its exclusivity. You can tell there was real money spent
inside, where the blue leather interior is completely new,
including seats, door panels, and carpets. It's beautifully done
and matches the original patterns quite swell-this couldn't have
been a cheap job. Imperials only came one way: loaded, and this car
has all the goodies: A/C, power windows, power seat, and a power
antenna. Plush carpets help control noise and heat and there are
brilliant details throughout, including the gold anodized dash
panels, the little handle on the rear seat center arm rest, and the
flip-up door for the radio controls. Of note, the seat motor works
but the seat doesn't move, the clock is inop, and the A/C system
appears to have been restored but isn't charged. On the plus side,
the weather seals are new, so the top seals up nicely and features
both a glass rear window and correct long-grain vinyl as original.
It stows under one of two matching blue boots. The trunk is
likewise restored with black carpets and a cover for the spare tire
assembly.Chrysler's biggest engine powers their biggest car: a 440
cubic inch V8 that doesn't seem to work very hard keeping all that
sheetmetal moving. Topped with a 4-barrel carburetor and equipped
with dual exhaust, it's a bit more muscle car than the offerings
from Lincoln and Cadillac, and I think that was intentional. On the
other hand, it's smooth, torquey, and unobtrusive, just the way
you'd expect. The dual snorkel air cleaner is a nod to the car's
muscle car roots, although the top of the engine is dominated by
the massive A/C compressor. New belts and hoses, fresh fluids, and
the aforementioned brake service mean it's ready to drive. It's
backed by Chrysler's indestructible TorqueFlite 3-speed automatic
transmission which clicks off firm shifts and quick downshifts when
you really prod the throttle. 2.94 gears out back make this a
tremendous highway cruiser and the ride is luxury car smooth.
There's undercoating to protect the underside and help control
noise and heat, as well as a new dual exhaust system with both
mufflers and resonators, so the tone is appropriately hushed. It
sits on factory 15-inch wheels and recent 235/75/15 whitewall
radials.Extras include a service manual, advertising materials, a
spare hubcap, and two large boxes of parts.Big and flashy, this is
the last of Chrysler's cost-no-object luxury cars. It has a bespoke
feeling that later cars can't match and performance that earlier
cars only wish for. The restoration obviously cost far more than
the asking price and while it's not perfect and has a few niggling
details to be finished, the basics are excellent and it still
represents a whole lot of car for the money. Call today!Harwood
Motors always recommends and welcomes personal or professional
inspections of any vehicle in our inventory prior to purchase.
