Chrysler Imperial: Your Impression, Elegant, or Overstyled/over the top? (Ford, Lincoln)
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Yeah, it's Chrysler Imperial. You might also want to remember that there were different models of Imperials like the New Port, Crown, etc that had minor body changes from each other. My favorite would be the YM 1956. Tailights mounted high, these cars were the pinnacle of luxury of their time. They were also the car to catch on the road as they sported a 331 cu in REAL Hemi with a 4 barrel. Ride was like riding on a cloud- soft and luxurious. The trunk was big enough to put several bodies in.
It was never Ford Lincoln. Lincoln had its own models like the Town Coupe, Continental, etc. The Marks were actually under the Continental banner but Continental was originally a Lincoln product. I'm not sure when the Marks and Continentals were actually moved back under the Lincoln banner but the Mark II was a Ford design. The original Continental was dropped around the late 40's and revived in the mid 50's. Since I own a Mark, I should know that info.
TrapperL, that is a great '56 Imperial in the photo. Incidentally, the '56 Imperial had the new 354-cu-in Hemi engine, rated at 280 horsepower. The '56 300B also used the 354-Hemi, rated at 340 hp with 355 hp listed as an option.
No it's not. From 1955-1983 Imperial was a separate make in the Chrysler Corporation lineup. Prior to 1955 it was a Chrysler model, and again in the early '90s when it was a fancy rebadged Dynasty. But all the years pictured are from the era when Imperial was it's own line.
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You might also want to remember that there were different models of Imperials like the New Port, Crown, etc that had minor body changes from each other.
I do remember that, which makes my point. Imperial was a make, and the Crown, Newport, and LeBaron were all models in the Imperial line.
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It was never Ford Lincoln. Lincoln had its own models like the Town Coupe, Continental, etc. The Marks were actually under the Continental banner but Continental was originally a Lincoln product. I'm not sure when the Marks and Continentals were actually moved back under the Lincoln banner but the Mark II was a Ford design. The original Continental was dropped around the late 40's and revived in the mid 50's. Since I own a Mark, I should know that info.
I didn't say it WAS ever Ford Lincoln. I know it wasn't, that's why I used it as an illustration to make my point.
But if you don't like me saying Ford Lincoln, fine. Saying Chrysler Imperial when talking about cars built from 1955 through 1983 is like saying Chrysler Dodge or Chrysler Plymouth or Chrysler DeSoto. Or Chrysler Chrysler, for that matter.
Last edited by duster1979; 06-07-2013 at 09:01 AM..
The Chrysler Imperial of the early 1960s through 1968 were unique and they definitely had the styling from that era, which was typical with other American luxury automobiles, like Cadillac and Lincoln.
As I have mentioned in prior posts, I grew up in a Mopar family. When I was a kid, my mom had a '62 Imperial, turquoise with an oval steering wheel and the push button shifter. That car was in our family for a long time and I have great memories of mom driving us around in it, listening to cousin Brucie on the AM radio.
If anyone ever has the opportunity to visit Kykuit, one of the Rockefeller estates north of NYC, one of the interesting things to see there is the Imperial Limo (very similar or perhaps identical to the one posted by Trapper L) that was used by Nelson Rockefeller when he was Governor of NY. The estate's carriage house contains that massive car, as well as a few Cadillacs from the 1920s-30s that were used by Nelson's father.
Yes, the mansion was very interesting, and the art collection--including an original Gilbert Stuart portrait of G. Washington was...amazing...but I think that my high point was that Imperial Limo!
I have vivid memories of riding in my uncle's '62 Imperial Crown sedan, and on one occasion, I was privileged to drive his '64 Imperial LeBaron sedan. The ride was incredibly smooth, and the power of that engine was amazing, even if it was blunted to a great extent by the weight of the car. Somewhere, I still have a photo of me sitting behind the wheel of that car, just prior to driving it.
Ahhhh...memories...
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