COOLER & RARER THAN A CADDY/LINCOLN, 413 V8, PUSHBUTTON AUTO, PWR STEER/BRAKES

Description

You could be forgiven for thinking that this massive 1964 Chrysler Imperial Crown 4-door hardtop was a Lincoln; after all, it was designed by Elwood Engle, the same man responsible for the suicide door Lincolns of the 1960s. The Imperial is every bit an equal for the Lincoln, and perhaps out-performs the Blue Oval on the road, offering superlative handling and a great deal of horsepower under the hood.If you're going to drive a giant luxury sedan with the exclusivity of a country club, then you really need to paint it black. Black looks better on Engle's work than almost any other color and it makes the already gigantic Imperial look about the size of a locomotive. In truth, the styling is restrained and conservative, but you can see the elements that make it familiar: the slab-sided bodywork with minimal ornamentation, the single strip of chrome running from nose to tail, and, of course, the simulated spare tire on the trunk lid. If you want to make a grand entrance, few cars can do it better than this. The paint is at least a decade old and shows signs of age and use, but it doesn't seem to diminish the car's impact and we might consider just leaving it as-is and maybe giving it a buff to bring up the shine. All the original chrome and stainless trim is completely intact, from the split grille up front to the heavy door handles to the cool eagle medallion on the trunk that also doubles as the gas filler door. If '60s cool is your thing, there's nothing cooler than this.The interior is still big luxury, with a conservative look that fits the mid-60s perfectly. The odd square steering wheel is gone and the dash is a bit more conventional, but you'll note it still offers a cool ribbon-style speedometer and a full array of secondary gauges. Aircraft-style switches mange the lights, wipers, and other controls and yes, that's a pushbutton TorqueFlite 3-speed automatic, still the coolest way to change gears ever invented. The translucent steering wheel is in fantastic shape, something you rarely see on these cars, and for being entirely original, the cloth and leather seats and carpets are holding up pretty well. Power windows became standard equipment in 1964 and this car carries factory A/C, which remained an option. There's also an AM/FM/CD stereo hidden in the glove box, which is a nice addition. Back seat space is cavernous and, as you'd expect, that long rear deck conceals one of the largest trunks of all time, complete with a full-sized spare tire.The ultimate luxury is power, and the 413 cubic inch engine is a relative of the motors that powered Chrysler products to wins on the drag strip. Of course, in the Imperial, it's impeccably smooth and torquey, able to move that massive bodywork without breaking a sweat and it's a spectacular high-speed cruiser. The engine bay is largely original, dominated by the big air cleaner and A/C compressor, but it's all there and in good working order. Recent work includes a new water pump and radiator, a full tune up, a rebuilt carburetor, and fresh belts and hoses, so it's ready for a road trip and lives up to its reputation. Underneath, the brakes have been rebuilt and there are new shocks all around, so that smooth torsion bar ride is 100% intact. There's a newer muffler out back that gives it a muted hum that's wholly appropriate, and factory wheels wear bespoke Imperial hubcaps and 235/75/15 whitewall radials.A relatively rare car that gets a lot of attention, these Imperials are criminally under-valued compared to period Lincolns and Cadillacs, making this a great opportunity. Call now!