1962 Chrysler Imperial Crown Southampton Sedan

Description

1962 Chrysler Imperial Crown Southampton Sedan

Desire a classic luxury car that stands apart from the herd? MotoeXotica Classic Cars has just the vehicle for you; we are pleased to offer this incredible 1962 Chrysler Imperial Crown Southampton Sedan. This example was made on April 27, 1962 and has spent a great deal of time in southern California and currently has a California title.

Finished in a unique color, Rosewood Iridescent, this Imperial’s paint and restored trim are in excellent overall condition. The car’s windows are clear and intact and its lights are in great overall shape, including the freestanding headlights and “gun-sight” tail lamps. Nineteen sixty-two marked the first year of the finless big Chryslers. The previous model year brought a wholly new front end with headlights on short stalks in cut-away front fenders (a classical throwback favored by Chrysler Head Stylist Virgil Exner and commonly used on 1930s Chryslers.)

This Imperial rolls on new Coker Classic wide whitewalls, size 235/75R15 at all four corners and surrounding factory wheel covers. The tires and wheels are in good shape. All of this Crown’s body panels are solid and straight, the engine bay is very tidy, and the distinctive and massive chrome bumpers look great.

Under the hood is Chrysler’s 413 CID Wedgehead V-8 four-valve engine and four-barrel carburetor, comes complete with gold air cleaner housing and is backed by its famous Torqueflite A727 three-speed automatic transmission. In this car, the transmission is not controlled via shift lever but by a pod of pushbuttons to the left of the steering wheel. Driver convenience features included power steering, power brakes, power windows and power door locks.

Inside, the Crown features a restored interior in overall excellent order with red leather seats that look great overall but with a few minor blemishes visible upon close inspection. The car also features new, matching red loop carpeting. The contrasting white headliner is in very good order and makes the interior feel a little more airy. The Cocoa instrument panel, with its full instrumentation, has an interesting backstory. Despite the annual styling changes, all 1960-63 Chrysler models featured a similar space age dashboard. Dashboard lighting was electro-luminescent, which used no incandescent lamps: electricity running through a five-layer laminate caused the phosphorescent paint to glow in the dark. Chrysler called it “Panelescent.” The effect was surprisingly modern, with its glowing green face and bright red needles. The red leather, two-spoke steering wheel is unorthodox as well. The steering wheel was squared-off at top and bottom for better legroom and a clearer view through the windshield when the wheel is in the straight-ahead position. The inner door panels echo the rest of the interior’s color scheme and are in very good order. Competing the interior is a factory AM radio.

Tailfins were largely truncated in 1962, topped with free-standing “gun-sight” taillights, but these were elongated, streamlined affairs. The front grille was split, as in 1955-56, and a large round Eagle hood ornament was fitted for the first time. The 1962 models had a new, slimmer TorqueFlite A727 automatic transmission, which allowed a smaller transmission “hump” in the floor. This provided greater comfort for passengers in the center seat up front. The 1960-63 models were also united by a distinctive side trim that started above the headlights and that ran at a slight downward angle almost to the end of the rear fender that was undercut by a slight indent in the sides from the front until just before the rear wheel housing.

Competition to this Chrysler in 1962 included Buick’s Electra 225 sedan, Cadillac’s Sedan de Ville, Chrysler’s own New Yorker Firepower 380 four-door sedan, Lincoln’s Continental four-door sedan, Mercury’s Monterey Marauder 390 four-door sedan and Oldsmobile’s 98 Town Sedan.

This car is currently located at our facility in St. Louis, Missouri. Current mileage on the odometer shows 48,303 miles. It is sold as is, where is, on a clean and clear, mileage exempt title. GET OUT AND DRIVE!!!

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VIN: 9223214543

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