Chrysler Imperial Fun

[sudsmaster]

1957 was Chrysler's best year. The most coveted model was the 300C convertible, but the Imperials are very nice also. I believe your model had those "gunsight" tailamps, although in 1958 they got even more impressive with partial chrome rings sticking out on either side.

As for the motor... you'll probably need to have it completely rebuilt. It's not all that difficult... once you have the space and the equipment. I have a '50 Plymouth with a seized motor. It's been parked for 10 years (I also have a '50 runner that I rebuilt), and I recently picked up a relatively cherry '50 motor, complete, that I could pop into the non-runner. I rebuilt the first one myself, first time I've ever done more than maintenance work on a motor. It was quite an experience. Took me a month and nearly changed my life.

I like Chrysler cars - their engineering always seemed to be superior to GM and Ford, even if the manufacturing sometimes fell short.

 

[kevinpreston4]

Suds...

The gunsight tailight were earlier in the 50s. Mine are through the fins like you described for the '58s. If I can get back there you can see. The 58s are very similar to the '57s. Different interior cloth patterns and different grille...in fact, the guy I bought it from thought it was a 1958.

I also have the FlightSweep Decklid for the trunk, which ninnies are always calling the "toilet seat". I did not like it at first, but now I do.

I rebuilt my Charger's 383 (had to disassemble it twice due to putting a bad main bearing in the first time), and have done a number of other engines, so I am not too nervous. However, it would be great if I "got away" with what I did on my 1961 Bonneville. That thing ran but smoked like a forest fire! After doing just the heads and running various oil "potions" through, I got it running really nice with no rebuild. The transmission leaked terribly, but I got a transmission shop that replaced the seals in it without having to do a whole transmission job. The car starts and drives really well.

Might be asking too much for a similar outcome on the Imperial, but might as well hope.

On the other hand, who knows, maybe there is major damage. An old guy had it, hope he didn't run it oil dry or something. We shall see.

 

[drmitch]

Way cool, Kevin!

 

[nurdlinger]

The Forward Look

IIRC, the full-on Forward Look hit in 1957 Chrysler products. The 1956 models had foreshadowing by grafting fins onto older designs, and using similar side trim elements. I'm thinking primarily of the 1955 vs. 1956 Plymouth, and the 1956 Plymouth Fury.

I remember seeing Virgil Exner's post-Chrysler company office out on Woodward Ave. in Birmingham or maybe Bloomfield Hills when I was a teenager.

As far as automatic transmission shifter placement, I believe the only year for the shifter on the dash (to the right of the steering wheel) was 1955. Pushbuttons made their appearance in 1956. I have a clear time reference for this. In 1955 I was six years old. My uncle worked for Chrysler at Dodge Main in Hamtramck, and they had this event called "Family Day" where you could walk through the idled factory and see all the stuff. I had heard about the shifter on the dash in Chrysler products and was really eager to see one. (nobody I knew had one) I was crestfallen when we looked at the cars on display, which were the new models for 1956, and there were no dashboard shifters only those bftsplk pushbuttons.

As far as the Imperial which is the subject of this thread, I am surprised to see it has quad headlights. These were introduced on Plymouth, Dodge, and De Soto in 1958. (Don't remember Chrysler, once again knew no one who had one)

 

[frontaloadotmy]

Now that you mention it Nurdlinger

I just noticed the quad headlights; I thought the quads were
the new distinctive addition on all of the "Big Three" maunufacturers for 1958. Which of course is not to say that
kps '57 was not the leader of the pack. As I recall Chrysler/
Dodge/Plymouth was several years ahead of the game with their roll down windows on the stationwagon tailgates. Love those little ornaments in the center of the headlight/fender trim

 

[goatfarmer]

Kevin,I'll have to check it out.My interest's lean toward Pontiac,but I'm always on the lookout for the unusual.
My buddy had a 31 Ford street rod he built back in the early 60's,that had a 55 DeSoto Hemi up front.Huge engine,but he told me it was only like 330CI or something similar.

kennyGF

 

[nurdlinger]

Speaking of Hemis

Here's an interesting page regarding their development.

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www.allpar.com

 

[stainfighter]

a '62 Imp

my late wife had a '62 Imperial 4dr. I had no place to store it but made sure it was a collector that bought it. Mom had a 59 300 4dr with the frequently tempramental pushbutton auto. Never knew when one of those solenoids would pop! Both were definitely 'tank' material!