Chrysler Imperial

If someone came and told us there was a web page in italian all dedicated to Imperial, we would not probably believe it. In fact, we are almost sure that there never was such a page and that is also why we have decided to create one. We think the car fully deserves it. Just look at the opening image here on side! These days, the Imperial of the 50's and the early 60's are difficult to find even in the United States and yet there is a regiment of "crazy" car lovers, ready to make anything to possess or perfectly restore an Imperial...

Imperial 1955

Imperial 1955

Imperial 1957 Crown Two-Door Southampton

Imperial 1960 Four-Door Southampton (quest'ultima voce rappresenta i modelli senza montante tra i due finestrini laterali)

Imperial 1960 Le Baron Four-Door Southampton.

Imperial 1960 Custom Four-Door Southampton

Imperial 1960 Le Baron Four-Door Southampton, powdered bronze.

Imperial 1960: the electro luminescent dashboard.

Imperial 1960

The Chrysler empire

The other pages of this site cover two big brands that, since the 50’s, symbolize the maximum mottoring luxury of the United States. It is Cadillac, prestigious brand of General Motors and Lincoln, owned by Ford. But as everybody knows, there is a third car-making giant in the US, Chrysler.

Its potential buyers have never seen Chrysler’s highest expression of luxury as a realy independent car-making company (although there was actually a short autonomous-brand period), but more as a prestigous model, placed at the top of the production range. Maybe that is why Chrysler’s “noble” brand has always remained one step behind its two competittors in the field of luxury cars, being (sometimes wrongly) considered the “choice of the poor”. Throughout the years, design and mechanics of the most luxurious Chrysler has changed, but the name remained always the same: “Imperial”.

When in 1955 Chrysler decided Imperial should become an independent brand with its own share-list, the independence from the parent company was only illusory. Imperial’s design department and asembly lines were basically these where the less noble Chryslers were made, even if its image was slightly different. Only between 1959 and 1961 Imperial really had its own proper assembly line, but it was not enough to shoot up its sales.

Some of the Imperial, like the Crown from 1961-62, represent the most bizzare of the American car industry production of all times (Ford Edsel will excuse us...) and the poor commercial success of some models can well be attributed this. The already mentioned Imperial Crown from ’61 in its cabriolet version sold in only 429 exemplars while its contemporary Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz reached the total of 1450 cars, even though being more expensive.
From all the models of Imperial designed by Chrysler, it was only the last one, produced between 1974 and 1975, that reached and maybe even exceeded the level of style and constructional quality of its two rivals. But even in this case it wasn’t a big commercial success. It is an indication that in the public imagery Cadillac and Lincoln were still the real reference points.
In 1976 the name Imperial dissapeared and it “timidly” reappeared only once in 1980, but by that time the things have changed and not only of Chrysler...

Here, lets make a short trip to the planet Imperial and have a look at some of its more significant models, at least as far as our taste is considered. Naturally, we advice you to study in depth the subject on the specialized web sites or in the books that you can find in the related sections.

 

The great Imperials of the 50’s

 

1955-1956: the first Imperials

In 1955 Chrysler launched Imperial as a new independent brand (this name formely identified only Chrysler’s top model) in an attempt to compete with Cadillac and Lincoln in the top-end market.
The design of the first Imperial was the work of Virgil Exner, who got inspired by some of Chrysler’s earlier prototypes, made for parades and expositions. As for the design, it is one of the most apreciable results in the American production of the era.
The imperial of 1955 is, compared to its competittors, a masterpiece of sobriety even if it does not lack in oranaments and chroming. Its marking element is surely the front grille with a big grid subdivided in two elements and defined as “eggs grate”.

Even though they shared the bodywork with other Chrysler, Imperials had a longer wheelbase (3.30m). They were supplied in 2-door hard top version or as 4-door sedans. There was even a de luxe version called Crown that had prolonged wheelbase in both sedan and limousine version. The interiors were available in lether or fabric, in colors matching the color of the body.

As for the engine, first Imperials were equipped with the best Chrysler could offer: the V8 Hemi with 5400 cc and 250 Hp. In 1956 it was switched to 5800 cc. with nice 280 Hp. The same engine was used in the incredible Chrysler 300, introduced in the same period.

The 300C (its official name) would deserve a dedicated chapter. It is practically the first “muscle car” ever made, a completely revolutionary car. In the 1955 it was introduced with the engine of 300 Hp, while the year after it was offered in two versions, with 340 and 355 Hp, unprecedented strenght for a passenger car with almost usual appearance. The design of this model is again the work of Exner, who took a bit of inspiration from almost every car in Chrysler’s production. For example the face comes from the Imperial and both cars are therefore remarkably similar.

The Hemi engine is basically the same in both models, even if it generates different horsepower. Its main characteristic is determined by the arrangment of the valves (arranged in V, despite the distribuzione made of stems and equalizers) and by the consequent “hemispheric” form of heads (this is where the name Hemi comes from). Thanks to this technical acrobatism, Hemi can reach much higher compression ratios then its competittors without problems with detonation.
The four-parts carburettor is equipped by a pneumatic system of opening of secondary bodies that provides the maximum power only at highest speeds.
The Powerflite automatic gearbox appears for the first time with its control push-buttons placed on the dashboard.

Apart from a respectful engine, Imperials had an excellent roadholding for such a big sedan. In this regard, the Imperial, and many other models of the Chrysler group, always stayed one step ahead of their competittors.

 

1957-1960: the brand grows up

Under the guidance of the designer Virgil Exner, the Imperial brand started to make progress right from 1957 when it was decided to renew the whole production with massive restyling. In 1957, Imperial reached for the first (and last) time the second position behind Cadillac and ahead of Lincoln with the total of 38000 sold vehicles. Exner’s stylistic path reached its top in the 1961 model. It was such a car that to call it unusual would be euphemistic.
Among the different restylings carried out between ’57 and ’61, the one from 1960 was perhaps the most successful (even if not all may agree) while 1961 was surely the year of major unconventionality and originality.
In 1959 optional rear air suspensions were offered for Imperial models as if it were to be up to Cadillacs.

A tribute to Imperial model 1960

Even though it is not the most sough-after object by the collectors, the 1960 model still remains in our opinion one of the most interesting, for its elegance as well as because of the spectacular characteristics it is endowed with. Although the legendary Hemi wasn’t used in these cars any more, their engine provided a beauty of 350 Hp letting the car reach 100 MPH (160 km/h) in about 19 seconds. Not bad for a 2.2 ton ready-to-combat “vessel”...

In 1960, this was one of the sedans with the most accessories in the world: you can start with such inevitable “accessories” as the automatic gearbox, power steering and air-conditioner and arrive to such refinements as the power controlled system of seats regulation, controlled by a single lever! The power-controlled seats were actually nothing exceptional for an American car of that period. The really exceptional thing is the Imperial’s control system consisting of one single lever that works just like a joystick. It looks like a pure science fiction in the optics of the world of European cars of that era... And 50 (fifty!) years after we can say that this solution didn’t become out-dated, not a single day!
The seats are also equipped with the “easy entry” system that makes them turn outward every time the doors open.

We cannot forget to mention the “electro-luminescent” dashboard. Its dials are not illuminated by direct light but they are equipped by phosphorescent elements that transport the light beam to the equipment, making it almost more visible at night then during the day...

It was possible to install a special device with an optical sensor on the Imperial 1960 (or Cadillac/Lincoln), that would lower the headlights once you came across another car.
As if this was not enough, it was possible to regulate the sensibility of this ingenious but not infallible contrivance by a ring nut!
Today’s more sophisticated cars are full of such sensors. The rain-sensors on the windshield or the anti-collision radars are in fashion. But even though such devices are promoted as the latest innovations they are just, in a way, descendants of this feature of Imperials.
And finally, why should the buyer of Imperial be satisfied with a normal and obvious radio with an automatic tuner? Well, here comes the record player for more demanding clients, ready to be installed under the dashboard…

The Imperial 1960 were also cars with outstanding dimensions and this wouldn’t change until 1963. By then Virgin Exner left Chrysler and Edwood Engel took control of the design department. Just for the comparison, an Imperial from ’60 or ’61 is even bigger then a Cadillac from the same period (although it is really hard to imagine anything bigger then a Cadillac…)
Despite their massive bodies and impressive look, these Imperials kept the tradition of their ancestors from the 50’s and remained American sedans of reference in the road holding and manageability. It has been confirmed by the tests of the era.