With just 1,167 Imperial Crown Convertibles built in 1957, rarity is assured with this example. Having undergone a frame-off restoration, the Imperial emerged finished in Cloud White with a green convertible top and complementing, factory-correct two-tone Metallic Green and Dark Green interior complete with the factory-correct embossed crowns. Imperials were well known for their lengthy equipment roster, and this one exemplifies the reputation with power steering, power brakes, power windows, Solex tinted glass, a six-way power front seat, tilt-type rearview mirror, factory Airtemp air conditioning, Custom Conditionaire heater, Electro-Touch radio with power antenna and other accoutrements, placing this car on the upper echelon of luxury, sophistication and style for 1957. Power is courtesy of a 392/325 HP Hemi V-8 engine and TorqueFlite automatic transmission with a dash-mounted pushbutton gear selector. Rolling on wide whitewall tires and period-correct chrome wire wheels, every detail appears to have been attended to. The duo-tone and chrome steering wheel with soft center section looks to be in pristine condition, along with all the other elements of the dashboard; the multi-surface door panels seem brand new, with the seating surfaces showing just the slightest of wear creases, lending it an authenticity of use. The engine compartment, like the rest of the car, is exemplary in detail: the engine, bay and all related components seem to be in immaculate order. Established in 1926 as the Chrysler Imperial, Imperial was Chrysler’s top-of-the-line model poised to compete with the likes of Continental, Lincoln, Cadillac, Packard and many other premium brands available at the time. Relying on Chrysler’s growing reputation for robust durability and archetypal engineering, the Imperial used an enlarged and more powerful version of the inline 6-cylinder used in the Chrysler Six. Out of the gate, the Imperial set a transcontinental speed record and was chosen to pace the 1926 Indianapolis 500. Officially known as the Chrysler Imperial E-80, marketing ensured the car would deliver a consistent and comfortable 80 MPH. Interestingly, high performance would long be an undertone with Imperial, especially in the Hemi heyday.
