I finally bought an Imperial

[chrysler_fan]

I know the 74 Imperial is not exactly a C body but they evolved into C body until the 78 model year phased out the big cars. I finally bought an Imperial yesterday on BAT. It is one of only 57 1974 Imperial LeBaron 2 door hardtops with the Crown Coupe package. Am hoping I can keep it as good as possible and fix a couple things with help from my friend who is a retired MOPAR technician He also owns 1 1978 NYB St Regis (all white). Likely will be back with lots of questions over the months ahead. Thank you for allowing me to be part of this board.

 

[SPF Required]

That is one sharp looking car! Congrats on your score. Post more pics when you can.

 

[JC68vert300]

Beautiful Imperial, best of luck and many enjoyable miles of driving your fantastic beast,

 

[bigmoparjeff]

Very, Very nice, and yes it is classified as a C body.

The C body designation ran from 1965 thru 1978.

Jeff

 

[chrysler_fan]

That is one sharp looking car! Congrats on your score. Post more pics when you can.

I grew up around my late Grandfather's small town Western MD Chrysler Plymouth / GMC dealership. I loved all those 60's and early 70's big cars. He did not sell many imperials but I still drooled over them when I saw them out and about. I helped him order his 1972 Imperial for their 50th wedding anniversary They got it Sept 1971. He died unexpectedly in March 1972. We kept that car in the family until around 1977 when we sold it to a Chrysler dealer in PA. I learned to drive on it in 1974 and took my now wife of 45 years to our first date, senior prom in May 1975. Many Imperial memories. Now I actually have one coming. I always said the rare Crown coupe package (57 made) had about 100 people who know what it is and maybe 75 who even care. Thus, the explanation for less than high bidding activity for the car at the end of the auction yesterday. I am delighted about that part though as I was not prepared to go high on it as I do not need another car. A hole in my head would have been more useful. LOL!!

 

[chrysler_fan]

Very, Very nice, and yes it is classified as a C body.

The C body designation ran from 1965 thru 1978.

Jeff

Thank you. I was afraid since many Imperial VIN start with "Y" (instead of the Chrysler "C") that they were not the C class of Chrysler. Do any of you now how the VIN serial number part from those years work. My car was built 530 (cowl tag) and June 74 on the door sticker. The last digits of the VIN are over 200000 We know they did not build that many Imperials in a year. Could that have included Chrysler too? I am assuming my car is late in model year but not sure how close the end of the 74 run it was Crown coupe was a spring special feature so none of them would have bene built early in the model year.

 

[fury1]

Wow that’s a very nice imperial! Congrats!!

 

[57fury440]

Very nice. Great for cruising.

 

[marko]

lovely car, congrats.
and good price. people who are into the 74-78 C bodies know what they are ; i think its the color that got you a good deal, golden fawn is an acquired taste.
for 75 the crown coupe option package came in a variety of other colors and sold more :

1974-75 Imperial Crown Coupes

 

[HWYCRZR]

Thank you. I was afraid since many Imperial VIN start with "Y" (instead of the Chrysler "C") that they were not the C class of Chrysler. Do any of you now how the VIN serial number part from those years work. My car was built 530 (cowl tag) and June 74 on the door sticker. The last digits of the VIN are over 200000 We know they did not build that many Imperials in a year. Could that have included Chrysler too? I am assuming my car is late in model year but not sure how close the end of the 74 run it was Crown coupe was a spring special feature so none of them would have bene built early in the model year.

Date on Fender tag is Scheduled production date at the time the order was processed in the factory. Depending on options or other cars in the build que it could change. Not actual build date.
The vin tag MDH is the actual day it was built.

 

[Binx]

Congratulations on the purchase of your beautiful and rare Imperial Crown Coupe! One of my favorite commercials is for the 74 Imperial and I watch it on YouTube regularly. Best wishes

 

[carguy300]

Very Very nice imperial! Hope you keep it from now on!

 

[mrfury68]

Very nice score! That is one nice looking Imperial. Have fun with it & the memories of your grandfather’s Imperial.

 

[thethee]

Is this the infamous "golden fawn"?

 

[Nibiru]

Congrats on your purchase ! I've seen it on BAT the other day and found the golden cloth button tuftet interior to be especially appealing !

 

[chrysler_fan]

Wow that’s a very nice imperial! Congrats!!

Thank you

lovely car, congrats.
and good price. people who are into the 74-78 C bodies know what they are ; i think its the color that got you a good deal, golden fawn is an acquired taste.
for 75 the crown coupe option package came in a variety of other colors and sold more :

http://[URL]https://www.web.imperialclub.info/Yr/1974/crowncoupe/

[/URL]

you are 100% right on many fronts. Crown Coupe in 1974 was a spring special so did not have much attention or lead time. I never really cared for Golden Fawn when it came out My great uncle's 1974 Newport was Golden Fawn . He traded it for a white with green top 1975 Newport less than a year later for those reasons. However, I am delighted with the Crown Coupe package and will gladly accept all 57 of them are in Golden Fawn color. It is an acquired taste for sure.

 

[Turboomni]

Congrats on your Big Boned Gal !!!!

 

[DeMopuar]

Thank you. I was afraid since many Imperial VIN start with "Y" (instead of the Chrysler "C") that they were not the C class of Chrysler. Do any of you now how the VIN serial number part from those years work. My car was built 530 (cowl tag) and June 74 on the door sticker. The last digits of the VIN are over 200000 We know they did not build that many Imperials in a year. Could that have included Chrysler too? I am assuming my car is late in model year but not sure how close the end of the 74 run it was Crown coupe was a spring special feature so none of them would have bene built early in the model year.

As someone else has stated - the 530 stamped in the fender tag is the scheduled production date, but the better information of when your car was final assembled is both the door decal and the IBM buildsheet if you have that as well. The MDH on the bottom left of the door VIN decal states 06 07 11, which means your car was assembled June 7, 1974, at 11 AM (which was a Friday).

Very nice car by the way. Looks well cared for. Enjoy it!!!!!!

 

[1975.Imperial]

I am assuming my car is late in model year but not sure how close the end of the 74 run it was

My '75 Imperial was built in early august of 1974, so yours seems to be pretty late in the 74' run

 

[MrMoparCHP]

Thank you. I was afraid since many Imperial VIN start with "Y" (instead of the Chrysler "C") that they were not the C class of Chrysler. Do any of you now how the VIN serial number part from those years work. My car was built 530 (cowl tag) and June 74 on the door sticker. The last digits of the VIN are over 200000 We know they did not build that many Imperials in a year. Could that have included Chrysler too? I am assuming my car is late in model year but not sure how close the end of the 74 run it was Crown coupe was a spring special feature so none of them would have bene built early in the model year.

Car line and body class are two different things
A Body - VIN - B, L, V
B Body - VIN - R, W, X
C Body - VIN - C, D, P and sometimes Y
D Body - VIN - Y
E Body - VIN - B, J


Alan