Need help deciding!

[64-LeBaron]

Oh wow that's crazy! Didn't even think of that. Anything in those numbers about a vinyl top?
So I started looking around and I'm seeing silver everywhere now. This is it right?

 

[Imperialist]

Is that red over black over gray?

 

[64-LeBaron]

The black I think was a primer maybe....? Its actually red over gray.

 

[kmccabe56]

Remember, the 300 letter cars and the Imperial were built on the same line, so I'm pretty sure that is the 49th car built that day, if that is indeed what that number represents.

Also keep in mind that up to 50 cars can have the same S.O. number. I wouldn't have believed that until I happened to be in Historical one day when a Chrysler lawyer turned up looking for the shipping invoice for a car from 1965.

I tagged along to see the process of finding the invoice and during all of that discovered that up to 50 cars could be on the same S.O.

 

[kmccabe56]

I'm seeing "MM" for the paint code, with my handy-dandy screen magnifier.

Middle Row: A5, B2, C3, D4, E6, F7, H5, K1, M7, N1, Q1, S1, T1, V4, W5, X2

Top row: 6-1, 7-1, 8-2, 9-9, 1049 934

Haven't been able to identify any coding for a vinyl roof. Vinyl roof was only available on the Crown Coupe. No other Imperial offered it according to the data books I've checked.

 

[Imperialist]

1964 was the first year for vinyl roof on Imperial. It was available on LeBarons as well; not just on Crown Coupe. Oddly, it was priced at $91.20 on the Coupe and $110.80 on LeBarons. I think I have seen vinyl top-equipped Crown 4 doors too over the years, but I wasn't old enough to go to the dealer in 1964, so I can't be sure.

I've never been to Chrysler Historical, does it still exist?

 

[kmccabe56]

1964 was the first year for vinyl roof on Imperial. It was available on LeBarons as well; not just on Crown Coupe. Oddly, it was priced at $91.20 on the Coupe and $110.80 on LeBarons. I think I have seen vinyl top-equipped Crown 4 doors too over the years, but I wasn't old enough to go to the dealer in 1964, so I can't be sure.

I've never been to Chrysler Historical, does it still exist?

You must have a more up to date data book than I do. I checked it twice (standard procedure when you get old) and saw no reference to a vinyl roof on a LeBaron. As nice as it is to have a data book, they're usually printed just before the model year starts and thus are quite riddled with errors and out of date by the end of the model year. The "real" informational gold is the through the year issued Product Information Bulletins (or whatever catchy name existed that particular year) as well as the order guides which had all of the codes, option description (for packages etc.) and pricing. That stuff did not survive as well as the data books, probably because the people pillaging the stuff at dealerships didn't realize the value of what they chose to pitch out. From at least the mid 1970s on, one or several individual pages in order guides were updated at least monthly.


AFAIK Historical still exists. Amazingly when Chrysler moved from Highland Park to Auburn Hills, historical did not. I believe they're still there in what used to be called the Trim Building.

 

[Imperialist]

No, I have a '64 LeBaron with a vinyl roof! I did a little research and it appears Chrysler Historical still exists. I am going to try to get an IBM card with decoding for my car. I found their website and printed out a form.

 

[64-LeBaron]

Looking at the online imperial club, under standard and optional equipment, it says lebarons had a vinyl top option.
Vinyl Roof (Crown/LeBaron 4-Door Models) - $110.80 Now mine may have not came from the factory with one, but, did have one added at one time. The guy I got it from bitched about removing it.

 

[Imperialist]

From the brochure:The lower right photo shows a LeBaron C pillar. Did yours have the Eagle emblems on there when you got it?

 

[BIGBARNEYCARS]

Kmccabe56. My information iz the Historical iz still in Highland Park all though theirz been some thinning out of the herd since the Italian took over the rains. I think when they shut down the Museum last year Brent Rozenbush got bumped over there with his sister

 

[kmccabe56]

Kmccabe56. My information iz the Historical iz still in Highland Park all though theirz been some thinning out of the herd since the Italian took over the rains. I think when they shut down the Museum last year Brent Rozenbush got bumped over there with his sister

Yes, I agree Historical itself is still in Highland Park in what was the trim plant. It's apparently the only piece of HP that Chrysler didn't sell off. My understanding was that most of what work was done in Historical was done by volunteers. I need to talk to Bruce Thomas about the current state of affairs at Historical. I'm not up to speed on what goes there any more at all. Last I'd heard Carla was working for Automobile Quarterly, so that's how old my info is.

 

[70bigblockdodge]

No, I have a '64 LeBaron with a vinyl roof! I did a little research and it appears Chrysler Historical still exists. I am going to try to get an IBM card with decoding for my car. I found their website and printed out a form.View attachment 32901

That's a big couch,LOL

 

[Imperialist]

I was wondering if anybody would say anything about that. I do have the real car too.

 

[64-LeBaron]

From the brochure:View attachment 33168The lower right photo shows a LeBaron C pillar. Did yours have the Eagle emblems on there when you got it?

Yah, the eagles where there.