When they switched to NY'ers in 1976-78 they went back to drum brakes for cost savings purposes I've been told.
Sadie - 1974 Imperial LeBaron
- Thread starter CollinR
- Start date
Thanks a lot I appreciate it and I love that advert! Of course we can't forget Ricardo Montalbán's ''Corinthian Leather'' advertisements of the 1970's either.
Better yet... check your garage length with a tape measure...quickly.I prefer the 4 doors on the formals, nice score! Check your tape measure though...
So are you guys doing a road trip with a trailer close by or driving it freestyle...no safety net? probably 650 miles one way home? You should post some road trip photos like @BLIMP and @LocuMob did recently with their finds.I accidentally found her on CL about seven days ago when I was doing my millionth search for a 72 Fury/72 Newport here 1974 Chrysler Imperial (Don't think it'll be up much longer, now) and when I saw it I fell in love with it. Since then I've been in contact with the seller who told me it belonged to his Father who passed away. He bought it at an auction in 2015 and replaced it with new brakes, new A/C and replaced the gas tank in it (Had been sitting for quite some time with old gas). The original owner bought it in 1975 if I read correctly, and owned it most of its life and it never once saw snow (claimed) but I have to say it has no major issues save for needing the Power window fixed so I'm as proud as can be to really be part of the C-Body club now. We made the trip all the way up to Iowa just to get it. Now the challenge is going to be driving it all the way back to TN (It's doing pretty great so far)
Yes I've already gotten started on that venture XD She's going to sit outside for a day while we get our garage all cleaned out. I'm confident it'll fit because we were able to fit a 1997 Chevrolet Suburban comfortably in there one time.
We're driving her home the old fashioned way. My Grandfather is thankfully helping me get the car where it needs to go. We're staying in IL and headed back to TN the next day. I'll try and grab some more pictures too. She's run like a clock so far (speaking of clocks, the Chronometer works pretty well too), I think the longer we've been driving the better it's been performing. (Since it died at first) I believe all it needed was to warm up. Being a show car I doubt it had been driven like this for a good 20+ years.
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Now that's a cool Grandfather.
Nick C
Member
Great find!!! Way to go.
commando1
Old Man with a Hat
LocuMob
Fluid Technician with a hat
That's nice.
Robert Saigh
Senior Member
You got a nice car! I talked to the owner and was going to run over to look at her. Good Luck!
Thanks! I really appreciate that. Hoping she doesn't die again. I'm doubting it though because once I got her running again it ran a lot smoother and the exhaust filtered out much cleaner as well. I think it just hadn't been driven like that in a good 15-20 years so it just needed to be broken in again.
Thanks! She's going to be pampered for sure. The seller was helpful and he let us take home the repair manuals along with the plates so we could drive it to TN. He went 'I hope he's not going to be taking this to college or something' With the way those students drive through that parking lot, not to mention the door dings, heck, I would never subject her to being around a bunch of college students who are too busy blasting rap music and texting to pay attention to cars around them. (Almost got run down by one of them on their phone while walking to class)
Thank you and that Blue Fuselage Imperial is absolutely breath-taking. A Fuselage Imperial is definitely on my list of dream cars next to a 72 Fury 4 Door. This 74 will definitely be a keeper though. Don't ever plan on letting this one go.
Thank you for the heads up Big John!
Excellent score young man... Wholy Fluck, I just got to say "young man"...
I hope you don't mind, I am documenting the ad copy here...
1974 Chrysler Imperial - $6500
"I have for sale a 74'Chrysler Imperial in excellent condition. It has the 440 New Yorker motor with 31,000 actual miles. This car is loaded with options including leather seats and air conditioning. Must see! $6500"
I am somewhat familiar with this car, but have never seen her in person.
Help me understand the Formal market. Please!
I was the second place bidder on the car. Good job on the research...Did some more research on her and I found this! Apparently it was part of the Grant J. Quam car collection at one point. I do know that the seller's father purchased it when it went up for auction later in 2015.
Photos: Rare Cars The Grant J. Quam Collection
(One not so great thing is that she did die on me while I was driving but I managed to pull over and get it started up again by letting it sit for a while. Might need to take it in to get looked at when we reach IL - the in between point. Let the maintenance and fixes begin
She needed that road trip... FWIW... the seller lost $$ getting her out of moth balls, fixing the brakes and the fuel system and she looks to have been nicely detailed... I'll assume a set of tires was involved as well, because she had sat for many years prior to the auction. The loss of this car in that auction eventually drove me to FCBO... So I kinda love and hate you at the same time
.By all accounts, the mileage was documented at the time of the auction... respect it, but please do not let that stop you from continuing to drive her. Keep her safe, she's a one of kind... considering that's pretty much a survivor car you've got there.
That said, I will do what I can to help you with whatever she needs in the future, for fun, offer me first right's if she ever is sold... I did very well in the Black 74 Imperial hunt myself... so I won't covet her too much.
BTW, your timing sucks, as I think you may have displaced the title for "Nicest Formal Anywhere"... but at least the OP still has the best in Florida
.I am glad she has resurfaced, I have wondered about what happened to your car... I'm glad she was loved and is getting more love.
Jeff
Thank you for the heads up Big John!
Excellent score young man... Wholy Fluck, I just got to say "young man"...
I hope you don't mind, I am documenting the ad copy here...
1974 Chrysler Imperial - $6500View attachment 193022 View attachment 193023 View attachment 193024 View attachment 193025 View attachment 193026 View attachment 193027 View attachment 193028 View attachment 193029 View attachment 193030 View attachment 193031 View attachment 193032
BTW, your timing sucks, as I think you may have displaced the title for "Nicest Formal Anywhere"... but at least the OP still has the best in Florida
I am glad she has resurfaced, I have wondered about what happened to your car... I'm glad she was loved and is getting more love.
Jeff
I would say "Nicest Original Formal Anywhere".
My NYB is starting to move up the ranks....especially with the new engine I'll have in it pretty soon. All body work done and new paint and new vinyl. I also have a newer leather interior, door panels, dash pad. A one of none blue leather steering wheel. LOL!
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