Though the brand dated to the 1920s, the Imperial lost its Chrysler association in 1955 and maintained a separate identity for the rest of its run. Though marketed separately, the 1962 Imperials were built alongside Chrysler products like the luxury New Yorker. Tailfins were gone by then, making the big car less of a cartoon caricature than it had been from the late 1950s. The seller, a dealer, has a rare ’62 Imperial Crown convertible, one of just 554 to be assembled. It looks like a land yacht beauty and is available in Sarasota, Florida, and here on eBay for $57,950.
The 1962 Imperial was a cleaner, more subtle car, much like its counterparts at Lincoln and Cadillac. With the fins gone, the taillights became free-standing “gunsight” fixtures attached to the rear fenders. Production numbers were decent for cars of this nature, though in third place in the luxury car segment at 14,330 total units. The ’62 Imperial was one of the last Chrysler cars designed by Virgil Exner.
Because this car is being sold by a dealer, none of its history is imparted, and most of the verbiage is marketing-speak. The 413 cubic inch V8 (340 hp) is probably original, but we don’t know. We can see that the air conditioning compressor has been replaced with a more modern one. And the car uses a push-button TorqueFlite automatic transmission. The seller lists the mileage at 615, so is that really 61,500 (c’mon, dealer)? The black paint and matching top look great, but are they original?
The leather interior presents well, though the bottom of the front seat looks “tight” in terms of fit, suggesting it’s been redone. Does this Imperial need anything besides a new home? We don’t know, but at the asking price, this should be a turnkey vehicle. The 1962 Imperial still had the feel of the “Forward Look” Chryslers of the 1950s, Space Age and all!
This is fantastic, a work of art.
While I prefer the earlier or later ones, this is still a thing of great beauty.
Given the rarity, it might be worth the ask, of course with a rigorous in-person inspection.
Good luck to whomever buys this, I am very jealous.
Used to have a 68 with the 440 iñ it, it had every bell and whistle you could think of including a switch on the floor for changing the radio station including a telescoping steering wheel. Heck it was so powerful I could outrun the new 80 models z28 Camaros in the quarter
My Uncle had a ’68 Imperial 4-door, medium green, dark green vinyl roof and green cloth. What a car for a 14 year old to sit in & just look at!
Super sharp.The classic looks and better build quality make 1962 my favorite year for the Imperial.
I always wondered what would possess mother Mopar to go to all the trouble of designing a car that would only sell 554 copies. Certainly there couldn’t have been any profit in the venture. But I do like the car very much.
Speaking of low-volume Imperials, here’s a ’65 LeBaron hardtop, of which only 2164 were produced. And it’s mine! I bought it 2 weeks ago. I wanted a Continental Mk III, but this came along so I had to buy it. It’s a disease.
That looks absolutely beautiful Rex. Congrats on your new find. Your other Chryslers will be in good company. ( Although your Riviera may feel a little left out). Really nice!!!
That’s one beautiful automobile Rex and I wish it were mine, however, on this site a lot of people will say “but it has too many doors!” Well, I love four door cars both English, of which a 2 door of any make is very rare, or American. My ’41 Chrysler Windsor, ’78 New Yorker, ’51 Buick Super, ‘?? Ford Fairlane etc. were all four door cars, the New Yorker being my favourite Yank Tank until I bought the Buick. I can never understand the desire to own a two door as it’s always a problem getting back seat passengers in and out of the car, especially it it’s raining, as it does now and again here in England! The poor sap in the front passenger seat, which would usually be the wife, gets soaked while the kids in the back take an age to get out. I must admit that a two door looks more stylish but give me a four door any day.
Rex… Congratulations on this beautiful Mopar. It’s looks great next to your 67. Which one do you like taken out for a ride? This 62 is rolling art and always loved those spoke rims. I seen these rims on a 65 two door LeBaron at a car show. It’s was sharp looking. Those rims would look great on your new ride. Good luck and enjoy your Mopars!! 🇺🇸🐻
Congratulations, Rex! Love the color.
Thanks Aaron. Moss Gold!
Absolutely gorgeous, Rex! Not a fan of green but this is a pretty shade. This was the better choice IMO as this Imperial is more rare than a Mark lll.
My one and only Mopar was a 1971 Imperial LeBaron coupe.
Beautiful machine sir, I’m jelly! Love the ’67 peaking out in the background also. During seven decades of life I’ve owned a total of fourteen ’60-’73 Imperials, most were year-round daily drivers in some shade of green inside and out. I’m currently down to one: a barn find ’64 Crown convertible original black lacquer paint red leather survivor called Elvira we use in parades- throwing candy out to the crowd then getting to watch the mommies race to pick it up during a hot summer day is such fun ;)…
Nice car Rex. Being a 65 it won’t have the push button transmission shifter. I only had to deal with two of them, both would explode and spit out parts if you did the wrong thing. I was 12 in the mid 1960’s when Mom had a 62 Dart. Dad taught me how to reassemble the push buttons for her.
I had a 64 Imperial that was Dad’s hunting car the last half of my senior year in college. The shifter worked fine unless you left it in drive and threw the leaver to put it in park. If you put it in neutral and threw the leaver, everything worked fine. If you didn’t there was the inevitable push button explosion.
Yours will still have the cable shift TorqueFlite, it’s a relative of the push button shift transmissions, but it’s 1965 only because a column shifter works it. If you haven’t tried to adjust one, they’re a real treat. I was lucky that the the old time transmission guy who rebuilt the one in my 65 Belvedere 25 years ago showed me how to do it.
A 62 Imperial convertible was driven by Milton Berle in the movie “It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World “. Sadly it was wrecked as part of the movie’s plot when Jonathan Winters rear ends it with a moving van.
When I was young (18) my first Mopar was a 74 Dart (198 3 on floor) when ever it might run out of gas, I would simply push it to the next filling station. My next was a 67 383 Polara four door sedan. Eventually it ran out of gas. I tried to push it and realized that it was an entirely different animal. There was no way of pushing it 30 feet , let alone four blocks. An old man in a dark blue 62 Imperial picked me up and drove me to the station and back. He talked of the Imperial and others he had before it. Explained why they where completely banned from demo derbies. Take a look at the frame and undercarriage and you’ll understand. No car and most trucks could ever hurt it. I thought my Polara was big, but the Imp was just MASSIVE! Like two living room couches, you had to lean up just to touch the shoulders of the person in the front seat. Never saw him or that Imperial again(He must have been 80?) About five years later I finally got one. A 69 four door hard top LeBaron almost the same color. While not as massive as the 62 it was my pride and joy, and inch longer than Lincolns or Caddies of the same area. I still remember that old man from time to time and smile, thinking of him chuckling at some silly long haired kid trying to push a C body😁
This 62 Imperial is indeed a work of art by Exner. Those spoke rims are just incredible, and you don’t have to worry about thieves stealing the wheel covers. Rex your 4dr hardtop is a looker too. This 62 Imperial is certainly out of most guys price range, but we can still look and drool.
I really like this, however; my better 3/4 ths thought it might be challenging for me at my age to sleep in. I think that was a hint at divorce, so it’s a no for me
I guess I’m lucky; my wife loves the old cars and was thrilled when I sprung the Imperial on her!
From what hear from other members you are very lucky, Rex.
Which is why I can’t understand why I can’t find a car guy. Too old maybe?
You can sleep in your car, but you can’t drive your house!
My dream car!
I’m not a fan of the free-standing headlights, but I can’t deny the car’s overall presence. It just looks expensive. It wasn’t built alongside Chryslers, though. 1962 was the last year Imperials were assembled at a dedicated plant.
Only the ’59-’61s were built in a dedicated plant (the former Graham-Paige/DeSoto facility on Warren Ave.). For ’62 production was moved back to the Jefferson Avenue assembly plant.
my stepfather was a chrysler dealer so we always had cars like this in the driveway, with disconnected speedos. never a convertible in the 62, but for a while we had a metallic blue with white leather le baron, of all the cool cars other than a sliver cloud that jonathan winters traded in, that 62 was the most majestic. this car is a stunner. it caught my eye immediately.
beautiful car for sure but the wheel/tire combo looks too gaudy. needs more of a factory look.
My guess is that 615 is the odometer reading and the car has 100,615 miles on it. I’ve always loved these, and if I was independently wealthy, I would have one. Unfortunately, I’m not and I don’t.
I finally thought of the word that best describes these Imperials: presence. Congratulations, Rex. I really like the color. Enjoy.
Though the brand dated to the 1920s, the Imperial lost its Chrysler association in 1955 and maintained a separate identity through 1970. On the trunk lid of the 1971 was a nameplate that read “Imperial By Chrysler.” It marked the end of Chrysler’s campaign to sell the Imperial as a standalone brand.
If this Chrysler was in a barn, I’ve got to find that barn!