Throughout most of its production, the Chrysler Imperial would come in third for luxury car sales behind Ford’s Lincoln and GM’s Cadillac. But that made them nonetheless extraordinary and powerful cars. Like this 1967 Imperial Crown in survivor condition, with its Turbine Bronze paint and 440 cubic-inch V8. Located in Long Grove, Illinois, this ’60s land yacht is available here on craigslist for $12,000. The seller says it’s good enough to drive anywhere. Thanks for the lead on this car, Mopar Barn Finder Pat L.!
The Imperial began in 1955 as a brand all its own and was later rolled up under Chrysler. By 1967, there were two trim levels offered, Crown (the “base model”) and LeBaron (near limousine status). Several body styles were offered, and the 4-door hardtop sedan was usually the most popular, like the seller’s car. Out of 17,614 total Imperials built in ’67, more than half or 9,415 were like this one. The nameplate would stick around through 1975 and then be reincarnated briefly in the 1980s as a luxury coupe.
We’re told this sharp survivor has been garage kept since new, but one photo shows it wearing a cover outside. No mention is made of a repaint at some point or any bodywork needed. It’s finished in the same color used on the 1963 Chrysler Turbine cars which become legendary with only a handful remaining anywhere today. Its mileage of 86,000 is purported to be authentic and the big-block V8 is good enough for a cross-country road trip, although you’re not likely to miss many gas stations along the way.
How the seller words the listing, it appears he paid $13,000 for the car five years ago and says they have gone up in value since, yet his is offered at a small loss. He has several other cars for sale and appears to be thinning the herd, so he’ll likely make it up elsewhere. It’s been recently serviced and checked out with no reported mechanical issues that linger (unless you count the clock which loses time). The car managed to stay so nice from being in Washington State for years and the title currently reads Wisconsin.
Despite their bulk, these cars were no slouches in the performance department. They’re reported to be able to do 0-60 mph in under 10 seconds, reach 100 in 27, the quarter-mile in less than 17 seconds, and top out at 121 mph. Fast enough to keep up with some autos that profess to be muscle cars.
That’s a lot of car for the coin and looks great. Definitely worth a look, but I’d bring my creeper given the current location and that it appears to live under a tarp.
Beautiful car. Love the color pure 60’s styling. Chrysler at its best! Superior ride with its torsion bar suspension which they apparently carried over to the hood suspension. Good talking points at a cars and coffee event. I still think these cars while not the popular muscle car of the 60’s still offers a huge bargain and a good entry into classic car ownership. You just need to measure your garage before committing.
Great looking car, I love it. Thanks Russ.
Don’t forget Pat L, he finds some seriously cool stuff!
Wonderful example, but oh such a close near miss, if only it were a ‘66. I’d have a reason for a Winter Wisconsin road trip….
Love it, but my favorite style of the land yachts is the 67 Chrysler Newport!!!!
Had a white 2 door red interior and black vinyl top!
loved it!!
I detect a touch of attitude, which always puts me off a bit. But it does seem like a particularly good example, and probably worth the asking. Heck, those unbroken front cornering lamps are probably worth a grand by themselves.
I’m surprised the ad says “no showings till spring”. We’ve had NO snow – there the roads haven’t been salted at all. I live one town over. My garage space issue is killing me on this car. Great car. they were built well.
When I was a kid, I had an uncle who had one of these yachts. He was a traveling salesman that sold ‘made in China’ and ‘made in Japan’ crappyola hardware and kitchenware to little mom and pop stores across Canada…gah I miss the olden days…he used to fill his trunk with boxes of stuff and had a wardrobe rod that he hung shirts and a jacket or two from that spanned the back seating area.
What a smooth riding car these were…thanks for the memories!
Hey Mark, you mean like my Newport Custom? I love ’em too.
Yes like yours, but prefer a dark green 4 door, 383 2bbL, just like the one we had growing up!
Yes Rex!!!!! 67 Newport custom 4 door, cruised effortlessly fully loaded with a gear trailer at 80 mph!!!
Hi,
Im still miss my 1967 Imperial Crown that I bought in Connecticut and Imported to Sweden some ten years ago. A fantastic car, but the front 4 caliper discbrakes was prone to leaking.
I remember calling on the car almost three years ago and if I remember correctly it was $4000. This present owner used the Wisconsin pictures with plates on the car and wanted an unrealistic price. Now at least some of the pictures are recent but under a tarp does not show the care of the car the previous owner had.
It will fit in my 40 foot long garage, but the wife says the 50 year old Corvette has to go first. Nah. Merry Christmas.
If my wife said that George, she’d have to go. But she wouldn’t say it, she loves the old cars, no matter how many I have.
This car is a duplicate, right down to the color, that Joe Don Baker “repoed” in Charlie Varrick. He beat the living hell out of it, at the end of the movie, chasing Walter Matthau’s crop duster Boeing-Stearman model 75, around a boneyard.
I remember being disappointed with the ’67 Imperial after the ’64 to ’66 land yachts. Now I’d buy one in an instant if I wasn’t so old and so broke.
Cars of today don’t ride like this thing does, there’s more to life than gas mileage
Well said, Troy. I always felt that if you can afford a classic car, you probably can afford the gas. Plus, most enthusiasts don’t drive the car on a daily basis anyway.
That said, I may have to start a Go Fund Me page to fuel up my 3 boats!
My 1968 Crown Coupe – a high rise find – it was parked in a Turtle Creek Condominium in Dallas about 1975. Lucky I got it with about 25,000 on it and ran the mileage up to about 75,000 before I sold it.
I had one of these back in the 80’s. What I remember is having a flat in the rear tire, the car rolled off the bumper jack, I instinctively grabbed the quarter panel to pick myself up and the when the car bounced down the trunk closed on my index finger. Interestingly enough the torsion bar suspension held the drum off the ground while is sat on the other 3 tires.