Most of us here on Barn Finds treat car collecting as a hobby and not a business, but it still gives you a warm feeling to think that you might break even or even – gasp – make money on a project. That may be the case with this grand 1963 Imperial Crown Convertible (but probably not). It’s certainly not a show-winner right now, but it’s described in text and in pictures as a “very complete and original car” with only 63,775 miles on it. Although it’s not completely rust free, it’s pretty close for a 62-year-old Mopar from Demotte, Indiana, which is a card-carrying salt-belt state (and I assume city). It doesn’t hurt my cause that it wears one of my favorite ’60s color combinations: dark blue paint, white top, and medium blue interior. Its high bid on eBay has not yet met its reserve at $8,100, but it’s a running, driving Imperial convertible, so you have to expect to bring at least a little bit of a bankroll.
Relaxed power was a big part of the Imperial mission, and Chrysler’s 413 provided it. With 340 horsepower, the big block had what it took to power such amenities as air conditioning, an option that 60 percent of Imperial buyers selected according to the 1963 brochure. The seller says that the Imperial runs and drives well with a new fuel tank, battery, dual exhaust system, and front and rear brakes. The fuel gauge and power top do not work, but the top can still be retracted manually. The air conditioning system’s operational status was not mentioned.
The interior was spectacular in almost every Imperial. Although the tailfins were greatly toned down for 1963, they still made their appearance on the dashboard; it looks like something from The Insolent Chariots, John Keats’ scathing book on the auto industry from 1958, but I still love it for its audacity. The seat made me look twice, because at a glance it looks as if it’s covered in blood; however, I think the truth is more banal; my guess is that somebody dyed a red seat blue and the dye is coming off. The seller has included a good number of pictures of the whole car, enough that I would have no qualms about buying it without inspecting it if I could get it for the right price.
Even the undercarriage got the photo treatment, including a few spots that will need rust repair. This particular shot shows us why the grapevine tells us that Imperials were disallowed from demolition derbies. They were tanks.
The seller seems open and honest about the condition of this Imperial, saying that it has dull paint and a passenger rear quarter panel that has been sanded (along with the door), which is too bad. Without that, the car is probably good enough to drive as-is. Who knows? Maybe the passenger side can be repaired and blended by someone who’s skilled at paint matching. Regardless of what the new owner does with the car, it’s a beauty, fully deserving of the name Imperial.
Dig the Imperials…reminds me the one in “It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World.”
Northwest IN, having grown up there, is not shy about salt. The steel mill air pollution, etc will rust it if the salt doesn’t do it first
I like this Imperial. Fins are toned down but it has free standing headlamps. Whaa? The side profile is best. It looks like it will take flight. Audacious and bodacious.
Please note: The elimination of “Imperials” from demo derbys was aimed SPECIFICALLY at the `64-`66 behemoths–not prior models. And yes, those WERE TANKS!
OMG! A not so Incomparable Imperial and only 46 miles from ME! 😲. I’ve always regarded Imperials as INCOMPARABLE, but this poor baby is almost FUBAR. The price is Incomprehensible considering the overall condition. BUT as a rare survivor, I hope SOMEONE has the wherewithal to give it a complete restoration, or maybe more appropriately a RESURRECTION.
In Ohio, the demo derby rule of no Imperials typically meant NO Imperials of any model year 1955-1973. Many derbies did allow Imperials however, my best was a ’63 Crown coupe with a ’69 440HP, truck leafs & flipped shackles, ran it seven times WFO baby! Had ten rolls of #9 wire (100 lbs) on it by the time I junked it. If you were the only Imperial out there you never felt a thing but every driver you hit saw stars. When two Imperials hit both drivers saw stars…
Another INCOMPARABLE fact! 😲 IMO Imperial is the only car banned from Demo Derbies. Thank God! Otherwise the rare survivors might have been Incomparably fewer! 😃 😊 Don’t ya just love my completely useless trivia? Somebody has to be Incomparably irritating 🙄! Hey, where’s My Crown 👑?