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Location: Los Angeles | Here are some recent photos of my 1959 Imperial LeBaron. The car is all original and completely unrestored with just over 59,000 miles. It was put into storage in 1976 and remained there, covered in blankets until two years ago when I pulled it out and brought it home. It needed the fuel system cleaned out, carb rebuilt, new tires and the brakes gone through and it's back on the road. I've spent some time cleaning and polishing and that's about it.
 
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 480
Location: The Great Northwest | GREAT ride - it sure looks like it has lived a good life in California. |
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Expert
Posts: 2600
 
Location: Upplands Väsby, Sweden | Very nice Le Baron. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 440
Location: Vermont | Stunning. Congrats on such a great ride. |
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Expert
Posts: 2788
Location: USA - KY | 
Wow...amazingly gorgeous!
It's great to see such a beautiful car kept all orginal, and is such grand shape!
Congratulations on being the owner of such a lovely car, Richard!
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Veteran
Posts: 118
Location: Kättilstorp Sweden | Absolutely wonderful.
Magnus |
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Expert
Posts: 4589
Location: Northern New Jersey | She's Beautiful! |
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Expert
Posts: 1493
Location: Jamaica Plain, MA | Wow. What a survivor. I bet folks are going to want reference info from you. It looks museum quality. Any pics of the engine? |
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Location: Los Angeles | JT Vincent - 2013-04-23 12:27 PM Wow. What a survivor. I bet folks are going to want reference info from you. It looks museum quality. Any pics of the engine? Here are a few more detail shots including the engine and trunk. It is a great reference car... 
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Regular
Posts: 99
| Wow, what a beautiful FL . My dad is 83 and if he see's this car, he'll want to get a '59. I think he gets sad knowing when he passes on he'll have to leave his cars here. Maybe there are Chryslers/Imperials in heaven. |
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Regular
Posts: 57
Location: Sweden, Torshälla | Really really nice car |
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Expert
Posts: 1493
Location: Jamaica Plain, MA | Wow! Thanks for posting!!!! |
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 7215
Location: Victoria, BC, on Vancouver Island, Canada | That is One Awesome Imperial ! Finest Expression of the Forward Look . |
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Expert
Posts: 2905
Location: little rock, AR | Lincoln and Caddy's couldn't hold a candle to this car. Styling , comfort , running , NO COMPARISON!!! Is this a Non-A/C car???
Edited by oldwood 2013-04-25 3:11 PM
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 769
Location: Oley, PA | Absolutely stunning! Gorgeous car. Nicely taken photos too!
So, it was in storage since 1976? That is incredible. It must have been good, dry storage.
Do you have the story behind that car? How could someone own such an amazing car and keep it covered up for so long? |
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Location: Los Angeles | Greg P. - 2013-04-25 2:52 PM It must have been good, dry storage. Do you have the story behind that car? How could someone own such an amazing car and keep it covered up for so long? In 1976 the car was covered in blankets and packed away in a garage when its owner passed away. He was the second owner having purchased it just months before from the original owner, an elderly retired doctor. Not long after purchasing the car the second owner died suddenly and his wife had the car moved to the garage and covered. Her son told me that the car had meant so much to his father that his mother would never sell it, keeping the thermostat set and checking on the car from time to time over the years. Three years ago I responded to a classified ad about the car but was not sure what to expect. The son was advertising the car and was very concerned about where the car would be going and what kind of home it would get. His mother had died and he and his brother had decided to let the car go.
Not too long after, we peeled back all the covers and pulled the car out of the garage. It had four flat tires but three out of four wheels were turning free.
Below are photos from shortly before the car was placed in the garage in 1976 (photo negatives are reversed).
Below that are photos of the car as it looked when we opened the garage in late 2010.
It has just over 59,000 original miles and is completely unrestored. Fuel system, brakes and hoses, plugs, wires, tires, battery and some polishing and detailing and the car has come back to life. The original dashboard, emblems and interior as well as the original paint and most of the details are remarkably well preserved. The original LeBaron wheel covers, with their gold anodized center gear, are as close to perfect as you can get. After some cleaning, mechanical attention and TLC the car is back in service and I drive at regularly as I do all my cars. I still stay in touch with the son and his brother and they are very nice people. 
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 7215
Location: Victoria, BC, on Vancouver Island, Canada |
Rich, this one would be a great companion to yours!!
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 59IMP201.jpg (164KB - 294 downloads)
59IMP202.jpg (168KB - 322 downloads)
59IMP205.jpg (159KB - 265 downloads)
59IMP207.jpg (160KB - 288 downloads)
59IMP208.jpg (150KB - 269 downloads)
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Expert
Posts: 1894
| What an amazing find. So cool to see cars like this are still hidden away! Man that's just so beautiful! |
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Location: Los Angeles | imopar380 - 2013-04-25 6:51 PM Rich, this one would be a great companion to yours!! That is a beautiful car, I love the colors. |
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Member
Posts: 19
Location: Edmonton Alberta | Unreal. Great story thanks for sharing!!. Time capsule |
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Expert
Posts: 1493
Location: Jamaica Plain, MA | This might be one of the nicest survivors I've ever seen. It's amazing how much detail the designers put into the Imperials. Everything is covered in beautiful, make-specific jewelry. |
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Member
Posts: 23
Location: Victoria, Australia | I see this and I can not wait to get mine done and on the road, But I also see more parts mine is missing.
I need a drink.
Cheers |
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Expert
Posts: 2519
Location: central Illinois | Back in the late 80's I went to look at this cars twin that had been stored in a barn, with a friend of mine. It was solid but showed its age and when we were attacked by some hornets, he lost interest.
Absolutely beautiful automobile you've got there.
Edited by b5rt 2013-06-03 9:13 PM
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Veteran
Posts: 298
Location: Nashville, TN | I sure hope I can get my 60 Crown to look half this good. Your car is just pure elegance. |
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 7215
Location: Victoria, BC, on Vancouver Island, Canada | I just noticed, that this ultra-loaded LeBaron does not have A/C !!! |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 664
Location: Wales, Wisconsin | I just love everything about this car. Even the name is beyond cool. The color combination is so perfect and all the trinkets work so well. Luxury and Chrysler Corp. at its finest hour. I believe Imperials are very overlooked by the masses and should be/are finally getting the respect they deserve.
Thanks for sharing your beauty here.
John |
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Expert
Posts: 2788
Location: USA - KY |
I am still totally PEA GREEN with envy, richro!
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Expert
Posts: 1894
| Does anyone know where this car ended up? |
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 7215
Location: Victoria, BC, on Vancouver Island, Canada | Mike McCandless - 2023-01-17 11:11 AM
Does anyone know where this car ended up?
I'm sure I saw it in an auction after the owner Richard Rowlands passed away. Aaron Kahlenberg knew Richard, so you could possibly connect with Aaron. He is on Facebook, search him out and do a PM to him. https://www.facebook.com/aaron.kahlenberg |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 496
| I don't know where the car ended up. I know Richard's brother was involved in selling the cars, but I have no way of getting in touch with him.
Aaron |
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