IML: Imperial Day

[RandalPark@xxxxxxx]

I started my day by dropping my '68 Imperial Convertible off at the front end shop. They checked it out and determined that everything was tip top except the idler arm, of course. They were able to find one (the correct one) for $375.00, which I okay'd and bought. 

Mid-day, I received a phone call from a man who wants to take photographs of some areas of my '56 Four Door Southampton. He purchased one from this neighborhood five years ago. He paid a shop to disassemble the car, and do a frame up restoration. It seems now they are close to finishing, and there are some things that have come up missing. The car was complete when delivered, so he wants photos of the parts to sho them what to look for. I welcomed him, and we will arrange a visit. His '56 is jet black and now has a 425 horsepower rebuilt 354 Hemi under the hood. I don't know what he did to make all that extra horsepower, but from the sound of it, he spent a fortune doing it.

After wrok, I drove up the street to my house to an amazing sight. Parked in front of my house was a flat bed hauler with a 1965 Imperial LeBaron sitting on it. The man was in the truck so I asked him what was going on. It seemed that this car was parked under a tree, since 1984, next to a house two blocks away from where I live. It had been a gorgeous car when parked. It had no scratches or dents, but was covered with wet leaves. This had virtually destroyed parts of the body. The tops of the doors were rusted away from the doors themselves. All I could say was "what a shame". It had been a beautiful white car with a black vinyl top, and the original black pin-striping still visible through the green moss growing on the sides of the car. The white leather seats were still in very nice condition, but moisture had ruined all of the walnut trim, headliner, steering wheel, and chrome. The drivers door arm rest was not worn in the least, and the odometer said 52,343 miles. When this car was parked it was 19 years old, and it was an original, clean 50,000 mile car. 

The man was on his way to deliver the car to someone who deals in car parts on Ebay. I would have been interested myself, but I have too many cars, parts, and no time, or storage. I pointed out a few choice items to him, such as the perfect hood ornament, tempered glass headlight covers, all of the cast chrome including a perfect grill, none of which was even slightly pitted. It also had a perfect outside right hand rear view mirror. Maybe we will see some of the pieces show up at our favorite auction house.

It was interesting to see where the car had deteriorated the most from sitting. None of the damage was due to use. It was all from sitting with wet leaves accumulated on it.

That was very sad, but it was encouraging that so many Imperial related things happened on the same day.

Paul W.

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