RE: IML: As my first question to the sage advisors on the IML- would the '64Imperial on ebay now be a good buy?

[David Whitney <hazegreen66@xxxxxxxxx>]

First, a belief -- capitalism and free enterprise are good.

 

Second, a reminder -- there's a sucker born every minute.

 

Third, a lament -- the combination of one and two above frequently parts fools from their money.

 

The eBay car is a pig in a poke, and almost guaranteed to be more trouble than it's worth.  The seller dragged that car out of a barn/carport/cornfield and is trying to maximize his or her profit by putting ABSOLUTELY NO WORK into the car and flipping it immediately.  Maybe they hosed the dirt off the outside, but that's about it.  There's a reason they didn't show any interior or engie compartment photos.

 

If you really like the '64 to '66 style, spend some time around people who own them.  Read the '64 service manual online on the web site's '64 page.  Buy Mopar engine/transmission/carburetor/chassis books and you will be surprised what people you thought were experts don't know.  You may find yourself contributing with your newfound knowledge.  You will learn what makes one Imperial more valuable than the other, and what to look for when inspecting cars.  With luck, a club member will have one for sale within your budget.  That's your best bet.

 

In any case, unless the car is "done" -- meaning you will spend top dollar to acquire it -- it will need work on one or more major systems.  40 years is a long time, and while they are beautiful and durable, they do not last forever without maintenance and occasional parts replacement.

 

The less you pay to acquire the car, the more you can expect to spend putting it on the road.  Unless it has been maintained to a very high standard, you will need a carb rebuild, new plugs, points, wires, distributor cap/rotor, coolant/power steering hoses, brake wheel cylinders/master cylinder/hoses and maybe pads, transmission flush/filter/fill and you will need to clean every electrical connector you can find.  At the very least.  If you do all the work, you will spend around a thousand dollars.  You must also lay in a supply of all the proper lubricants and use them where appropriate.

 

Second tier and reasonably common is new tires regardless of tread wear simply based on their age, weather stripping to stop trunk and passenger compartment leaks and wind noise, window assembly lubrication and maybe window motor replacement, radiator, brake booster and gas tank cleaning.  These things are much more likely to be required if the car has sat undriven for two years or more.  Another thousand dollars if you do the work.

 

All of the above (except brake pads) are based on age, not wear.  A low mileage car/engine will need those things because they become brittle and/or corrode with age.  A high mileage (75,000 plus) engine will require timing chain replacement and reconditioned cylinder heads.  A high mileage car will require a front end rebuild and new exhaust.

 

Please note I have not addressed any cosmetic issue, which is of course the real reason we drive these cars.  A well maintained engine does not turn heads, but it is necessary to put the car in front of people whose heads you want to turn.

 

Daily driver is a high standard.  That means you can get into the car in any kind of weather and drive on any kind of road for any distance and be confident the car will not leave you stranded.

 

I do sincerely hope I have not burst your Imperial bubble.  What I'm telling you are lessons you don't have to spend a lot of money to learn because I and other people have already spent it and learned.  My current Imperial project was a daily driver before the previous owner pulled its engine and transmission.  It literally belonged to a little old lady in an Arizona nursing home.  I bought it for a dollar (not from the little old lady) with the goal that it would be my next daily driver.  I have spent $1600 so far and do not yet have the engine assembled.  I expect to spend another $1600 before I drive the car for the first time, and this car is in excellent unrestored condition.

 

So be choosy, young Imperialist, and learn from us who have gone before.  When we're gone, you'll be giving similar advice.

 

 

Happy motoring,

David

'91 K-Imperial driver
'66 Crown Coupe project
'66 LeBaron dual air and every option known to man

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