I have been driving Chryslers since the 1950's and have worked for a dealer in my time. We went thru the dealer crisis in '62 and all the other screw ups that the bean counters launched down the tube. Probably the biggest reason why Imperial languished was the transition from body on frame to unibody fuselage ie. the ' 67 - ' 68 model years . These cars were plagued with brake and carb problems - the 440's fouled plugs on a regular basis and the fit and finish was terrible particularly when it came to the lead body filler which could be seen when viewed at the wrong angle. The trunks leaked in heavy rains, and I had more than one body shop helper spend an hour or two inside the trunk while we hosed it down to spot the leak. What really hurt was that Lincoln and Cadillac really went all out in those years in terms of the interior embelishment and appointment while except for the Coupes, Jefferson cheapened the interiors to the point that they were virtually
indistinguishable from the New Yorker or even the Newport. Lincoln and Cadillac seating comfort and style was superb while the Le Baron was diminished from its' ' 64 - ' 66 magnificence. To me this was the watershed period for Imperial and it really never recovered.
Chuck Milverton
Looking for ' 64 Crown Coupe
Kildare , Texas
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