Re: IML: '60 LeCrown in Germany

[richard burgess <lecrown60@xxxxxxxxx>]

Regarding the LeBaron interior.  On my LeBaron, with its factory original full white leather Crown Interior.........  Even the factory did not bother changing out the Crown medallions on the door panels.  Once the rivits were drilled out, it would be very difficult to re-attach them in my oppinion.  In all of those 600 inspections, one of those Crown medallions is even upside down in my LeBaron.  The Crown is pointing down!  I think the interiors came prefabricated from an outside source so they had to go ahead and install whatever came down the pike.  It was still an assembly line, I think factory customization would be exceptionally rare.  Even my "custom" interior was fully a Crown interior with no customization.  There was a paper tag with "LeBaron"  written on it and tied to the back seat frame.  This was obviously to direct this Crown interior to my LeBaron.  If it were really "custom", they would have had to change the door emblems and create a white lap robe for the back of the front seat from scratch.  They didn't because white was not available in LeBarons, lap robes were exclusive to the LeBarons so there was no such thing as a white lap cord to install.  The only thing truly custom was a white VINYL headliner in a sedan, vinyl was only used in the four door hardtops otherwise.  A hardtop headliner probably took no alteration to install in a sedan so it worked.

 

My LeBaron has the vinyl insert with horizontil stripes on the bottom of the door panels as used with full leather.  The German car has the broadcloth inserts with horizontil stripes.  A fabric interior swap does not make near as much sense as the full leather swap that my LeBaron came with.  If the dealer says this German car is a Crown I would say they were right.  Being in Germany, a LeBaron parts car may have been all that was available when this car was "restored".  I will bet the R.H. dash says Imperial and not LeBaron. 

 

Richard Burgess

Imps Rule <impsrule@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Hi All,  I would agree with ther member who wrote that the LeBaron emblems may have been retro-fitted.  One of our IML members, Richard Burgess, is now restoring a '60 Crown (confirmed as such by the VIN numbers) with several pieces of 'original-appearing' "LeBaron" trim.  Originally sold in Washington, DC in the Summer of 1960, original documentation shows that the dealer sold the orignal purchaser a 'Crown' with the "LeBaron Trim Package" (fender emblems, sail-panel medalions...).  The itemized bill of sale showing these additions can be seen at: http://www.imperialclub.com/Yr/1960/Burgess/Page01.htm

 

As for using the interior as a guide to the car's 'LeBaron'/'Crown' origins...  Remember, the horizontally wide-pleated door panels were standard on the LeBaron, but not 'exclusive'.  They were attendant with the optional 'biscut-pattern' leather or leather/cloth combo interior (http://www.imperialclub.com/Yr/1960/Showroom/Upholstry/Page08.htm).  It would have been nothing for a dealer wanting to sell a $7-8000 dollar luxury car to have his service staff switch out the silver and gold 'Crown' embossed door panel inserts for the black and gold ones reading 'LeBaron'.  I think this 'flexibility' is one of the more interesting footnotes in Imperial marketing (quite probably Imperial's way of participating in the long-established Chrysler Corp. tradition of offering 'Spring Specials' with upgraded trim to spike sales...).

 

Jim Byers

'60 LeBaron Southampton

Washington, DC

---

Do you Yahoo!?
 
All your favorites on one personal page ? Try My Yahoo!