For Sale 1960 Imperial Le Baron For Sale - Very Original

[saforwardlook]

I noticed this listing on Craigslist yesterday and went down to take a look at the car:

1960 Chrysler Imperial Le Baron

"Car being sold in As Is condition. Currently not running. Push button transmission. Four doors. If you have specific questions please text me between 9 am and 9 pm. The car is not on a Vin decoder list due to his age but here's the Vin anyhow. #9304112656
please note: this is a nice fancy classic car, there arent alot if these around as only a few thousand were made, he needs to be restored, but isn't for an amateur or a car for a chop job. So please research this piece of history first.
No PayPal BS! straight cash only. $9900 Obo
Thank you"

It is a very original, complete car that is an excellent restoration candidate for those who appreciate these models. It doesn't appear to have ever had any rust at all - something that is remarkable for a 56 year old car even in CA, and it has the original paint (I used my coating thickness meter to determine this) that could likely be buffed out to look very nice. The engine is free too, but it hasn't been driven in 13 years. The interior is pretty worn out, but the car is equipped with factory dual a/c, swivel seats and power everything else. The power windows and power vent windows all respond, but I didn't try to make them move much. Odometer says 72K miles, probably original. Very few minor dents/scrapes/dings. Put a new interior in it and get it running, and it could even be a driver. Asking price is probably about right.

 

[Pete Kaczmarski]

maybe alittle strong on the price for its currecnt condition but on the positive its a LeBaron....

 

[commando1]

If I was a Rich man, la la la la laaaaa....

 

[tbm3fan]

If I was a Rich man, la la la la laaaaa....

Can't experience be turned into something...?

 

[Furiousone]

I love the old, pre-68 Imperials, but the front end of the '60 is not one of my favorites. I think the price is a little high. LeBarons are the best of these, along with the South Hampton models.

 

[Furiousone]

The '59 LeBaron and the '61-'66 LeBarons are very nice looking. I could kinda do without the fins on the '61 though.

 

[saforwardlook]

The '59 LeBaron and the '61-'66 LeBarons are very nice looking. I could kinda do without the fins on the '61 though.

I guess it is safe to assume you are not a Forward Look kind of guy then.
Here is what the car for sale would look like when done:

I considered buying the car for sale for a little bit, but elected to go forward with my 1960 Crown 2 door project instead (I am currently gathering all the parts I will need). Here is what it will look like when done (it also has a lot of options such as dual a/c, power swivel seats, etc) although it will be white instead of this "dusk mauve":

And this is what a 1961 Imperial would look like. I still like those fins too............

 

[Furiousone]

I guess I feel the front end of the 1960 models are a little to huge, garish. The fins are a little too tall. I do like the '59 Le Baron. The '62-'66's are the others that I really like. I'd love to have a '62, '63 or a '65 Le Baron. I will buy one some day, within the next 5 years or so. I'm going to enjoy runnin' around with my '66 Fury I for now. My wife will take over our Honda.

 

[commando1]

Steve, I want to ban you from the site. You kill me with your beautiful pics.

 

[saforwardlook]

Steve, I want to ban you from the site. You kill me with your beautiful pics.

I just look at life with hope with help from above and inspiration from the beautiful restoration photos of work others have done to motivate me in doing my own. It keeps me young!

This video is one of my favorites that sums up how I have chosen to look at life done by an excellent artist IMO (I hope this is acceptable content since there is a Dodge Aspen in the video!):

)

And I look at my restorations as recreations of ultimate beauty in automobiles to my eyes. Now back to work...............

 

[sixtyf]

I enjoyed that Danny Gokey clip, cheers.

 

[commando1]

It upsets me greatly to know that we actually had a world in which this car was made but will never exist again. Just study this car. It mesmerizes me

 

[tbm3fan]

It upsets me greatly to know that we actually had a world in which this car was made but will never exist again. Just study this car. It mesmerizes me

Yes, it is an absolutely stunning car built is a time with a no holds bar on style and luxury that exemplifies 1960 better than any other cars exemplify their decade. Equally amazing is how quickly that style shifted two years later.

 

[saforwardlook]

Yes, it is an absolutely stunning car built is a time with a no holds bar on style and luxury that exemplifies 1960 better than any other cars exemplify their decade. Equally amazing is how quickly that style shifted two years later.

I would agree with your last statement. When the 1961 - 63 Lincoln Continentals came out, it was shockingly well done, and made the Imperial look dated. Even Cadillac was caught flat footed, though not as much, since it was a slightly smaller car in 1961 compared to the 1960 models, and the discreet upper fin was complemented by the interesting lower "dorsal" fin. What is interesting is that Elwood Engle was the design team leader for the 1961-3 Lincoln Continentals in his last years working for Ford. In 1961, Virgil Exner, the lead force behind the Forward Look cars had a heart attack and after that was unable to be the design chief at Chrysler, and Chrysler was successful in hiring Elwood Engle from Ford in 1961 to replace him. Although fins were pretty much gone from Chrysler products on the drawing boards for 1963 and later Chrysler models before Elwood's arrival, the 1964 and later Imperials reflected his slab side look of the very successful Lincolns he designed. Elwood retired from Chrysler in 1973, so he was also responsible for the fuselage models in large part at Chrysler as well. In my opinion, he was one of the truly great designers, right up there with Virgil Exner and Harley Earl at GM.

The Lincoln:

The Cadillac:

 

[LeBaron1973]

That was a wonderful era in car design and whether you owned a Cadillac, Imperial or Lincoln, you would have been delighted with your purchase.

I love this Imperial, but preferably owned by somebody else who has the resources to do it right.

 

[Beep Beep Dave]

I only in the last few years have started to appreciate those Imperials, I always thought the other Forward Look cars were cool but for me at least the Imperials were an acquired taste. There are some really cool YouTube videos from back in the day when Imperial compared there cars to the Lincoln and Cadillac. They were head and shoulders above the competition.

Anyways that why I like this site...always learning something new.

Dave

 

[LeBaron1973]

That's true Dave, I'm also on Lincoln and Cadillac forums and it's amazing what people know about these cars.

 

[fury fan]

I enjoyed that Danny Gokey clip, cheers.

Agreed, liked it.
This song is one of my favorites, has a very similar message to it.

And as for that black Imp that Saforwardlook posted, well... 'Majestic' is the best word I can come up with. 'Elegant' came to mind first, but that's not quite right even.

 

[fury fan]

In my opinion, he was one of the truly great designers, right up there with Virgil Exner and Harley Earl at GM.

Agreed. He took things in a completely different direction, one that was just as exceptional as Exner did (although some of Exner's are faces that require parent's love).

It makes me think of this from the 65 Chrysler brochure, although the copy I have has the nose of a black NY, photographed in perfection. The words 'most' and 'ever' are very subjective, of course, but Elwood did give marketing something they could justifiably give such an accolade.

 

[rexus31]

Many at car shows have mistaken my '65 for a Lincoln.