For Sale '56 Imperial Conv. FS WI. Craigs

[Pete Kaczmarski]

Wow, I wonder if this is the real deal as he says it is?

1956 Imperial Convertable
1956 Imperial Convertable

image 1 of 3

1956 Imperial convertible 1 of 3 ever factory built cars

There were no 1956 convertibles ever built for general sale. The CEO of Chrysler motor company ordered 3 of these build for his personal sale to friends.

This car will need a frame off complete restoration to get maximum classic car value

Also offered as a package is a 1956 Imperial sedan parts car
This was a California car with very little rust that would make an ideal parts car. This car has no body damage and interchangeable parts that will be needed to restore to convertible

 

[detmatt]

Wow!!

 

[cantflip]

I'm guessing by the lack of pricing that the seller is going for the restored value... but if this was "the one" I would have to call...

 

[BigFury]

would def need to see the report of the '3 only' for '56 build substantiated. Big undertaking to restore.

 

[detmatt]

I'm guessing there's leaf springs in the trunk.

 

[Jeff]

1956_WI_Conv-rescue

 

[Ironwolf]

What a Beauty !!!!!!!

 

[bluefury361]

I remember reading about these cars long ago.

 

[commando1]

I remember reading about these cars long ago.

Like 9 years ago, maybe?

T ulsa’s 1957 Plymouth Belvedere isn’t the only historic Chrysler Corp. product to rise this summer. On May 19, the one-of-three 1956 Imperial convertible hiding in the woods just a few miles away from the Old Cars Weekly office was removed from its 30-year resting place on the side of a tree-filled hill.

The Imperial was first featured in the March 3 and June 9, 2005, issues of Old Cars Weekly, and its existence captured the attention of Chrysler Corp. historians everywhere. Inspired by the buzz his car was receiving, Bob, the Imperial’s owner, decided to rescue the car from its less-than-ideal storage conditions in Amherst, Wis., and trust it to restorer Adam Harder.

Old Cars Weekly staffers Matt Gergeni and Angelo Van Bogart assisted Harder and Bob with the car’s retrieval. It took nearly eight hours to free the car from the earth it had become a part of, make its wheels spin again, mount fresh tires and navigate the car through a maze of trees to the top of a hill. Once there, the Imperial convertible was loaded on an enclosed trailer headed towards Milwaukee.

Bob and Harder said their first task to bringing the rare Imperial convertible back to life was to assemble Chrysler New Yorker and Imperial parts cars. The pair estimated it would take a year to assess the car’s condition and begin its restoration. For now, the car will be safely stored indoors and out of the Wisconsin weather.

While saving his car, Bob said the car was acquired from his father-in-law following an early 1970s car accident. When Bob’s father-in-law received an estimate for the repairs, he told Bob he was going to send the car to a salvage yard. Remembering how beautiful the Imperial once was, Bob told him he’d take the car. The Imperial was initially stored in a building from which Bob operated a business, but upon selling the building, Bob lost his indoor storage. That’s when he asked his friends, Roger and Merna Dudley, to store the car for a couple of years on their Amherst, Wis., property. A couple of years quickly turned into 30. Bob also said the car was frequently used in parades around the Milwaukee area before it lost its original wire wheels and was damaged. If you captured the car on film, we’d love to see photos.

For progress on the restoration, stay tuned to Old Cars Weekly for updates.

 

[detmatt]

I guess their enthusiasm fizzled?

 

[BigFury]

The blue one is stunning! Beautiful styling for Chrysler these years. Orginally a 331 Hemi I'm guessing? No doubt a mega buck restoration, shame it was left to the elements for 30 years.

 

[jct]

354 hemi

 

[Jeff]

Here is some great info about this car. It suggests the engine may be a 392.
Illegitimate Imperial - 1956 Imperial Convertible

 

[mdh157]

looks like a dealership logo on the lower left side on the trunk lip........now why would a car personally built for anyone have a dealership logo on it? The pic is not close enough to read but anything is possible, could have been delivered to said dealership for pickup from there, etc. Better have deep pockets for this one but it'd be a real eye catcher! What does our boy Galen have to say abt these?

 

[Jeff]

It's Rank & Son and discussed in that article.

 

[Pete Kaczmarski]

He replied and is asking $30,ooo.oo

 

[commando1]

 

[BigFury]

Well, Hello Mr. Leno....

 

[Jeff]

And so it will continue to rot. That is absurd. He would be lucky to get 3X that fully restored and it will cost more than 3X that to restore it.

 

[detmatt]

What do they think it is, a V-code Fury?