NOT MINE Lee Iacocca's Imperial

[crv]

1983 Chrysler Imperial at Glendale 2024 as F216 - Mecum Auctions
ESTIMATE: $30,000 - $50,000

ODOMETER READS†
7,936 miles
VIN / SERIAL
2A3BY62N5DR171480

• Originally ordered and owned by Lee Iacocca
• Includes book showing the build sheet with Iacocca's name
• 318 CI fuel injected V-8 engine
• Automatic transmission
• Light Blue with Dark Blue interior
• Air conditioning with replaced condenser and charged system
• Power front disc with rear drum brakes
• 15 inch alloy wheels
• New tires
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[PeugFra]

With these credentials, that should fetch a nice stack of dollars!

 

[marko]

you'd think they'd show a pic of the iacocca paperwork

 

[SportFury70]

NICE car the color combination is really nice, and wow thats really low mileage. However, I too would like to see a picture of the paperwork. Otherwise it sounds like it ain’t really his, and is another “black ghost” hoax.

 

[73Coupe]

 

[marko]

sold for $23,100

 

[PeugFra]

Clearly below the estimate of $30,000 - $50,000. Did Iacocca deserve this?

 

[mopar preferred]

It's too bad that Chrysler had to take what was so obviously a Cordoba, hang what I think is a pretty front end, and an ugly back end on it, and declare it to be an Imperial. It was a nice Chrysler, but should not have resurrected the Imperial name, IMHO.
There was a whole lot of that in the industry at that time, though.
The Diplomat morphed into the Fifth Avenue, Ford Grenada became a Lincoln Versailles, and the Chevy Nova was suddenly a Cadillac Seville. Worst of all, the Chevy Cavalier was a Cadillac Cimarron.
The body sharing was sooo obvious.

 

[Justin Plant]

Energy crises, gas lines, Carter Admin, and import car invasion in full swing. Not to mention shifting market trends. It's a wonder any American car company made any money. Platform sharing was nothing new in the 80's but boy did the bean counters get demanding and the stylists got their hands tied.... I think the electronics and fuel injection really hindered this car, the tech just wasn't good enough yet. Everybody struggled with it back then.

 

[Scoopy G]

I wonder if Lee got a check when he bought this car.

 

[2nd66]

I read his autobiography. Good read. Salesman to the end. Stuff about ford was interesting.

 

[GregG48203]

ugly back end

The Seville was the first with the "add on" trunk for 1980; it didn't look any better.

 

[73Coupe]

Energy crises, gas lines, Carter Admin, and import car invasion in full swing. Not to mention shifting market trends. It's a wonder any American car company made any money. Platform sharing was nothing new in the 80's but boy did the bean counters get demanding and the stylists got their hands tied.... I think the electronics and fuel injection really hindered this car, the tech just wasn't good enough yet. Everybody struggled with it back then.

Summed up in two words: Malaise Era

 

[73Coupe]

I wonder if Lee got a check when he bought this car.

Also wonder if the car broke down as much as Frank's.

Edit: From the Mecum site:

 

[commando1]

Hmm.. This Imp may really have been Lee's car.

Lee Iacocca's 1983 (Chrysler) Imperial

 

[73Coupe]

Hmm.. This Imp may really have been Lee's car.

Lee Iacocca's 1983 (Chrysler) Imperial

Good research....the dots connect:
The James Powers Collection

 

[polara71]

Hmm.. This Imp may really have been Lee's car.

Lee Iacocca's 1983 (Chrysler) Imperial

I really didn't doubt it. It has paperwork to back it up. I also didn't think Mecum would sell it as such if it wasn't.

 

[kmccabe56]

Biggest problem with these cars is ethanol in the gas. The system that measures fuel flow uses a laser. The ethanol in the fuel scatters the laser signal and confuses the hell out of the computer. There's NO gas in Canada any more that doesn't have ethanol in it. Even 94.

 

[mopar preferred]

The Seville was the first with the "add on" trunk for 1980; it didn't look any better.
View attachment 648798

I think they were trying to emulate the Rolls Royce Phantom IV. The Cadillac was more successful than Chrysler in that regard.

 

[Mid70's Chrysler Fanatic]

It's too bad that Chrysler had to take what was so obviously a Cordoba, hang what I think is a pretty front end, and an ugly back end on it, and declare it to be an Imperial. It was a nice Chrysler, but should not have resurrected the Imperial name, IMHO.
There was a whole lot of that in the industry at that time, though.
The Diplomat morphed into the Fifth Avenue, Ford Grenada became a Lincoln Versailles, and the Chevy Nova was suddenly a Cadillac Seville. Worst of all, the Chevy Cavalier was a Cadillac Cimarron.
The body sharing was sooo obvious.

The Seville was the first with the "add on" trunk for 1980; it didn't look any better.
View attachment 648798

Adding to the polarizing bustle-back design of the Imperial was the position of the license plate recess, planted above the taillights like an afterthought. “Oh, why?” was my reaction when I first saw it.

Edit/addendum: At least it wasn’t as derivative as the Cadillac Cimarron.