I'm trying to find out if the 56 Imperial front fenders are the same as the St Regis. I see the area for the marker light is different but I also don't know where the parting line is between the front nose piece and the fender. I don't have the St Regis home yet to be able to ***ess this myself. My goal is to have the front end of the imperial so I can build somewhat of a 300 copy. I know it won't be exact, just going for the general look.
Considering the St Regis was a package on the new yorker, I'd say that would be your closest bet. There was a forum a while back (One of yours) that you asked about the front end of a imperial to a windsor. Was mentioned there that the 55 imperial front fenders, hood and decklid were a direct bolt on to the 55/56 Chrysler. I think the main difference in the fender was the wheel arch design, I wouldn't think the 56 imperial fender would be that much different from the 55. I could be wrong. https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/1956-chrysler-question.970918/ Post 19
Thought I'd seen somewhere on aaca about the same thing and 55/56 grilles all being interchangeable as well. Couldn't re-find that one though.
Yes, at that time it was a Windsor that the guy was going to sell me but never did. Now I have a 56 St Regis. Just gave him a deposit. Gotta wait for the snow to melt so I can get it. I'm trying to eyeball pictures to see if potentially the front fenders are the same. Initially, they are looking different so guessing I'll need the front fenders off an imperial. I found some cheap, just didn't want to buy if I didn't need to.
The front metal that mounts the grills for an Imperial is a direct bolt in/replacement for 55/56. As far as I know 55 was the only year the front fenders were different, with a rounded wheel well for the Imperial
Thank you for the input, since I was quoting you originally. Didn't bother to check your activity, when I ran across the post. Hope this helps the OP.
Keep in mind that if you build a replica/clone 300B you will not be looked upon kindly by most 300 clubs or purists. The origin of the first 300's is an interesting story, Briggs Cunningham wanted to take American cars to international compe***ions and had to conform to the F.I.A. rules, in that at least three hundred identical cars from a mfg. were eligible (Omalagato). The story is Cunningham already had connections with Chrysler and they took a Windsor from the production line, took it up stairs and sat around suggesting changes,the Imperial grills, performance parts, cam 2x4's, three speed manual column shift. There is only one 300B original race car surviving, now in the Ford museum. The fist Chrysler 300's were built for the Mexican road race but it was cancelled because of the number of deaths in previous. Kiekhafer had three race cars and nowhere to go, thats how he showed up at Daytona with cars and no drivers in 1955
Up to 1956 Chrysler and Imperial shared a lot of body parts including the body shell. Except the Imp was longer, the extra length being in the rear doors. So the front clip should interchange with a little work. 1957 to 1965 Imperial had its own body, then they went back to sharing the Chrysler body.
The Jalopy Journal
