Okay I am doing one of those posts I have seen so many times. Not a 32 Ford, but I klnow there are Mopar people on here who own/deal with the big '60s cars. I went to look at itthis 1962 Chrysler Imperial CROWN 4-dorr (cheap)...and it seems way too good to part out. but putting one of these BACK on the road might not ever make sense as they don't go for much, even running. Even brake parts are not 100% available in the usual places. It's got tons odf great IMP parts on it...once it sits a long time I bet it's STILL worth more parting to IMP restorers than to fiddle with? There are some great parts for "Kustoms" on these though, too! Square steering wheel like the other Mopars. ======================================== Engine - anyone want these 413s for anything? ========================================== HAS: ~413 and A/C, ~P/steering, ~Pwindows, ~power seat (I believe), ~"Auto Pilot", ~The full "electroluminescent" (or whatever) Jetsons type dash is there, ~Looks like an Autronic Eye on the dash...um... ~Mint full wheel covers stored inside... ~All sheetmetal looks about perfect... ~White leather is dry but not all destoyed... ~Smells like a musty old car inside, still and not like mouse p___ or anything. ~Those HEADLIGHTS! (No PITS! vegas, remember?). Is it too nice to think of taking apart? I never see customs made with them, but I have seen them mentioned on here - figured I would ask! THANKS IN ADVANCE. ==========================
61's have a following, I'd spend some money on a nice solid '61, (big fins), but '62's are pretty unloved. If it has a title and the engine turns over it's probably worth a grand, could make a cool bellflower style custom. Running, driving and roadworthy it'd probably bring $3K. But I wouldn't pay any big money for it if you want any kind of return. Neat car, just not a lot of value there.
And no one wants the parts off it if they're not dead-nuts perfect, to make money parting one out it basically has to be too nice to part out already. Would be a killer cruising car, though, on the order of rolling down the highway on your living room couch. And the trans is just a torqueflite with a different valve body, no big deal there. The chassis ran through '66 or '68, so upgrading to newer brakes (IE easier to find service parts for) should not be a big deal.
Well we're talking in the $1000. range which still worries me. Mopars at the Strip is a big show - it's next month. Hmmm - I wonder if any land yacht-type Mopar people go to it? (((I found out the "slotted" wheels with round holes are the orignal type. Wonder if it was to save some weight! ))).
Beats me, I tried parting out a '58 Imperial and got nowhere fast. There are easier ways to make a buck - a second job at Burger King would probably be a lot less frustrating and a lot more enjoyable. Once they're gone, they're gone, and I don't see the sense in ruining what looks like a pretty damn good car.
You have to really love it to see the value there....Lots of custom features like pancaked hood, headlight pods, gunsight taillights and 4dr hardtop....lower that baby,Bellflower tip exhaust, tuck n roll interior and a Watson style paint job...Ain't gonna see another one at the rod run!....You'd be cruising in style for sure and add an OD automatic trans from a later model Mopar pickup and you might be able to afford gas for it too!!
Dont even think about parting out a car that nice. I dont care if it is just a 4 door. There are pleanty of rust buckets out there being parted. I cant see any cancer on that car anywhere!
So we buy a 57 imperial 2 door hard top about a month ago for the 392, a complete almost rust free car,and a "crown" no less,we had to almost give It away to get rid of it. Everyone says the same thing, "I'll buy It " but they never step up.Nothing but a 19' engine crate!
--------------------------- Even though '62's are not one of the more 'popular' - ie - read - more "valuable" - models years, half-decent ones are still pretty scarce. To somebody out there who's into Imperials, even though it's a '62 - or maybe particularly because it's a '62 even, this could be their personal "dream car". If you can get the car cheap but it's not really your thing and you don't want to put the money and effort into it yourself to restore it, you could probably list it on one the Imperial sites and flip it and make some money on the deal. If the cars not too bad, it'd be far better, in my opinion, to save it by selling it whole to someone who wants to restore and drive it, than it would be to part it out. Mart3406 ===========================
I'd pick it up in a heartbeat, and I'm not even much of a Mopar guy. It looks wayyy too nice to part out. Though I may biased, as I'm in the rust belt.
That is an awesome car. I'd snatch it in a N.Y. minute if I were closer. It probably could turn you a few dollars at "Mopars at the strip". If you are a life long GM guy, MATS might be a life changing experience for you as well. I think the car is very doable, parts are not nearly as difficult for you to find due to the interchangeability of things like brakes, so that is not an issue. The pushbotton trans is not a lot different from later torqueflites except it has the tailshaft mounted drum for parking, and the cable linkage doesn't interchange with later models without some special pieces. That is an awesome car, and it would be a crime to part it out, just like it'd be a crime to take a clean straight savable two door hardtop to the junk yard. I'm going to have to find a nice barn find tri five chevy and scrap it just to get even....
Thanks for all the good advice. That's why the $ has to be pretty low. We'll see - but I know I can't leave well enough alone. Car has shock value if nothing else. I am working on a final $ with the guy and I guess I'll end up having to buy this big thing if it's possible. ~It'd be fun to pull this thing across town and start seeing what's under all the dirt if I do. I did not get under it - I just pulled up tattered carpet. It looks like there is NO rust in it. Can't believe they ever parked it. Which is why I was hesitant...maybe the unusual trans. went out or something and he couldn't get anyone to fix it then. Who knows. ~The relative who is selling it says it was driving when parked, father just got beyond driving...but then they all remember it that way, right? It has been sitting a "few years" for sure. our climate here is SO kind easy on these old cars! We'll see - he is looking for the title.
well he found the title so I guess we are on - If anyone subscribed, I'l throw this out there - I am getting this one and I guess I'll be parting it.) Not an ad now (that'll be soon), but PM me if you have interest. Thanks.
I just found a 62' that I'm supposed to drag out of the mud and tow away to the crusher this weekend. If it's worthy of saving I may be in touch. If mine is worse than yours, what do you want from it? Split grille cars always look great in my opinion. Hopefully it was saved.
Aw man, I hate to see it get parted - back in '82 I got a two-owner '62 Crown four-door for $500 that was my daily driver for nearly two years until some jerk hit-and-ran it in front of my house. It was a little scruffy and had 127K on it but what a great driver and handler it was - could take the S-curve on the Pasadena Freeway at 60. My Aztec buddies loved it - if you ever saw four or five long-haired Indians and a long-haired white guy cruising around Lincoln Heights that was us. (BTW the reason the wheels have the holes is the same reason the wheelcovers have a slotted ring around the rim that makes them stand out slightly from the wheel - Chrysler engineers were desperate to keep those drum brakes cool.) The 413 and push-button Torqueflite never gave me any trouble; the one thing you need to check is the center bearing for the two-piece driveshaft. When the rubber in it dies you get a thump-thump-thump as you take off. Fortunately they are reproed now; in '83 I bought what the local Chrysler dealer said was the last NOS one in the country. Before you part it, try and get it drivable first - you might find you really enjoy driving a great American road car.
I used to drive one of those a friend had when he had to make a road trip to get his artificial leg refitted and they are a hell of a nice road car. I'd give that thing a good scrubbing and see if I could get it running and hope someone fell in love with it. It would make a great cruiser for a family guy.
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