Virgil Exner created the Imperial for Chrysler with ultimate luxury in mind. That – and the far-out styling excesses from the 1950’s that drifted into the 1960’s with cars like this 1961 Imperial.
Solidly built and costing WAY less than a comparable 1961 Cadillac or a Lincoln, (see price guide HERE or go directly to Hagerty to see values), these classic Imperials are every bit as luxurious and flamboyant as their competition.
But they are priced way less than the Caddy of the Continental – at least for a while.
I would guess that most that are still driveable today were probably well-taken care of in the day. Not subject to hot rodding like other makes, the stately Imperial is usually found intact and ready for some cosmetic restoration.
The Imperial’s mechanicals are pure Chrysler, so inexpensive and durable are two words that come to mind. Like lesser 1961 Chrysler models,
Plus, the Imperials were still of body-on-frame construction and used Chrsler’s exclusive torsion bar front suspension, so these old giants were very roadable cars – then and now!
Why not put a luxurious, inexpensive Imperial in your garage as your next driveable classic car?
