1960 IMPERIAL LEBARON FOUR DOOR HARDTOP SEDAN

Yes, the Chrysler Imperial was the top offering for many years, but starting in 1955, Chrysler Corporation, seeing Lincoln and Cadillac and wanting more prestige, made the Imperial its own marque, rather than the top-of-the-line Chrysler model. And so it would stay until the mid-1970s. As for the 1960 model, it was totally restyled and about as flashy and fin-tastic as you could get that year, outside of a new Cadillac. As the ’60 Imperial brochure confided, “Meet excellence face to face. A car that gives automotive craftsmanship an entirely new direction for the 1960s … Aristocratic in every appointment. Impressive, totally assured. A fresh new kind of limousine loveliness you won’t find in any other car.” exclusivity was assured when you bought a new 1960 Imperial, as only 17,707 were built for the model year. In the LeBaron series, only 692 four-door sedans and 999 four-door hardtops were built. Our featured car is one of those 999 four-door hardtops. Factory price was $6318 (that’s about $65,533 today) and curb weight was 4835 pounds. A V-8 was, of course, under the hood of every ’60 LeBaron-in this case a 413-cubic-inch version with 350 hp @ 4600 rpm, breathing through a four-barrel Carter carburetor. Push-button, three-speed TorqueFlite automatic transmission was standard. As you’d expect, these were big, with a 129-inch wheelbase and overall length of 226.3 inches. I have had Cadillacs and Lincolns and yet the Imperial is my favorite luxury car. Viewing this example, you can see why. Thanks for viewing.

[@christianlutes5593]

Beautiful car and like your choice of background music to avoid copyright infringement. Another really nice video, thank you.

[@garymckee63]

A work of automotive art.

[@55lincoln]

It surely is Gary. What a masterpiece on wheels. Thanks so much for admiring.

[@markwagner4909]

Beautiful

[@johnstiffler8370]

Stunning, beautiful. What a gem!!!

[@55lincoln]

My thoughts exactly ! What a gorgeous Imperial. I would absolutely love to own this. Thanks John for enjoying this as much as I do.

[@chrisjeffries2322]

Super nice Imperial, did you notice the backseat shelf has a/c outlets and you can see the workings in the trunk under the shelf. The price was and is outrageous. I hope all is well with everyone after the 4th. Thank you for sharing.

[@55lincoln]

Yes, I noticed the a/c outlets on the backseat shelf. That's the way early a/c configurations were set up with the compressor located in the trunk instead of powered off the engine. Good eye Chris and thanks for enjoying this Imperial. I hope you had a great 4th.

[@amangogna68]

Fantastic car !

[@55lincoln]

This Imperial is just astounding. Glad you enjoyed it and thanks.

[@jimzone8153]

Absolutely gorgeous. The ‘60 is my fave of the 2nd-generation Forward Look Imperials. To me, the front has the sneering look of an Imperial eagle as if it is saying, “get out of my way Cadillac and Lincoln!”

[@55lincoln]

This is the most gorgeous Imperial I ever laid eyes on. Love it ! I like your snarling front comment. And thanks for enjoying this Imperial so much.

[@andyZ3500s]

Had a friend with a 60 Imperial, can't remember the model but it was the top of the line with the formal small back window. Evan compared to the other full size luxury cars of the time that I had the privilege to ride in drive our own it seemed on a different level. It was made for complete comfort. I imagine that the Fleetwood's were similar, never rode in one unfortunately.

[@55lincoln]

You were fortunate to ride in an Imperial. I never had the experience. However, I did drive a friend to the airport in his Cadillac Fleetwood and kept it for him till he got back and the ride was smooth and very comfortable. Glad this video brought back your Imperial ride and thanks for watching.

[@dougslittlediesel]

Warren that is one super beautiful Imperial. Man these were/are The classiest Mopars Ever built !! They just oozed luxury and class. Over the years they made their appearance at the Pile. A lot of them the first thing sold was the engine and transmission . I've used 55 to 72 Chrysler Imperials in demolition competitions over the years. By the time I got them the buzzards had pick over the corpse pretty good. I have used a 1960 like this one here several years ago. Got a 1959 Imperial out in the derby car stash. Landau top trim. But it's beyond reasonable repair or restoration . The old engine and transmission long gone. It's marked for death and destruction. I feel like a mad scientist when Im talking one out into to the Arena to finish them off. I get grief from the,it could be saved crowd. Oh it's a restorable car don't destroy it. No buddy it's beyond help. I'm just going to send it on in a Blaze of Glory!!

[@55lincoln]

I know very well how you take cars that have already seen the best days behind them and turned them into derby cars. At first when I got to know you and you told me about your pile cars that would be derby destruction, I too thought why couldn't you save these. But now I know you only have derby cars that are just rolling pieces of junk, now worthy of saving but to go out in a blaze of glory. So I completely understand your methods and reasons why you do what you do with these junk pile cars. Glad you enjoyed this splendid Imperial Doug. Many thanks.

[@T-41]

WOW! The 1960 model year is my favorite of Virgil Exner’s Forward Look Imperials, and this one is stunningly beautiful. The Imperial had been a custom bodied top of the market luxury competitor for Packard, Pierce Arrow, Cadillac, Lincoln into the early thirties, but low sales of the depression era caused Chrysler to reposition it a notch down as the top of the mass produced Chrysler bodied line. By the mid fifties, Packard had faded , and Chrysler wanted to make a run directly at Cadillac and Lincoln with the new very different from Chrysler Imperial line. Artistically and technically the Imperial was quite successful, and they were Tom McCahill’s favorite. Cadillac had such a strong dominating position, however sales of Imperials were not what Chrysler had wanted.

[@55lincoln]

This beauty will always be implanted in my car brain as the best Imperial ever I saw. What a great luxury car created to compete with the likes of Cadillac and Lincoln but alas, sales volumes of the Imperial never reached the heights of the competition. I fell in love with a 58 LeBaron at a vintage car dealer. It was an original survivor and sat there for months while I tried to come up with resources - and storage, if I should buy it, but it was eventually sent off to an auction house. Neve owned it but sure do miss it. Unrequited love. Thanks ML for all of your fine comments about the Imperial.

[@michaelplunkett8059]

😅 Gorgeous color. My favorite year, the "happy" Imperial. Look at the smiling grill.

[@55lincoln]

@@michaelplunkett8059 I think everything about this smiling Imperial is perfect too ! Thanks Michael, I'm glad you enjoyed this as much as I do.