1957 Chrysler Imperial

1957 Chrysler Imperial Crown 4 Door Hardtop It might be said that the distinctive design and superb styling of the Imperial is even more pronounced and exclusive in the beautiful lines of the car when you view it from the side and the rear. The dramatic tail fins flow smoothly forward into the body, ending slightly below the belt line, giving the upper body structure the appearance of nesting between the fins.  ome inspirational prose from the 1957 Imperial sales brochure.  For consignment, a 1957 Chrysler Imperial Crown 4 door hardtop with a title verified 85,691 actual miles. We can't disagree with the print ad of the period which read, Once in a decade, a car emerges as genuinely great, and becomes an American legend. We believe the magnificent 1957 Imperial is that car, a model that will be long and affectionately remembered. Exterior Long it is, 224 inches in all, and that's just part of the dramatic appeal. It's difficult to decide where to look first. Is the browed dual headlights up front, the picnic basket type C-pillar, the floating roof, or the over the top fins and tail lights? Let's start out back where there's more drama than anywhere else, those tall fins with the taillight somewhat reminiscent of the earliest Corvettes, only with more flair! The decklid is stamped with a Continental kit with a hubcap like embellishment. But it doesn't stop there as the bumper has a ribbed pattern that leads to the embedded marker lights, because a straight bumper simply would not have been good enough for this beauty bathed in Horizon Blue. Cloud White is a good name for the roof color and it's a nice complement to the white wall tires on 14-inch wheels. Overall, the exterior is in great shape with some minor blistering on lower areas. Interior Attention to detail means the door panels are not your average presentation. Here we have stitched blue leather panels, a grated metal insert, polished metal switchgear, and plaids lower panels and all four look nice. That cloth and leather pattern continues on the bench seats front and rear with chrome framing on the front. The steering wheel shows a crack in the top arch but the 3 and 9 positions contain texturing and thumb rests, while the dashboard is a virtual work of art with push button transmission, large central gauges, an AM radio under the courtesy light and deeply coved glove box and mid dash. Blue loop carpet covers the floor, a stitched headliner is above changing materials at that arching C-pillar, and the trunk is lined with a fitted gray carpet.  Drivetrain Under the hood, a 392ci Hemi V8 resides with a 4-barrel carburetor and a horsepower rating of 325. It presents as original and is backed by a Torqueflite 3-speed automatic that routes power to the 8 ¾ inch rear with 3.31 gears and SureGrip. The car has power brakes, power steering, air conditioning and runs on a 12 volt system.    Undercarriage Clean underneath with some typical surface rust and a touch of dampness on the rear differential and axle. The dual exhaust takes in 4 stock style mufflers and threads the X-frame on its way to an unceremonious exit behind the rear bumper. Power drum brakes are on all four wheels and suspension consists of torsion bars up front and leaf springs in back.   Drive-Ability Land ho! We're behind the wheels of this finned land yacht and steer the bow towards the test loop where the 392 provides all the power you'll need and the 75 series help temper small bumps in the road. We press every button available and find that everything functions just as it did in 1957. While Classic Auto Mall represents that these functions were working at the time of our test drive, we cannot guarantee these functions will be working at the time of your purchase. Stunning. Elegant. Dramatic. Just some of the words we find help describe this incredible design, one that you'll never get tired of looking at! Yes, this is one of those cars you visit in the garage just to