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Existing 1974 Imperial LeBaron Crown Coupe


Guest Joe Albanese

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Guest Joe Albanese

An anniversary edition for the spring of 1974 produced (57) Imperial Crown Coupes. All were ordered Golden Fawn exterior, (from top to bottom), and versions of gold leather and / or gold leather with velour interior. Trying to locate other survivors and their owners. Thanks - :)

As it should look:

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After I restored it:

Imperial.jpg

Edited by Joe Albanese
added Pic's (see edit history)
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  • 2 months later...
Guest Imperialman67

Hi Joe , Great looking Crown Coupe.

I am currently looking at a 75 Crown Coupe to purchase.

I think the 75's are one of the more under appreciated Imperials

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Guest Joe Albanese

Hi Imperialman, so do you think she looks better Black?? In '75 Imperial again called the top treatment a Crown Coupe, regardless of color. In '76, '77; and '78 under the New Yorker badge they refered to this forward top padding as a "St. Regis" package. I only know of two other 1974 Imperial LeBaron Crown Coupe - mine makes three. Sure wish I could get an accurate count! Might drive the value of my vehicle up - :) Joe

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Guest Imperialman67
Hi Imperialman, so do you think she looks better Black?? In '75 Imperial again called the top treatment a Crown Coupe, regardless of color. In '76, '77; and '78 under the New Yorker badge they refered to this forward top padding as a "St. Regis" package. I only know of two other 1974 Imperial LeBaron Crown Coupe - mine makes three. Sure wish I could get an accurate count! Might drive the value of my vehicle up - :) Joe

I think your Imperial looks great in black. Did you replace the vinyl top or dye it?

The 75 I'm looking to buy now is silver with red leather interior. A common color combo I'm told for the 75's.

Nice car but I like the 74's better.

About a year and a half ago I answered an ad on Craigslist for a 74 imperial for sale. Turns out it was also a 74 Crown coupe in that gold color with a cloth tufted interior. I was super impressed with the quality of materials used for the interior of that Imperial , especially the shag carpeting

Shag carpeting was exclusive to the 74's, which I though really added to the whole 70's feel of the car

Didn't buy it but I'm kicking myself now as you know Chrysler only made 57 Crown Coupe Imperials in 74. Consider yourself lucky to have such a rare Imperial

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  • 2 months later...
Guest John C29

Hi Joe,

I just took delivery of my 1974 Imperial Crown Coupe. It has possibly every option available in 74 including the ultra rare sunroof, but it gets better....the roof is GLASS!!! I expected a steel roof with padded vinal top covering, but this car has all the proper interior headliner fitings. The sunroof packet with crank and instructions are with the car, the switch is stock and in the right place along with the access hole for the crank.

I didnt think your could get a galss roof in 74, ever heard of such a thing?

The glass is tinted gold and the outer metal part is painted the body color, if it was done after the car was built, someone took incredible steps to make it look stock.

Other than the fact that its oh so rare, the car is typical for this vintage.....it has needs....but not awful. I would be ok with showing the car the way it is, but I have to get it right before I drive it anywhere.

John

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I agree -that's a keeper. Just enjoy driving it a little each year for many years. It's valuable due to it's scarcity but should be driven and enjoyed, as it appears you do.

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Guest John C29

Hi,

Im going to put the car away for a while, I am not ready to start the project just yet. It needs to be fully restored, and I have only done partials in the past. Most of the Imperials that I have owned were more than decent to begin with, so I did mostly mechanical work and details. This one has to come apart to address the rust issues and the other body work. The interior is pretty nice, it needs only a good cleaning and a few places need to be restitched, at least there are no cracks in the plastic/vinal parts.

Every car has a story and this one is no different. The previous owner told me that the car belonged to a Chrysler exec. and was driven by him for 65,000 miles. The car was donated back to Chrysler and placed in the Auburn Hills storage facility where it sat for 15 years. The car was then auctioned off in April 2010, and that he drove the car home after the auction crew got it running again for him. He drove it about 70 miles and parked it in his "shed" where it sat for another year. I have verified that the car was sold by RM auctions during the Chrysler museum sale.

The car ran for about 15 minutes after I got it, then proceeded to lose all its coolant in five seconds flat....spewing from every possible place....after that was fixed, the rear brakes locked up. Then I remembered what the owner said.....duh.....it sat for 15 years!!! So I cant put it away yet.....I have to fix the basics just to keep everything moving over the winter. When this car is done, I will be a very happy camper... I just have to get through the tough stuff first, but dont get me wrong, I love this giant car already, but I knew that was gonna happen.

John

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  • 1 month later...
Guest rnorman426

Joe you can mark 2 more crown coupes 1974 were actualy very limited only 57 were built They were actually called 50th anniversary crown coupes and all were Triple gold cars. I have drove mine many miles and she never lets me down. just a great hi-way car 70mph with the a/c on and the 440 gets 17 mpg I will try to post some pics. rnorman426@yahoo.com

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Guest rnorman426

John, you have the first sun roof car that i have seen, neeat option all these cars were classified out house customs. they came off the assymbly line and then were sent to sunroof corperation for the crown coupe package to be installed the all came off the line as 2 door hard tops if you pull the rear side panel you will find it still has a manuel window regulator in it. in 1974 they were called golden anniversary crown coupes and all were triple gold cars and only 57 were made in 1974. They were made for the 50th anniversary of Imperial building cars I.E. The Golden Anniversary.rnorman426@yahoo.com

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  • 1 year later...
Guest Rob McDonald

I'm hauling this up to the top of the Chrysler/Mopar forum because I happened upon a '74 or '75 Imperial LeBaron 2-door this afternoon. I'm pretty sure at least some of this thread's participants are still active in the AACA Forums, so I hope you find this interesting.

This plus-sized beauty is parked behind a garage in a back alley and looks like it's been resting there for a long time. There's a pretty good wallop at the right rear quarter, which is probably what led to its retirement. Several also-retired trucks are jammed around it, so I was unable to really gauge the overall condition but it looks not bad. Most cars in these parts do rust around the bottom eventually and I'd expect this one to be no different.

It's a triple-brown car with full leather. it doesn't have the padded Crown Coupe roof treatment, although there is a regular vinyl roof. It surprised me because I thought all Imperial LeBarons were 4-doors. That caused me to come hunting here and I was surprised again to learn that Imperial had released a 50th Anniversary special, all 2-doors, of which this is clearly not an example. I'd never heard of them before which is not surprising, 'cause they only made 57. Chrysler's choice of Golden Fawn for these commemoratives makes perfect sense for that era. My dad bought his only new car the next year, a Cutlass Supreme. It was a similar gold colour inside and out, as were just about all the clothes he wore that season. Gold and hair were Very Big in the mid-70s.

My question for you Imperialists is this: How rare is a last-generation 2-door LeBaron? I'm merely asking out of curiosity; I have no interest in inquiring if this poor thing is for sale, unless someone here would like me to do so on their behalf. Warning though: FedEx'ing this thing to your house could be costly.

Edited by Rob McDonald (see edit history)
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Guest Joe Albanese

Rob, Thanks for your reply. Imperial did produce for 1974 many two door coupes, however, THERE WERE ONLY 57 1974 Imperial Le Baron Crown Coupes produced as the Anniversary Edition for 1974. In 1975, Crown Coupes were available, but not associated with the 57 anniversary editions from the previous year. Then, in 1976, 1977, and I believe 1978, coupes under the New Yorker marquis, could upgrade with the term "St. Regis" package which replaced the "Crown Coupe" roof treatment from the '74 and '75 Imperials. All in all, the original 57 Crown Coupes from the year 1974 have to be the rarest of all Imperials - some almost forty years later... Again, thanks for your reply. Joe Albanese

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Guest Joe Albanese
Rob, Thanks for your reply. Imperial did produce for 1974 many two door coupes, however, THERE WERE ONLY 57 1974 Imperial Le Baron Crown Coupes produced as the Anniversary Edition for 1974. In 1975, Crown Coupes were available, but not associated with the 57 anniversary editions from the previous year. Then, in 1976, 1977, and I believe 1978, coupes under the New Yorker marquis, could upgrade with the term "St. Regis" package which replaced the "Crown Coupe" roof treatment from the '74 and '75 Imperials. All in all, the original 57 Crown Coupes from the year 1974 have to be the rarest of all Imperials - some almost forty years later... Again, thanks for your reply. Joe Albanese

I have recent photos taken last week of my One of One of Fifty Seven ((as I probably have the only Black 1974 Imperial Le Baron Crown Coupe in existence)). I don't know how to post pics here but can email to you if you like.

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Guest Rob McDonald

JOE, maybe I'm confused - were all Imperials labelled LeBarons in '74 and '75? And were they still building 4-doors, as well? Coincidentally, about a block from this brown coupe is a black '76-'78 New Yorker Brougham 4-door, with a red roof and red interior. It's very nice, if a bit rusty. It appears to be in regular use still, although it was parked for the winter.

I love these big Chryslers and Imperials in black. Actually, I love most cars in black, except any one I must drive on a daily basis. Around here, they are clean for about two blocks from the car wash, then they start to look neglected. Truth is, really nice cars should not be driven at all, where I live. If the rock chips and rust don't destroy 'em, the gaping potholes will.

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Guest Joe Albanese
JOE, maybe I'm confused - were all Imperials labelled LeBarons in '74 and '75? And were they still building 4-doors, as well? Coincidentally, about a block from this brown coupe is a black '76-'78 New Yorker Brougham 4-door, with a red roof and red interior. It's very nice, if a bit rusty. It appears to be in regular use still, although it was parked for the winter.

I love these big Chryslers and Imperials in black. Actually, I love most cars in black, except any one I must drive on a daily basis. Around here, they are clean for about two blocks from the car wash, then they start to look neglected. Truth is, really nice cars should not be driven at all, where I live. If the rock chips and rust don't destroy 'em, the gaping potholes will.

Rob All Imperials in 1974 and 1975 were considered Le Baron. Chrysler offered them both years in two and four door versions. The year 1974 was Chryslers anniversary year hence the production of the (57) Golden Fawn Anniversary Coupes - Imperial Le Baron Crown Coupe - beginning in March 1974 and not offered before...

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Guest Joe Albanese

ALSO, as a afterthought - the reference to "Crown Coupe" was never labeled on the trim of the Imperial for the (57) Crown Coupes. The only identifying markings was 1) by the actual forward padded roof treatment and 2) as having a "Y" in the vehicles vin number. Example - my vin # is YM23T4C190858 For what it's worth...

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Guest Rob McDonald

JOE, here are your photos, downsized, which is that only thing downsized about Imperials of that generation. Looks terrific in black. What's the story of that grey interior? I though this special edition always had a gold-coloured interior.

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Edited by Rob McDonald (see edit history)
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Guest Joe Albanese
JOE, here are your photos, downsized, which is that only thing downsized about Imperials of that generation. Looks terrific in black. What's the story of that grey interior? I though this special edition always had a gold-coloured interior.

Rob, I spent over $10,000 in a total refurbish. I replaced the insulation above the headliner to the insulation under the new carpeting. My trimmer reupholstered all the seats using all new fabric (Mushroom Quartz) for the velour to replace the (Golden Fawn) velour. We dyed all the available leather in black, replaced that which needed to be, and dyed all the panels, dashboard, door panels, etc. The top was ordered new in black using all the original foam underlayment. Most interesting was finding two new rear window motors in place where the rear windows were converted to opera windows and no longer functional. In addition, the engine compartment is as beautiful as the exterior. Thanks for posting my pictures. Joe

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Guest Rob McDonald

Wow, now I really, really like it. Great job on doing your part in erasing mankind's memory of the excessive Gold-ness of the mid-70s. My '73 MGB had a Gold interior, too (BL called it Ochre), which I've bit by bit been changing to Black. Truthfully, it's because none of the reproduction suppliers are willing to tool up for that hideous Gold. The transition is about half-done, so I'm at that now-trendy 2-tone stage. Except that one of the tones is Gold.

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