1938 Chrysler Imperial 8 cylinder Business coupe

[hugecoop]

I have a 1938 Imperial Business Coupe in 2(?) condition up for sale. I am looking for34,000. Runs flawlessly, OD, straight 8, at most 788 of these imperial business coupes were made. New chrome, rubber, glass and paint. Brake system, ignition, fuel tank, carburetor, lines and pump replaced or rebuilt. All gauges work, has heater and original radio, they have yet to be restored. I have owned the car for 19 years. 

 

Edited June 5, 2019 by hugecoop
Repost with more pictures (see edit history)

[Guest]

Great looking car.

[keiser31]

Sorry to have to say this, but we here believe that offers are for Ebay, not here. It is a gorgeous car and I would go to Ebay and look under "completed listings" to maybe see what one may have sold for. You may not find a comparable car, so you can also look on auction sites.

[marcapra]

Not saying that NADA is the last word in old car values, but NADA antique car value guide says this car in Excellent condition, inside and out, is worth about $21,000. 

 

https://www.nadaguides.com/Cars/1938/Chrysler/C19-Imperial/2-Door-Coupe/Values

Edited October 2, 2018 by marcapra (see edit history)

[auburnseeker]

I'm pretty sure you can throw away NADA on some cars as some they value very high(prices you will never get unless at an auction where the liquor is flowing freely) and other more uncommon cars like this in this condition don't trade hands often enough to reflect a current value and the prices seem quite low because not enough current sales have been reported.  21G will buy you a Plymouth in close condition but still probably not as nice.  In the Mopar world, one following it,  understands why a Chrysler was priced quite a bit higher.  Not to say this car is worth a boat load of Money but if I had it,  I would want in the upper 20's at minimum and maybe a bit more if it's really nice.  It is an Imperial which was the top of the line Chrysler for the day.  I'm not in love with the 38 Styling but this is still one pretty good looking car. 

For example I had a 68 Big block pretty nice tripower Vette, All correct Numbers matching etc.  I got probably 20 percent less than they said it should be worth.  I sold my 36 Chrysler Convertible for probably twice what they said it was worth.   It's nice to use if you are trying to buy a fairly uncommon car as they will probably value it low and you can use it to try to drive the price down or justify a cheap price from a seller,  that's about it. 

I had only a 6 cylinder 36 Chrysler a few years ago and had a chance to drive my old 36 Plymouth that I had owned 10 years earlier at the same time,  though mechanically pretty similar,  the Chrysler even in a 6 felt like a Luxury car and the Plymouth felt cheap.   Mopar guys understand that and pay for it. 

I think your low 30's is a good starting point.  A crappy car to build would cost you near 10G to acquire and another 50 G to make this nice if it's as nice as the 3 photos you posted and the condition 2 you stated. 

[suchan]

OP doesn't show us enough, or sufficiently detailed, photos to really get a sense of condition, but it is a great-looking car in, I think, at least #3 condition. That's assuming the mechanicals are all good and whatever isn't shown is in as good condition as what is shown. Keiser31 is right, you need to post an asking price, and even then, this isn't the best forum to sell a car. Get lots of informed feedback, sure, but OP needs to spend some money and place an ad in Old Cars, Hemmings, whatever. Speaking of Old Cars, my current guide has #3 condition at about $23K and #2 condition at about $35K, so OP's ballpark price of low $30K's isn't too far out of line.

[auburnseeker]

Hemming's would probably be a good place.  I know I had the best response through their classifieds for my Chrysler though strangely enough it sold later kind of on ebay, as I had it as my Avitar long after I had last tried selling it and someone contacted me, wanting to know if I would sell it.  Even got just a little more than my original bottom line.  

[cpwalter]

Question? Just wondering.  In 1938 was Imperial the top of the line for Chrysler? Don't think you can make the assumption that it was because in 1939 the Imperial was the low end of the Chrysler line. If memory serves, the Saratoga was at the top of the line.

[suchan]

11 hours ago, cpwalter said:

Question? Just wondering.  In 1938 was Imperial the top of the line for Chrysler? Don't think you can make the assumption that it was because in 1939 the Imperial was the low end of the Chrysler line. If memory serves, the Saratoga was at the top of the line.

Imperial was top of the line. I don't think they started making Saratogas until 1939.

[auburnseeker]

I thought Imperial was the top of the line?  I never knew it was relegated to the heap in less than 5 years.  The royal would have been the lower line car correct?  Not sure when New Yorker came in but wasn't it about that time as well?

[John_S_in_Penna]

1 hour ago, auburnseeker said:

I thought Imperial was the top of the line?  

 

Here's some explanation based on information in

the Standard Catalog of American Cars 1805-1942.

 

People may be used to thinking of the Imperial as a

luxury car trying to compete with Cadillac and Lincoln;

but at times, Chrysler rather diminished the name by

putting it on mid-priced cars.  This business coupe is

a mid-priced Chrysler offering ($1123 when new) and

should have a 125" wheelbase.  We wouldn't expect to

see salesmen driving an ultra-luxury car with their

sample cases, but a mid-priced car might have some demand

as a business coupe.

 

For comparison, this car falls between the Buick Special

and Buick Roadmaster in size and price for 1938:

Special--122" wheelbase, business coupe $945.

Roadmaster--133" wheelbase, sedan $1645.

     (There was no business coupe in the Roadmaster line.)

Limited--140" wheelbase, sedan $2077.

 

In 1938, Chrysler's New York Special (later New Yorker)

was above this mid-priced Imperial line.  Also above this line

was Chrysler's Imperial Custom line (sedan $2295), which

was their luxury offering--almost double the price of this Imperial.

 

The car has pleasing lines, Mr. Coop, and all the best to you

with its sale.

 

Edited October 6, 2018 by John_S_in_Penna (see edit history)