1955 Chrysler Imperial Crown Limousine
Imperial was the Chrysler Corporation’s luxury automobile brand from 1955 to 1975, and again from 1981 to 1983.
The Imperial name had been used since 1926, as a Chrysler luxury model, the Chrysler Imperial. However, in 1955, the company spun off Imperial into its own make and division to better compete with its North American rivals, Lincoln and Cadillac.
In celebration of Imperial becoming a stand-alone brand, the new models featured Virgil Exner’s “Forward Look” styling, complete with a unique egg-crate split-grille treatment that set the Imperial apart. Borrowing from the Ghia-designed K-310 and d’Elegance concept cars, distinctive “gun sight” tail lights were fitted to the tops of the quarters. The standard range consisted of a sedan, hardtop and convertible while the most discerning buyers could opt for the costly but beautiful factory built 70-series Limousine and 8-passenger sedan. With these ultra-luxury machines, Imperial had hoped to steal some of the thunder from the dominant Cadillac Series 75 in the home-grown limousine market; achieving just that when Dwight D. Eisenhower selected a Derham-modified Crown Imperial as his presidential limousine in 1955.
As the Chrysler Corporation expanded in the heady post-war 1950s, the top-of-the-line Imperial of 1955 broke free into its own separate, top-of-the-line marque, which was quite literally “crowned” the Crown Imperial. This new car was available as a sedan or limousine that was on a new 149.5-inch wheelbase. As with other Imperials, the Crown models benefited from the new “Million Dollar Look” styling and were differentiated from other Chryslers by their bold, new egg-crate grille and dramatic “gun-sight” taillights.
This 1955 Chrysler Imperial Crown Limousine was powered 280 bhp, 354 cu. in. OHV V-8 engine, two-speed pushbutton Powerflite automatic transmission, coil-spring independent front suspension, live rear axle with semi-elliptic leaf springs, and four-wheel power-assisted hydraulic drum brakes.
Original features include dual front/rear air conditioning, large dial dash instrumentation, power windows, power partition divider glass, power steering, power disc brakes, rear seat HVAC and radio controls, dual reading lamps, fold-away jump seats, all tinted glass, and brand new BF Goodrich Silvertown 9.50-14 wide whitewall tires with full disc wheel covers.
It took so long getting the limos into production that they used the bumpers and front fender trim of the 1955 Imperials.
