1957 Chrysler Imperial South Hampton 4-Door Hardtop

Walter P. Chrysler formed the Chrysler Corporation in 1924. With his lifetime experience in the auto industry, combined with a keen eye for style and engineering, he pushed the fledgling car company into one of the top three automakers in America. Chrysler soon expanded its lineup quickly with the addition of the up-market Imperial line. First appearing in late 1927, the Imperial line provided the fledgling company with a model that would compete with Cadillac, Lincoln and all the other American luxury makes. For 1957, Chrysler introduced an all-new Imperial. With more distinctive styling, and offered in four series, buyers responded favorably. As a result, Imperial sales soared past Lincoln, which was long established as number two in the luxury car field. Imperial posted its best ever year with total sales at 37,593 units. Built on the 129” wheelbase chassis, the new Imperial looked longer and lower. The “gun sight” taillight theme introduced in 1955 was continued, but this year the lamps were grafted into the flowing fins rather than placed on top. A special order, dress-up option was the faux spare tire cover on the trunk lid, which was called the Flite Sweep Deck Lid by Chrysler. Inside, the spacious interior was covered with patterned cloth and vinyl, in fashionable two-tone colors. The dash still featured full instrumentation, rather than following the trend towards just using warning lights. Under the hood, the famous Chrysler overhead valve “Hemi” engine had a cubic inch displacement of 392.7 and boasted 325 horsepower. Power was transferred to the wheels via a bush-button automatic transmission. Chrysler’s Torsional Aire suspension provided a comfortable ride and the power, drum brakes adequately stopped the near 4,800-pound luxury car. Painted in a soft cloud white with a light blue top, this stately 1957 Imperial Four Door Hardtop sedan is impressive from all angles. Its gleaming chrome and stainless trim adds to its striking styling and further accentuates all those jet-age design cues that make an Imperial stand out in a crowd. Not only is the dash a styling delight, but so is combination tan cloth and blue vinyl interior. Under the hood the well-detailed “Hemi” V8 engine ready to take you around town or from state to state.

Like most Imperials, this 1957 four door hardtop is loaded with factory options and accessories including: six-way power seats, Electro-touch radio, power antenna, tilting mirror, dual headlights, heavy duty generator and the desirable and iconic Flite Sweep trunk lid with the faux spare tire.

This 1957 Chrysler Imperial, VIN number C5711530, was sold new by Young-Bundy Chrysler in East St. Louis, Illinois. It is believed to have spent the bulk of its life in the Southern Illinois/St. Louis area and is now being offered on behalf of its third owner. Included with the sale is a file of restoration receipts as well as various manuals and period Chrysler literature.

Restored during the period from 2013 through 2016, this 1957 Imperial is in very nice overall condition. The body presents well and was repainted in about 2013. Today, this paint shows very well with an overall even gloss. The chrome and stainless trim items present well inside and out.

The engine and transmission were rebuilt in about 2016. The engine bay is extremely clean and tidy. The original data/trim tag remains on the right front radiator support, and, based on the numbers shown, this is a very correct car. The engine starts easily, idles well, and propels the sedan down the road with the power and grace that one would expect from a large, 1950s American luxury car. The chassis is nice and tight and the transmission operates smoothly.

The interior was replaced in about 2013 and remains very clean and presentable. The seats, door panels, carpets and headliner are in nice condition. The padded dashboard shows some signs of wear and there are some areas of separation, but the control area is very clean and all of the gauges are clear. The odometer shows just under 43,000 miles. The trunk is also clean and well detailed. Despite the fact 1957 was a banner year for Imperial production, this is still rare car. Total production of the desirable, four-door hardtop sedan reached less than 7,600 vehicles. This example is ready to be driven and displayed with confidence.

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• Price: $32,900
• VIN: C5711530
• Cylinders: V-8
• Title: Clear
• Exterior Color: Cloud White / Turquoise

• Carfax:
• Engine: 392 Hemi
• Transmission: Automatic
• Mileage: 42,587
• Interior Color: Blue

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