Details
The cars were based on stretched (to 147.5 in) 1952 Crown Imperial Limousine chassis and carried completely custom bodywork with the exception of the 1951 Imperial grille, bumpers and front and rear trim. Almost uniquely for a postwar car, they were dual-cowl phaetons, with separate front and rear passenger compartments, each with its own windshield. There were no side windows, and the flimsy lightweight Dacron convertible top covered only the rear compartment. It retracted fully beneath the rear-hinged deck lid when not in use. The rear doors were suicide doors and had no exterior handles.
Under the custom bodywork, the mechanicals were standard top-of-the-line Chrysler for the period, with a 331 cubic inch (5.42 L) FirePower V8 engine, torque converter transmission, and power steering.
Three cars were built. One was for New York City, the second for Los Angeles, and the third was intended to be a gift to the White House, but the gift was refused as against the then rules for receiving gifts. Instead, the third car was nominally based in Detroit and was used around the country. The cars continued to be owned and serviced by the Chrysler Corporation.
After three years of service, the cars were brought back to the factory in 1955 to be updated to 1956 Imperial appearance, in which form they continue to exist to the present day. The front and rear, including grilles, bumpers and trim, were replaced. Internally, the engines were updated with 4-barrel carburetors, and fully automatic Powerflite transmissions were installed. The cars were all repainted. After the rebuild, the cars were donated to the respective cities.
Read more about this topic: Chrysler Imperial Parade Phaeton
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