Thanks for a trip down memory lane. My parents had a brown '72 Imperial LeBaron when I was a kid. We all loved that car. It took 4 kids, a giant dog, my parents, and all our gear on a trip cross country in about 1980. I was the smallest, so lied down on the rear parcel shelf, while my dad drove at ~85mph at night, looking at the stars. Different times.... Oh - those rear seat side pillows were too damned high for kids to use. Boo!
You really do a great job of coming up with items of interest to point out, mentioning the history of things, giving examples of the sound of things, contrasting features from one year to the next, and even (in this case) pointing out the night features and appearance. Your videos are so helpful in giving the viewer details to better understand the fullness of these magnificent cars.
Well said, Ross. Also, I'm guessing that some of the (seemingly) little things Adam points out are the sort of things that swayed a lot customers to buy these cars new back in the 1970's. How good the engine and transmission are would obviously be important, but car guys are more into that. It's probably safe to say that a lot of the new buyers for vehicles like this weren't car guys. Good video.
I had a 71. When I had to have a little body work done, it was so big that it would not fit in the shops paint booth, so they had to clear out a space and paint it on the shop floor.
hi from Sydney , Australia. My dad was American, he was the chief of a US government department here in Australia In 1971 the official office car was a 1966 Imperial in nonmetallic dark blue paint & matching dark blue leather interior with large painted gilt government crests on the front doors and wore the unusual looking period New South Wales diplomatic registration plates. He commenced this role in 1969 and for personal use used his own private car, in late 1970 his role was increased and in 1971 he received for his own personal use Australia's version of an Imperial , a 1971 CH 2 door coupe "Chrysler by Chrysler" (this is how it was badged) these were lavishly equipped and had USA 5.9litre 360cube V8 engines tuned for full power to run on 102 octane leaded petrol -Total Performance-, it had one of those wonderful sounding lazy starters my bedroom was on the driveway side of our house and I would hear it most mornings attempting to start. Frequently failed to start and needed a mega jolt jump start from my mums new 1971 mk10 or 420G Jaguar as the last versions were known (these last of the monster Jags of the '60's also had a unique sounding starter as it pre-engages when you turn the car off AND when you turn the ignition key off it KILLS near all the electric system in the car, when you go to start it , it has the fastest most vicious sounding starter which ends in a "pring" sound almost like you have hit the flywheel). If starting attempts killed the battery he would charge it up at work & leave it overnight & bring the older 1966 model Imp' home. In early 1972 a female drunk driver "killed" the parked 2 door Chrysler by Chrysler they sold super badly and were made for less than a year , so it was replaced by another black one this time a 4 door , at the same time the office received a new 1972 Imperial again in dark blue with dark blue leather interior same as yours Adam. However considering the size difference the Aussie long wheelbase Cby C's had WAY , WAY more interior rear legroom as a 6 foot 3inch schoolboy the smaller car was the more comfortable car in every way. God knows what the front and rear seats came from but they were super tall backed , had long bolsters front and rear to rest your thighs on too. But all the cabin lights electric seat switches were all the identical ones used in the '72 Imperial . Sadly , considering their sheltered lives in a warm dry climate booth the Aussie Chrysler & the USA Imperial commenced rusting badly from day one and when both were updated the rust could be easily seen here & there over the cars. My mum's Jaguar was kept for decades and gave faithful service until retired in the 1990's. I own a 1967 Jaguar the same as my mums1971 car, and 2 1970's Cadillac Fleetwood's , a white 72 Brougham and a Black '74 Talisman, in 9 days time I will have owned the black'74 model for 40 years. To finish I really liked the 2 x "aussie Imperial's" they were lavishly equipped interiors, with massive sound deadening excellent air conditioning systems on the hottest of days and whether the shorter Chrysler Valiant versions , sedan, wagon, ute, or panel van or the long wheelbase range topping Chrysler by Chryslers , these were the ONLY truly unique Australian Chrysler products with that family of body structures running 1971 to 1981 until the collapse of Chrysler in Australia. As every other Chrysler product was merely a RHD built USA Chrysler product dating right back pre WW2. Plus the very plush 1971 to 1974 Chrysler by Chrysler's were the most American-esque of any Australian designed cars, with the range topping GM Holden Statesman's in either deVille, or dearer Caprice versions , or the Aussie Ford Falcon based Ford LTD's of the period had some European design elements here and there both in their interiors and dashboards, on their exteriors and with their handling and drivability with the giant Holdens being the most European, not so with the big Chryslers they were PURE Americana in every waywith the super rare 1971 2 door coupes now bringing $100,000 aust for an excellent one and half that for a restoration project , with the 4door versions not far behind.
I love that you share videos of this very special car. The exhaust sounds beautiful... and, knowing who once looked at these instruments to operate it makes seeing them even more interesting. Syd Mead talks about a ride in an Imperial as a kid regarding an early commission in his book... I think about a 1955, and, it evidently had a lasting impact.
My dream car - fuselage Imperial LeBaron 4 door hardtop! So glad you are a champion for these under-appreciated cars…and a great caretaker for one! Thanks for the video, Adam
Ahh the old electronic ignition. My father bought a 74 dart custom with the 318. I wanted him to buy the se with the 360. These were the last two cars on the lot for the model year, just post 1st gas lines. Both had vinyl tops. I do miss vinyl tops In the 79 gas crunch, I saw a low mileage 72 2 door Imperial selling for 150 bucks at a Salvation Army back lot. One of my regrets not buying that car. No one wanted the old big engine 8 cyl due to the cost of gas and many were donated.
I owned 1969 Chrysler Imperial and 1975 Imperial and I 1990. Today 2018 Cadillac XTS. my car has a center Back up light on it. When I purchased it was the flagship for Cadillac. I still love it. Thank you.
We had a 1972 Town & Country 3-seat wagon with the same 440 V8. The dashboard was very similar to the Imperial’s, with the indirect lighting that I thought was out of this world. One day my mom was sitting at a stoplight and was rear-ended by a kid in a 1970 Chevelle going about 50mph. Although the frame was bent, my dad was able to drive the wagon home. Not much was left of the Chevelle. The body shop he took it to had jigs and fixtures that claimed to straighten the frame on a unibody car, and apparently it did, as it tracked perfectly, all body panels lined up as new, and there was no wheel alignment problem afterward. My mom wasn’t so lucky - she had soft tissue damage that plagued her for the rest of her life.
I pulled the 440 that’s currently in my ‘70 Charger out of one of them. $100 running back in ‘88. They had forged cranks right thru ‘73, and the same heads across the line including the 383 and 400.
In 1979 the 1st. vehicle I ever owned was a 2 door Newport Custom w/383. The starter sound was sooooo neat! Adam, your presentations and collection is outstanding!
Cold start-up sounds exactly like the 1973 Chrysler Town & Country wagon my wife was driving when we first married. A more-than ideal harpmobile for her to transport her concert grand instrument. My car was a 1965 Cadillac Sedan de Ville. We made quite a pair, but it sure was a pain in the a$$ when it came to finding large-enough parking spaces within three blocks of our apartment in downtown LA in 1978.
Makes me think of the starter in my old man's 1975 Dodge "Adventurer" Camper Special pickup. The sound of that gear-reduction starter resonated throughout my childhood. I can still hear it in my mind today. Never leaves you...
Had a 72 Dodge Polara, liked the means of illuminating the instrument panel, bonus was "if" the bulb ever needed replacing it didn't require attacking problem from under the dash.
Thank you for the night view. These cars become so mystical and take an aura very different in the dark with the different shapes of their lights compared to boring modern cars.
Adam, The Imperial's starter screech is so much classier than the ones in our 73 Duster, 75 Fury and 1980 Diplomat. Even the key buzzer sounds better 😉
It's the little details about different cars that most people gloss over that always interest me and why these videos are so fascinating. The sound of the starter, the thunk of the doors closing, the instrumentation lighting, the sound of the horn, intake noise when accelerating, etc.
Yeah, absolutely beautiful styling both inside and out. I''ve always loved the way the instrument panel was lit. Love everything about these '72s and '73s.
I spent many cold Ohio mornings doing that in my 1968 Dodge Monaco with 383. My 1975 Cordoba (360 2bbl) was about the same but in NC by that time. It had a cold start/acceleration stumble that I never could resolve. Ran good when warm though.
I bought a used 1969 Dodge Polara with the 383 (4 barrel) which burned premium fuel. Terrible gas mileage, but the price of gas was so cheap back then. It was a massive car ...and I loved it!
Puts me back to my teens when these cars were new. I would go to the local Chrysler Dodge dealership and pick up all the new brochures. Good times! Thanks again for the interesting information. The night shots are always classy.
I’ve always been a sucker for cool lighting on cars. From the flood lighting of the IP to the majestic front parking lights to the unique reverse light placement, this car is one of the best…
My father had a '73 2door LeBaron. Many interesting features such as the passenger seat would move forward for rear seat access. Whom ever ordered the car new didn't check the boxes for cruise control or tilt telescoping wheel. It also had factory 8 track with AM/FM. As memory serves me it may have had 4 wheel disc brakes. What a highway cruiser! The 440 at highway speed wasn't working hard at all.
I must admit that when I was a kid, the sound of that Chrysler reduction gear starter was like fingernails on a chalkboard to me. My father was a solid GM guy for many years so I was used to the comparably eager sound of the GM starters vs. Mopar. The latter sounded lazy and grating. Then I bought a '73 Dodge Polara as a teenager. Great car...and I managed to get used to that starter sound. Now? Pure nostalgia when I hear it.
I found a 71 fury III with 42k miles on it. I open the door and barely turn the key and it's running. Ready to go for a ride. Almost like it's excited somebody is driving it.
AHHHHHH the bad old days of "Points and Condensers" ignition!! One year later in 1973 Chrysler went to Transistorized Ignition, greatly aiding starting from then on!!!
But a gear reduction starter I'd often associated with fuel injected starters. I have a 2006 Toyota Highlander, upon starting it sounds similar to the Chrysler HPH, just a bit faster spinning (being newer).
Had a ‘73 back in ‘76. My brother owned a muffler shop and we made it sound sweet with Walker exhaust and (I think) 3 1/2 tubing w/balance tube. The little old lady had it but just too much car, only had about 3-4k on it. Her husband had bought it and then got ill/died or ????. I think it was called the Executive Model because it had tape deck on the hump with a lanyard and mic so executive’s could dictate. Someone may know better but my Mr. Mopar older brother semi-guessed that was it or had heard it. Been many years ago.
When I was around 7-10 years old my mom had a 1966 Chrysler New Yorker that wasn't much different from your Imperial. I remember the sound of that starter and how my mom would flood the car so many times. Lol! I always liked watching the turn signal light flash that was mounted on top of the front fenders as well.
Cool. If you hadn't mentioned it, I wouldn't have known the center bulb on the reversing light had burnt out. It looks fine with just the left and right bulbs.
Adam, I am happy that you think this is a cool car, as I have always felt the same. I was 15 when the 1972 models came out, and I considered myself lucky to get a brochure from a Chrysler dealership. I studied the pictures and read the information in it, frequently.
wow ! awesome... possibly the only video showing the lights of these cars ,front, side, rear and interior moreover !... these items are never shown as 99.95% of cars pics are 3/4 front view in daytime. I can't imagine how great might the taillights/indicators from your mercury's be ! thanks
Very nice Imperial! I've always loved the cornering lights on Chryslers, I made sure all my newer Chryslers had them, New Yorker, Dynasty, Mirada, Cordoba's. Also, I love the green "dot" for the "Stereo" indicator. Thanks for the demo! One thing though, an Imperial with no cruise control?? Weird.
I have an electric pump on my '69. It completely eliminates all that cranking you're doing, even after it sits for a year. I turn the key on, wait for the sound of the pump to indicate it's laboring against fuel pressure, pump the gas once and it starts right up.
My 69 Imperial had better looking front and back ends. Creme with the saddle leather. Too many problems kept coming up. Very good in many ways, but just too many problems to deal with. My 440 ran good also. One time, I backed off the gas at 135 mph. I don't know how fast it would have gone.
Build quality on all 1969 Chrysler C bodies was abysmal. I worked at a Dodge dealer in new car detail and saw first hand. Almost all leaked water around the A pillar down to the front floorboard. By ‘70 things improved and ‘71 was even better. I hated the too narrow rear track on the ‘69s, especially on the Dodge Polara and Monaco because the more open rear wheel well made the design flaw so obvious.
Adam, may I suggest putting the camera on a stand to take a nighttime view of those hidden headlights coming into, and, disappearing from, view. That view, for me, epitomizes 70's Glamor design 👌 🖖🙏🇨🇦
My Dad had a 1973 Imperial LeBaron. He was a Superintendent at Chrysler Jefferson Assembly and the Imperial was the employee lease car of the plant manager.
Boy, this one brought back memories. Friend had a late 70's Dodge, and it was fussy to start with a 318, but I can remember hearing that gear reduction starter whining, and whining, too funny. I would climb into my 78 Chevy PU, step on the accelerator twice, and it would barely turn over and fire right up. Funny thinking about it now, years later I had a 79 Chevy PU big block 454, and it ran as well, started perfect regardless of ambient temperature.
Don't know why cornering lights aren't on modern cars. It seems to help when turning into your driveway late at night, especially since modern headlamps seem to have an abrupt cut off to their illumination.
My dad had a ‘73 Satellite Custom with a 318. It was maddening to get it started. My first foray with cars was messing with the ‘butterfly’ in the carb to get it started. I think it had a city horn and a country horn.
Yes they did all Chryslers from 1962 and on used a double reduction. You just have to remember you're spending a smaller crank on a 6 cylinder versus an 8 cylinder. They did indeed definitely have the gear reduction. Listen to a slant 6 1972 also you will hear it clear as a bell whining away
There was one place that most Cadillac dealerships appear to have had both Mopar and FoMoCo beat: at least here in TX we had so many Cadillac-only dealerships and they were like luxury dealerships today, much nicer and better treatment than their competitors. My Imperial dealer in '72 was also the Plymouth dealer so the Imperial customer had to share the same place with the Valiant and Duster owner. Democratic, but not the luxury experience. I know the car mags back then hated that floodlight dash.
I would rather hear the old-fashioned Mopar starter anyways. They are classic, I grew up around a very cranky, dodge charger. Lol! It was like pulling teeth some mornings to get going, but once you get it started, it ran beautifully.
Adam thanks for this video, while my family were all GM I now know why the one neighbors Chrysler sounded so different in the morning. 😉 I will add the Imperial dash gauge lightning is so much brighter than What I remember on comparable GM cars Not gonna lie I kinda panicked when you shifted into reverse at 4:54 from outside the car, that's alot of faith you have in your parking brake. 🙏👀
Ammeter Bypass - look into it. 69-73 Imperials see the highest elect loads through the bulkhead. Ancient crusty wiring and high loads can lead to a melted Fusie.
The original Chrysler gear reduction starter is a 1.5 horsepower motor. In 1975, Chrysler revised it to a 1.8 horsepower higher torque motor. The higher torque starter will replace the older style without any modifications to either the starter or mounting area, but it definitely doesn’t sound the same.
