1957 Imperial Crown Convertible

Chrysler introduced the all-new Imperial in 1957. It had more distinctive styling and was available in four series. Sales were strong and soon exceeded those of Lincolns. This was Imperial's best-ever year in sales at 37,593.

For 1957, the Imperial was built on a wheelbase that was four inches shorter, though it looked longer and lower. The tail lamps were grafted into the fins rather than placed on top. The interior featured two-tone leather and vinyl. The dash had full instrumentation rather than just warning lights.

This particular example was once owned by the celebrity Howard Hughes. It was driven for a few years before being put into storage until 1976, when a company purchased it from Hughes production.

This car is painted in pastel blue and has chrome and stainless trim. It rides on wide whitewall tires and has a two-tone, two-spoke steering wheel. The 392.7 cubic-inch overhead valve V8 engine is capable of producing 325 horsepower. Power is sent to the rear wheels via a push-button automatic transmission.

In 2008, this vehicle was offered for sale at the 'Sports & Classics of Monterey' presented by RM Auctions, which had an estimated value of $200,000 - $300,000. It was sold for a high bid of $162,250, including the buyer's premium.

By Daniel Vaughan | Jan 2009