1956 marked the end of a long tradition of Chrysler building long-wheelbase sedans and limousines. Starting in 1957, the job was farmed out to Ghia in Italy, as the volume numbers were too low to justify hand-building it with more expensive American craftsmen. That limited production to 25 per year, but as low as that sounds, by 1956, the numbers had dwindled down to a mere 175, which was actually a bit higher than 1955’s 127.
It was a hell of grand way to to go out in style, though. These tall limos look a lot more truly dignified than the low and finned cars that replaced them.
Let’s not just settle for one brochure or ad shot…
Here’s a fine example facing the setting sun. Now that’s an impressive piece of work.
I’m guessing it’s the same as this one, which sold for $126,500 way back in 2012.
Here’s a shot of the interior, with one of the jump seats erected.
This is a ’55, but very little different, if at all.
Power was supplied by a 280 hp 354 CID hemi V8, teamed with a two-speed Powerflite automatic.
I found this intriguing shot on the web, but I don’t have any further info on it. It would make for a fine railcar; is it a commercial service, or for the president of the railroad?
Sales of the long-wheelbase Chrysler/Imperial sedans/limos had been dropping for years. back in 1949, the first series cars (same as ’48s) still sold 1400 units. In 1951, it was 442; in 1953, 160. These long wheelbase cars were once used more commonly in various commercial applications before they became more exclusively the domain of the very rich.
Beautiful !
Carl Keikhaefer, founder/president of Mercury Marine, had a ’56. He was a hardcore Chrysler fanboi.
The first Chinese limo, Hongqi CA72, was based on this Imperial. But For sure, the Imperial was much more advance in every aspect.
So beautiful .
I dimly recall one of these being set afire in a Bruce Willis movie . (?) .
-Nate
Yes, one of them was used in the movie Hudson Hawk, a 1955 model to be precise.
https://www.web.imperialclub.info/Movies/Hudson/index.htm
https://www.imcdb.org/vehicle_28941-Imperial-Crown-Imperial-Limousine-1955.html
Thanx Stephane ! .
that’s the one, not a very good movie in spite of the cast .
Good to hear they didn’t actually burn it up, I’m old so I remember many old cars being destroyed back when they were ‘just old cars’ .
Danny Aiello has been a favorite of mine for decades .
In the late 1970’s a neighborhood friend got his father’s tired old 1956 Chrysler New Yorker two door hardtop, it was to me, a very nice car if getting on in years .
-Nate
Too much chrome for me.
The railcar limo was made for Alfred Perlman, president of the New York Central Railroad, for his personal transportation. Supposedly, it could attain 85 mph while riding on the tracks. I wonder how often Mr. Perlman actually used it?
Here’s a 1957 article about Perlman’s limousine, after it had ridden the rails from Syracuse to Rochester:
Aha. The perks of being president of a railway. I like that one.
Did you notice the typo that said it was 1952 model 😁
I never could get my head around the “Gun Sight” tail lamps, but they do look strangely appropriate on the Hi-Rail limousine.
The rear wheel openings on the ’55-’56 Imperial make it look sporty compared to its competition, the chrome trim stands out as quite different for the era as well. Overall, a very attractive package.
The interiors also seem rich, well styled, and high quality. ’55-’56 may have been peak Chrysler in the ’50s, in some ways not to return again until 1965.
From Wikipedia, a beautiful 1955 hardtop….
The picture is a ‘56, since it has tailfins and hooded headlights.
Finally a handsome automobile that does look good in black; quite unlike 99% of todays’ cars/suvz/pickemmups that are all black…..even the wheels. IMO: blaaah. 🙁 DFO
A bit of trivia…. the rear fenders and bumper are from 1955, with some extra metal and a chrome strip (presumably to hide the seams) welded onto the fenders to make it match the tailfinned 56 fenders.
I think the whole quarter panel was carried over from 55 on the limos – it still has that full, round wheel opening which was changed on the regular 56 Imps.
You are correct. Those fin caps were also used on this one-off “1955” Imperial convertible built as a retirement gift for K.T. Keller which kept the chrome ’55 headlight rings, but used the ’56 wheel openings.
Gorgeous car!
I like this limo a lot, except for the rear lights. I kind of get what Mr. Exner was going for, but tail lights weren’t a new thing when this car was on the drawing board. Modern styling requires a decently sized integrated design. The ones on this car look like some junior designer forgot to include them and these were tacked on at the last minute. (I feel even more disappointed by the free-standing headlights of the early ’60s Imperials.)
I agree with you about these taillights, but not about those headlamps.
+1
these were tacked on at the last minute.
It makes it difficult to take the rest of the car seriously. “Like a monstrous carbuncle on the face of an old friend,” as P. Charles said about the modern addition to the National Gallery.
Looks similar to the one used in “Godfather II”.
I love those fold-away jump seats. Did the extended-wheelbase “7-passenger sedans” from DeSoto and Chrysler use a similar design?
Yes, it was pretty much standard practice for 7-passenger sedans and limousines until the Mercedes 600 Pullman and then the Lehman-Petersen Lincoln limousines arrived in the early 60s.
Not only Chrysler and DeSoto but also Dodge kept 7-passenger sedans in the lineup through ’54, mainly for DeSoto taxi sales, although they were also useful for large families. Dodge may have dropped theirs after ’52. And the die was cast when NYC dropped its requirement for all taxis to carry 5 rear passengers in 1953.
These are kind of a guilty pleasure of mine. I have always favored midsize to pony car sized vehicles, but these are actually one of my favorites. I’m not sure why, either. In contrast, my favorite 1950’s car is the ’53 Studebaker Starlight Coupe. Go figure?
By the way, I have also heard the taillights referred to as ” sparrow strainers”.
Would this be one of them on the streets of NYC, late 1950s?
That one looks like a Cadillac to me.
Thanks, JPC—the tail light difference obvious to me now in the light of day……..
I wonder if the declining numbers sold are connected to the overall length increasing? As the styling was changing from the very upright limo with very short trunks to the longer limos, the overall length of the cars was increasing dramatically, which while maybe not too much of a concern to the wealthy patron being chauffeured around, certainly made the cars less maneuverable in the cities. I’d be curious to see if there were similar, albeit smaller, declines at Cadillac and Lincoln.
I don’t think the length was a factor in declining sales, especially when you are talking about usually longer limos. I just think most of the public preferred Cadillacs by wide margin. Speaking of length….the. ‘59 Cadillac was banned from many parking garages because it was too large…..and that was not about limos. It would be interesting to see the sales figures on that car.