Crown Coupe: 1965 Imperial Two Door Hardtop – Sold?

February 17, 2023, Update – We confirmed the listing for this “Classifind” expired, so with no replacement found, we’re assuming this ride is “Sold?” While this one got away, please reach out either by email or call us directly if you’d like to be informed when we come across something similar.

We are continually drawn by the rarity and hand-built cachet of Chrysler’s top-of-the-line Imperial brand.  To put the brand’s rarity in perspective, Imperial’s 1966 production totaled 16,422 units, which was only seven percent of Cadillac’s total production that year.  Of the sixteen thousand Imperials produced that year, only 3,974 were Crown Coupes, one of which was last listed in January 2023 on Craigslist in San Antonio, Texas.

The seller reports that they are only the second owner who replaced the gas tank, tires, brakes, and other items totaling $5,500. What impresses me most about this Imperial is how perfectly the white leather appears in the pictures.  You’ll need to confirm with the seller whether the interior has been redone or, in fact, has been flawlessly preserved.  Given the condition of the black vinyl roof, we suspect this Imperial benefitted from storage in a nice garage,

Last offered for $15,000, Classic.com, the analytics and search engine for the collector car market, confirms the ask is slightly below the one-year rolling average of this guide’s summary for second-generation 1965 Imperials of all body styles.  By clicking on the green dots in the graph below, you can navigate to each comparable car sold as a way to help you evaluate the price of the Crown Coupe featured here:

As a second data point, the  Collector Car Market Review Online Tool reveals the seller’s ask falls between this guide’s #2 Very Good” estimate of $12,500 and its #1 “Excellent” appraisal of $20,700.

In 1957, Chrylser’s management elected to give the Imperial line a bespoke platform, setting it apart from any other division of Chrysler.  While the platform may have been different, 1957 Imperials shared the all-new “Forward Look” design language penned by Virgil Exner.  This would last through the 1966 model year.

Imperials during this period were substantially wider, both inside and out than other Mopars, with front and rear shoulder room equal to 64.0 inches and 62.0 inches, respectively. The front seat shoulder room measurement remains an unsurpassed record for Imperial and would remain the record for any car until the 1971–1976 GM full-size models. Exterior width reached a maximum of 81.7 inches for 1961–1963, which remains the record for the widest non-limousine American car. After Lincoln downsized in 1961, this generation of Imperial had no real competitor for the title of largest car for the remainder of its decade-long lifespan.

Changes for 1965 were largely confined to the front fascia and to trim and replacing the push-button automatic transmission gear selection system with a more conventional steering column-mounted shift lever. The split grille was replaced by a large chromed crossbar and surround. The headlights were inset into the grill behind glass covers (similar to that year’s Chrysler 300 and New Yorker models) with etched horizontal lines imitating the grill.  As pointed out by the sales literature, 100-year-old Claro Walnut trim was added to the interior.

The MyMopar.com YouTube Channel features this 1965 Imperial Dealer Sales Features Training Film:

This 1965 Imperial Crown Coupe for sale is a nicely preserved example in a great color combination.  With many mechanical items already addressed, the next caretaker will likely enjoy the spoils of all of the second owner’s hard work.

Here’s the seller’s description:

Show or go: What would you do with this survivor-quality 1965 Imperial Crown Coupe for sale?  Please comment below and let us know!