Summary

Fully restored, with 331ci HEMI, Fluid Drive automatic transmission, AM radio, heater, and tan cloth convertible top, this Imperial is a former AACA National First Place winner.

Details

With understated elegance, vault-like solidity and a well-deserved reputation for engineering excellence, the Imperial nameplate topped the Chrysler product range from 1926 through 1975. Following the exuberance of the brisk postwar seller's market, the luxury-car market grew in prominence as buyers soon began seeking greater style, power and luxury than ever before. Continuing as Chrysler Corporation's challenge to Cadillac and Lincoln, the Imperial featured redesigned bodies for 1949 and emphasis on the owner-driver market as opposed to the chauffeur-driven premium cars of the prewar years. A sedan was first to arrive for 1949 and 1950, joined for 1951 by the club coupe, 2-door hardtop, and convertible. The automotive equivalent of a conservative, yet finely tailored suit of clothes, the Imperial catered primarily to well-established buyers who appreciated the sensible virtues of superior build quality, durability and proven engineering. Fully restored and striking in tan over red upholstery, this 1951 Chrysler Imperial Convertible is powered by the legendary 331ci HEMI engine and equipped with Fluid Drive automatic transmission, AM radio, standard antenna, heater and a tan cloth convertible top. Other desirable features include a power-operated top, windows, steering, and brakes, plus full hubcaps on steel wheels and bias-ply whitewall tires. A former AACA National First Place winner, this outstanding HEMI-powered 1951 also features a very nice undercarriage, detailed engine, and comes from the Gordon Apker Collection.