How can you not love these big, beautiful sleds?

All I can say is that was one heck of a car show!

When I was 23 yo I found a car exactly like this that had a for sale sign on it. It was an old farmer that had bought it new. It was 1977 and the old man told me he would let me have it for $200. I couldn't hardly give him the money fast enough. The car was in excellent shape both inside and out. Not a scratch on the paint and it was a creamy white. I forgot what the real color was called but it was very close to the car in the video, if not the exact same. He told me that there was a bad oil leak under the hood but did not know what was wrong even though it started right up. When I turned the wheel I knew exactly what was wrong. The power steering pump had a bad leak. I went and bought a repair kit and in no time it was repaired. After I cleaned that side of the engine it was mint. There was absolutely no oil leaks anywhere under the hood or the car. The interior was in mint condition also and the car had 46K on the clock. I cleaned the car very well and polished it up and it looked like a brand new 1960 Imperial Crown and it drove and rode like it too. The only negative about the car was that it only got about 13mpg on the highway and about 10 in town. But if you pushed down the passing gear in it and let it shift by itself you were hitting almost 95 when it shifted ot of second gear. The big old girl would absolutely fly down the highway.

Typical Virgil Exner glorious excess! There was an elderly lady in my hometown who drove one of these in an almost obscene metallic mauve. Great memories. Thank you!

Imperial topped Lincoln in 1957, the only time in its brief history. By 59-60, Imperial sales slumped to the usual 12-16,000 units. I owned a '59 back in the mid-seventies. Loved that car. The gauges/speedometer cluster was beautiful and radiant.

That has to be one of the most elegant interiors I have ever seen.

This car was built to be photographed at a picturesque roadside motel somewhere on Route 66. It certainly puts me in the mood for a road trip.

I just bought a beautiful 1964 Imperial 2-door Crown Coupe in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania! It sat since 1979 in a garage! I’m actually rebuilding the Front End & Rear End! 👍

Now those are some fins!

A true classic beauty...from an era of style and class.......unlike today.

I always found the headlights on the 61 Imperial to be the most unusual on any car.

The interior is spectacular!

i saw one in a kinda salmon color. i remember 1974-1975 imperial LeBaron then 1976 Chrysler new yorker got moved up same look as the LeBaron until 1978 but 1969-1978 nice Era.

Dig that roof cut out and the pearl paint job. Nice crown emblem in the middle of the headlight 'eyebrows'. That push button shifting was crazy.

1961 was the last year for the big fins on the Imperial. The 1962 had them clipped off with taillights mounted on top of the quarter panel. Last year for the separated taillights. I just bought a Dawn Mauve 1960 Custom Southampton, which as you mention is the base model. Mine has the mauve cloth and vinyl interior and is well equipped. I see this one has Auto Pilot with the control in the dash at the base of the steering wheel. These cars are considered a semi unibody by Chrysler with the full frame being unusual that it is a very thin and wide section under the passenger compartment so that it doesn't intrude like GM and Fords full frame cars. The 1960s are under appreciated which means there are good deals for people that like them. Just get a good one as they are very hard to get parts for. This one is lovely, thanks for sharing it.

Great review of the 60 Imperial…One of my favorite “Forward Look cars from Exner….Loved my 61’ New Yorker 2dr Hrdtop…These cars handled quite well for their time with the torsion bar suspension…Thanks again and always appreciate and enjoy your videos

One Incredibly Beauuutiful Car!💕

Real legroom in the backseat is true luxury

Thanks for the tutorial!

The two giant binnacles in the dashboard each have a "spike" sticking out toward the driver -- those are the turn signal indicators. For a left turn, a bulb in the tip of the left-land spike blinks, and the other spike blinks for a right turn. The sales brochure for the 1960 Imperial calls the steering wheel a "steering ellipse."

Thank you for the ACCURACY of your presentation. I grew up with Dodge (1950 Coronet Deluxe), DeSoto (1955 Fireflite 2-door hardtop), Chrysler (1954 New Yorker Coupe, 1964 300 Convertible was my 1st new car, 1967 300 hardtop and 1973 New Yorker Brougham) and Imperial, (1952 Town Sedan,1966 Crown 4-door hardtop and 1975 Le Baron.)

‘60 Imperial is my favorite of the finned Imperials. Fred Astaire owned one, too. By the way, it was the ‘67 Imperial that went to unibody construction.

I love these. They are one of my favourite cars and I’ve always wanted one. A few years ago I bought a blue 1960 LeBaron four door that needs full restoration but I wanted it regardless. It is one of only 999 made and is a great companion to my project 1960 Plymouth Fury sedan (I found via KZfaq channel Carcheology) , my 1960 Windsor sedan (from KZfaq channel Adventures Made from Scratch and a 1960 Chrysler Windsor pillarless wagon that was converted into Ambulance duties in the Detroit area. So, a full box of Virgil’s finest.

I love your channel so much. Bless your heart. I can totally understand why this car appeals to you. Look at its happy face! For me, born as I was in ‘64, with a dad who spent his time fixing cars for people after hours, I look at this as some whacky fever dream. Why were cars so extreme in their styling in that conservative era? Me, I loved our ‘59 Buick that resembled a Batmobile but I also liked its replacement: a Chrysler station wagon because of its modern-looking station wagon. Still, that ‘59 Buick was for me the apex of style.

I love this era........and that dashboard is badass!!

Virgil Exner certainly created some very distinct & off beat designs!!! This Imperial is huge!!! Thanks for sharing this informative video!!! 👍👍🙂

59 and 60 Imperials we're my favorite!!

Great video, thanks

Wow!!truly a beautiful car,a work of art.

The one thing that helped save some of these Imperials is they were outright banned from demolition derbies. Because of their double frame they were deemed to have an unfair advantage.

Nice car!

My uncle had a pink '61 once owned by Doris Day. I saw it mid-1980s in Canada where he'd shipped it during a move. Tailfins to extreme, planned so the lights could hang off them.

Exner’s cars were artwork on wheels. The 1960 is my favorite Imperial. I find the design to be very clean, nothing would I change. I miss the flair of that period. In more recent times cars, although quite amazing in what they can do, more resemble appliances .

Loved many of Virgil's Forward Look cars. The Dashes on these Imperials, and other Chryslers of that era, were Electroluminescent Dashes. They are quite unique. Love your channel. Keep up the good work!

Great video. Thanks. That show is amazing. Enough walkaround kit to keep you going for some time by the look of it.

Truly, a magnificent ride; you ramp-up a busy interstate in this thing, folks just move out of the way in deference... you don't even need to gun it. I think Jackie Kennedy went to her husband's funeral in the Ghia limo version of these things... an even more beautiful automobile... 100% class, as though the car were tailor-made for her.

I've got a Tom McCahill story for you from my childhood. In 1949 Cadillac and Oldsmobile introduced their OHV V8 engines which used hydraulic lifters for the first time, to my recollection. GM advised its customers that they had to use detergent oil in these engines, and that the use of non-detergent oil would void the warranty. McCahill was then writing for Mechanix Illustrated magazine and he tested the new GM V8 cars. He stated in his article that detergent oil was just a sales gimmick, and that owners should feel free to keep using non-detergent oil. Many of McCahill's readers took his advice because he was supposed to be such a car authority figure. Their hydraulic lifters and camshafts failed; GM refused to repair their engines under warranty; and McCahill backpedaled from the issue in a manner that would have made Muhammad Ali proud!

Luv these old Imperials.

Those trim pieces on the roof give the illusion of doors which cut way into the roofline. Interesting how the emblem is in the center of the rear seat-back, while the the one in front is on the driver seat because of that giant armrest. I don't care if I sound like a lout, but I would've stowed the console and speaker in the trunk, for the show. I hope you will do a feature on that beautiful blue Buick! (1967?) Its slab sides rival Lincoln's. Those always looked long and low and beautiful going down the street. I think the late '60s full size Buicks were the most elegant out of the GM lineup. And in keeping with that theme, I'd love to see a feature on that '70 Country Squire, with its crazy radio to the left of the steering column.

This is by far my favorite year for Imperial, front end is clean and modern. The interior and amazing duel luminous dials with the center point on each the L/R turn indicator. The air conditioning vents look like something the old luxury steamer had for intakes. Just beautiful.

I inherited my parents ‘64 Imperial LeBaron. I had it a few years until I sold it in the mid 80s. The man who bought it used it in a demolition derby! I wish I had never sold it!

The sweep flight deck lid was only available on the 60 Imperial. Magnificent Virgil Exner design 🏆

It had unique style unlike today's cars which all look alike.

Panel fit is very impressive, especially considering the year and the size. That new dedicated plant must have been really dialed in.

The Great White Shark!!! My Dads boss had one with the 413 2 long Ram 4 barrels and the rear end was a locker.

Fantastic designer's during this Era. 👏

This is easily my number 1 dream car. If I could own any car it would be this. The only ones I've found in my price range were rusted out badly.

Beautiful! Thanks for keeping the memories alive.

Fascinating as a period piece, but not what I would call an attractive car. Moving into the so called Age of Camelot a new, fresher, younger approach is the direction other car makers were moving. This car has too much of the esthetics of the 1950s about it. Consider what a Lincoln Town car looked like 61-63. Then consider what a 64 Imperial looks like. It's clear they were chasing after Lincoln's coattails. It could be that Exner was fired because Chrysler's BOD thought he was looking backwards rather than forward where design was concerned. Just a thought. Interesting car. Thanks for sharing and have a great weekend.

Love the channel and how you stick to classic American cars, nice to have a channel that reviews cars I grew up with and even owned, took my driver's Ed class in a 1977 Chevy Monte Carlo, parallel parking was a challenge especially with the opera windows and mile long hood, though it did handle the 305 surprisingly well

The 1960 Imperial is my dream car!

A beautiful, unique American car from a happier time.

That was a great Tom McCahill vocal impression.

Honestly Adam, I don't know what is cooler: This 1960 Imperial or Tyler Hoover's 1949 Cadillac. And this comes from a die-hard Porschephile... Great video!

That's my kind of car show. Lots of 50s 60s American luxury cars.

Love the open taillight rings. I wonder how many pedestrians got clipped by them... I also love the symmetry of the controls - transmission buttons match the heating buttons, turn signal lever matches the fan lever.

To me this is THE most beautiful car, although I like the LeBaron a tiny bit more than the Crown. I also like the regular sedan more than the hardtop.

Interesting (?) story about those drivers seats. My parents owned Chrysler products exclusively from 1950 through 1988. In all those years, the one and only seat they found uncomfortable was the high backed driver’s seat in their 1961 Dodge. Both said it gave them a backache! Mom was 5’6”, dad was 5’7”. Maybe that had something to do with it?

I love the early 60s imperial. I own a 1962 Chrysler crown. It was my fathers.

A dramatically styled Imperial from Virgil Exner, simply fantastic.

1:21 A yellow NEW car! Cool colors are coming back!

My favorite car of all time! Thank you for taking the time to talk about this car! Yes they were their own brand until from 55 to 1975 and again in 81-73. The 60 imperial was the only mopar that was still body on frame while the rest were unibody construction. The silver roof inserts were available on crown models as the “silvercrest” roof option along with a plethora of other appearance options such as the rear flitesweep wheel hump on the deck.

Arguably a better part of the century for build quality

Even when Imperial had its own factory and a unique body, its Mopar genes show through. Peak Virgil Exner, like you said, Adam.

Sedans are better car than hard tops. Noise, strength. Take function over form any day. Great content.

Remembering Jacqueline Kennedy's White House limousine, it was a black 1960 Crown Imperial that was lengthened and upgraded from a stock Imperial by Ghia in Italy. I think Mamie Eisenhower probably used it first.

Beautiful car, love that Jetsons interior - digging that '66 Connie Coupé behind it too .. since I'm admittedly biased 😎

I seen a white convertible in the tv series the Lieutenant! Hot blonde was driving it. So cool

We had a ‘59 Custom Imperial that we drove Seattle to Florida in 1963. Family of five on a month long vacation… easy peasy! Dad drove that beast to Cape Canaveral in three days flat! No air, no cruise. Stopovers in Denver and Montgomery, AL we’re the only motel stops. They were rare birds, indeed. I’ve always loved the Imperials.

I have to say, if I were forced into picking a car from the befinned '50s that was *not* the Continental Mark II, the 1960 Imperial would be my top choice. It was the best-looking of the Imperials from that time; and unlike most cars of that period, somehow it looked slim compared to the obese contemporary monstrosities. True, most cars by that year were starting to adopt slimmer looks, but the oversculpting and the extraneous styling-only fins offset that slimness. Yet, it seemed to work well for Imperial. I read in an article in 1991 that Chrysler actually adopted fins for a purpose other than pure styling. After conducting some experiments, they discovered that fins could contribute to aerodynamic stability, the first such (re-)discovery since the Airflow (and shortly afterward, Zephyr) days of the Depression. Plus, Virgil Exner, Sr., designed those fins to look like they were intrinsic to the overall construction and not tacked on as afterthoughts, like nearly all others did...and his pioneering of curved side glass on Imperials starting in '57 gave more to the overall look that could help those Imperials move past the decade they were built in. Flat glass is just so bland, so '50s...so *OLD.* On the other hand, finding one that hasn't gone through terminal cancer is the real challenge, never mind the very low production numbers of that year. That was what really sullied Chrysler's reputation, which it never fully recovered from: Every '57 and '58 Highland-Park car, from Plymouth to Imperial, rusted with a vengeance, something the buyers discovered right at the time the flash recession of '58 came crashing down on the U.S. economy. By the end of that year, only about 1 in 10 buyers who switched to a Chrysler product from a rival make in '57 would have thought about buying another Chrysler product. But, enough history. I find the '60 Imperial to be one of my top non-Lincoln choices of vintage car, especially an example of this one with its B-pillars. However, that turn-signal switch would have to take some getting used to; it's not a flip-lever like all other cars have. It's a toggle on the dash, placed there strictly for dash aesthetics. Even "Motor Life" back in the day criticized that setup.

I've always wanted a car from my birth year 1960. I've heard the big downfalls of these cars are the body rust and the "One stop brakes" that fade almost instantly

Most beautiful car they ever made! Modern

What an terrific beauty the front says in a subtle way get the F out of my way while the back says oops I farted but you didn't hear that and the interior I fell asleep on like a baby in a cradle! Imperial's were the Cadillac of Chrysler😁

That inset photo of the Chrysler Imperial looks like a Cadillac clone!

A face only a mother could love

Regarding the designs of the 1959 Chrysler (Corp.) products, Virgil Exner was still recovering from a heart attack. He wasn't yet able to sign off on the finished products.

I like the Rear End of the Car ❤

I saw a convertible of this model at a car show!

Very nice.

-If you look at a lot of Cadillacs and this Imperial, you see two headlights on each side with a prominent shroud. Especially on the Cadillacs, you see in the middle a prominent rounded body colored hood bulge, that tapers down to meet the grill. This reminds me of a parade with the President or other VIP in an open car, the bald forehead of the VIP being the hood, and the headlights and shroud on each side evoking police on motorcycles wearing helmets. I think they did this to signify that a very important person was coming through. This sounds silly but people subconsciously respond to this sort of thing. To this day you still see front end automotive design aping persons faces or a visage like the above. Today, a lot of SUV's convey "safety" by purposely large and scowling front ends, rather like the gargoyles that were installed on medieval churches to ward off evil spirits.

It is shocking to think there was only one model year between this Imperial and the 1961 Lincoln Continental. Wow.

Beautiful car!! So much detail, a work of art

Ha ha, I love the Tom McCahill impression! I used to read him in Mechanix Illustrated all the time and I loved his opinionated reviews. Iʻm sure KZfaq has some of the films he made touting the Chrysler suspensions back in the late 1950ʻs. I always thought the Imperials from the 50ʻs and 60ʻs were special, thanks for sharing this.

Spot on,I always thought the 59s were butt ugly!

Nice car.

Thanks ! Straight Ahead ✌😎

..hi Adam..you're certainly getting some good mileage out of that car show....that Imperial was a beauty...I owned a 61 and a 64 at the same time back in the 90's, though neither was as remotely nice is that one...still, they were great cars......

They were simply Sooo flamboyant. With 1961 being the penical of outrageousness surely Liberace would love. Talking about celebraty Jackie Kennedy had her own personal 1960 Imperial Limousin. She allegedly adored it. Pictures of 1960 Imp. Limo at White House can be found on internet.

One of my favorite Imperial model years!

It was the best handling luxury car from the late 50's early 60's, very rare and high end

I would like to see a good video on the 1960 Chrysler Windsor, my first favorite car. With that cool domed instrument panel, push button controls with green back and segmented lighting. Including the 383 "Golden Lion" engine. The 300 is very similar.

Great color.

It looks like it's rocket powered!

I forget exactly what year it was, but it was very very close to what we are looking at here, but my dad had a Imperial, and it was very very recognizable because Barbie would have loved it. It was pink with white inserts on the roof, where the chrome banding separated it. This was back in the late 60s when he owned it but I do remember it was fast and I do believe it had a hemi. I know it shamed a few mustangs and Camaros in its day.

What a great car to feature, Adam. I like the white-on-white color scheme as well.

No doubt great looking car.

I recently read a biography on "Ex" that I picked up at the Studebaker Museum.

Actually the back end of a 1971 Imperial Lebaron has a plate which says, "Imperial by Chrysler."

Love the ‘60. The 61-63 looked daft with those free standing headlights.

Thank you! A great presentation! I grew up in a Chrysler household in the 50s and 69s. My dad (almost) bought a new '62 Imperial at Poteet Motors in Bristol, TN. I remember looking at in their showroom. He bought a New Yorker instead.