The Epitome of the Boulevard Ride: A 1967 Chrysler Imperial

This 1967 Chrysler Imperial is the epitome of the boulevard ride, a car that embodies the essence of luxury and sophistication. With its sleek design and refined features, it's hard to imagine a more fitting vehicle for a dignitary or a captain of industry. As the author notes, "this was really a world class meeting car" back in the day, when air conditioning was not as common or necessary in Europe.

The Imperial's quiet and smooth ride is unmatched, making it the perfect companion for long trips or leisurely drives. The author affectionately describes driving this car as "like you're floating on clouds," with no road feel at all. One can easily drive this car with just one finger, touching the brake only lightly with their foot. However, this lack of road feel is also a double-edged sword, leaving the driver feeling somewhat disconnected from the vehicle.

The Imperial's impressive features and technology were truly state-of-the-art in its time. The author notes that electrical coolers, which we take for granted today, were essentially unheard of back then. The car's power steering system allowed drivers to effortlessly navigate tight corners and narrow streets without breaking a sweat. Additionally, the Imperial featured a range of innovative features, including power windows, door locks, and a premium sound system.

A Brief History of Chrysler in the 1960s

The author's fondness for Chrysler is rooted in his personal experience with the brand. Growing up, he had three Imperials – a '34 Airflow, a '56 300D, and this very car, a 1967 Imperial. The author recalls being captivated by the Imperial's sleek design and powerful engine. However, it wasn't until later that he learned about the car's impressive engineering credentials.

Chrysler was renowned for its innovative approach to automotive design and engineering in the 1960s. The company was known for producing high-performance vehicles with advanced features like automatic transmissions and disc brakes. The Imperial was one of Chrysler's flagship models, designed to showcase the brand's expertise in luxury and performance.

The Engineer's Touch

As an engineer himself, the author appreciates the attention to detail that went into designing the Imperial. He notes that Chrysler engineers were known for their exceptional craftsmanship, particularly when it came to the transmission system. The company developed a unique TorqueFlite transmission that was both durable and efficient.

In particular, the author praises the Imperial's Hemi engine, which featured a cutting-edge design with a forged steel block, aluminum cylinder head, and a hydraulic roller lifter. This combination produced an incredible 425 horsepower, making it one of the most powerful engines of its time.

The Decline of the Imperials

As the 1960s drew to a close, Chrysler began to introduce emission control systems, which significantly impacted the performance of the Imperial. The addition of smog pumps and catalytic converters reduced the engine's power output, making it less responsive and less desirable. However, for enthusiasts like the author, this was a minor setback.

The Imperials remained popular among driving enthusiasts who appreciated their exceptional performance, handling, and style. They became the go-to choice for those who wanted to experience the thrill of driving a high-performance vehicle without sacrificing comfort or refinement.

A Legacy of Luxury and Performance

Today, the 1967 Chrysler Imperial is highly sought after by collectors and enthusiasts alike. Its unique blend of style, luxury, and performance makes it an iconic symbol of American automotive excellence. As the author notes, "it's like a man's car" – designed for those who demand the best in terms of comfort, refinement, and driving experience.

The Imperial's legacy extends beyond its impressive technical specifications and luxurious features. It represents a bygone era of automotive design and engineering, when innovation and craftsmanship came together to create truly exceptional vehicles. As we look back on this iconic model, it's clear that the 1967 Chrysler Imperial remains an enduring testament to the power of design, technology, and American ingenuity.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enone of my favorite categories of cars is original and unrestored and sometimes I'll buy a car just because it is original unrestored not really looking for one but it's so nice oh you have to have it a classic example of that would be this this is the 1967 Chrysler Imperial one day I got a call from a guy in Beverly Hills a movie producer 93 years old and he said Jay I got a car for you they I can't drive anymore I shouldn't be driving I want to sell it I said what is it he said since the 1967 Chrysler Imperial I bought it brand new he said twice a month a man from Chrysler would come to his home in Beverly Hills beautiful home and service the car at his house and he goes my Chrysler guy is turning 70 he wants to retire I'm too old to drive we want the car to go to a good home I said you know I'm not really looking for a 67 Chrysler Imperial well just come over and look at so I go over to the guy's house and it's just like you'd expect it's on Sunset Boulevard it's set back from the road it's got a long driveway beautiful home he comes out to meet me he's got a smoking jacket with the patches he's got a big ass got on he looks like what you think a movie producer would look like 93 years old got the gray hair those come on the garage let me show you my car and this is the car and it's perfect it's like a brand-new 1967 Chrysler Imperial and then he said something that really just kind of blew me away see what I did when I bought this car I was so afraid I might have an accident or damage it but I bought spares I bought two of everything and we opened the other side of the garage door and there's two of everything brand-new bumper old stock brand-new lights old stock hubcaps trim pieces electric motors he spent almost the equal value of the car buying all these parts in case anything broke and he drove this car for well since 1967 and it had 144 thousand miles on it come on let's take a look you know they don't make cars like this anymore this is a classic example of the final days of old technology the big Chrysler 440 it's got the old cast-iron TorqueFlite three-speed transmission virtually bulletproof carbureted fast comfortable it's a really nice driving car full leather interior these felt inserts or little goofy electric everything electric windows you got all kinds of cool storage places here electric side vent windows here you got the wood trim electric door locks most cars have that stuff now but back in the day that was pretty rare coolest thing about this car is the thin a pillar you know so many cars now because of rollover protection what not have these big thick April you have these blind spot where's this car is panoramic when you drive it it's like you oh my god it's like you're just out in the open and it's big it's enormous it doesn't get very good gas mileage but jeez it's a great driving car come on let's look under the hood as I said it's a Chrysler 440 as you can see it's all stock we haven't done any performance upgrades or anything to it first year of the dual brake system I put a new master cylinder on it upgraded the brakes just a little bit although all stock we actually we did the whole motor bottom end pistons everything because 144 thousand miles it was still running nicely but a little smoky the cool thing about this car it has dual air conditioners front and back and on the hottest day you get in you throw both those switches and the air is blown from and you're freezing and like a minute and a half it's hilarious you can hang meat in this car and have some cool features like this here let me show you something here when someone needs to get in the back seat you just push this forward and you can see it automatically moves I didn't even know that feature was in this car until I got at home and I moved the seat one big carpets now see that's a trunk look at this full-size spare the trunk actually holds a family of five in fact on weekends I rent the trunk out as a studio apartment the Chrome gas goes here and it takes a lot of gas this is what you call a hybrid it runs on gas then we got on the freeway it uses even more gas we got your have vinyl top they did this on the crown couch this was the top-of-the-line model the fact they even had an office option which had a passenger seat that turned around and faced the back with a folding table and a dictation machine and all this kind of stupid stuff from the from the sixties the translucent steering wheel which I love that's adjustable there you go see as you can see you got your automatic headlamp Emmer's and all that stuff but as I say this is just the last days of the old school stuff big carbureted v8 quiet smooth fast this was a car more than equal to the Mercedes and when you bought a Mercedes Benz in 1967 you got a beautiful car but it's a six-cylinder this is a huge v8 with dual air conditioning front and back Mercedes of the 60s had the add-on air conditioner because air conditioned was not a big deal in Europe so this was really a a world class meeting car I think it's as quiet and certainly faster than a Rolls Royce this is the exact opposite of the McLaren or any sports but there's absolutely no Road feel at all you drive this car with one finger you touch the brake very lightly with your foot yeah is no Road feel at all and a little bit of Tyre squeal too but this this car is the epitome of the boulevard ride just on a long trip does nothing like you if you go on to Vegas you put everybody you know in the car with you and you drive quickly and smoothly and well c'mon let's go for a spin Electrical cool I love these pull it away back in the day back in the 60s maybe certainly the 50s Chrysler was the engineering company somehow I wound up with three Imperials I've got the 34 airflow the 56 in peril and this one like I said it wasn't looking for them they just kind of show up and when you see something like this original unrestored you have to buy it it's just a boat but then I like boating you know if you work at a factory this is what the boss drove I like how the Sun bounces off the translucent steering I just like how it has power everything just touch the steering wheel just touch the brake just touch the gas and you go seatbelts became mandatory in 1966 and all cars had them from that point on across this being a 67 it was tough to get people wear seatbelts back in the day I remember my dad and I went to look at a new car in 1966 my dad wound up buying a Ford Galaxie 5 the Ford Galaxie 7 liter with the 428 but I remember we my dad asked the sales about seat belts he says hey is a car seat belt guy said seat belts hey Louie we got a guy here fixing on the Indianapolis 500 well your race car driver getting seat bug just humiliated my dad and then when we got the car the guy showed us how if you move the seat forward and rolled up the seat belt and stuck it in the crack the seat belt would disappear you can just leave it there until you sold the car you know yeah I mean why would you want to put that on it doesn't make any sense you know some of the newer cars like new BMWs they hide the radio and stuff behind paneling well Chrysler is doing that back in 67 so you flip up that piece of wood is your radio your electric antenna you know it's great about this car you have four cigarette lighters every passenger has his own cigarette lighter and ashtray you could literally drive yourself to the cemetery in this car you have Sentinel which put your lights on automatically for you something else is kind of cool about these cars is the transitions are outboard they were on the end of the fenders you have the gunsight emblem right there in the center of the hood a lot of work went into these this was about a $6,500 $7,000 car back in the day which was a lot of money not really a pretty car it's more like a handsome car it's like a man's car you're like a captain of industry that did you drive Imperials never sold in the numbers of Cadillac did and probably even less than Lincoln but a lot of people feel they were a superior car certainly back in the day why would you want to put mag wheels or some kind of big dubs on this thing when you have this beautifully ornate hubcap look how much work went into those things when I was in high school the big thing was somebody bother old man's Chrysler go to the parking lot of the shopping center you put it in neutral good floor and drop it in gear and tap just burned rubber all day long because these old cast-iron Torx legs they could take a beat this is probably one of the greatest transmissions ever they used it in the Hemi they used it the floor for the use it to 383 pretty much bulletproof and no I'm not going to put it neutral and drop it here because this is my car but if you step on it from a rolling start it still goes pretty good we left the camera car in the just right after this car was built late sixties early 70s then you came in with the emission controls the smog pumps they lost power they didn't run as well this was son of the as I mentioned before the last days of the old technology just as dependable as a carbureted car could be fantastic I've got a board meeting I gotta get to and I want to make a good impression so I'm going to go show up in my Imperial see you laterone of my favorite categories of cars is original and unrestored and sometimes I'll buy a car just because it is original unrestored not really looking for one but it's so nice oh you have to have it a classic example of that would be this this is the 1967 Chrysler Imperial one day I got a call from a guy in Beverly Hills a movie producer 93 years old and he said Jay I got a car for you they I can't drive anymore I shouldn't be driving I want to sell it I said what is it he said since the 1967 Chrysler Imperial I bought it brand new he said twice a month a man from Chrysler would come to his home in Beverly Hills beautiful home and service the car at his house and he goes my Chrysler guy is turning 70 he wants to retire I'm too old to drive we want the car to go to a good home I said you know I'm not really looking for a 67 Chrysler Imperial well just come over and look at so I go over to the guy's house and it's just like you'd expect it's on Sunset Boulevard it's set back from the road it's got a long driveway beautiful home he comes out to meet me he's got a smoking jacket with the patches he's got a big ass got on he looks like what you think a movie producer would look like 93 years old got the gray hair those come on the garage let me show you my car and this is the car and it's perfect it's like a brand-new 1967 Chrysler Imperial and then he said something that really just kind of blew me away see what I did when I bought this car I was so afraid I might have an accident or damage it but I bought spares I bought two of everything and we opened the other side of the garage door and there's two of everything brand-new bumper old stock brand-new lights old stock hubcaps trim pieces electric motors he spent almost the equal value of the car buying all these parts in case anything broke and he drove this car for well since 1967 and it had 144 thousand miles on it come on let's take a look you know they don't make cars like this anymore this is a classic example of the final days of old technology the big Chrysler 440 it's got the old cast-iron TorqueFlite three-speed transmission virtually bulletproof carbureted fast comfortable it's a really nice driving car full leather interior these felt inserts or little goofy electric everything electric windows you got all kinds of cool storage places here electric side vent windows here you got the wood trim electric door locks most cars have that stuff now but back in the day that was pretty rare coolest thing about this car is the thin a pillar you know so many cars now because of rollover protection what not have these big thick April you have these blind spot where's this car is panoramic when you drive it it's like you oh my god it's like you're just out in the open and it's big it's enormous it doesn't get very good gas mileage but jeez it's a great driving car come on let's look under the hood as I said it's a Chrysler 440 as you can see it's all stock we haven't done any performance upgrades or anything to it first year of the dual brake system I put a new master cylinder on it upgraded the brakes just a little bit although all stock we actually we did the whole motor bottom end pistons everything because 144 thousand miles it was still running nicely but a little smoky the cool thing about this car it has dual air conditioners front and back and on the hottest day you get in you throw both those switches and the air is blown from and you're freezing and like a minute and a half it's hilarious you can hang meat in this car and have some cool features like this here let me show you something here when someone needs to get in the back seat you just push this forward and you can see it automatically moves I didn't even know that feature was in this car until I got at home and I moved the seat one big carpets now see that's a trunk look at this full-size spare the trunk actually holds a family of five in fact on weekends I rent the trunk out as a studio apartment the Chrome gas goes here and it takes a lot of gas this is what you call a hybrid it runs on gas then we got on the freeway it uses even more gas we got your have vinyl top they did this on the crown couch this was the top-of-the-line model the fact they even had an office option which had a passenger seat that turned around and faced the back with a folding table and a dictation machine and all this kind of stupid stuff from the from the sixties the translucent steering wheel which I love that's adjustable there you go see as you can see you got your automatic headlamp Emmer's and all that stuff but as I say this is just the last days of the old school stuff big carbureted v8 quiet smooth fast this was a car more than equal to the Mercedes and when you bought a Mercedes Benz in 1967 you got a beautiful car but it's a six-cylinder this is a huge v8 with dual air conditioning front and back Mercedes of the 60s had the add-on air conditioner because air conditioned was not a big deal in Europe so this was really a a world class meeting car I think it's as quiet and certainly faster than a Rolls Royce this is the exact opposite of the McLaren or any sports but there's absolutely no Road feel at all you drive this car with one finger you touch the brake very lightly with your foot yeah is no Road feel at all and a little bit of Tyre squeal too but this this car is the epitome of the boulevard ride just on a long trip does nothing like you if you go on to Vegas you put everybody you know in the car with you and you drive quickly and smoothly and well c'mon let's go for a spin Electrical cool I love these pull it away back in the day back in the 60s maybe certainly the 50s Chrysler was the engineering company somehow I wound up with three Imperials I've got the 34 airflow the 56 in peril and this one like I said it wasn't looking for them they just kind of show up and when you see something like this original unrestored you have to buy it it's just a boat but then I like boating you know if you work at a factory this is what the boss drove I like how the Sun bounces off the translucent steering I just like how it has power everything just touch the steering wheel just touch the brake just touch the gas and you go seatbelts became mandatory in 1966 and all cars had them from that point on across this being a 67 it was tough to get people wear seatbelts back in the day I remember my dad and I went to look at a new car in 1966 my dad wound up buying a Ford Galaxie 5 the Ford Galaxie 7 liter with the 428 but I remember we my dad asked the sales about seat belts he says hey is a car seat belt guy said seat belts hey Louie we got a guy here fixing on the Indianapolis 500 well your race car driver getting seat bug just humiliated my dad and then when we got the car the guy showed us how if you move the seat forward and rolled up the seat belt and stuck it in the crack the seat belt would disappear you can just leave it there until you sold the car you know yeah I mean why would you want to put that on it doesn't make any sense you know some of the newer cars like new BMWs they hide the radio and stuff behind paneling well Chrysler is doing that back in 67 so you flip up that piece of wood is your radio your electric antenna you know it's great about this car you have four cigarette lighters every passenger has his own cigarette lighter and ashtray you could literally drive yourself to the cemetery in this car you have Sentinel which put your lights on automatically for you something else is kind of cool about these cars is the transitions are outboard they were on the end of the fenders you have the gunsight emblem right there in the center of the hood a lot of work went into these this was about a $6,500 $7,000 car back in the day which was a lot of money not really a pretty car it's more like a handsome car it's like a man's car you're like a captain of industry that did you drive Imperials never sold in the numbers of Cadillac did and probably even less than Lincoln but a lot of people feel they were a superior car certainly back in the day why would you want to put mag wheels or some kind of big dubs on this thing when you have this beautifully ornate hubcap look how much work went into those things when I was in high school the big thing was somebody bother old man's Chrysler go to the parking lot of the shopping center you put it in neutral good floor and drop it in gear and tap just burned rubber all day long because these old cast-iron Torx legs they could take a beat this is probably one of the greatest transmissions ever they used it in the Hemi they used it the floor for the use it to 383 pretty much bulletproof and no I'm not going to put it neutral and drop it here because this is my car but if you step on it from a rolling start it still goes pretty good we left the camera car in the just right after this car was built late sixties early 70s then you came in with the emission controls the smog pumps they lost power they didn't run as well this was son of the as I mentioned before the last days of the old technology just as dependable as a carbureted car could be fantastic I've got a board meeting I gotta get to and I want to make a good impression so I'm going to go show up in my Imperial see you later\n"