1942 Chrysler Imperial

Limousine

Straight "Fireball" 8 Cylinder

3 speed

7808682

Clear

Gasoline

1942 Chrysler Crown Imperial C37 8 passenger Parade Car Limousine All of the research indicates this is the only 1942 Chrysler 8 passenger convertible/parade car in existence. Like with all US Automobile manufacturers, Chrysler’s production plants were converted to supply for the war effort in 1942 and almost no civilian car production took place that year. To further add to the rarity of this beauty is the fact it was customized by the prestigious Derham Body Company of Rosemont, PA. Follow this link to learn more: http://www.coachbuilt.com/bui/d/derham/derham.htm This is truly a unique car with an exciting history. It was part of the world famous Harrah Automobile Collection until it was sold to the Anderson family, owners of the world famous Ponderosa Ranch theme park in Incline Village, Nevada. The vehicle served as the limousine which transported wedding parties and guests to the Ponderosa Ranch chapel. The Ponderosa Ranch is of course the home of the Cartwright’s from the popular TV series Bonanza. The car is mainly in un-restored condition and still shows really nice. The paint, chrome and stainless are still in good condition. Some basic maintenance work has been done to the vehicle such as new radiator, brakes, shocks, tires and a rebuilt carburetor. It runs and drives very well. The “Spitfire” 323 L-head Inline eight cylinder engine is running smoothly and moving the big car with ease. The interior shows nice, the seats have been redone once in the past. The mileage of 68298 appears to be original and is consistent with its history. The vehicle is 73 years old and is not a show car or "100 point" car. It has minor scratches, dings, wear and tear. it is a drivable piece of American automobile history. This is a very rare piece for the serious collector and has many connections to historical people and places. The seller will work with the buyer to arrange for shipping at the buyer's expense. On Feb-02-15 at 15:38:30 PST, seller added the following information: Here is a link to watch a YouTube video of this car. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puaL3A7ku0g On Feb-03-15 at 20:35:31 PST, seller added the following information: Here is another YouTube Link show the car driving down the road. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASQTZ5B1GVA There have been many questions about the condition of the top, or asking for pictures of the top. This vehicle has no convertible top. It is a "Parade Limousine" and is meant to be a full time topless vehicle. It is often called a "Phaeton" because it has no top and there is a separation cowl between the rear passengers and the driver. Many presidents had parade vehicles and many big cities owned one for major event parades. President Eisenhower had a Chrysler Imperial Phaeton as his event vehicle.On Feb-04-15 at 19:23:20 PST, seller added the following information: A fellow e-Bay'er has pointed out some errors in my ad. Somewhere in the ad I called the engine a "Fireball". This is obviously not a Buick and it has a "Spitfire" Straight 8 engine as seen in the pictures and video. The transmission is a Fluid Drive 4 speed (not a three speed). Here is a little more information about that: For 1942 Chrysler offered its Fluid Drive “semi-automatic” transmission in combination with the fluid coupling, at considerable (for the time, anyway) extra cost, usually between $100-140 depending on the model on which it was installed. The shift lever is mounted on the steering column, and there is no “shift quadrant” indicating the “gear” the transmission is in. There are two forward “ranges,” low and high, as well as a reverse gear. The shift pattern is the standard “H” minus 1st gear. There are four forward gear ratios: 1. Underdrive Low: 3.57 to 1.00 2. Low: 2.14 to 1.00 3. Underdrive High: 1.75 to 1.00 4. High (Direct Drive) 1.00 to 1.00 The clutch is used to select a gear (Reverse, Low or High). When in forward gears you don’t need to use the clutch again. You can start, stop and re-start similar to a modern automatic transmission.Heres a video : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-wfIrtVUmk