Hi All,
I went this afternoon to go see a 1957 Imperial 4-door hardtop about an
hour from my house. The car has been parked since 1967 (according to
the last inspection sticker on it), while they were looking for parts
for the instant heater. The lady who owns it seems very attached to the
car (more on this later) but needs to sell it soon.
During a snowstorm this winter, her barn collapsed. The car is in a
"lean-to" type structure attached to the remains of the barn. The
lean-to is also leaning quite badly, and looks like it's not long for
this world either. I climbed around and over the car, and it's in
really solid shape. Here's the basics:
- Power steering
- Power brakes
- Power windows
- 392 hemi, 3 speed Torqueflite
- Interior pretty nice
- Body fairly solid
- Seems to have all chrome (not too bad shape) and stainless trim
- Glass is good
The car has had lots of lumber and various other items stacked along the
sides of the car. This, combined with the fact that the car has sunk
down into the ground approximately 9 inches, made it impossible to even
get a door open. The outside wall appears to be held up by a piece of
stovepipe wedged against some of the stacked lumber. Oh, and did I
mention that the lean-to thingy has a second floor above the car? All
in all, the car is in really solid shape, but the extraction might be
difficult. I really don't know if you can take the car out of the barn
without collapsing it on top of the car... That is, unless you just hook
up a winch and yank it out and hope for the best.
I realized that although I would love to get this car back on the road,
there is no way, NO WAY, I can get another vehicle. I already have 3
cars and don't have any space for the ones I have, let alone any new
ones. Plus, I bought a motorcycle yesterday, too. I had thought about
possibly parting the car out, and mentioned something along those lines
to her. Her reaction was about the same as if I would have told her I'd
like to cut up her cat for medical experiments. She told me some of her
history with the car, and her pride that she, yes she, had aspired to
own an Imperial was evident. I guess that's why they never got rid of
it after all those years.
That brings us to the present. Is there anyone out there in Forward
Look Land that is interested in restoring this vehicle, and not just
cutting it up for parts? If you are, please let me know and I'll pass
on the information to her. She said to me, "Oh, how I would love to
have someone fix that car up, and take me for just one last ride in it.
That would make me so happy, oh you wouldn't know!"
-Dave
PS - Found in the local paper (I know nothing about these): Plymouth,
'56 Savoy. Price includes parts car. Asking $1000. 412-243-3647
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