Thursday, December 10, 2009

Minneapolis Street Sightings: Imperial LeBaron Golden Crown Coupe








Now, this car was unusual to me for a few reasons; first it wasn't the typical classic GM or Ford, second, it was a two door rather than a four door, and third, I hadn't seen this car moving, so this was an entirely new find on my part. I slowed to a stop to inspect this ride. I began looking at the profile, puzzled as to what kind of car this was, because even though it said "LeBaron", I was damn sure this was no Chrysler LeBaron. A full inspection rendered it to be an Imperial LeBaron, which is no doubt a much nicer car, and probably much rarer than any version of said Chrysler namesake.
Once I got near enough to inspect the badges, I knew I had to do some research when I got home. Gold Fawn paint? check? Red "Crown" badges on the car? Check. Imperial Crown coupe? Check. Tan interior and vynil roof? Check. Turns out this Imperial Crown Coupe isn't a normal Crown Coupe at all. It's one of 1,641 Crown Coupes, but only 57 Golden Fawn Crown Coupes were built in 1974. So, in any event, it's a rare piece that should have been snapped up by collectors. I shudder to think how many in this condition have been derbied over the years. :(
As far as "blog findings" go, this car is a tad more run-down that what I normally shoot, but that's okay. The paint is decent, the trim is surprisingly all intact, and fade-free, and even the interior isn't it that bad of shape. One obvious downfall is that the hubcaps are long-gone, which sucks, but for the most part it's in nice, daily-driver condition (for Minnesota anyway).
As a car enthusiast, and a sucker for rare and obscure cars, I hope this thing gets returned to its former glory before it becomes one with nature, and disappears from the city' streets. Forever. So, quick, somebody save it. We can't let a piece of Chrysler's once-prestigious history go to waste.

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