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Chrysler Corp. took a breather in 1958.
Its competitors, for their part, did not remain idle, but they had been caught off balance
by Chrysler's bold 1957 models, and in 1958 couldn't counter with anything better than
more chrome and eye-catchers. On the whole, 1958 was a bad year for the American car. The
factories couldnt keep making preceding models seem obsolete so as to present
"new" cars every year; customers just couldnt follow that rhythm. The
58 Imperial in fact presented few innovations to distinguish it from its immediate
predecessor. The front bumper and grille were restyled. The rear-view mirror, oddly placed
in the middle of the dashboard in 1957, was moved closer to the driver. Decoration of the
interior door panels was changed. That was about it. On the engineering side, the
392-cu.in. engine gains 25 horsepower from a higher compression ratio. The camshaft was
refined, and the two valve-train covers were stamped "Imperial" instead of
"Chrysler Firepower." Automation appeared in certain options, one of them the
"AutoPilot," first cruise control offered in a production car, and centralized door-lock control with a key (not yet a
remote control!) Double air-conditioning systems, for front and back,
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These were not the improvements that might have brought more
customers into Imperial showrooms. Sales in 1958 were half the total for the previous
year. Its also notable that body-rust problems hurt Chrysler cars generally starting
in 1957 (to see the solution promoted by the company, click here).
Anti-corrosion treatments hardly existed at the time, and were ineffective. Deplorable
quality control in the factory, and frequent strikes by the work force, explain both the
reluctance of buyers and the relatively scant survival of Chrysler cars from 1957-59
- they were eaten by rust like cheap imports. As for Ghia-made
limousines, they trickled slowly from the Italian plant that built them, unchanged from
1957 except in price, which was $3000 higher. |

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Engine
V8 Hemi "Firepower" 392 CI (6425 cc)
Bore x stroke: 4.00 x 3.9 inches.
Horsepower: 345 hp at 4600 rpm
Torque: 450 ft/lbs at 2800 rpm
Compression ratio: 10.0 / 1.
Carburator: 4 BBL Carter AFB 2651 S
Electrical: 12 V. |
Transmission
Automatic transmission "Torqueflite" 3 speeds
Converter ratio: 2.7 /1
gear selection: 5 pushbuttons (left-hand side of inst. panel): N, D, 1, 2, R.
Ratios: 1° : 2,45 ; 2° : 1,45 ; Drive: 1 ; Reverse : 2,2.
Rear axle: 2.93 / 1 |
Suspension, brakes
Front, type independent, torsion-bar with ball joints,
power steering : "Constant Control Power steering".
Rear, type semi elliptic leaves
Brakes: power, 4 drums ( 12 in.)
Parking brake (drum) at rear of transmission |
Dimensions
Wheelbase: 129 in. (3,28 m)
Length x width : 226 x 81,1.
Weight: 4640 to 4940 lbs
Height: 57.5 in loaded
Tires 9.50 x 14 |
Production, prices
LY1-L sedan 4dr: 1926 at $4945
LY1-L Southampton 4dr: 3336 at $4839
LY1-L Southampton 2dr: 1901. at $4945
LY1-M Crown sedan 4dr: 1240 at $5632
LY1-M Crown Southampton 4dr: 4146 . at $5632
LY1-M Crown Southampton 2dr: 1939 at $5388
LY1-M Crown convertible 2dr: 675 . at $5759
LY1-H LeBaron sedan 4dr: 501 at $5969
LY1-H LeBaron Southampton 4dr: 538 at $5969
LY1- ? Crown Imperial limousine: 31 at $15075 |
Options (some
of them..)
- A/C "model 901"
- Pw. windows and seats on LY1-1 (std on IM1-2 and 4).
- Solex glass
- "Electro touch 924" Radio ($ 76.00)
- "Auto pilot" ($ 88.70)
- Electric door locks
- Flite sweep deck lid (simulated spare tire)
- "imperial eagle" hood ornament
- "twin strut" mirrors |
Serial number
(on
right front door post):
LY1 1001 à LY1 17325 (Ghia limo: same as 57)
Engine number, except limo
(on the block in a flat space behind the water pump):
58C 1001 à 58C ..... Limo,see 57
Serial and engine numbers are not the same.
1958 Imperials were introduced 1 November 1957 |
1958 IMPERIAL photo
gallery
Click on the thumbnails to enlarge the pictures.
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Crown 4 dr H/T |
Dashboard |
sedan LY1-L |
prototype ! |
owner manual |
"auto-pilot" knob |
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Crown 2 dr h/t |
Guarantee document |
1° afghan minister +
Crown convert. |
Crown upholstery |
a scarcity: the 260 km/h
export speedo |
location of the emergency
brake light (w/autopilot) |
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Mick Maxwell's
2dr HT |
Patrik
Strub's 1958 Ghia Imperial |
Robert
Dervin's LeBaron |
Mark Shetley's
Southampton 4-door |
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