READING THE DATA PLATES

This page is applicable only to 1957 and 1958 Imperials

The factory data plate is a rich source of information about the car to which it is attached. It is imprinted when the car is ordered and corresponds to the factory record on microfiche. There remains the problem of deciphering the data stamped on the plate, for codes changed every year, and the idea itself of uniform coding had not been formed . Codes after 1962 can be easily obtained from the MoPar guru Galen Govier, but for earlier years it’s a different question. Thanks to Wayne Graeffen, the 300C specialist, I’ve been able to decode the 1957 and ’58 plates, but don’t ask me about other years - theIR plates are different.

The factory plate is riveted on the radiator cross brace on the passenger side. It may have been removed or attached elsewhere because of work done on the car, such as painting. Here as an example is the plate on my ’57:

M D L P N T T R I M S C H I T E M          
2 8 3 X 8 2   1 1 8 2 5 8 1
3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
5 1 6 3 2 2 5 4 4 5 4 4 3 3 4 3 4 2 1 1 2 5 4 2 2 5
7 4 9 4 6 5 3
B O D Y S O / F O 2 A B C D E 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
6 3 5 4 3 3 2 2 2
8 4 4 0 5 8 2

Numbers and letters in black are part of the unstamped plate. Those in red are specific, my car’s identity document.

DECIPHERMENT:

First line: MDL = model .  PNT = Paint. TRIM = upholstery. SCH = schedule date (i.e., to leave factory). ITEM = ?
Second line: codes corresponding to the first line.
Third, fourth, fifth lines: Options; to be read in a vertical 3-figure column. In the example above, the options are 357, 344, 349 etc.
Sixth line: BODY =serial number. SO/FO = Special order/Foreign order. Following, options as in lines 3, 4 and 5.

CODES:

MODEL (MDL). After some investigations here is the "key". The code is always a three-digit number.

1957:  First figure: price class / second figure: series / third figure: body type.

Price class Series Body type
1 Low = IM1-1 7 "base" 3 2-door convertible
2 Medium = IM1-2 (Crown) 8 Crown 5 4-door sedan.
4 High = IM1-4 (Le Baron) 9 Le Baron 6 2-door H/T
5 Special = IM1-5 ? (Ghia) 9 4-door H/T

Thus a model 289 is a Crown 4-door hardtop (Southampton)

1958 : It seems that '58 have same data plates as '59, at last about the # body type (MDL). See chart below

LY1-L LY1-M "Crown" LY1-H  "le baron" Ghia Crown Imperial
612:  2 dr HT 632: 2 dr HT 653 : 4 dr sedan ? : 4 dr sedan
613 : 4 dr sedan 633 : 4 dr sedan 654: 4 dr HT  
614:  4 dr HT 634: 4 dr HT    
  635: 2 dr convertible    

Click on the thumbnail to see a '58 4drHT Crown data plate with 634 MDL # (courtesy Ernie Stepney). Note also that '58 have the VIN number stamped below "SRL"

 

PAINT (PNT): The codes follow. Letter Z means a custom color. A French 1957 Imperial survives with the code ZZ, a two-tone job for which both colors were special orders.

1957 1958
A Jet Black

AAA

Raven Black
B Horizon Blue

BBB

Stardust Blue
C Regatta Blue

CCC

Air Force Blue Poly
D Sovereign Blue Metallic

DDD

Midnight Blue
E Seafoam Aqua

EEE

Spring Green
F Parade Green Metallic

FFF

Cypress Green Poly
G Forest Green Metallic

GGG

Mandarin Jade Poly
H Mist Gray

HHH

Aztec Turquoise
J Gunmetal Gray Metallic

JJJ

Spruce Green Poly
K Charcoal Grey Metallic

KKK

Satin Gray
L Desert Beige

LLL

Winchester Gray Poly
M Shell Pink

MMM

Mesa Tan
N Copper Brown Metallic

NNN

Sandalwood Poly
P Gauguin Red

OOO

Tahitian Coral
R Regimental Red

PPP

Matador Red
S Sunset Rose

RRR

Shell Pink
T Champagne Gold

TTT

Garnet Maroon Poly
U Deep Ruby Metallic

UUU

Bamboo Yellow
V Saturn Blue

WWW

Ballet Blue
W Indian Turquoise

XXX

Ermine
X Cloud White

ZZZ

Champagne Gold

TRIM (upholstery) :

 - 1957  Thanks to  Hal who sent me pics and description of his "57 Imperial trim selector" :

IM1-1 sedan
 # 33:  med. blue snowflake brocade & dark. blue twist fabric
#34 : med. green snowflake brocade & dark. green twist fabric
# 35 : med gray snowflake brocade & dark gray twist fabric
# 36 : tan snowflake brocade  & brown twist fabric
# 85 * : medium blue leather
# 86: *  med. green leather.
# 87 * : med gray  leather .

* : extra cost

 IM1-1,  2 and 4 dr HT Southampton
# 49 light blue  metallic  vinyl & med blue basket weave  fabric
# 50 : light green metallic vinyl & med green basket weave fabric
# 51  : light gray metallic vinyl & light gray basket weave fabric.
# 52 : beige metallic vinyl & tan basket weave fabric

IM1-2 Crown sedan
# 37:  dark. blue & medium. blue broadcloth
#38:  dark. green & medium. green broadcloth
# 39 : dark gray   & medium gray broadcloth
# 40 :  brown and tan broadcloth
# 44: green metallic leather & med green silver  ripple boucle
# 45 *: light blue metallic leather & med blue silver  ripple boucle
# 46 *: light green metallic leather & med green silver  ripple boucle
# 47 *: light gray metallic leather and med gray silver  ripple boucle
# 48 *: beige metallic leather & tan  silver ripple boucle.
# 85 * : medium blue leather
# 86: *  med. green leather.
# 87 * : med gray ? leather .

* : extra cost

 IM1-2,  2 and 4 dr HT Southampton
# 45 : light blue metallic leather & med blue silver  ripple boucle
# 46 : light green metallic leather & med green silver  ripple boucle
# 47 : light gray metallic leather and med gray silver  ripple boucle
# 48 : beige metallic leather & tan  silver ripple boucle.
# 81* : dark blue leather and light blue metallic leather.
# 82 * : dark green leather & light green metallic leather.
# 83 *: dark gray leather & light gray metallic leather
# 84 * : brown  leather and beige metallic leather.

Crown convertible
Like above except # 48 et # 84 non available. So all leather was an option  ..

* : extra cost

IM1-4 Le Baron sedan
# 41  : medium blue monotone broadcloth.
# 42 : medium green monotone broadcloth
# 43 : Medium gray monotone broadcloth
# 44 : Tan monotone broadcloth

   

from left to right : "med. green snowflake brocade" / , " med. blue basket weave fabric " /  "med. blue silver ripple boucle"

 - 1958  Thanks to  Robert Walker, an IML member, who gave me the following codes.

"Diamond Glow" : Jacquard cloth with metallic vinyl bolsters used on the Custom Series
"Monaco" : medium tone "crown" pattern cloth with light tone bolsters, broadcloth for sedans and metallic leather for Southamptons

LY1-1 Sedan
50 "Diamond Glow" Blue
51 "Diamond Glow" Green
52 "Diamond Glow" Tan
53 "Diamond Glow" Silver
LY1-1 Southampton (Hardtop)
54 "Diamond Glow" Blue
55 "Diamond Glow" Green
56 "Diamond Glow" Tan
57 "Diamond Glow" Silver
Crown Sedan
88 "Monaco" Blue
89 "Monaco" Green
90 "Monaco" Tan
91 "Monaco" Silver
Crown Southampton
58 "Monaco" Blue
59 "Monaco" Green
60 "Monaco" Tan
61 "Monaco" Silver
Crown Southampton
83 Leather (OPTION) Blue
84 Leather (OPTION) Green
85 Leather (OPTION) Tan
86 Leather (OPTION) Silver
87 Leather (OPTION) Red
LeBaron
62 Broadcloth Blue
63 Broadcloth Green
64 Broadcloth Tan
65 Broadcloth Silver
Sedans (except LeBaron)
66 Leather (OPTION) Blue
67 Leather (OPTION) Green
68 Leather (OPTION) Tan
69 Leather (OPTION) Silver

ITEM :I haven’t yet learned what this means.

SCH: within a few days of the actual emergence from the factory. The date sequence is American month, day, year, so 1214 means Dec. 14. My car’s date number is 118 = Jan. 18. The year isn’t specified; model years generally run from October through the following September.

BODY: a body number without particular significance, always close to the serial number.

SO/FO: Usually a number below this entry means an export model with speedometer and odometer in km instead of miles.

OPTIONS: the list follows. Prices are available only for the 1958 Chrysler models..

1957 Options

1958 Options

265 ? 303 6 way power front seat ($ 101.90)
322 rear shelf speaker (N/A conv). 304 Power windows ($ 107.60)
323 Heater - custom conditionaire 307 Electric door locks
324 Defogger (N/A conv) 327 rear shelf speaker (N/A conv).($ 15.10)
325 Power brakes (std) 334 Power antenna ($ 25.80)
326 6 way power front seat 341 A/C, rear unit ($ 540.10)
327 Power steering (std) 342 A/C, Deluxe, dual ($ 688.60)
328 Power windows 345 Heater - Custom Conditionaire ($ 93.30)
331 Vanity mirror 347 Instant Heat gazoline heater (N/A with AC) $ 158.45
332 Solex Glass 359 Crankcase ventilation (export)
334 Mirror - tilt type 365 Electric clock (?)
335 Mirror - left outside rear view 381 License plate frame
338 Air-foam seat cushion - rear 394 Defogger (N/A conv) $ 20.85
344 A/C model 900 ( need 323 ) 397 Auto-Pilot Cruise control ($ 88.10)
345 Highway HI-FI 16-2/3 rpm turntable (need Electro-Touch Radio) 399 Sure Grip Différential ($ 51.70)
348 Rear window - upper portion shaded, 2 dr H/T 401 Mirror - left outside rear view ($ ?)
349 Dual headlights 402 Mirror - left outside rear view  (remote control) ($ 13.80)
351 Power antenna 403 Mirror - right outside rear view ($ ?)
352 Instant Heat gazoline heater (N/A with AC) 405 Vanity mirror ($ ?)
353 Stone shields on rear quarter panels 408 "Imperial Eagle" hood ornament
354 License plate frame 445 Electro-Touch Radio w/ pw antenna
355 Heavy Duty Generator 40 A 467 Solex Glass  ($ 15.90)
356 Electro-Touch Radio 481 Stone shields on rear quarter panels ($ ?)
357 Flitesweep Decklid (false wheel on trunk) 553 Rear end ratio 3.31 to 1 (?)
358 "Imperial Eagle" hood ornament 562 Solid color
541 Mirror - right outside rear view 578 30 amp generator (# 1842601)
605 touch-up paint (?)
612 export

Top colors (convertible)

221 Black
222 Ivory
223 Blue
224 Green

Here’s another data plate, this one from the car of Boyd Kooïj, who drives it every day in Holland (it’s equipped with liquefied petrol gas)  See if you can decode it!

Boyd Kooïj 57 Imperial ... and his data plate

57boyd1.jpg (20931 octets)

Bodyplatboyd.gif (2089 octets)

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