1958 Imperial Crown Limousine by Ghia

Description


(855) 586-3413
(855) 586-3413
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Full size photos
Video
Full size photos
Video
1958 Imperial Crown Limousine by Ghia Automatic 392 HEMI V8
Stock #:
S3399
Exterior Color:
Black
Interior Color:
Gray
Transmission:
Automatic
Engine:
392 HEMI V8
Mileage:
73,629
One of just 31 Imperial Crown Limousines by coach builder Ghia for 1958! Cosmetically restored in 2020 to include new paint, interior, chrome, tires, exhaust, and more! A luxurious addition to any collection, and an opportunity that does not come along very often! Showing only 73,600 original miles! Act quickly!
Virgil Exner's "Forward Look" design was adopted in 1955, bringing the long hood, short deck features to the forefront across all Chrysler models. The aerodynamic shape brought in by the excitement aerospace and aviation technology also brought the tail fins that make 1950's cars so appealing today! Unfortunately for Chrysler, it was losing sales in the large 8-passenger category. Production costs were sky high, and it debated continuing a long wheelbase vehicle altogether after 1956. Retooling and development costs were going to be too extreme, so Exner turned to longtime friend Luigi Segre, president of Carrozzeria Ghia based in Turin, Italy, for assistance in cost control and remain in the long wheelbase limousine category. Italian craftsmen were incredibly skilled, and overseas wages were lower which helped control the production costs and keep the ultimate result affordable to American buyers.
Chrysler would send a 129" wheelbase Imperial Hardtop with a reinforced X-frame to Italy without any interior. Inside each vehicle, Chrysler carefully provided 4 sedan doors, seat mounts, all window glass, a fully wired dashboard, double air conditioning units, upholstery material & carpet, lengthened driveshaft, stiffer torsion bars, Suburban rear leaf springs, and other appointments to finalize each vehicle. Under the project supervision of Paul Farago, an Italo-American Chrysler Engineer, these limited production Imperial Crown Limousines began production for the 1957 model year. Each one would be hand crafted without body stamping dies or an assembly line. Ghia personnel meticulously stretched each vehicle chassis 20.5" for a total wheelbase of 149.5", and structurally created a longer roof & floors, then fit new taller oversized doors that cut further into the roofline. The attention to detail on each vehicle was incredible! Panel fitment for the doors and fenders were carefully adjusted for days to ensure gaps were limited to only a sixteenth of an inch before finishing of the bodywork in paint would commence!
Each car was painstakingly smoothed in soldier to fill any and all gaps, then coated in zinc chromate primer, following by several coats of lacquer and polished to a mirror finish. Fully complete after 30 days of assembly meant production totals were very limited. Imperial and Ghia maintained this partnership from 1957 thru 1965, only 9 years with just 132 vehicles produced in total! At a cost of more than ,000, most were sold to the wealthy elite, world leaders, and government agencies. They remain extraordinarily rare today, with many retained in private collections and museums throughout the world. This is an exciting opportunity for an astute collector!
We are honored to offer this 1958 Imperial Crown Limousine by Ghia finished in factory code correct Black over Gray Broadcloth interior. Showing only 73,629 miles on the odometer, this special limousine was cosmetically restored in 2020 to include all new exterior paint, rear compartment interior upholstery, and all new exterior chrome. It is powered by its original 392ci Hemi V8 and push-button Torqueflite automatic transmission. Original features include dual front/rear air conditioning, large dial dash instrumentation, power windows, power partition divider glass, power steering, power disc brakes, rear seat HVAC and radio controls, dual reading lamps, fold-away jump seats, all tinted glass, and brand new BF Goodrich Silvertown 9.50-14 wide whitewall tires with full disc wheel covers.
This Imperial is believed to have serviced the Chicago, Illinois region for much of its early life before being found by a respected Indiana car collector in 2017. Having already committed to the restoration of another Imperial Ghia, it would come to the possession of the St. Louis Car Museum in July 2018. Already mechanically strong with the air conditioning fully functional, it was enjoyed sparingly as an all original example for many months. Beginning in January 2020, the vehicle was delivered to Springfield Coach/Limoland for a complete exterior repaint utilizing their extra large limousine paint booth. This was followed up with a complete refinishing of the rear passenger compartment with all new upholstery with exception to the original headliner. This included the padding, refinishing of the walnut wood trim, and virtually every touch surface throughout.
The results are outstanding taking many months to complete. A new exhaust system, heater core, engine fluids & filters, and aforementioned tires were all included to complete the restoration in November 2020. It is a marvelous vehicle to admire, especially the special way the mechanical operation of how features work from the driver's seat. Pushbutton starter, rotating parking brake release, pushbutton transmission gear selector, oversized gauges, lever action turn signal switch with pushbutton cancel, etc. It is a remarkable example of both luxury and technical ingenuity from the late-1950's, and certainly one that will have a place in history for centuries to come! Act quickly! This is one of only 31 produced for 1958, and likely the last one you will see on the market for a long while!
Vehicle Description
One of just 31 Imperial Crown Limousines by coach builder Ghia for 1958! Cosmetically restored in 2020 to include new paint, interior, chrome, tires, exhaust, and more! A luxurious addition to any collection, and an opportunity that does not come along very often! Showing only 73,600 original miles! Act quickly!
Virgil Exner's "Forward Look" design was adopted in 1955, bringing the long hood, short deck features to the forefront across all Chrysler models. The aerodynamic shape brought in by the excitement aerospace and aviation technology also brought the tail fins that make 1950's cars so appealing today! Unfortunately for Chrysler, it was losing sales in the large 8-passenger category. Production costs were sky high, and it debated continuing a long wheelbase vehicle altogether after 1956. Retooling and development costs were going to be too extreme, so Exner turned to longtime friend Luigi Segre, president of Carrozzeria Ghia based in Turin, Italy, for assistance in cost control and remain in the long wheelbase limousine category. Italian craftsmen were incredibly skilled, and overseas wages were lower which helped control the production costs and keep the ultimate result affordable to American buyers.
Chrysler would send a 129" wheelbase Imperial Hardtop with a reinforced X-frame to Italy without any interior. Inside each vehicle, Chrysler carefully provided 4 sedan doors, seat mounts, all window glass, a fully wired dashboard, double air conditioning units, upholstery material & carpet, lengthened driveshaft, stiffer torsion bars, Suburban rear leaf springs, and other appointments to finalize each vehicle. Under the project supervision of Paul Farago, an Italo-American Chrysler Engineer, these limited production Imperial Crown Limousines began production for the 1957 model year. Each one would be hand crafted without body stamping dies or an assembly line. Ghia personnel meticulously stretched each vehicle chassis 20.5" for a total wheelbase of 149.5", and structurally created a longer roof & floors, then fit new taller oversized doors that cut further into the roofline. The attention to detail on each vehicle was incredible! Panel fitment for the doors and fenders were carefully adjusted for days to ensure gaps were limited to only a sixteenth of an inch before finishing of the bodywork in paint would commence!
Each car was painstakingly smoothed in soldier to fill any and all gaps, then coated in zinc chromate primer, following by several coats of lacquer and polished to a mirror finish. Fully complete after 30 days of assembly meant production totals were very limited. Imperial and Ghia maintained this partnership from 1957 thru 1965, only 9 years with just 132 vehicles produced in total! At a cost of more than ,000, most were sold to the wealthy elite, world leaders, and government agencies. They remain extraordinarily rare today, with many retained in private collections and museums throughout the world. This is an exciting opportunity for an astute collector!
We are honored to offer this 1958 Imperial Crown Limousine by Ghia finished in factory code correct Black over Gray Broadcloth interior. Showing only 73,629 miles on the odometer, this special limousine was cosmetically restored in 2020 to include all new exterior paint, rear compartment interior upholstery, and all new exterior chrome. It is powered by its original 392ci Hemi V8 and push-button Torqueflite automatic transmission. Original features include dual front/rear air conditioning, large dial dash instrumentation, power windows, power partition divider glass, power steering, power disc brakes, rear seat HVAC and radio controls, dual reading lamps, fold-away jump seats, all tinted glass, and brand new BF Goodrich Silvertown 9.50-14 wide whitewall tires with full disc wheel covers.
This Imperial is believed to have serviced the Chicago, Illinois region for much of its early life before being found by a respected Indiana car collector in 2017. Having already committed to the restoration of another Imperial Ghia, it would come to the possession of the St. Louis Car Museum in July 2018. Already mechanically strong with the air conditioning fully functional, it was enjoyed sparingly as an all original example for many months. Beginning in January 2020, the vehicle was delivered to Springfield Coach/Limoland for a complete exterior repaint utilizing their extra large limousine paint booth. This was followed up with a complete refinishing of the rear passenger compartment with all new upholstery with exception to the original headliner. This included the padding, refinishing of the walnut wood trim, and virtually every touch surface throughout.
The results are outstanding taking many months to complete. A new exhaust system, heater core, engine fluids & filters, and aforementioned tires were all included to complete the restoration in November 2020. It is a marvelous vehicle to admire, especially the special way the mechanical operation of how features work from the driver's seat. Pushbutton starter, rotating parking brake release, pushbutton transmission gear selector, oversized gauges, lever action turn signal switch with pushbutton cancel, etc. It is a remarkable example of both luxury and technical ingenuity from the late-1950's, and certainly one that will have a place in history for centuries to come! Act quickly! This is one of only 31 produced for 1958, and likely the last one you will see on the market for a long while!
Vehicle Warranty
New Vehicles come with a full-factory warranty. Used vehicles may have a remaining-factory warranty, but please contact us for the warranty details specific to this vehicle.
About St. Louis Car Museum
Established in 1994, the St. Louis Car Museum & Sales has provided special interest vehicles and motorcycles to collectors and enthusiasts around the globe. Our variety of inventory is a testament to our passion for special interest vehicles of all kinds. Read below to learn more about us or check out our inventory of classic cars.
We actively buy, sell, and trade everything from antiques and classics to muscle and European sports cars, vintage motorcycles, and automobilia. All vehicles are displayed in our combined 85,000+ square feet of Swiss Track Tile Flooring and climate controlled complex in St. Louis, Missouri just 10 minutes from Lambert International airport.
Vehicles can be viewed Monday-Saturday during regular business hours, and appointments are encouraged to ensure vehicle availability.
Established in 1994, the St. Louis Car Museum & Sales has provided special interest vehicles and motorcycles to collectors and enthusiasts around the globe. Our variety of inventory is a testament to our passion for special interest vehicles of all kinds. Read below to learn more about us or check out our inventory of classic cars.
We actively buy, sell, and trade everything from antiques and classics to muscle and European sports cars, vintage motorcycles, and automobilia. All vehicles are displayed in our combined 85,000+ square feet of Swiss Track Tile Flooring and climate controlled complex in St. Louis, Missouri just 10 minutes from Lambert International airport.
Vehicles can be viewed Monday-Saturday during regular business hours, and appointments are encouraged to ensure vehicle availability.
Contact us for more details
(855) 586-3413
(855) 586-3413
Terms and Conditions
Payment Options
We accept the following payment methods:
- Cashier's Check/money order
- Loan check from eBay Financing Center
- Cash (in person)
- Personal check (once cleared)
Vehicle Pickup & Shipping
All shipping charges are buyer's responsibility.
Finance, Warranty, Shipping question?
Call the dealer at (855) 586-3413
General Terms
Notice to Bidders: All of the vehicles we list on eBay are for sale locally.  We reserve the right to end an auction early.  All cars are immediately ready for delivery upon sale.
Deposit: We require a non-refundable 0 deposit within 48 hours of winning the auction. Please call to make arrangements for payment.
Payment Types: Cash in person, Certified Funds, Institutional Financing
All sales transactions must be completed within 7 calendar days of auction close.
Prices subject to change without notice and do not include Title, License, Registration Fees, State or Local Taxes or Processing Fees, if any. Please contact seller first for vehicle availability. Although every effort is made to present accurate and reliable information, use of this information is voluntary, and should only be deemed reliable after an independent review of its accuracy, completeness, and timeliness. It is the sole responsibility of the customer to verify the existence of options, accessories and the vehicle condition before time of sale. Any and all differences must be addressed prior to time of sale. No expressed or implied warranties, including the availability or condition of the equipment listed is made. EPA mileage estimates for comparison purposes only. Actual mileage may vary depending on driving conditions, driving habits, and vehicle maintenance.
Fees and Taxes
Sales tax, title, license fee, registration fee, dealer documentary fee, finance charges, emission testing fees, and compliance fees are additional to the advertised price. Vehicle is listed locally, we reserve the right to end the auction at any time.