Formerly part of a larger US-based collection - Offered at No Reserve For many years the crown jewel of Chrysler's offerings, the Imperial of the late 1940s was based on the New Yorker, with a new-for-'49 ‘FirePower’ 331.1ci Hemi V8, mated to a 'Fluid Drive' (clutch-less) 3-speed transmission.

Imperial production was never large but the model more than paid for itself by the prestige it brought Chrysler, while at the same time giving its dealers the means to compete with Cadillac and Lincoln.

Offered in a wide range of body styles, Imperials were always generously equipped.

Although the name had been associated with Chrysler automobiles since 1926, ‘Imperial’ became the Chrysler Corporation's stand-alone luxury brand in 1955.

Intended to compete on an equal footing with the stand-alone luxury brands of GM and Ford - Cadillac and Lincoln respectively - the post-1955 Imperials carried no Chrysler badging whatsoever.

With the first commercially available power disc brakes, and the fi...