Bayberry Vintage Autos purchased the car in 2001 and researched the Chrysler Archives. We were able to authenticate the this Chrysler Imperial as one of only four 1932 examples known to exist. With the help of historian Joseph Morgan the proper nose panels were reunited with the car and were refitted to bring this wonderful tale full circle.

This car has many custom features including a grill guard, dual horns, mirrors, dual side mount spares with hard covers and a trunk. The interior was hand selected by its original customer and finished in gorgeous leather to compliment its new owners choice of exterior color. This wonderful car epitomizes the “coach built” era with its many bespoke features.

The Imperial series was the hallmark of Chrysler in the 30s when great emphasis was placed on building an affordable luxury car with great style and performance. While LeBaron designed the bodies their Chrysler chassis and drivetrains were conventional, strong, quick and produced more than 135 HP that easily moved the long wheel-based Phaeton. Unfortunately Chrysler’s introduction of the Imperial coincided with the depths of the Great Depression and sales were scarce. Only sixteen of these were built. At a price of $3,395 it is easy to understand why middle class buyers chose necessity over luxury. To many they were the best looking Imperials of all.

After approximately twenty-five years of private ownership this Imperial Phaeton was purchased by the Hollywood film studios of MGM where it served time as a movie car of WWII era TV shows and movies. It was most notably the staff car for the popular series Hogans Heros where it was modified to appear as a black German staff car carrying Colonel Klink and General Hockstedder to the set of a German prison camp where the comedy was filmed. After twenty plus years on the set it was sold to a private collector Walt Shearer who undertook its restoration returning it to its present livery. The only exception would be the front nose sheet metal. After futile attempts to locate the proper 1932 components he chose a 1933 nose as these were a bit more plentiful, thirty-six of these had been built. It was then titled as a 1933 and on it went with its original identity hidden beneath the shroud of a 1933 Imperial.