lets see them j bods

[WildCat]

Have 3 Imperials

1981 Imperial with 15,000 miles, was converted to carb in 1988 with 9,826 miles at the time. It still has the original paint, interior and tire

Was a company car for mom, she got it in Oct. of 1980

1981 body & interior

was going to the crusher and I thought I should have some spare parts just in case something ever happened to the other car

1982 that looks like Mom's car except no sunroof (81 model only option)

bought this one for the wheels to restore and put new tires on the 81

 

[D Dodge]

Very nice survivor Imperial, WildCat. How did a company car end up being driven so little?

 

[WildCat]

Very nice survivor Imperial, WildCat. How did a company car end up being driven so little?

all old cars have a story

I like to ask about them now as the stories especially low mile cars.

this car has been in Mopar Enthusiust and just a few months ago in Old Cars Weekly

Here is the story I wrote for Old Cars Weekly. There was more to it in the article since the editor called me and got some other details ..............

My other car is a 1981 Imperial. It was bought new in October 1980. On 10/6/80 a deposit of $900 was made and on 10/21/80 the balance of $18,718.40 was made to Tom Obrien Northside Chrysler Plymouth for the sale of their 1st 1981 Imperial. Total sale price of $19,618.40.

Because the Imperial was a special vehicle the dealership had to have a saleman trained to sell the cars. Tom Obrien Jr. was Northside’s Imperial salesman. After the sale he had a dozen long stem red roses sent to mom (her 1st long stem roses) and he was also the person from the dealership to come to the house to install the wall mount garage door opener.

It currently has just over 15,000 miles on it and it 100% original except in 1988 it had the factory conversion from Fuel Injection to Carburetor. This car was bought by Twinbrook Therapy Inc. to be used as my mothers company car. She also had a 1979 TC3 to drive as a daily driver so this was to be driven on nice days. Dad told her she was not to drive it in the rain or snow, not to smoke in it or take it to the shopping center and park close. She said the car was too good for her and she wasn’t going to drive it. She also thought it had big blind spots, but really she just loved driving her TC3. She had a problem of it becoming flooded when she drove it. There were many run problems with these cars and this being one of them. Chrysler made a retro kit to convert the cars and on March 18th 1988 it was converted to a carburetor with 9,826 miles on the odometer. The kit included a new intake, exhaust, computer, dash display, many sensors, distributor, fuel tank and lines. It was a major change and in 1988 it was about $2,000 in parts & $1,500 in labor. Because this car only had 9,826 miles on it and still looked and smelled new they did it at no charge.

1981 Imperials were expensive cars (list $18,311.00) but the only extra cost option on them was a moon roof (extra cost option $1044.00). You had choice of color, interior color and cloth or Mark Cross leather, snow flake aluminum wheels or wire wheel covers and several different radios. A booklet, umbrella and crystal key came with the car. The steering wheel center also has crystal as with the opera lights and hood ornaments.

The cars were built in Windsor, Ontario and the make was Imperial not Chrysler. Lee Iaccoca wanted the Imperial to be back and impressive. With clear coat paint, electronic fuel injection, digital electronic instruments, Quality control included a 5.5 mile road test and described as “the quietest car in Chryslers history”.

Frank Sinatra was a spokesperson for the Imperial and they had a special Frank Sinatra edition.

The standard catalog of Chrysler 1924~1990 list a total of 10,981 Imperial coupes were built in 3 model years. 7,225 1981, with of those 148 FS editions, also the only year for the optional power moon roof. 1982 there were 2,329 cars built of those 279 FS editions and the final year 1983 1,427 car built with no FS edition.

Over the years I kept telling mom I didn’t want her driving it much because I didn’t want a lot of miles on it when I inherited it. Sometime around 1991 I had a house with a 3 car garage, so mom & dad could both park in the garage in the winter I took the car to my house. Since then I have had the car and mom has only driven it a few times. Dad drove it a few times also. In 2004 a new car was bought for my nephew at Northside and my dad told them about the Imperial and he wanted to take it up for them to see it. Dad and I drove the Imperial and mom went in another car. Tom Obrien Sr. was not there that day but Tom Jr. was and he came out and looked at it as well as all the sales staff. We took a picture with Mom & Tom Jr. in front of the dealership.

After dad passed away mom went ahead and gave me the title to the car so it is legally mine, but as long as she is alive it will always be her car, I’m just the caregiver at this point.

And that is the story

Next time you see a low mile one owner or one family owned car ask how and why it was used.

 

[D Dodge]

Thanks, WildCat. Interesting story. That was a wise move by your parents to preserve that car. You might have the best original one in existence.

 

[wingcar]

82 Mirada

Here's my 82 Mirada CMX, ordered it back in the day and still own it.

 

[Wylde1]

Here's my 82 Mirada CMX, ordered it back in the day and still own it.

Love that Mirada! T-tops are a must have in my book.

More pics? Bigger pics?


Wylde1.

 

[Vern X-100]

Hi Y'all!

 

[MiradaMegacab]

Roundy round!!

 

[bremereric]

and round

 

[81Crown]

round......and.......round

ya dizzy yet.:icon_oak:

 

[D Dodge]

Here's my 82 Mirada CMX, ordered it back in the day and still own it.

Welcome, wingcar. That is a sharp looking Mirada.

 

[Vern X-100]

2nd Round of Roundy Round

 

[CMX360]

My everyday driver 82 Mirada CMX

My 82 Mirada project car

Fathers 81 Cordoba LS

80 Mirada CMX. fate undetermined

 

[bremereric]

My everyday driver 82 Mirada CMX

My 82 Mirada project car

Fathers 81 Cordoba LS

80 Mirada CMX. fate undetermined

You are the CMX man.....:icon_super:

 

[D Dodge]

My everyday driver 82 Mirada CMX

My 82 Mirada project car

Fathers 81 Cordoba LS

80 Mirada CMX. fate undetermined

That everyday driver looks so good you could enter it in a car show just the way it sits.

 

[efriedrich]

Great cars guys, Im getting the itch for a nice J body. They must be rarer than M bodies because I dont see many of them around.

 

[johnnyride]

My Doba Vert....at Law Motors in South Dakota and home with the top down.

 

[81Mirada]

This is the third Mirada I have owned. Global Coach conversion of an 81 Mirada. This is second one in the pics on the J convertibles thread. The white seats are back in and the original wheels are back on.

 

[johnnyride]

Steve....

Car looks great. Love the old school wheels and white letter tires!

john

 

[WildCat]

Great cars guys, Im getting the itch for a nice J body. They must be rarer than M bodies because I dont see many of them around.

scratch that itch

got to get the wheels off this one then it is hopefully gone
in classified