Fletch's Imperial LeBaron Rebuild Part 3: Classic Restos - Series 50
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 10 ก.ย. 2024
- The finish line for rebuilding the Imperial LeBaron is in sight. Fletch heads off to Jim Wall Automotive in Mittagong to refurbish the brakes from the master cylinder to the newly bonded rear shoes. The LeBaron is a big car, around 2,000kg of Detroit steel, so it needs brakes capable of pulling up the beast. We watch the team at Jim Wall Automotive do their thing.
Meanwhile, Fletch reflects on the history of the '68 Imperial LeBaron, built in the Jefferson Avenue plant in Detroit, selling for around $7,000 back then or $58,000 in today's money. With only 1,852 of these made, they were considered quite an exclusive car, a limousine, at 5.8 metres in length with a 127" wheelbase, and fully appointed with luxury options 50+ years ago that we take for granted today.
Interestingly, Fletch discovered a version with an even more extended wheelbase of 163", with only 12 ever built for the Stagecoach airport limousine company. These were considered the world's most prominent luxury limousine cars at the time and cost $12,000 - $15,000. Fletch says he would love to know if any of these have survived.
With the brakes complete, Fletch takes the LeBaron for its first official run. He reports no real issues and pays thanks to the team of professional automotive tradespeople who assisted with the project. Fletch confesses that he can do many things himself, but there are specific tasks that you need to outsource and, in doing so, supports the local trades and community.
The project inspired everybody involved, and if Fletch's LeBaron Rebuild has inspired you to start a project or even buy an older classic, then his job is done.
Now it's Fletch's time to enjoy the Imperial LeBaron.
Lovely LeBaron. Looks good in dark green with the black vinyl roof. Thank you and Murray both for saving this!
Good to see the inspiration on the road and stopping 👌
Engine is running flawlessly.
inspirational Fletch, The yanks certainly knew how to build cars back then, these old U.S. classics are a piece of art. Love your Imperial & the history/story of its past. Keep the episodes coming, love your work
Fantastic Fletch - well done good sir!
i would love to thank you fletch for bringing the best content out all the time. i love the car and the passion . so many features for 1968 . As a Holden man, i get the passion.
Another great episode from itchy but productions 😆
Excellent resto fletch
I think 1967/68 Imperials are the most beautiful years of Imperial. I owned one in 1978. Beautiful car. One of the most fantastic features of them, is the tailamps. At night when an Imperial passed you, you knew what it was! They out handled Cadillac and Lincoln, due to the front torsion bar, rear leaf spring suspension. As Imperial advertised it back in 68 it was a drivers luxury car.
Yes, they are my dream ride. How many miles could you get out of them brand new when maintained? I've heard legend has it many could last over 200k and some closer to a bit over 300k before the mighty engine/transmission combo died and needed restoration from regular use when new. Is this correct, an American car from over 50 years ago-reliable?!
Great show and job on the Imperial.
Very nice mate
Lovely car & episode Fletch. Glad you eradicted that gimbal rattle noise from the in car scene. Please do that for your guests.
Great car. Love the personal videos. Now don’t forget that the legendary Green Hornet from the ABC television series had his Black Beauty which was a 1966 Imperial
Take care always enjoy your videos
Bill in Fort Wayne Indiana USA
I worked on those when they were almost new as I started working in a Chrysler Plymouth Imperial dealer in 1969. I spent 45 years in the automotive service and parts business most of those years were spent in Chrysler Corporation dealers.
How reliable were these imperials? I've heard mixed reviews where some knew people with over 200k miles on them back in the day before they crapped out, and others who constantly needed repairs?!
@@tonytalks9070 Mechanically they were very good. Most of the problems were with the newer body design that came out in 1969. Quality really started to suffer as the 70s went on. There were water leaks and electrical gremlins. I remember a new 72 that had mushrooms growing in the trunk because of the water leaking in. The 68 was the last of the older body design and were very good compared to the 69 and newer cars.
@@jdgimpa That would explain why today the vast majority of imperials for sale are from 1968 and earlier because the rest were demoed, rusted out and pure pieces of junk (mostly but there were exceptions).
I made friends in church accidentally who are in their 70s (I'm 21, dont worry their grandson is also friends with me) and the husband remembers driving a fuselage imperial and said it was HUGE, so big in fact he could fit like 8 in it! And he always bought his cars used and it was like 12 years old at the time and still was mostly fine and did its duties. But he said the engine never ran smoothly and always had bugs. But thetransmission, electronics and the rest worked ok.
I quipped, so what was more reliable these or Cadillac's? He said: definitely these and it makes sense as they almost never built more than 20k of these but cadillac built 10 times as many vehicles each year and Q/C is certainly worse back then with mass-production but better today than hand-built. Oh how times change! And it had well north of 100k miles on it too which back then most American machines especially were done by like 80k.
Great result Fletch. What a terrific car. Love it.
Great work fletch. I restored a beetle and have another in the shed. Nothing better to get out and do a drive or go to a run or show.
thanks for promoting this hobby for so many of us.
I have enjoyed watching your “Classic Restos” episodes, Mr. Fletch. Your Imperial is coming along nicely. I reckon when the roll-back truck and the lift at the shop were having to support this car all that could be said, “This hurts”! Keep up the great work, Sir.
Great viewing mate, thanks for the effort. 👍🏻
Thank you Fletch. Another great episode. Good to hear some of the history and how you were able to tell that old guy about your success in recommissioning this beautiful impressive car.
I think you have an actual green jewel there fletch
I would just love a land yacht 😍😍👍👍
Interesting Fletch that your LeBaron interior has brass where it would have actual wood veneer. I believe in 67 & 68 the Imperial's used actual wood inlay as a selling feature. Perhaps brass was an option. I have almost no doubt that given your cars history, the suspension would not have had much work done. As the drum brake guy said, the drums have so much meat on them they'll be good for another 50 years!
Last year for wood veneers was '67. The brass is correct for '68.
we have gone backwards with cars, fantastic old cars, America was ahead of the times by a mile.
its a great car fletch, great adition to your other cars.
we went anti polision, but if you add up the throw away stuff we have know days, is far more expensive, and far more damaging for the enviroment.
us old guys remember, how many times did wew get stuck on the side of the road, compared to now.
we rarely had to change a wiper blade, lucky to get 6 months out of them.
so much waist. equals more pollution.
Fletcher that's definitely a beautiful looking imperial Chevrolet car mate
From rival Chrysler not downmarket Chevrolet.
Surely it’s time to celebrate with a cheese sandwich now Fletch!!🥪🥪👌
No cruise control on '57 Eldorado Brougham (you state that in the commercial), unless added later. Cruise not offered by GM until 1959. Chrysler Corp., was first to offer it - in '58.
Mr. Fletch, now you need to rework the exhaust. The 440 really needs two exhaust pipes. I am sure there are lots of straight roads in Australia that you want to drive the Imperial fast. It will not disappoint you, but dual exhaust goes a long way to getting the 440 to properly wind up.
Nice car /////////// WAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY nicer than when you first bought it /////////////////////////////
Your looking pretty gangsta there fletch. Hehe
Bit like me Fletch, fix it myself or get it done properly
Cant believe you let that fool anywhere near your mopar with that West Virginia fit em all. Shame shame on ya Fletch. Crescent wrench ? Oh lord.
Cant believe you let that fool anywhere near your mopar with that West Virginia fit em all. Shame shame on ya Fletch. Crescent wrench ? Oh lord.