"LeCrown"

A documentary/drama about the restoration of our 1960 Imperial Crown Sedan.
Owners: Richard Burgess & Tony Kimbrell

My name is Richard Burgess, I started my first restoration in 1984 at age 14 with a 1952 Pontiac Catalina hardtop. The car was a rusted-out hulk with oilcan lids in place of floors, green astro-turf carpeting, and '65 LeMans bucket seats. Despite having also been wrecked in the front, I could still see the beauty in it. Fast forward 1984 to 2002, 3 parts cars and 100s of N.O.S. parts later, the Pontiac is still undergoing restoration. Moving 1000 miles from home, and partially restoring two other cars, has of course played a part in this. My Father, who has always helped restore my cars, has now retired and is in the process of finishing the Pontiac. For several reasons it was not feasible for me to take over that restoration.

Meanwhile, after six years of restoration work on our house, I was burnt out and wanted to get back into the old car hobby. It was 2002 and my partner Tony and I wanted an original car that we could immediately enjoy and take to local car shows and on trips. We agreed to look for a 1956 Imperial coupe, but got nowhere. I finally decided that a 1956 car was too similar in styling and technology to my 1952 car. A later car would make a better long distance road car, and I wanted something with an entirely different feel. I had fins in mind and decided that a 1960 Imperial would be radically different than anything I had ever had.

Fated to repeat history, inside of two months I found the car featured in this story. Obviously, I had not learned anything about waiting to find the best car that I could. I soon found out that I had unwillingly waded into another full restoration. In my defense, I have to say that I was very, very, mislead about the condition of the car by the previous owner. A car that was just supposed to need a mechanical overhaul and some paint work, turned into another frame up restoration. My parents and my partner say that a better car would not have made any difference. They all agree that I would have torn it all down to bring it up to my standards. I must admit there is precedence for this.

Before I launch into this epic, I want to let you know that the car came with the original factory and dealer invoices. I include them here so that you may become familiar with the car and its features should you care about such trivia.

A CAR IS BORN
Ms. Ruth Lee Medlock of Washington D.C purchased this 1960 Imperial Crown Sedan, new. Apparently she was the owner of a boarding house, according to one document. The car was purchased from L. P. Steuart Inc, 1440 P. Street, N.W., Washington D.C., 37477. The car was shipped May 10, 1960 and delivery to the owner was on June 9, 1960.

The factory invoice reads as follows:

923 861 514	IMP CROWN 4-DR SEDAN	5,647.00
72	TIRES 8.20 x 15 W/S RAYON	55.10
311	A/C UNIT- INCL HEATER*	590.00
339	DEFOGGER REAR WINDOW	21.45
383	MIRROR LEFT OUTSIDE REMOTE CO	11.90
428	RADIO GOLDEN TOUCH TUNER	168.80
441	TINTED GLASS	53.75
521	AXLE 293/1
534	GENERATOR 35 AMP 5 ½ INCH
607	ANTI FREEZE PERMANENT*	6.10
777	BOAT ALLOWANCE	3.00
57	DESTINATION CHARGE	100.00
	TOTAL	6,651.30

The dealer invoice reads as above and includes the following:

	Sub-Total	6645.20
	Less Discount (trade-in)	1200.00
	Roof Inserts (62.40) Sweepdeck (55.45)	117.85
	ST Cover (25.00) Lebron trim (76.95)	101.95
	Net price for car and access	5665.00
	Finance	642.96
	Insurance	407.00
	Tags	152.30
	TOTAL	6867.20

The cost of the car was $6865 plus $1202.26 for financing, tax, and tag for a grand total of: $8067.26. This was at a time when a brand new '60 Chevrolet Impala convertible had a base price of $2950.00. $8067.26 is equivalent to $45,865.50 in 2006 dollars. Notice that the dealer installed the stainless roof inserts, a job involving the partial removal of the headliner and interior trim. The flightsweep deck lid was added requiring a paint job to match the car. The dealer also installed a LeBaron script emblem on the trunk lid, LeBaron crests on the roof pillars, and LeBaron script on each front fender. This is why we initially called the car a “LeCrown”.

OUT OF THE PAST
The previous owner had purchased the Imperial from the estate of Ms. Medlock’s brother. The car was not running and was stored for approximately two years. Upon loss of his storage, he moved the car outside, and put the car up for sale on Collector Car Trader Online. A friend of mine alerted me to the ad as he knew I was looking for a ‘60 LeBaron. The car was located in Maryland. The owner told me the car had only 34,648 original miles, original paint, original interior, but needed a complete mechanical overhaul as the car had been sitting since 1971. The interior was supposed to have been in mint condition, with original plastic seat covers, and totally rust free with “incredible” paint. The owner said it should be easy to start and likely just needed a battery. The guy had numerous collector cars, so I assumed he knew what he was talking about.

Thinking that the car would only need mechanical work and some cosmetics, I made the deal contingent on photos to be mailed. The owner said that there was some damage on the right side, a scrape down the doors with some primer, and a dent in the rear bumper. Also the rear window was out and the trunk had been broken into. Six vague pictures arrived, all taken at angles that did not reveal the true condition of the car.

The owner told me that some local Imperial Club members were to look at the car on Sunday. I had missed a car a few weeks before, so not wanting to lose this one, I told him I wanted first option. Online, word of the car began to spread. Kenyon Wills fired off an e-mail saying that if it ran it sounded like a steal and passing on it would be “bananas”. I made up my mind as soon as I read that. Even in non-running condition, the negotiated price of $3000 seemed in line for what had been described to me. Reduced from $3700, the new price seemed low. But, as the owner had lost his storage, I figured he was motivated. As I was to find out later, the lost storage resulted in the car sitting outside for 6 months with an open trunk and leaking plastic over the rear window opening.

THE OMEN
Several Imperial Club members looked at the car and all were confused by the multiple emblems. The car was being sold as a LeBaron. I was 95% committed to the purchase of this car when the debate on the Imperial mailing list began. Was it a real LeBaron? The consensus was maybe. Looking at my photos again, I realized that the car had the large rear window. The window was covered in plastic and duct tape in my pictures so I didn’t question the car’s pedigree until the club members brought it up. Amidst all the controversy on line I became intrigued. Since the owner had the paperwork from the dealership I thought, “Well, I’ll make the purchase anyway, it’s an oddball. I’ll have the only dealer created LeBaron.” One e-mail mentioned that the car had a LeBaron interior as well. This also encouraged me in my decision to buy the car, but proved to be untrue. More e-mails came, some positive, some negative. Eventually, everyone agreed that the car was pretty rough and the seller was asking too much. By the time these e-mails came along the car was scheduled to arrive.

Reading specs on the car, I came to realize just how long this car was going to be. I spent the next weekend taking out a wall at the end of my garage. The next two weeks were nerve wracking as I anticipated the car’s arrival and waited to see just what I had gotten myself into. Meanwhile, just surfing the net, I came across an archived blurb on the Forward Look Network on a 1960 Imperial for sale dated July 23, 2000. It read as follows:

Hi Forwardlookers,
I was out today and noticed a yard sale, slowed to look and noticed a finned beast in the back yard. The story is that this guy has had the car stored in his garage for 15 to 20 years and is now in poor health and clearing things out. I took a look and the car doesn’t look too bad. It seems to have everything there, but doesn’t run. It is an Imperial LeBaron or Crown; I just can’t remember which one. (OK, this might be my car) It’s a black 4-door with air. It has a 413, but one valve cover is off. (I wonder why that is?) Supposed to be stuck from sitting, (the motors frozen?), also the rear window needs to be installed. Apparently the windows were busted out and he has replaced and installed all except the rear window. (GASP! Busted glass? ) He wants $2500 for it and it is located in Bowie, Maryland. (Proof that this is indeed my car.) The owner’s name is Bill Cogar and his number is …………., I have no interest in the car, just trying to help it go to a good home.

Allen

At this point the car was on its way. Buyer’s remorse set in and I was getting seriously depressed. I e-mailed Allen and he recounted the visit. He said that at the time, Mr. Cogar was on oxygen but still up and around. Mr. Cogar said the boyfriend of the daughter of the original owner got mad at her and broke all the windows out. Allen said the car didn’t sell at that time but he noticed an estate sale the next spring and assumed Mr. Cogar had died. The man who sold me the car said he had driven by the house hundreds of times. When he saw this car emerge from the garage during an estate sale he had to stop. He purchased the car out of curiosity, and as a possible investment, and just moved the car into storage with his other cars. Here the stories connect.

The last owner said that Mr. Cogar was the original owner’s brother, which I cannot confirm. The story goes that Ms. Medlock stopped driving around 1971. I now surmise that by that time she had probably hit everything in town. The family started the car monthly and it sat from 1971 until about 1978 when, I assume, Ms. Medlock died. On March 30, 1978 the car was registered to Ms. Medlocks’ daughter Beverly Medlock, also of Washington D.C. Included in the paperwork were the registration and some 1978 receipts which are probably from the end of its days as a running vehicle. The story gets murky at this point as to just when Mr. Cogar ended up with the car. At some point the engine seized and I suspect that it was Mr. Cogar who made several failed attempts to free it up. With the engine frozen it appears to have been abandoned to Mr. Cogar’s garage. I have tried to contact Beverly Medlock in Washington D.C. but have never received a response.

SUDDEN FEAR
I purchased the car in October of 2002 and it arrived by trailer at my home in Atlanta on November 11, 2003. This photo was meant as a joke, but by late that evening, I really was in this condition. Concourse Transport Systems delivered the car from Maryland to Atlanta. About 8 p.m., the16 wheeler arrived in darkness, and a light rain began as the truck pulled up. I had arranged for a tilt bed wrecker to take the car from the semi to my garage and the transfer went smoothly. I was very happy with the transport company. Not so with the wreck they dragged out of the back of the rig. The biggest shock was that the “few small spots of primer” turned out to be unpainted Body filler smeared on two right doors, the front right fender, the trunk lid, and around the back window.

Neighbors came to watch the progress as we tilted the car into the garage.

THE BIG SPILL
As the car was tilted into its new home, a sheet of oil came pouring out from behind the front bumper. My neighbor said the car seemed to be marking its new territory. It was off to the grocery store to buy kitty litter to soak up the mess. This was not what I had imagined my first purchase for the car would be.

We quickly realized that the car was a complete wreck. The rear window had rusted out, leaking water into the rear seat, destroying the lower seat cushion and staining the door panel. Mind you, I had been told the interior was in mint condition. The door panels were salvageable and the dash looked almost new despite pitting and a hazy film on all of the trim.

As I began to survey the remains, I noticed just how extensive the amounts of plastic body filler were. This car with the “perfect” paint had rust creeping from below several pieces of trim. The left side of the car looked nearly new except that the entire fin had been keyed, a 5 foot long scratch down to the metal. Then I noticed chips and scratches on the trunk lid revealing white paint underneath. “Now what?”, I thought. I later realized, having been installed by the dealer, the deck lid was originally white and had been painted to match the car. The body filler over the trunk handle later revealed that a large sharp object had been used to break into the trunk. Underneath the Bondo was a 1” deep dimpled crater of stretched and cracked metal.