Chrysler Imperial LeBaron: Affordable 440 V8 Mopar
You’re hanging out at a muscle car show when a familiar silhouette idles up the road. It’s definitely a late-1960s Mopar coupe, complete with coke bottle fender curves and a “fuselage” style fastback. It parks, the rumble of its 440 V8 dies, and its headlights even flip away. But this isn’t a Dodge Charger. It isn’t even a Plymouth Roadrunner. It’s something else entirely, and you’re suddenly very interested in owning one.
Mopar Muscle Cars Are Expensive
Mopar’s full-size muscle cars are undeniably cool. They’re also getting undeniably expensive. According to Classic.com, 104 Plymouth Road Runners (1968-75) have sold in the past year. The average transaction price is $76,652. The Dodge Charger’s even more expensive. Of the 23 second-gen Charger R/T cars (1968-70) sold in the past year, the average price was $107,722. That’s more than the MSRP of a brand new Challenger Demon 170.
This average includes cars that are completely disassembled and in boxes. In the case of the Road Runner, it includes cars that came from the factory with a 145-horsepower Slant Six engine. An intact V8 car is worth much more.
It’s safe to say old Mopar muscle cars are getting very expensive. And the full-size cars appear to be leading the charge.
Imperial LeBaron: An Undercover Mopar Muscle Bargain
Chrysler cars were more luxurious than Dodges or Plymouths. Beginning in 1955, the Imperial stood above them all. The Imperial LeBaron was Mopar’s prestigious flagship car. You can think of it as an American swing at Bentley. The good news is that for the 1969 model year, Mopar chose to move the Imperial LeBaron to the “C-body” chassis alongside the Dodge Monaco and Plymouth Fury. Every single one had the legendary 440 cu-in V8, stout 727 TorqueFlite automatic, and SureGrip rear differential—same as its Dodge and Plymouth cousins. But they don’t have nearly the name-brand appeal of a Dodge Charger and thus cost much less.
The new C-body LeBaron came in swinging for the fences. In 1969, its 440 V8 featured high compression (10.1:1) and a 4-barrel carb for a 350 horsepower @4,400 rpm/480 lb-ft @2,800 rpm rating. The factory-claimed numbers would slip slightly throughout its run, although its compression ratio wasn’t reduced until 1971. Then in 1974, Imperial needed to dramatically cut the compression ratio to 8.2:1. 1975 was the final year for the Imperial marque.
So how fast was a LeBaron? It wasn’t exactly a NASCAR stock car. But period tests show it could hustle to 60 mph in roughly 9 seconds. It had no problem keeping up with highway traffic. Best of all, it would make the iconic 440 rumble while doing it.
The Ultimate Performance Land Yacht
When MotorTrend pitted the 1969 Imperial against the Lincoln Continental and Cadillac Coupe de Ville, they were amazed at the improvements Mopar had achieved by moving to the C-body chassis. “It handles as well as cars half its size. It goes into corners as hard as you care to push it and drifts effortlessly with only minor understeer. And, the Imperial is more than five inches longer than in 1968.” Its power front disc brakes certainly help here. Its steering wheel does 3.5 turns, lock-to-lock.
In a straight line, the Imperial also drove like a dream. Its independent torsion bar front suspension offered a major advantage. This setup keeps its springs anchored to the firewall for minimal body flex. Its 127-inch wheelbase—even longer than the four-door Continental—also helps smooth out the ride. On the highway all three cars tested had “adequate push for passing situations.”
More recently, Casey Wright took to Out Motorsports to sing the praises of the Imperial’s smooth ride. “Riding on a torsion bar suspension coupled with the near-limo like length chassis, there is no rut wide enough nor pothole deep enough to disturb the Imperial’s glide.”
Finding The Perfect Imperial LeBaron
As these cars are 50 years old, or older, you’ll definitely want to carefully inspect an Imperial before buying. Here are a few things to consider. One way Mopar got the 1969 Imperial’s curb weight down under 5,000 pounds was opting for unibody construction. But this means that if the body begins to rust and sag, it will be difficult to save the car. You’ll want to check carefully for rust. Don’t ignore doors that no longer line up with their sills.
The torsion bar suspension presents a similar concern: it had its benefits when new but makes for difficult repairs. You can replace torsion bars, but it’s not a cheap or easy procedure. So an Imperial sitting like a lowrider up front should be considered a project car.
The 440 V8 and TorqueFlite transmission both have a reputation for durability. But many longtime drivers of these cars struggled with unreliable carburetors and the points ignition system. Some members of the “C-Bodies Only” forum choose to swap to simpler aftermarket carbs. Most recommend either swapping to electronic ignition or at least carrying a spare ballast resistor in the glovebox, as this is a common failure point in the stock ignition system.
The factory AutoTemp air conditioning is known for vacuum leaks and is notoriously complex to repair. Vacuum leaks can also take out accessories such as the hideaway headlights, sequential turn signals, and power vent windows. If any of these systems are wonky, you may need professional help to get them running again.
What Will An Imperial Lebaron Actually Cost You
As Mopar’s flagship luxury car, Imperial production was very limited. But when these cars do come up for sale, they sell surprisingly cheaply. In 2024, a 1972 four-door hardtop Imperial appeared on Bring a Trailer and was bid to $7,900 but didn’t sell.
Back in 2013, another 1972 appeared on the same site with a price tag of $8,900.
In 2022, a four-door 1973 (pictured) sold on BaT for $19,000. The same year, a 1974 coupe sold on BaT for $9,950. Over on Mecum, a 1973 four-door with just $26,413 miles sold for $44,000 in 2022.
Sources: Out Motorsports, C-bodies Only, Motor Trend Magazine: April, 1969
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