Lucky Number 7: Previously Unheard of 1937 Chrysler Imperial Found!

Just six of these rare rumble seat convertibles were thought to exist. This one is number seven – just unearthed after a 70 year slumber.

Few things in the car hobby match the excitement of a freshly uncovered barn find. It’s exciting to discover a car previously thought to be lost. It’s even more exciting to discover a car that wasn’t even known to exist in the first place.

That’s precisely what happened to Timothy Fabrizio. While we typically don’t feature prewar cars here on Dodge Forum, there is a rich history of Mopar machines from the 1930s and earlier. According to a post in the Facebook group “Classic Mopars Chrysler, DeSoto, Dodge, Imperial, Plymouth 1979 & Older,” the car you’re seeing here is a 1937 Chrysler Imperial 2 door convertible rumble seat.

Just six of these opulent machines were believed to exist, but the car you’re seeing here is number seven. All of the other six are accounted for, and this is the only one that remains in original, unrestored condition.

Hidden for Years

When we say original, we mean original. Most folks are proud to have their original paint, engine, or interior. On this car, wear items such as the headlight bulbs and leather fan belt are all original factory equipment. Inside the glovebox, Fabrizio even found an original insurance card, key delivery envelope, and an ancient box of cigarettes. Apparently, this car never ventured far from home, stashed away just a few miles from the original selling dealer.

The car was stored away roughly 70 years ago, and Fabrizio actually discovered it a few years back. Thanks to patience and persistence, he managed to convince the owner to sell it. Cars may be just big hunks of metal to some people, but we think this car has a lot of personality. We’d like to think that it’s glad to be out in the sunshine again.

What’s most impressive is that it runs and drives. Not only that, but everything works flawlessly. All of the gauges work, all of the lights illuminate, the engine runs well, and the generator still charges. Maybe what the old guys say is true – they sure don’t build ’em like they used to. If you’d like to stay updated on this very rare Chrysler Imperial, you can follow the progress on Instagram by following @timothy_fabrizio.

Photos: Timothy Fabrizio

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Cameron Vanderhorst

Cam VanDerHorst has been a contributor to Internet Brands' Auto Group sites for over three years, with his byline appearing on Ford Truck Enthusiasts, Corvette Forum, JK Forum, and Harley-Davidson Forums, among others. In that time, he's also contributed to Autoweek, The Drive, and Scale Auto Magazine.
He bought his first car at age 14 -- a 1978 Ford Mustang II -- and since then he’s amassed an impressive and diverse collection of cars, trucks, and motorcycles, including a 1996 Ford Mustang SVT Mystic Cobra (#683) and a classic air-cooled Porsche 911.
In addition to writing about cars and wrenching on them in his spare time, he enjoys playing music (drums and ukulele), building model cars, and tending to his chickens.
You can follow Cam, his cars, his bikes, and his chickens at @camvanderhorst on Instagram.

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