~ Auto Buzz ~: Hemmings Find of the Day – 1928 Chrysler Imperial LeBaron dual-cowl phaeton

We’ve noted that the survival rate for cars tends to correlate to the price of the car when new, and after checking out this 1928 Chrysler Imperial LeBaron dual-cowl phaeton for sale on Hemmings.com, we think we that perhaps the infrequency of trading hands among more expensive cars might have something to do with their high survivability rate. Take this Imperial, which had to have been one of the most expensive cars in the Chrysler lineup that year, and which is being sold by just its third owner. From the seller’s description:

This car, chassis serial #EP274E, engine #L3681 was purchased new at Kirby Motors in Kingston, Pennsylvania in 1928 by Eleanor Mulligan, of nearby Wilkes Barre. Her father founded the Second National Bank of Wilkes Barre where she worked as an officer in the bank, alongside her brother James who was president. Her brother James’ son, William, was born in 1930. William recalls that at age 5, in 1935, his Aunt Eleanor put him on her lap and let him steer the car during the summer when the car was left at their camp in the mountains in nearby Glen Summit, Pennsylvania. A few years later his aunt realized that William had taken a liking to it, and Eleanor began letting him drive the car around the camp’s dirt roads starting in 1940 when he was ten years old. Since the car now stayed at the camp year round, and his Aunt Eleanor never drove it again, she gave it to her young nephew William. A few years later, he spent most of the summer putting a new clutch in the car himself, and it was at this time that he and his childhood friends named this car “The Green Buggy” (see photo). His aunt gave him the car with the stipulation that it remain at the summer camp. In 1949, Eleanor Mulligan died and the Chrysler was officially left to William in her will. In the late 1940′s William Mulligan took the car to college in Easton, Pennsylvania where he drove it daily, with the aid of the original side curtains which are still with the car. The car was very dependable and he put 35,000 miles on it during this time. In 1949, he had new upholstery installed but the body, etc. were left untouched and the rest of the car remained entirely original. He drove the car until 1955 and then parked the car in his parents’ garage in Kingston, Pennsylvania where it remained in dry storage for the next 40 years. During this time, Mr. Mulligan was employed as an executive at Ingersoll Rand Corp., living in many different countries and unable to drive the Chrysler. He finally moved it to his new farm in New Hope, Pennsylvania in 1995.

After removing the car from storage, he decided that he wanted to drive the car but wanted to keep it in original condition and not restore it. He had over $20,000 worth of mechanical work done by a professional restoration shop in Pennsylvania to get the car in excellent driving condition. I have all the bills from 1999 thru 2008 and some of the work includes a complete engine rebuild for about $10,000, installed new clutch, disassembled and reassembled transmission, rebuilt generator, starter, distributor, rebuilt radiator, rebuilt vacuum tank, rebuilt oil filter assembly, rebuilt horns, rebuilt carburetor, added electric fuel pump, rebuilt master cylinders, rebuilt water pump, and all brake parts including wheel cylinders were rebuilt. As a result of all of this work, the car is in perfect mechanical condition and can be reliably driven anywhere. Luckily the car was kept in original condition except the hood and wire wheels were repainted when the mechanical work was done. I have not had a paint expert look at the paint on the hood or wheels. I have been told that the newer paint could be easily “weathered” so that it would match the rest of the paint on the car a bit better, although the color is a perfect match. Mr. Mulligan drove the car to one small local antique car show near his home, but other than he never drove it to any other car shows or concours. William Mulligan always considered the Chrysler just a used car to be driven and really had no interest in the antique car hobby. I met Mr. Mulligan in July, 2012 when he sold me the car, which had 73,000 miles on it since new. Still nearly entirely original, the car even retains its two sidemount spare tires and sidemount mirrors from the 1930′s. The original aluminum LeBaron body and wood are extremely solid. Mr. Mulligan gave me the original Pennsylvania 1928 Chrysler registration when it was still registered to his aunt Eleanor Mulligan, after she had died and he is listed as the trustee of the estate. He had to turn in the original Pennsylvania title to the state which is shown in the photos but I have a copy of it. Also included is one original and one reproduction 1928 Chrysler Imperial instruction manual, two different original 1928 Chrysler Imperial sales brochures and a reproduction parts book. After obtaining the car in 2012, I drove it to several local antique car shows and did some other touring. It is very dependable and a fabulous road car with great power and presence. It draws a crowd wherever it is shown. It can be driven at highway speeds. In July 2014 the car was granted a FIVA Identity Card and windshield sticker after the application was accepted and an examination in person. In 2014, I decided to attend some concours with this rare car and was pleasantly surprised when it was accepted at every concours that I applied to. In addition, I received many other concours invitations which I did not attend. With the car, I attended the June 2014 Hershey Excellence, August 2014 Pebble Beach Concours (Prewar Preservation Class), August 2014 Pebble Beach Tour (before the show), September 2014 Radnor Hunt Concours, and March 2015 Amelia Island Concours. It was also accepted at the September 2014 St. Michaels Concours but I was unable to attend. I believe that this car would be accepted at virtually any concours or invitational car show in the world because of its rarity and desirability.