1958 Imperial Body-Plate Decoding Tips

See also: 1957 Imperial Body-Plate Decoding Tips

From Jim:

This is the DATA plate info for my 58 Ghia. Serial #LY10033.

It seems pretty straight-forward compared to the decoding info (1957 Imperial Body-Plate Decoding Tips) given by Philippe Courant concerning 1957 Imperials:

Except Model 576 - is this a limo or the hardtop kit car? Special color Z seems appropriate. The date, could this be February the 8th? Should this be the scheduled date of the kit car or the completed limo? Nothing else looks too weird to me. Any comments??

Answer from Philippe:

I haven't found anywhere in literature about the # model : the "Standard Catalog of Chrysler" and others books say it's not available or not provided!

However, I have seen some '57 data plates (hope that it's the same # in 58) and I've verify some numbers. Perhaps other 57 (58) owners could help me or confirm these codes. I mention that this code is on the data (right upper radiator frame) plate and below the letters MDL.

I'm sure of the following codes:

So I could perhaps assert the following about Imperial numbers:

Note also there's no IMI-3 series, although I've seen on some literature that Crown convertibles were the IM1-3 series.

Why is there a 7? Because the original body (2 dr/HT) came from an IMI-1 series, fact approved in the book Chrysler & Imperial 1946-1975, The Classic Postwar Years, by Richard Langworth: Chrysler sent 2 dr/HT bodies and not 2dr/HT Crown as you could see on page 200 : no "crown" above Imperial script.

(You're correct that your Ghia's original body was a coupe)

It'll be helpful if 57/58 owners could confirm these codes : send me the # MDL for

About the shedule date, I believe it's when the body (2dr/HT) left the factory as the serial number seems to fit the month (February) : my car (9909) was sheduled 01/18, a friend has a 16022 # sheduled for 03/14. You're in the middle!

From Philippe Courant accf_clb@club-internet.fr, '57 Crown convertible ; PAU (France)

I've seen the '60 Swiss plate (Dietmar's car - See 1960 Imperial Body-Plate Decoding Tips), I've performed some research to "find the key". At this time, I've gotten poor results as I only have the paint & model codes. I've the options code like the 57 plate (i.e 339 = rear window deffoger) but I couldn't match them with the " letter & number " plate. But I'll try again!

During this research, I've found the (Chrysler) '58 code which wasn't the same as '57.  As the decoding of the data plate is nearly the same, here are the options codes (remember that Imperial only codes, such as Flite sweep deck lid or radio are missing). I've also removed the Chrysler-only codes, such as Chrysler radio and EFI fuel induction: