Imperial Home Page -> Imperials by Year -> 1955 Chrysler Imperial Home Page -> Crown Imperial Limousine
I am Carl-Erik Johnsson (my friends call me Stina) I am living in Sweden. We have an Imperial limousine vin code C551013.
Me and me brother got the car when our old father died in July this year. We were just kids when the old man got the car so I can just tell things as I remember.
When the limo was new it was a directions car at a big insurance company in Stockholm, I dont know for how long time.
The next owner was Taxi in Asljunga in the south of Sweden they just used the limo when people got married and for funeral and this people take very good care of the car.
I think our father got the limo 1969 and he dont bay it! The owner of Asljunga Taxi had a son and he want to have a driving licence for bus. Our father thought the son how to drive a bus, the son got his licence (I think) and our father got the limo. In this moment the car was in excellent shape.
Our father used the car as a Taxi and transport of school children, I think he used it for between two years then it come some problem with the front brakes. The car was in need of new brake linings too the special disc brakes and it was impossible to buy those things in Sweden. The old man was not that kind of person how made an investigation and book the linings from USA, thats why the limo doesnt have been used any more, sorry. The limo was still in very good shape when this badness happened, but the old man was not the right man to take care of the limo in the safest way.
The car was parked in a storehouse for a few years thats the good time but after some time the car become outside the building and then it start to happened things, there came some thieves and find some souvenirs, many thieves-many souvenirs.
I think you have seen the result at the picture from Rickard.
We have some houses, grounds, cars, buses and trucks in same shape too take care of and we hope this work will be ended about two years. Maybe we found some parts to the limo when we work with the houses I hope, but I dont know. We have also a truck company with 17 big trucks and between 20 employees, very much work and less time. I am on my way to rebuilt one of our old trucks which I will have as an hobby when I retired, its a Volvo from 1990 which have run 2.300.000 km and it is still very fine, the truck was retired last year from the hard work and is now parked in the workshop and I work on it when it is possible. We have also an old Scania-Vabis bus from 1964 after our father whom we hope can be nice again. I think it is fun with old-timer meetings and because I work with big vehicles it used to be that kind of meetings and project. The time is not enough for everything and thats the reason why we dont take care of this rare limo by ourselves. We have several times trough the year asked our father about the limo because we wanted to repair it when it still were possible but the old man was a very eccentric man so it was impossible. The frame and the body are still in relative good condition, exterior and interior I think you have seen at the pictures. I think the total run of the car should be 80-90.000 km (55000 miles). We have some small details to the car but the most as missing at the picture is missing. Wee have the complete tail lights with the fenders but the little lock to fuel tank is missing in this moment we have also some hub caps but I dont know if all is left. A funny thing is the last time the car was at the authority inspection was at the old mans 40th birthday 13-02-70. Hes name was Sture Johnsson and he was living in Vallkra near Helsingborg in south of Sweden. Hes final age was 75 years. If you can use same of this to make a site of our car I think it is just great and if you have same questions just tell me, I will do my best, and if you have same idea how to make the car running again it will make me very happy. If the car goes to USA it will be a reason for me to take holiday and visit your country.
Best Regards And Thank You Very Much
Carl-Erik Johnsson
S-25373 GANTOFTA
Rickard Sporre wrote:
This weekend my wife and I drove down to Helsingborg and visited
Carl-Erik who owns the car. We have become friends and when he invited us we decided to go visit him and at the same time see the limo. The car is in a sad shape but not impossible to restore. He has not yet decided what to do with it since he already has a lot of other projects. One thing is for sure though, he really want the car to be restored.
At he moment I'm trying to track down previous owners and today I ordered the document where I should be able to find the first owner. It will be very interesting to see who in this small country ordered a brand new Imperial limo in 1955! Carl-Erik beleives the first owner to be an insurance company and later this week we will hopefully know which one. Then I will try to find out if there are any pictures saved and if I can find someone who rememers the car from when it was new. I guess this information could be added to the story Carl-Erik gave you.
This page last updated July 21, 2011 Send us your feedback, and come join the Imperial Mailing List - Online Car Club
