I'm 23-year old student from Finland (Turku Polytechnic,Engineer of Information technology).I bought a 1957 Imperial Crown 4dHT from Los Angeles in 2000.The man who sold me the car was Dieter Balogh. He has several other cars (including 63 Imperial).

My 57 hasn't been on the road since 1969.(The sticker on the license plate) .The story goes the owner (back in 1969) took the car to Dieters friend who kept the car in storage for the original owner.The owner didn't pay the costs of storing his car.So Dieters friend got the car himself in the early 80's.He sold the 392-engine and transmission and somehow Dieter got the job of selling the car away as a parts in end of 90's. I noticed the ad in Hemmings Motor News and My friend called Dieter ,who promised to send some photos.

As soon as I got the photos I knew I had to get that Imperial! The car (without engine and trans)cost $800 + shipping to the California Shipping -company who shipped the car to Finland.

Getting the car back on the road started as soon as I got the car. (in november 2000) OK, 'cos being a student I haven't got the money to do a frame off- restoration so the only way to get the car on the road again was to just get everything working . Temporarily I bought a 1960 DeSoto(Canadian) 383 V8 and trans.They work perfectly and were very easy to install(of course not to break anything original!)Brakes had to be rebuilt and I had to change some bulbs.. All of door handles were broken and I ordered few from Bob Hoffmeister and Neil Freman from USA.(Drivers handle was replaced with drivers side rear door handle, because these junkyards didn't have driver's door handle..)

OK, the car is now registered in Finland and I made a 200km trip with it last summer.Everything works fine.(only a small overheating problem with engine).

I really want to start a frame off -restoration soon as possible but I think it takes a couple of years.Thank God, at least now(because of school) I have time to collect some NOS and other parts to my car and make few trips with it in the summertime.

I think the most expensive and hardest-to-find would be the original interior ..but I don't want the upholstery be anything else than made original-look-alike.

I also have a 1964 Imperial wich I bought when I was 17-years old. It's a great car too, but that 57 is the car I always dreamed of..!

I also found a Chrysler salesman business card from glovebox!

I found a photo of me posing with Timo Suomi's 1961 Custom 4dHT!

Thanks,

--Mika Jaakkola,

Turku,Finland