Only 45 Chrysler Crown Imperial Limousines were built in 1949. Featuring seating for 8-passengers, these cars were hand assembled for Chrysler by Durham in Philadelphia, Pa. between July and September 1949.
 Here it is kids, the single “smoking gun” photo I took that shows the A-L brake assembly on the left front corner of the car. Use your photo zoom-in tool and you’ll discover it just like I did. If the rear axle was present, it too would be A-L equipped. While the 1949 Crown Imperial Limo shared front end sheet metal with other Chrysler models, it was entirely unique from the cowl back. None of the body panels or interior trim is shared with anything else in the 1949 Chrysler lineup. |
In last month’s Steve Mags Speaks editorial column, I was talking about some of the more unusual cars I’ve spotted during my life long obsession with Mopars. One of the standout cars was a 1949 Chrysler Crown Imperial Limousine equipped with the rare Ausco-Lambert disc brake package. Like I mentioned in the editorial, I discovered this car in a now-defunct salvage yard in the woods of Sturbridge, Mass. during the summer of 2006.
 The radio delete plugs that first caught my attention are to the right of the instrument cluster binnacle. From this photo, we can’t confirm if the steering knuckle and brake backing plate assembly resting on the front seat frame are A-L components, or if they are drum brake parts from a nearby junk car randomly tossed inside for storage. If we have an A-L brake expert in the audience, we’d love to hear from you if you can positively identify the brake parts in this photo as being A-L…or not. |
At the time, I was totally oblivious to the fact that those scarce as hen’s teeth A-L disc brakes were literally six feet under my nose. That’s because I was on a mission to photograph radio delete cars and my mind was preoccupied. So when I spotted the big Imperial limo sitting on a hill, my ears perked up when I noted there was no radio antenna poking out of its portly body. Sensing prey, I crashed my way through the underbrush and gently pulled open the driver door, which was hanging by a single hinge. Sure enough, delicate embossed aluminum block-off plates filled the holes where the optional radio tuner and control knobs would otherwise be located.
