[The List] Your Dream Drive made real
A standard Blighty-sized garage has always stood between Bill Wolff-Evans and his dream Yank-tank. Will a colossal Imperial LeBaron sate his long-held desire?
Words ROSS ALKUREISHI Photography TONY BAKER
Ive had a lifelong love of US cars,’ explains Classic Cars reader Bill Wolff-Evans as we stand in an Essex car park, just on the southern edge of the Hanningfield Reservoir near Billericay. ‘I grew up watching American TV programmes such as 77 Sunset Strip, The Beverley Hillbillies, The Man From U.N.C.L.E., and the like. I loved the street scenes, the cars and the way they moved. They were so different to the Minis, Cortinas and Anglias on the roads of Liverpool where I was from.’
All choices on his List hark from around the same time – the late Sixties/early Seventies – before punitive legislative restrictions and oil crises, when petrol was cheap and Americans were making hugely powerful cars that reflected the space-race/comic-book age. ‘They looked like massive spaceships. I loved the way they rocked and rolled around the streets. For me, it’s a golden period of car design.’
Talking of golden, his chosen steed, resplendent in that very hue, arrives – all 229.7in long, 79.1in wide and 56in high – of it. It’s less of an automobile and more a mobile eclipse of the sun.
‘The Imperial LeBaron looks futuristic, even now. It’s a beautiful, sharp, rocket ship’
‘That’s awesome,’ says Bill. ‘It’s a beautiful razor-sharp, rocket ship.’ Impressive too, are pilot Carl Westwood’s driving skills as he effortlessly negotiates the Café on the Water’s tight car park and reverse parks the beast to within an inch of a retaining wall.
‘I’m used to driving stretch limos,’ he offers. His company, LA Stretch Limos (lastretchlimos.co.uk), offers a wide range of luxury transport to hire in and around London and Essex including stretch Jeeps, Hummers and limos, as well as a modicum of British roadgoing nobility, and imperious Fifties/ Sixties US metal including this epic 1969 Imperial LeBaron.
It’s also Ilford-based, which explains our rendezvous point. The plentiful long straights and quiet roads in our immediate vicinity, as opposed to the tight urban crawl and rush hour frenzy of the Big Smoke, should allow our reader the perfect opportunity to familiarise himself with the car.
Big size, big performance: 0-60mph in 9.1sec
Keys in hand, he pops the door and slips into the cavernous interior; I take the passenger seat, while Carl slides into the rear. Bill adjusts the six-way power seat controls to make himself comfortable. ‘This cabin, with its fake wood, these big coffin door handles and a herd of leather, instantly takes me back in time to a Seventies nightclub. The steering wheel is lovely and tactile. I also love the comfortable bench-like front seats and column-mounted gear change. That was one of the tricks of my youth; going round a bend slightly too fast in a car with a bench seat would result in the girl sitting next to you sliding along into your lap.’ Luckily, for both of us, I’m not wearing my kilt today.
The LeBaron’s impressive measurements continue under the bonnet with a whopping 440ci (7206cc) of American iron. The V8 fires with a muted thrum. Mirror, signal, manoeuvre, we’re taught in the UK, but Bill’s added take in your vehicle’s not inconsiderable dimensions between steps one and two. ‘It’s a big piece of machinery,’ he says, with understatement.
We’re off, and after 100 yards a speed bump sees the LeBaron’s body conduct an impromptu low-speed Mexican wave, as each tyre passes over it in turn. ‘It rocks on its suspension exactly as I hoped,’ Bill says, eliciting a chuckle. ‘It moves so differently from how a UK car would. Already, I can tell it’s easy to manoeuvre. That’s down to instinctive, instantly friendly controls. The power steering is responsive too’. Bill’s first real dab of the massive brake pedal also endows him with confidence. ‘It may be twoand-a-half tonnes in weight, but the brakes feel up to the task’.
Plastic fantastic? interior worlds away from Sixties UK cars
We skirt around the southeast edge of the reservoir with the first corners taken conservatively, before the road straightens, allowing Bill to gently put his foot down. There’s an understated roar accompanied by a discernible bonnet lift, as 350bhp and 480lb ft torque reward him with a more than adequate level of surge. ‘That’s irresistible. It sounds awesome like only a 7.2-litre V8 can’. The next seven words are delivered in concert with an additional accelerative burst and with an accompanying three-second delay between each. ‘Press… the… throttle… and… it… just… goes. Despite its huge weight, it’ll do 0-60mph in under 10 seconds. Power delivery is supremely smooth; the auto-’box shifts seamlessly; and yet, the super soft suspension gives the sensation you’re floating along. Effortless to drive, it’s massive, majestic, and mind-blowing! I feel like Liberace at the wheel’.
That flamboyant super-entertainer would no doubt have been a prime target for Chrysler’s piece de luxo-barge resistance. One of the big three of period US luxury cars, the others being the Cadillac Coupe de Ville and Lincoln Continental – both also on Bill’s List – the Imperial’s marketing strategy focused primarily on it being the longest of the lot, even if its competitors could claim more oomph under their hoods. In the game of North American status symbol Top Trumps of the time, size mattered.
Only a chandelier would light up the LeBaron’s cabin says Bill (right)
‘It’s funny you should mention a musician,’ says Carl. ‘I saw this car for sale at a show I went to with another of my vehicles; it had a ‘for sale’ sign in the window and I chatted to the then owner Mark about the car. It was only later that I found out he was Mark Brzezicki, drummer with the band Big Country. He’d owned the LeBaron for 20 years, using it for travelling to gigs.’
For me, the mention of Mr Brzezicki brings Bill’s dapper appearance into sharper focus. I ask him about it. ‘A three-quarter length velvet jacket, denim jeans with turn-ups, suede boots and blue felt cowboy hat is surely just standard attire for a LeBaron?’ he returns. ‘Seriously though, I’ve always played guitar and I’m part of a blues band called The Biscuit Brothers. That Mark Brzezicki owned this car makes it more appealing.’
‘It cruises wonderfully; the Americans didn’t produce a car to drive to the office’
Having looped the reservoir a couple of times, his big, big car apprenticeship is complete, so we park up and exit to take in the LeBaron’s aesthetic offerings. ‘I don’t think there’s a term that’ll do justice to how large it is. At first glance, it looks like a big square box, but the exterior is quite beautiful, sleek and cleverly designed. From the side, it’s longer than two Minis, and from the front, the concealed headlights and windscreen wipers sit out of sight, so the lines are clean; you just see bonnet and chrome.
‘I also love the cool design touches, like the three light strips on each front wing that act as combined indicators and sidelights. The cabin is complicated and fussy, but out here it’s elegant. My current classic is a Daimler V8 250 also built in 1969, but its looks hark back to pre-war XKs and seems old-fashioned.
The LeBaron looks futuristic, even now.’
We pop the gargantuan trunk and play ‘guess how many bodies you can fit in’, before lifting the hood and revealing the car’s wonderfully original engine. ‘A garage 5ft too short has limited my ability to own a classic like this, but US cars have always influenced my purchases. I’m drawn to large British cars with a straight-six or V8,’ Bill says.
Bill (right) tells Ross that engine is ‘irresistable’
In terms of the latter, they don’t come much bigger. You can visualise the pre-production design team meeting, no doubt on the top floor of a Detroit skyscraper, for this car. An executive, scotch on the rocks in hand, ‘18ft 10in… make it longer; 6.9-litre V8… make it bigger; oh, and add power everything’. Design by committee, perfect for the era’s Mad Men zeitgeist.
Back out on the road it’s time for some real-world work. Off come the stabilisers, as Bill heads through the village of West Hanningfield, where the roads narrow considerably. ‘I was initially worried about the LeBaron’s size,’ he says. ‘But once you’ve looked at the four corners, you realise the space you’re dealing with. I feel I could drive through London now.’
We cruise through two towns, and the slack jaws we thought we could sense earlier from passing road users are confirmed with onlookers doing their best impressions of owls. Out onto the A12 and it’s clear just how potent the combination of power and comfort is, as Bill’s biggest challenge is staying below the speed limit. ‘It cruises wonderfully; the Americans didn’t produce a car to take you to the office, it was to take you to Mars.’
On our journey back to base, Bill’s more enthusiastic through corners. ‘When I initially got in the car, I took the first few gingerly, not sure if it would oversteer or understeer, but as you get used to it you find you can take them at speed; of course, it rolls excessively – which is exactly what you want – but it’s surprisingly capable. A Bullitt-type car chase would be great fun.’
Carl deposits us and we give thanks before watching the LeBaron’s low-slung derrière disappear from view. We decamp to the Old Windmill public house for a late lunch and debrief.
‘My expectations were high,’ says Bill. ‘My friends had posters of Raquel Welch on their walls. I had a Buick Riviera and bought models of cars like the LeBaron. Growing up and becoming a graphic designer made me appreciate them even more, so today was like meeting one of my idols. It exceeded my expectations.
‘The comparison between the LeBaron and my Daimler is fascinating. Both built in 1969, 3700 miles apart, the exterior styling is continents apart, too. The LeBaron is futuristic and straight-lined, while the Daimler is all curves like most European cars of the time. The interiors are also worlds different. For me, the Brit wins. Its superior craftsmanship, with walnut and elegant Smiths dials, beats faux wood and plastic switchgear. The only thing missing inside the LeBaron is a chandelier.
‘Driving characteristics are where the two cars do meet. I felt instantly at home in the LeBaron. The column gear selector is virtually identical to my Daimler’s and equally as smooth. The power steering is fingertip light. Both have that wonderful V8 rumble and instant throttle response – you can feel their engines through the driver’s seats. Performance figures are similar too; you just know that when you need it, the power is there.’
So, having driven the LeBaron, does it remain on Bill’s List? ‘I expected it to drive like a 60-year-old car, but it was more sophisticated and capable than that. It will always remain on my List, because it represents a time when designers and car manufacturers were not restricted by regulations, but were free to sketch and build a dream machine. Some day there won’t be petrol and cars like this will be consigned to books and films; what a classic to own before the world is electric, and who cares if it does 11 miles to the gallon?’ I’ll raise a scotch to that.
1969 Imperial LeBaron
Engine 7206cc V8, ohv, R-4166A four-barrel Holley carburettor
Power and torque 350bhp @4400rpm; 480lb ft @2800rpm
Transmission TorqueFlite three-speed automatic, rear-wheel drive
Brakes Discs front, drums rear, power-assisted
Suspension Front: independent, wishbones, longitudinal chrome steel torsion bars, telescopic dampers, anti-roll bar. Rear: live axle, semi-elliptic leaf springs, transverse linkage bar, telescopic dampers
Steering Worm and roller, power-assisted
Weight 2259kg (4980lb)
Performance Top speed: 119mph; 0-60mph: 9.1sec
Fuel consumption 11mpg
Cost new $5,788 (base price)
Current value £20,000
BILL WOLFF-EVANS’S TOP TEN
**Buick Electra
**‘Chosen, quite simply, because it’s big and one of the largest American cars ever made.’
Buick Riviera
‘Also one of the largest American cars… and a machine both luxurious and elegant enough to rival a Ford Thunderbird.’
Cadillac Coupe de Ville
‘Also one of the largest American cars… with fantastically styled tail fins to rival an aircraft.’
Cadillac Eldorado
‘Also one of the largest American cars… with a name that translates as “the golden one”’.
Cadillac Fleetwood
‘Also one of the largest American cars… and another land yacht with jet-inspired styling.’
Chevrolet Impala
‘Also one of the largest American cars… and a big model in terms of sales as well as size.’
Chrysler Imperial LeBaron
‘Also one of the largest American cars… with an amazingly futuristic appearance, even now.’
Ford Country Squire
‘Also one of the largest American cars… and a practical cargo and people-carrying “Woody”.’
Ford Galaxie
‘Also one of the largest American cars… and just like the Dodge Polara, its space-inspired naming really did shoot for the stars.’
Lincoln Continental
Also one of the largest American cars… and if it’s good enough for presidents, then it’s more than good enough for me.’
BILL WOLFF-EVANS’S CAR CV
1962 FORD CONSUL
‘I learned to drive in my dad’s Consul. With its fins it had a touch of American styling. It was slow but was luxury travel for a student.’
1962 VAUXHALL CRESTA PA
‘My first car – I paid £50 for it. Really glamorous. I drove it into college and then swapped it for a Triumph Bonneville. This is the one car I do wish I’d kept.’
ROVER P5B
‘B for Buick and the nearest I got to Detroit metal. A superb engine and I loved it so much that I bought another for my wife.
VOLVO P1800
‘I watched The Saint on television when I was growing up and just had to have one. The only thing it lacked was a straight-six or a V8.’
DAIMLER V8 250
‘This is my current classic. Nicknamed “The Dame”, it’s the perfect car and engine combination; that might have Jag Mk2 owners reaching for their keyboards…’
Thanks to: L.A. Stretch Limos (lastretchlimos.co.uk) and Carl Westwood, and MotionPictureMotors (facebook.com/Motion PictureMotors) and David Redhead.
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