VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1912-1928 Imperial Landau

Hi, its been a while since the last visit.

Could you provide me some facts about Imperial Landau model, please. I ended up into argument with one local long term enthusiast about this model type. There was an old picture of 1928 Chevy with Landau bars and I identified as Imperial Landau This elderly chap corrected me that it is Landau, but not Imperial, because Imperials are extended seven passenger models. As far as I know 1927-29 Imperial Landaus are 5 passenger models on a regular length chassis, with vinyl top and fake Landau bars (1929 was with functional landau top?) and the extended chassis became available in 1930 on. This chap is keeping his head and claims that there is no such thing as 1928 Imperial Landau ever made. However, I have a copy of original Finnish import records and according to it about half of the four door models sold here in Finland were Imperial Landaus.

So, What are the facts here? When was Imperial Landau in production and how did it differ form standard sedan?

Risto Nurmi
Oulu, Finland

According to the Resto Pack on this site:
http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com/chevyresto/2801.htm
The 1928 National Landau was a five passenger car. That website has lots of information on the 1928 models.

In mid year 1927 the Landau sedan was replaced with the Imperial Landau. It had a cloth covered top and Landau irons and did not have the quarter windows. That continued for 1928 and there was only one chassis length.Chevrolet did not offer extended chassis length models in the US.

Thanks

So the Imperial Landau did officially exist in 1928 but it was not extended seven-passenger model, as I had understood. Do you have any documentary about this Chevrolet model policy? I doubt my "opponent" accepts: "somebody said at the discussion forum", as a sound evidence for this subject.

1928 Chevrolet advertising...

Awesome, thanks. :)

Hi Rizhto, Both are correct. The early 1927 and 1926 Landaus were taller 7 window sedans. The later 1927 and 1928 were lower 5 window sedans and called "Imperial Landau". I can email ads for both but I don't know how to upload the photos here. If you look in your 4-cyl parts book, it will list both.
For a short time in 1929, the landau bars were real and the back of the sedan roof folded to let the rain in.
In the mid 1930s, Chevy taxis and limousines were called "Imperial Sedans" in Europe. There were two jump seats
to effect the 7 passenger status. Here's a web page: <http://home.znet.com/p1937/Limo.htm> . If you look in your 6-cyl (USA) parts book you will see it listed as a 1938 taxi. Some were badge engineered as Yellows or GMCs in USA.