The last time anything was really mentioned about my project Imperial coupe, it wasn’t pretty. In fact, I was back on the fence about ripping out the engine, transmission, and bits I could easily sell and sending the rest of the hulk off to the crusher to fund another car project. And truth be told, I’m not quite off of that fence, but I can say that after I calmed the hell down, let the car roast in the sun for a few weeks on jackstands, and got my head together, I…was going to send the car away. In fact, the only reason why the Imperial now runs again and is on a stay of execution is because of an upcoming deal that you’ll see more of later on this year. Literally, that’s the only reason.

For long-time readers of BangShift, you might remember my “adventures” with the precursor to the Imperial, the 1981 Dodge Mirada CMX I nicknamed “Project Superbeater“. Purchased for $650, built with spare change and hope, and housing the most effed-up dash electronics since the word “Lucas” became a punchline, the Mirada was a shitshow from start to finish. But the difference between the Mirada and Imperial is that I loved the Mirada the entire way through until I found out that the car was breaking in half from rust, at which point the body was done. That’s why I own the Imperial in the first place. But with the Imperial, it’s been one treat after another since 2014. Ever since I removed the 323ci V8 out of the hole that November, the car has driven, by itself, a grand total of seven miles. That’s it. All of those runs were made around the house as shakedown runs. Place your bets on whether or not the car sees actual road time this year…since my goals from the start of 2019 went down in flames.

It’s why I love watching Brian Scotto’s trials with his Audi Quattro. It’s just about the same story: a car that some find interesting, that is unique, is an absolute bitch to find parts for, and for most people, more work than necessary. Scotto has a long history with his Audi and after being named and shamed by his comrades at Hoonigan, has managed to get the Audi into drivable condition. There’s work to be done, but it’s getting there. I should probably take a few pages’ worth of notes, shut up and gear back down for more shop time.