This is a car that, when finished, will turn heads wherever she goes! Chrysler introduced the Airstream in 1935, which had a more conventional look to it, and the sales of the Airstream bolstered Chrysler sales. Chrysler took it on the chin, financially, especially where DeSoto was all Airflow until 1936. That didn’t help with the public’s impression of the cars.įunny, by the time the Airflow was discontinued in 1937, all cars wore the streamlined look. Some of the earliest cars had issues with motor mounts and body integrity. GM held onto wood in the frames until 1937, despite the introduction of the Turret Top in 1934.Ĭhrysler also shot themselves in the foot……trying to get the Airflow to market and work the bugs out of the car at the same time caused them to cut some corners that probably shouldn’t have been cut. GM and Ford both engaged in character assassination the Airflow was one of the first cars built with an all steel body (no wood in the frame) and GM ran ads saying that “Steel was Not Enough!”. I believe one of them sold for over $200K at an auction about 5 or 6 years ago. The rarest of the rare is the ’34 Imperial CV coupe, with only three known to exist. Oh!! If only I had the cash and the space for this one! The sedans are cool, but the coupes…….yeah! It’s hard to say what the reserve is on this magnificent example of streamlining but I imagine that the current bid is pretty far under what it will take to seal a deal, wouldn’t you agree? There are still eight days to go with the auction but things are looking a little shaky so far. We’re two days into the bidding and a paltry $3,528 is the best that’s surfaced from the eight bids tendered. So OK, maybe we’re on more like the fifteen-yard line but we’re still close to a completely restored automobile. The floors show as very sound but there is no underlay/mat/carpeting in place. A three-speed manual transmission was the sole gearbox available.Īs referenced earlier, the door panels, upholstery panels, seating innards/upholstery, and maybe the headliner are missing but the dash and instrument panel look complete and clear. We’re told that it has been rebuilt but there’s no reference to its operating prowess. ![]() The numbers matching engine is a 122 HP, 298 CI in-line, flathead eight-cylinder arrangement. We’re on the ten-yard line, it seems odd that the seller wouldn’t want to cover those last few yards and bring this one home. What’s been accomplished looks fantastic, just a bit unfinished and that begs the question, why? The bumpers need to be chromed, the front seat needs to be built, and it looks as if the glass is uninstalled but the heavy lifting has been accomplished. Looking at the body in its stripped form, it does appear as if the restoration process was very thorough and painstaking. (7) seven in existence… Numbers matching car, purchased a few years ago from Chrysler Airflow Club Member“. The seller states that this Chrysler is an “ off frame restoration of an excellent bodied, rare, one of approx. The Airflow Club offers no “currently in existence” estimates. According to the Airflow Club of America, the total Airflow two-door production volume touched just 1,943 copies out of that four-year run of 26K copies – just 7%! Our seller tells us that this car is one of only seven ’34 two-door models still in existence but offers no documentation to attest to that claim. ![]() Our subject car is a CU model and is one of only 649 two-door CUs assembled that year. The total Airflow production reached 26K units over its four-year run but it was ultimately considered a less than successful undertaking. Chrysler’s corporate cousin, DeSoto, pursued the same path between 19. Offered between 19, Chrysler built two and four-door Airflow body styles with a design that primarily emphasized the virtues of streamlining. It’s located in Mount Brydges, Ontario, Canada and is available for a current bid of $3,528, with the reserve not yet met. Larry D discovered this remarkably designed Airflow here on eBay. This restored car is a mostly finished project and, it’s a two-door coupe body style – one that I didn’t know existed. Aerodynamic? Yes! Art Deco inspired? Absolutely! Beautiful styling? Ah, well, um, you know, beauty is in the eye of the beholder and that’s how I’d sum up a Chrysler Airflow like this 1934 example.
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