The Airflow was one of the first automobiles designed with aerodynamics in mind. It was marketed from 1934 to 1937 with either Chrysler or DeSoto branding. Because its appearance was a departure from the boxy styling of its competitors, the Airflow was not a big seller and folded quickly. This 1934 edition from Chrysler is a project the seller’s father bought three decades ago to restore, but never got around to doing it. The body looks good but the interior has been taken apart and may not be all there.
In designing the Airflow, the car was the subject of many wind tunnel tests to create a body that would be resistant to wind. Less wind would mean better performance and greater fuel economy. Besides the awkward styling by 1930s standards, pundits floated rumors that the cars were unsafe, which I don’t believe was ever substantiated. Less than 29,000 Chrysler Airflows ever saw the light of day, with 4,600 4-door sedans emerging in 1935 alone (per the seller).
Early Airflows were powered by a 299 cubic inch inline-8 and the one in the seller’s car doesn’t run. And we think it may not have since at least 1991 when Dad bought the car as a project. The mileage is below 52,000 miles, which could be legit. Rust is not mentioned, and the photos tend to portray mostly straight and clean sheet metal wearing older dark blue paint. Photos provided include all sorts of door handles and other chrome bits of which many may have come out of the interior which is largely a shell now.
Considering how few of these vehicles have likely survived in one fashion or another, we assume a restoration will be in order. The seller is looking to get $7,500 for the machine, though the wording in the listing indicates he/she started at $9,500. From Noblesville, Indiana, this interesting bit of automotive history is available here on Facebook Marketplace. Our thanks to T.J. for another rare find!
( crickets chirping) You know, 30 years ago, this kind of a find was what many dreamed of finding. While deemed too unusual for the time, in the 50s and 60s, streamlining was in. Too bad by then, the few examples that were sold, were long moth-balled. It was too unusual a car to junk, just about everyone knew that, and most were stored in forgotten places, and ended up like this. Whoever was saving this is gone, and with it the interest as well. The only way to make this appealing is to upgrade with modern guts.
No comments,,,no interest, period.
It’s called ‘stayed too long at the fair’ Howard. Quite true. Funny though most sellers of these have the price so high the scare off any moderately interested customers.
5.7 or 6.4 Hemi, six speed sedan delivery
I have no idea where the “unsafe” thing came from. I remember the advertisements for these, they involved driving the car off a cliff, rolling wheels over top all the way down, and then driving it like nothing happened. They compared it with another “typical” car of the time, the conventional-looking Airstream model.
As I recall, there were also a Dodge and Desoto Airflow. The Desoto was the same as the Chrysler almost, but the Dodge Airflow was a large truck with similar styling.
Good Day To All
Flint
I was going to say you’re wrong about the Dodge. But you’re right. Some splendid die cast banks were made of them. Never saw a real one though.
I hope someone restores this. It’s worth more than $7500 in parts. These are amazing cars to drive, decades ahead of their time in so many ways.
It’s a damn shame that the Chrysler Airflow didn’t sell very good. Either Chrysler was impatient and pulled out before people could get used to its looks or people just didn’t know what to make of this weird vehicle and was just not interested, possibly skeptical, “Do we really want this car?” Do we need this car?”
I hate to say it but the French borrowed heavily from the Airflow and vastly improved the design with a few tweaks. Witness the Peugeot 302 and 402 (maybe it’s the 403) Google it and you’ll see what I mean. Peugeot produced the car the Airflow should have been. Sort of like a remake of a movie that turned out much better.
I agree with Lance, so many 30’s, 40’ & 50’s cars for sale now in this same condition, but the problem is that restoration costs have doubled if not tripled in the last 10-15 years. You simply can not start on a project with these high prices.
This is either a ’35 or ’36, or, a ’35, ’36 grill has been transplanted to it, to make it look less unconventional. The ’34’s had a “waterfall grill” think Divco milk truck, or VW, even more unconventional for the time. The DeSoto version had a shorter wheelbase, and there was a Imperial version with a one piece curved windshield which is unobtainium last I knew. The back end was not so far removed from otther slant backs of the time. On the other hand, the Lincoln Zepher sold relatively well, it also was far different than the rest, but just looked more sleek and less ponderous, at least to me – and the public.
Flint is right about Chrysler claiming that the car was much sturdier thus safer than others of its time. There is a movie short showing among other things the car being driven off a cliff like Flint mentioned and intentionally rolled. Then it is driven like nothing happened. This is an unfortunate example of future thinking engineering not embraced by the buying public because the style, especially the front end didn’t appeal to many. Like the Edsel a quarter of a century later; once a vehicle gets “horsecollared” with thumbs down style perception from detractors; it’s the kiss of death. I sincerely hope that this postponed project finds someone to restart it. But I’m afraid the seller will need to substantially reign in their expectations as far as their asking price. The pool of potential buyers actually having any interest in taking this on is getting increasingly smaller. Even if the buyer pays virtually nothing for this the restoration costs will quickly make this financially inadvisable. It will need to be a labor of love. Yeah I know. I’ve seen these on Hemmings and elsewhere in very good to excellent condition and they command a considerable amount. Unfortunately this old Airflow needs just about everything redone. I have always been somewhat enamored with these and they really are period pieces of the Art Deco era. IMO, they have historical significance from an automotive standpoint. BTW, I like the background music in the video. Nice touch so GLWTS
Wasn’t this the car they drove off the cliff in 1934 to show the body structure held up…..first all steel I’m thinking.
Should be gone with that price drop.
Even the windows were amazing!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZuV9j7Vsmw0