What potential! While this 1935 Chrysler Airstream convertible has been stored since 1960, current owner Barn Finds reader Russell S. from Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania has had $1,000 worth of new tires (!) installed after rescuing it from storage. If you are interested in the car, Russell is now selling it for $8,000 and you can use the form at the bottom of this post to contact him directly.
Just in case you are wondering what it could look like when it was finished, here’s a beautiful 1935 Chrysler convertible from anythingaboutcars.com (note: Karl has told us in the comments that the picture I linked to is a roadster, and this is a convertible). Apparently the only thing missing is the grille. Believe it or not, I found a grille that looks really nice and I think is the right one currently listed here on eBay for only $475 obo. Sure, that may sound like a lot to some of you, but find another one!
Russell has this to say about the Chrysler: This car has been in storage since 1960. It has some rust right under the doors. It’s a straight eight with 3 speed. It’s all there but part of the grill. It will turn over but have not tried to start. Not sure if color black original color. No title, Put $1,000 dollars worth of new tires on it to get it moving.
I’m excited that the engine will turn over — personally, I wouldn’t be able to resist the temptation to prepare the engine properly and start it, but that certainly will be exciting for the new owner to try!
One of you out there probably knows more about this Airstream than I do, but I did some research and this page states that there were only 550 roadster coupes and 101 convertible coupes produced. I’m not sure which one of these this car is (reader Karl was, and it’s a convertible coupe!) but either way, you won’t find many others! Let us know if one of you buys this diamond in the rough!
It’s got roll up windows in the doors so that would make it a convertible coupe. Roadsters didn’t have windows in the doors….Makes it One of 101..
Did Coupes have the Rumble seat? Because this one does.
Also the 1935 Chrysler “convertible” in the link supplied is actually a roadster.
Notice the difference in the windshield frame/post.
I love the suicide doors on the roadster.
Thanks for the clarifications, Karl — one thing I can count on is the knowledge of Barn Finds readers!
Karl, I’ve edited the article to give you ID credit; thanks for sharing your expertise!
What a great platform for a nice resto-rod.
What a great platform for a nice resto, that’s what you meant, right?
I like old roadsters and this one definitely fits the bill with convertible to boot!
She’s a doozie all right! Err well not a Duesenberg but a good classic!
Pre war/till 1954 cars are cool, but you have to love them to restore or even own them. Lots of $ just to insure, maintain them. Hope they survive, I will just have to stick to 60’s and 70’s for my small budget.
What a beautiful car. An Art Deco wonder. Another car I wish I could own.
Not often on BF I say price is realistic, but this one is!
The 8 Cylinder version is exceptionally rare. Most were sixes. This may be one of less than 101.
The 8 Cylinder version is exceptionally rare. Most were sixes.
If my neighbour across the street didn’t have so many projects to deal with, I’d give him the link to this one. It would go nicely with his eight cylinder Airflow.
I’ve never driven an Airstream, but did do a road test of a Chrysler Airflow sedan for NZ Classic Car magazine a couple of decades ago. It was probably the neatest 1930s American car I’ve ever driven, and I’ve driven a lot of ’em. It was a real kick to be behind the wheel of this Art Deco masterpiece.
That roadster is not a production model. The last production Chrysler roadster was built in 1932.
That 550 figure is for the Airstream Eight r.s. coupe – or rumble seat coupe. The coupe had a permanent roof. The business coupe had a trunk in place of the rumble seat which was used on the convertible coupe and the rumble seat coupe.
The convertible coupe came only as an Airstream Eight in 1935 – no 1935 Airstream Six convertibles were built.
Grille you referenced was for Airflow and this is a Airstream. Very different FYI