The future arrived with a thud, some would say, in 1934 when Chrysler introduced its line of Airflow coupes and sedans. The streamlined car, a product of the science of aerodynamics, had long been predicted in works of science fiction but no manufacturer had, heretofore, been bold enough to realize that Buck Rogersesque vision. Chrysler’s engineering triumvirate Carl Breer, Owen Skelton and Fred Zeder scientifically tackled the aerodynamic challenge and got Walter P. Chrysler to authorize design testing in a wind tunnel, overseen by no less an authority than Orville Wright.
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The result was more than just a slippery envelope of a body, a radical departure from virtually all that had gone before. The design of the ’34 Chrysler (and DeSoto) Airflow took some getting used to and, sadly, the car buying public just didn’t “get” the snubby deco look, a true “cab forward” design dictated by the wind. The look was underpinned by a new kind of construction – the body panels were mounted on a steel cage, not unlike Saturn’s, which was structurally connected to the frame creating a single stress-bearing unit, the precursor to unit body construction. Airflow body and frames were wood-free, another departure from tradition.
Not only was the look radical but so, too, was the feel. The seats were placed between the axles so the ride was smoother than any that had come before and the new placement made it possible for seats to be considerably wider making for a floating living room-on-wheels cabin environment. Driving was less of a chore, too with better ventilation and steering wheel positioning that took ergonomics into consideration even before there was such a word. The motor was moved up twenty inches, placing it ahead of the front axle, making for a more optimal weight distribution and better handling and a more spacious interior.
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Airflows were offered in a range of body styles and models. The smallest were the six cylinder DeSotos with eight cylinder Chrysler and Chrysler Imperial models offering more power and room. The line was topped by the limited production Imperial CW, the largest car ever built by Chrysler and the first in the industry with a one piece curved windshield.
As it became apparent that the public wasn’t as enthused as the engineers and the media -- Walter P. Chrysler shared the cover of Time Magazine with his Airflow -- the company scrambled to tone down the radical styling, losing the deco waterfall grill a/k/a “bull nose” by the second year and modifying design elements to hark back to more traditional, consumer-acceptable shapes.
Owning an Airflow today is tantamount to having a piece of history to yourself. The significance of this design, even though it was a commercial disaster has reverberated through the decades and into another century. In just about every way, figurative and literal, Chrysler’s Airflow was ahead of the curve and remains a true automotive icon for the ages. Paradoxically, the marque’s most successful current offerings are more boxy than aerodynamic; someone in Highland Park must have been reading his history book.
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Chrysler Airflow Part 1
Chrysler Airflow Part 2
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(The car was mostly complete and rust free, only needed a cosmetic restoration and a good washing to make it new again!!!)