Watch the full video to learn more about the Chrysler Airflow and see Jay drive the car on the streets of Los Angeles. Chrysler Imperial, Chrysler LHS, Chrysler Laser, Chrysler Lebaron. While the Airflow name came from the car's aerodynamics, this car also features several means for air to flow into the passenger compartment, including that opening windshield and wing windows front and rear. 1934, 1933, 1932, 1931, 1930, 1929, 1928, 1927, 1926, 1925, 1924, 1923, 1922, 1921, 1920. Chrysler was also slow to ramp up production, and some customers got impatient, Jay said.ĭespite being more than 80 years old, Leno said the Airflow is still very usable, with adequate power for modern traffic, a comfortable ride thanks to a cabin placed between the axles, and minivan-like space for passengers. Customers didn't like the styling, and Chrysler soon went back to building more conventional-looking cars. While aerodynamics would become an integral part of car design in the coming decades, the Airflow was a sales flop. Cars made after 1934 had fewer grille slats and then a more-traditional grille to try to gain customers. The aerodynamic Airflow cars were sold from 1934 to 1937, and all were marked by a bold new teardrop design. Just three of these cars survive (out of 25, according to our research), but more of the high-end CW versions were saved, according to Jay. The car is notable for its opening two-piece windshield. Leno's car is a CX sedan, which was the highest-end version without a coachbuilt body. Chrysler Airflow, Royal 8 Sedan or Coupe, Imported Body Chrysler Airflow. Top speed was somewhere in the vicinity of 100 mph.ġ934 Chrysler Airflow on Jay Leno's Garage Chrysler - Plymouth, Airstream de Luxe Roadster Chrysler - Plymouth. Drive is to the rear wheels through a 3-speed manual transmission. One of the Airflow Club's National Directors, Chandler Smith, a two-time Airflow owner, belonged to the club before he owned his first Airflow. Its one-piece curved glass windshield was. The CW had a wheelbase of 146.5 inches and could seat eight passengers. Aluminum heads used on these engines are being reproduced today. The 1934 Chrysler Airflow Custom Imperial (CW) had automatic overdrive and a ride stabilizer bar like the other Airflows, its structure was a network of steel girders covered by body panels - a prelude to unit-body construction. This car is powered by a 299-cubic-inch flathead V-8, which makes 122 horsepower and 250 pound-feet of torque, according to Jay. The straight-eight engines used in Chrysler and Imperial Airflows are easy to find parts for. The Airflow was also one of the first mass-produced cars with an all-steel body. The engine was pushed forward over the front axle to maximize interior space, and the floor was lower than typical cars of the period. Under the skin, it had some other notable design features. The Airflow is known for its streamlined bodywork, which was designed with the aid of wind-tunnel testing, a novelty at the time. This car was one of the first designed for low aerodynamic drag, but it ultimately proved to be ahead of its time, as Jay Leno explains on this episode of Jay Leno's Garage. Today, automakers love to brag about low drag coefficients, but that wasn't the case when this 1934 Chrysler Airflow Imperial Eight was built.
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