Progress is one thing, but radical change is something else entirely, and when the Chrysler Airflow debuted in 1934, the car-buying public didn’t know what to make of the streamlined sedan. Its wind tunnel-shaped bodywork looked like nothing else on U.S. roads, and many saw its unibody design as a weakness instead of a strength. Chrysler dialed back the styling for 1935, in an attempt to make the Airflow more appealing, but this did little to spur sales and the line was dropped following the 1937 model year. Today, Airflows remain a rare sight, though their lines have certainly grown more appealing over the years. This 1935 Chrysler Airflow C-1, for sale on Hemmings.com, boasts refined second-year styling, along with low mileage and a restored interior and engine bay. It’s still not a car for every collector, but those who love to field questions about their cars may want to consider this for the collection. From the seller’s description:
1935 Chrysler Airflow C-1
Odometer: 47,376 mi
Color: Polo Green, Paint: partial re-coat 15-20yrs ago, polished back to a nice gloss
Interior: total restoration with reproduced original fabric
Engine: Original and repainted, compartment like new
Transmission: 3 speed manual with the first automatic overdrive
The Airflow may have been in advance of its age, but many of the new concepts they formulated were eventually adopted into the modern motorcar. Many of their ideas have now become public domain for the automotive engineer who may have long forgotten their source.
With consultation of Orville Wright, a wind tunnel was designed, to analyze the aerodynamics of the car. One of his first discoveries was that the car of that time generated less air resistance moving backward than it did moving forward!
The body shape consists of a parabolic curve from front to back. The windshield was split in half forming a “V pattern” and angled back to smooth the transition from the engine cover to the top of the passenger compartment.
An ideal weight distribution was established by pushing the engine location forward over the front axle. Longer and softer springs were put in the front to take up the engine weight, resulting in elimination of the fore and aft pitching motion that had been a characteristic of the motor car since its beginning.
The basic frame structure was also redesigned resulting in a form of unit-body construction which was far in advance of anything in its day. Instead of riding over the frame, passengers now rode inside it.
In 1935, a total of 7751 Airflows were built, and were available in 4 different wheel bases C-1, C-2, C-3, and CW.
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