Chrysler Airflow is correct. In order to write about it I had to learn about it. Introduced in 1934 and only built for four years. 1937 was the last year of production. In an attempt to make it more saleable Chrysler made some changes to the body and trim to make it more acceptable to a conservative buying public. So the 1937 model looked quite a bit different--- a lot more boring---than the 1934 model. But the public still didn't like it so the plug was pulled. Innovations, at least in the American car industry, were first car to be designed using a wind tunnel, first car to use monocoque body construction, first car to use a space frame, first car to have hydraulic brakes. Power was a straight-eight, side valve engine. Initially 299 cu in and 122 hp, by the end of production the engine had been increased in displacement and power to 323 cu in and 130 hp.
50's car game
- Thread starter BaltimoreLurker
- Start date
The friendliest place on the web for anyone who enjoys boating.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
dwhatty
Moderator Emeritus
- Joined
- Sep 25, 2008
- Messages
- 2,846
- Location
- USA
- Vessel Name
- "Emily Anne"
- Vessel Make
- 2001 Island Gypsy 32 Europa (Hull #146)
I sort of remember this (from Road & Track Brock Yates remembrances or something). Any recollection as to elapsed time and from where to where?
Are there any US legal open road opportunities like that left?
I do follow the Targa Newfoundland sporadically. Close to open road. Or at least its on public roads even though partially closed off. Wish I had the money, driving skills (including youthful reactions) and car to do that. Although, I think that one can do that race in a more sedate class than the fast guys. Mmmm. Could I putter along the route in my MG?
Nomad Willy
Guru
I almost bought a De Soto 2 dr Airflow. It had a Chrysler/De Soto flat head 6 and 3 on the floor. It was the smallest and sportiest Airflow. Where do you get those numbers Marin? I'm surprised you would know such details about such old cars.
One of the characters in the story I am currently writing needed a car and since I'm the one doing the writing I decided to give him a car that is interesting to me.* I'd heard of Airflows and thought one would suit this particular fellow just fine.* Of course in the timeframe my story is set it is not a collector car but simply a used, unpopular vehicle that few people wanted and so could be purchased very cheaply.
I write with my manuscript open on one screen and Google on the other one.* The internet is filled with total crap--- my own posts on OTDE are clear evidence of this, right?--- but one thing the internet is terrific for are facts about historical stuff.* When I needed to know the price of a gallon of gas in Fall River, Massachusets in 1942, for example, it took me about ten seconds to find it.* So technical information about the Airflow was very easy to find.
Moonstruck
Guru
- Joined
- Nov 27, 2008
- Messages
- 8,276
- Location
- USA
- Vessel Name
- Moonstruck
- Vessel Make
- Sabre 42 Hardtop Express
I sort of remember this (from Road & Track Brock Yates remembrances or something). Any recollection as to elapsed time and from where to where?
Are there any US legal open road opportunities like that left?
I do follow the Targa Newfoundland sporadically. Close to open road. Or at least its on public roads even though partially closed off. Wish I had the money, driving skills (including youthful reactions) and car to do that. Although, I think that one can do that race in a more sedate class than the fast guys. Mmmm. Could I putter along the route in my MG?
*Here you go, David
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannonball_Baker_Sea-To-Shining-Sea_Memorial_Trophy_Dash
Don't know of any legal open road race in the US.
dwhatty
Moderator Emeritus
- Joined
- Sep 25, 2008
- Messages
- 2,846
- Location
- USA
- Vessel Name
- "Emily Anne"
- Vessel Make
- 2001 Island Gypsy 32 Europa (Hull #146)
I sort of remember this (from Road & Track Brock Yates remembrances or something). Any recollection as to elapsed time and from where to where?
Are there any US legal open road opportunities like that left?
I do follow the Targa Newfoundland sporadically. Close to open road. Or at least its on public roads even though partially closed off. Wish I had the money, driving skills (including youthful reactions) and car to do that. Although, I think that one can do that race in a more sedate class than the fast guys. Mmmm. Could I putter along the route in my MG?
*Here you go, David
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannonball_Baker_Sea-To-Shining-Sea_Memorial_Trophy_Dash
Don't know of any legal open road race in the US.
*Cool! I like Dan Gurney's comment "At no time did we exceed 175 mph".
Nomad Willy
Guru
The answer to my question about the cork clutch and the road race was Hudson.
The Hudson was hardly recognised as a high performance car by most people but Hudson in 1948 started building their cars w the floor pans level w the bottom of the frame while all other cars had their floors on top of the frame. That made the Hudson considerably lower than anything on the road and if they had had a ohv V8 of about 300 cu in they probably would have won the Mexican Road Race. But they still had a flat head 6 ....a good one but it could'nt compete w the Lincoln. The Hudson did have cork clutch plates and as teenagers we were hard on clutches but when the Hudson's clutch began to slip it recovered when it cooled off ...unlike any other car.*
Eric
The Hudson was hardly recognised as a high performance car by most people but Hudson in 1948 started building their cars w the floor pans level w the bottom of the frame while all other cars had their floors on top of the frame. That made the Hudson considerably lower than anything on the road and if they had had a ohv V8 of about 300 cu in they probably would have won the Mexican Road Race. But they still had a flat head 6 ....a good one but it could'nt compete w the Lincoln. The Hudson did have cork clutch plates and as teenagers we were hard on clutches but when the Hudson's clutch began to slip it recovered when it cooled off ...unlike any other car.*
Eric
