Chrysler – Vintage Car Collector

1949 Chrysler Royal: Cruising in Style

Posted on July 26, 2023July 26, 2023 by Library VCC

Chrysler Royal was a magnificent and important automobile that created royalty behind the wheel, gliding down the road with grace and poise. This sleek and stylish car was more than just a mode of transportation, it was a symbol of elegance and sophistication.

Source: Wallpaper Flare

From its chrome-accented grille to its curvy lines and plush interior, the Chrysler Royal was a true head-turner. It wasn’t just about looks and power. It was also a symbol of America’s booming post-war economy when people were eager to experience the latest and greatest in automobiles. This model was a representation of the American Dream, and owning one was a sign of success and prosperity. Moreover, it’s incredibly important with its impact on the automotive industry. Its innovative design and advanced features paved the way for future automobile models, and its legacy continues to inspire engineers and designers to this day.

The origins

Source: Mecum Auctions

The Chrysler Royal was a hallmark vehicle of the mid-20th century, possessing a storied and intriguing history. It all started in the 1940s when the Chrysler Corporation aimed to produce a vehicle that would captivate the American public. The masterminds behind the Chrysler Royal’s design were Chief Engineer Owen Nacker and Designer Ralph Roberts. Together, they strove to create a vehicle that would distinguish itself from its competitors by incorporating cutting-edge technology and a sophisticated, contemporary appearance. The result of their hard work was the introduction of the Chrysler Royal in 1949. The initial Chrysler Royal was presented at the New York Auto Show and was met with a tremendously positive reaction from the public. The luxurious attributes of the automobile, such as its roomy trunk, lavish interior, and powerful engine, captivated the public. Additionally, customers had the freedom to choose from a diverse range of colors that complemented their individual tastes. Over time, the Chrysler Royal underwent several enhancements and changes. In 1950, a minor facelift was introduced, featuring a new grille and refined interior trim. Two years later, Royal’s performance was improved with a larger engine and refined suspension, much to the delight of customers who appreciated its increased power and smooth driving experience.

In 1955, the model underwent a major overhaul, featuring a brand-new body and updated interior. The vehicle became sleeker and more aerodynamic, with a low, wide stance that gave it a sporty look. The revamped Royal was a hit among automobile aficionados, who praised its improved handling and comfortable ride. The automobile remained popular in the 1950s and 1960s and is now considered one of the most iconic automobiles of its time. The automobile’s classic styling, luxurious features, and powerful engine make it a true masterpiece of American automotive design.

The 1949 model year

Source: Barrett-Jackson

The grand and glamorous 1949 edition was a beacon of American automotive design, crafted with precision and passion by the Chrysler Corporation. Part of the prestigious Royal series, this full-sized chariot was a popular choice among car enthusiasts of the mid-20th century, leaving a lasting impression on those who beheld its beauty. Inside, the automobile greeted the driver with an aura of luxury. The plush seats, upholstered in supple leather or vinyl, beckon you to sink into their embrace. The ample legroom and spacious trunk provide the perfect accompaniment to your journey, whether it’s a leisurely cruise or a cross-country adventure. The plush steering wheel and elegant gauge cluster exude sophistication and class, while the trunk offers ample storage space for all your essentials. Under the hood of the 1949 edition was a Straight 8 engine that produced a thunderous 115 horsepower. Its three-speed manual transmission delivered smooth and responsive handling, allowing the driver to carve up the road with ease. The well-tuned suspension provided a comfortable ride, ironing out even the harshest of roadways. The 1949 model was a full-sized automobile introduced in the same year. It was part of Chrysler’s Royal series and was a popular choice among buyers in the 1940s and 1950s. The interior of the 1949 release was luxurious and spacious, featuring comfortable seating and ample legroom. The seats were upholstered in high-quality materials such as leather or vinyl and offered a comfortable ride. The car also had a plush steering wheel and elegant gauge cluster. The trunk was large and provided ample storage space for long road trips. Under the hood, the 1949 automobile was powered by a Straight-8 engine that produced 115 horsepower. The car had a three-speed manual transmission and offered smooth and responsive handling. The suspension was also well-tuned, providing a comfortable ride on the roads of the time.

Did you know?

Source: Wallpaper Flare

The 1949 release appeared in several famous films over the years. Some examples include American Graffiti (1973), where several characters drove the 1949 edition of Royal, The Godfather (1972), in which the 1949 automobile was serving as the vehicle the Corleone family traveled to their compound for a meeting, La La Land (2016), where a 1949 Royal added nostalgic and romantic atmosphere to the Oscar-winning movie. The Big Lebowski (1998) also featured a 1949 edition automobile that served as one of the film’s quirky character’s automobiles.

1955 Chrysler Windsor: The pick of the day

Posted on January 28, 2023January 28, 2023 by Library VCC

It was the most budget-friendly car of the Chrysler model line, with an upscale interior and various features. Windsor was also the first vehicle that had acquired tail fins. Thanks to the talented Virgil Exner and the famous “Forward Look” he created, the model became insanely popular in the post-war 50s.

Source: Barn Finds

The post-war 1940s were bleak for the Chrysler Corporation. Chrysler was the last in the “Big Three squad” and barely caught up with more advanced competitors. Although the wartime 40s were successful in terms of military orders, and the increasing demand for post-war models was satisfying, it was clear that with even high-quality pre-war design automobiles, the company had already lost relevance. The head of the Chrysler Corporation, Lester Colbert, was convinced that sales were not so much related to the quality of the produced vehicles but to the overall explosive growth of the economy. He turned to McKinsey & Company for a revision of Chrysler’s development strategy. As a result, it was decided to change the appearance of produced vehicles completely.

The origins

Source: Mecum Auctions

During the first post-war years, many automakers returned to the active production of civilian cars. Chrysler, which also resumed production, included pre-war Windsor in the restored line, however, without any noticeable changes. The only update made was the new grill. However, this model accounted for more than 60% of Chrysler’s sales due to its affordable price and good quality. 1949–1952 the company decided to update the automobile at last, in honor of the company’s 25th anniversary. The team had made some internal changes, including an electric clock and a padded dashboard for safety reasons: the vehicle’s silhouette had become more rounded. 1953–1954 updates included new sheet metal and a one-piece windshield. Also, the Standard Windsor was replaced by Windsor Deluxe with another updated grill. In 1955, Colbert invited a new designer, Virgil Exner, who was Studebaker’s leading stylist. He was instructed to take over the 1955 model year to completely change the image of the well-known vehicle. Exner did a great job – the automobile became lower and longer, the amount of chrome in the finish increased, and two- and three-shade colors appeared in the line. All these updates cost the corporation a billion dollars!

The 1955 model year

Source: Hagerty for agents

In general, 1955 became a turning point for the corporation. The legendary Virgil Exner’s arrival changed the company’s development vector drastically. Exner’s famous “Forward Look” style made a dull and already old-fashioned automobile an authentic style icon and American darling. The 1955 release shared a 126″ (3200 mm) wheelbase body and chassis with the more expensive New Yorker series. Externally, they differed little: Windsor received a front bumper with “fangs” and a thin chrome line on the side compared with a wide contrasting strip on the New Yorker. Also, it had a more modest 4.9-liter Spitfire V8 300 engine from the Hemi series, which developed 188 hp. The company also offered a choice of a 3-speed manual transmission or a 2-speed PowerFlite automatic. The body style lineup consisted of a 2-door Nassau hardtop, a 4-door sedan, a convertible, and a 5-door station wagon. All of them were offered in only one trim level – DeLuxe. By the way, New Yorker had the same body.

Did you know?

Source: Classic Auto Mall

The well-known advertising slogan “A 100 million dollar look” appeared in 1955 after a large-scale restyling. The 1955 model received rounded and graceful bodies and rounded windshields. By the way, these bodies had more aerodynamic forms and were sleeker and trendier than the tall and boxy cars of the past. Buyers liked this upgrade so much that 152,77 vehicles were sold in 1955 alone.

1946 Chrysler Windsor: The Royal luxury

Posted on October 27, 2022October 27, 2022 by Library VCC

Introduced in the late 30s, Windsor returned to the famous automaker’s line after the war, strongly reminiscent of the 1942 models. The only innovations were a handbrake warning signal and a new grille. Despite this, the automobile accounted for 62.9% of the company’s sales.

Source: WallpaperUp

Windsor appeared in the Chrysler line in 1939 and like the junior series Royal was based on a DeSoto chassis with a 122.5″ (3112 mm) wheelbase, powered by a 3957 cm3 inline 6-cylinder engine in 1939-1940 and 4106 cm3 (115 or 120 hp) in 1941. In 1941, the vehicle was available in Business Coupe, Club Coupe, Sedan, Town Sedan, Brougham, Convertible, 8-passenger Sedan, and Limousine body styles, priced from $1,045 to $1,492. By the early 1940s, the Chrysler Corporation was boldly established in the high-end luxury car sector. The flagship Imperial was completed by the New Yorker, Saratoga, and Windsor models. The forced four-year time-out because of WWII meant that in the post-war period (1946-48) the company’s automobiles were only slightly updated pre-war vehicles. And yet, these big automobiles had a steady demand – the American consumers were not particularly picky. Windsor, like other company vehicles of the time, had a reputation for being reliable but slightly conservative.

The origins

Source: California Classics

Despite the most challenging economic problems, the 30s were marked by innovations and breakthroughs in the automotive industry. During these years, such iconic Chrysler automobiles appeared as the innovative Airflow – the first American automobile with a semi-supporting all-metal body with the principles of aerodynamics, Imperial – with a typical long triangular hood and Airstream design of its time, renamed later Royal. Finally, in 1939, an intermediate 6-cylinder Windsor was introduced between the Imperial and the Royal. In the run-up to World War II, Chrysler no longer took risks with the design of mass-produced automobiles, but created show cars for promotional tours throughout the country. In 1940, the Windsor line included the new Town & Country Station Wagon, a 4-door sedan with a fastback metal roof, wood doors, trunk lid, and rear corner panels. Its salon was with two or three rows of seats. Less than 2,000 of these vehicles were sold before the start of WWII. Like all automakers, Chrysler stopped making civilian vehicles and started producing tanks, guns, military trucks, and aircraft engines, becoming America’s eighth-largest military equipment manufacturer. 1946 was marked by the automaker’s return to the American market with five pre-war vehicles: Windsor (3 or 5-seater coupe, 2 or 4-door sedan, limousine, convertible), Royal, Saratoga, New Yorker and Imperial Crown (limousine). The first one was equipped with a 4106 cm3 (114 hp) inline 6-cylinder engine and accounted for 62.9% of the company’s sales.

The 1946 model year

Source: Hagerty

In 1946 Windsor, as one of the several resumed pre-war automobiles, received rich standard equipment: interior trim in two-tone wool fabric, floor carpeting, direction indicators, an electric clock, two-speed electric wipers, luggage compartment lighting, and Safe Guard hydraulic brakes. The convertible was additionally equipped with an electrified convertible top lift, and the presence of interior and exterior rear-view mirrors. Convertibles in the 1946 model year were produced in 1935 automobiles, four-door sedans with an eight-cylinder engine (C-39N) – 99 cars, and with a six-cylinder (C-38W) – 127 vehicles. External changes in the 1946 models, in comparison with the pre-war period, primarily affected the grille and bumper. The cost of a convertible in 1946 was $2,743, and a sedan was $2,366. 1946 release was a modernized version of the Royal with all the features of the latter. Though affordable, the vehicle offered luxury on par with the more upscale New Yorker line but was powered by a more modest L-head six-cylinder engine. Signs with the name of the car were visible on both sides of the hood, and the optional “Highlander” interior could be found in both open and closed models. The 4-door sedan/limousine models were available on 139.5 “long” wheelbase chassis. The wood-bodied Town and Country were considered part of the model’s series, although serial numbers were not integrated. All Town and Country sedans, except 100 eight-cylinder sedans built in late 1946, were fitted with the L-head six-cylinder engine offered on all Windsors.

Did you know?

Source: Pinterest

The first fully armored cars were made for Franklin Roosevelt. His fleet included several Chrysler models, including the first post-war Windsor.

1937 Chrysler Airflow: An Underrated Masterpiece

Posted on July 13, 2022July 13, 2022 by Library VCC

The most influential car of the 1930s, the prototype for many iconic cars, the 1934-1937 Airflows almost ended up as a disaster for the Chrysler empire.

Source: Bid.Cars

The Great Depression was survived due to the very successful Dodge and Plymouth brands created in the late 20s shortly after the start of the economic crisis. In the mid-thirties, the design-leading model shook Chrysler’s empire hard, arriving just a little too early. It paved the way for competitors – such as the Lincoln Zephyr, and the “airstream” in general, but turned into a failure itself.

The origins

Source: Wallpaper Flare

The model was released in honor of the 10th anniversary of the Chrysler empire, which in 1924 quickly became one of the top four, and then the top three companies in the industry. And how else to celebrate the anniversary, if not by creating a revolutionary new car? The main sensation of the New York Auto Show in 1934 was the world’s first monocoque model with good aerodynamics – Chrysler Airflow. The authors of the machine were engineers Fred Zeder, Carl Breer, and Owen Skelton, who were nicknamed the “Three Musketeers” for their great teamwork. As it was usually done in the automotive industry, half of the decisions were based on aviation. The model was the quintessence of engineering: a load-bearing all-metal body, a silhouette worked out in a wind tunnel, an engine above the front axle, automatic overdrive in the transmission, compact propeller shaft crosses on needle bearings, tubular seat frame, “alligator” hood, recessed into the headlight trim… The model, or rather the most expensive of its designs, was the first in the industry to use a curved windshield, which was so difficult to build and install that four out of five copies burst.

The Origins

Source: Drive2

The inspiration for this project was Carl Breer, one of the “Three Musketeers” of the great Chrysler. According to company legend, Breer once watched a flock of geese in flight. But as they approached, he realized that it was not geese, but a squadron of military aircraft on maneuvers. It was one of those enlightening moments. Breer realized that wind resistance created serious obstacles for cars. He applied the aerodynamic principle of minimizing wind resistance to a passenger car, resulting in the birth of the Airflow model. It was a breakthrough, especially for passenger cars of those years, since by that time some of the best cars were capable of reaching speeds of up to 80, some 90 miles per hour.

1937 model year

Source: besthqwallpapers

In the final year of production of this futuristic car, the number of produced cars was reduced to a single Airflow Eight model. The machine was produced in trim levels of a two-door coupe and a four-door sedan. In the last year, a total of 4600 machines were produced, or rather 4603. The last three were intended for Milton Hershey (the founder of the chocolate company of the same name), Philippine President Manuel Quezon, and radio host Edward Bowes. Minor changes to the model year included flat instrument panels with recessed controls, padded door handles, and padding on the front seat backs. The body of the vehicle was built around steel beams in the form of a cage, to which the panels were welded. The design of the car had a tightly integrated body and frame structure, which significantly increased the rigidity of the chassis. In general, the iconic machine maker emphasized the strength of the model. During one of the 1937 model demonstrations, it was even thrown off a 110-foot-high cliff. Falling, it landed on the wheels below, after which was thrown back by its strength. However, Chrysler suffered losses since launching Airflow. Buyers simply disliked the unusual design of the novelty. They simply did not want to acquire a car that looked so different from the ordinary look. Chrysler Corporation even made a film – a kind of user guide to explain to customers the benefits of the new design in simple language and using simple terms. Unfortunately, this did not help much – 1937 was the last model year: Chrysler Airflow lasted only three years on the assembly line (1934-1937). Soon the car was forgotten. American buyers were not ready to accept the unfamiliar streamlined shapes that did not become common until ten years later. A progressive, revolutionary idea that appeared ahead of time, did not receive support from buyers, and failed.

Did you know?

The first Toyota Crown

Source: Toyota UK Magazine

Toyota began its automotive business in 1937 with a large sedan, making it an outwardly simplified copy of the American Chrysler Airflow. This iconic American car was also copied by Volvo, even though it did not become successful in the States.

For more interesting car stories visit our Car Library section.