1931 LaSalle Model 345A Rumbleseat Roadster

The LaSalle Company was introduced by General Motors as a companion to Cadillac and is widely regarded as the beginning of modern automobile styling. In the mid-1920s, Cadillac was losing sales to Packard, which was offering a line of lower-priced luxury cars. California designer Harley Earl, hired specifically for this project, designed the LaSalle as a smaller, more stylish car influenced by the rakish Hispano-Suiza. It was launched in 1927 and was unlike anything else. LaSalles were equipped with Cadillac's engine, making the car faster and more agile. LaSalle was one of the first cars to take full advantage of the bright colors offered by DuPont's fast-drying duco paints introduced in 1924. With all this, LaSalle was enthusiastically received.

The Model 345 was introduced in 1930 and was powered by a 353 cubic-inch V8 producing 95 horsepower. It rode on a 134-inch wheelbase chassis weighing 4,345 pounds. Just over 10,000 units were sold in 1931 for $2,245 in roadster form.

This Roadster with coachwork by Fleetwood is one of eight shipped to Chicago for the 1931 show held at the Stevens Hotel. It was burned in a serious fire in 1971 and was gradually restored by a series of owners over many years who each contributed parts and work towards its restoration.