1938 Chrysler C-19 Roadster Coupe

Walter P. Chrysler followed a successful career in railroading with stints at Buick and Willy-Overland. He then took over Maxwell in 1921 and in 1924 introduced an all-new car bearing his name. This first Chrysler six was extremely well-engineered and featured four-wheel hydraulic brakes - almost unheard of at the time, particularly in a moderately priced car.

In 1934, Chrysler bet heavily on a new, state-of-the-art car that featured aerodynamic styling and advanced engineering, called the Airflow. Unfortunately, it was ahead of its time for the typical buyer and it did terribly in the market. Chrysler regrouped by recruiting famed designer Ray Dietrich to do a quick styling fix and by 1938, they were on the road to recovery. The Series 19 Imperial is powered by an 8-cylinder engine producing 130 horsepower. It rides on a 125-inch wheelbase chassis and sold for $1,275 when new.

This particular car was one of 189 rumble-seat roadster coupes built in 1938, the last year for this model. Chrysler first offered this body style in 1928 and it was sometimes referred to as a 'dicky.' The current owner has owned this car since 1985 and just completed the full restoration in 2008.