Coupe
Chassis #: 6078798
Sold for $55,000 at 2012 RM Auctions - Hershey, PA.
Sold for $82,500 at 2013 Bonhams - Quail Lodge Auction.
At the turn of the 20th century, little concern was placed on aerodynamics. Most all of the vehicles designed and built were nothing more than big, abrupt cars that were about as concerned about airflow as they were about gas mileage. However, just as birds in flight birthed flight, it would also lead to a fundamental change in automotive design and it would be embodied in the failed Chrysler Airflow. The first American full-size car to utilize aerodynamic streamlining would find its beginnings during the late 1920s. At that time Carl Breer worked as an engineer for Chrysler and was curious about the flow of forms through the air. This curiosity came as a result of watching geese flying in their familiar 'V' formation. Such inquisitive observations had formed the basis for the fundamentals of flight that would come to be realized first with gliders, and then in powered-flight with the Wright brothers. Interestingly, as Breer came to investigate aerodynamics more closely he work in cooperation with Orville Wright. By the time Breer showed interest in the flow of objects through the air the airplane had been around for a couple of decades. And as he watched some military aircraft on maneuvers, he interest would become peeked. This would lead Breer and a couple of other engineers to visit Orville Wright to study the brothers' wind tunnel.
Breer would meet with Wright and the two would take different shapes and place them within the wind tunnel so that Breer could witness how those shapes reacted. This experience would lead Chrysler to build their own wind tunnel at their Highland Park location. This wind tunnel tested 50 percent models and would give birth to Chrysler's streamlined Airflow.
However, it was not to be. Proving that old habits die hard and that change is difficult, the public would step away from the futuristic car. What made the car special would be the very thing that would make people shy away from it.
It wouldn't necessarily be the car's fault that people unimpressed with the car. In fact, the car would be very impressive and would prove aerodynamics in car design. Harry Hartz would perform a cross-country trip in an Airflow. Travelling from New York to San Francisco, Hartz would average an unprecedented 22 miles per gallon. By the summer of 1934 the Airflow would break more than 70 national and international records at the Bonneville Salt Flats. The car, during a 24-hour non-stop run, would average better than 84 mph and would even touch speeds of 95 mph. The DeSoto model would also be impressive setting records by achieving an average speed in excess of 76 mph over 500 miles and over 74 mph for 2,000 miles. Yet despite the records, it would be the fact the car was ahead of its time that potential buyers would avoid the car. While Chrysler would actually make money throughout the 1934 model year because of the older line of cars, DeSoto would be hurting offered just the 'new-fangled' Airflow. In addition, the DeSoto model looked rather short and stumpy compared to the Chrysler model which was placed on a larger wheelbase. Combining the revolutionary looks with a shorter wheelbase was a formula for disaster. The lack of interest in the car would lead to designers applying touches of the old to help mute the revolutionary. The biggest and most noticeable change to the 1935 model would be the inclusion of a peaked grille. This appeared like an older, more classic, design acting like the heart and the soul of the new car.
Along with the Airflow, the Airstream would be introduced by Chrysler and DeSoto. And while the Airstream would earn decent sales the Airflow would continue to slip in sales. Chrysler would try for another couple of years to keep the design going in the hopes that sales would take off. And while an Airflow Custom Imperial model limousine would be made for Philippine president Manuel Quezon as his official state car, the Airflow would come to an end at the end of 1937.
'Feature Lots: Lot No. 215: 1934 DeSoto Airflow Coupe', (http://www.rmauctions.com/FeatureCars.cfm?SaleCode=AZ12&CarID=r172&fc=0). RM Auction. http://www.rmauctions.com/FeatureCars.cfm?SaleCode=AZ12&CarID=r172&fc=0. Retrieved 10 January 2012.'Classic & Collectible: 1930s: 1934-1937 Chrysler/DeSoto Airflow', (http://auto.howstuffworks.com/1934-1937-chrysler-desoto-airflow8.htm). HowStuffWorks: You May Know the Half of it. We Know the Other Half. http://auto.howstuffworks.com/1934-1937-chrysler-desoto-airflow8.htm. Retrieved 10 January 2012.'1936 DeSoto Airflow Coupe', (http://www.significantcars.com/cars/1936desoto/index.html). SignificantCars.com. http://www.significantcars.com/cars/1936desoto/index.html. Retrieved 10 January 2012.Wikipedia contributors, 'Chrysler Airflow', Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 13 December 2011, 00:06 UTC, http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Chrysler_Airflow&oldid=465546545 accessed 10 January 2012
By Jeremy McMullen
1934 DeSoto Airflow
DeSoto
2013 Bonhams - Quail Lodge Auction
Sale Price :
USD $82,500
2012 RM Auctions - Hershey, PA
Pre-Auction Estimates :
USD $55,000-USD $65,000
Sale Price :
USD $55,000
2012 RM-Automobiles of Arizona
Pre-Auction Estimates :
USD $50,000-USD $75,000
Sale Price :
USD $52,250
1934 DeSoto Airflow Auction Sales
Recent Sales of the DeSoto Airflow
(Data based on Model Year 1934 sales)
1934 DeSoto Airflow Coupe Chassis#: 5071584 Sold for USD$190,400 2021 Worldwide Auctioneers : The 14th Annual Auburn Auction | |
1934 DeSoto Airflow Coupe Sold for USD$56,000 2017 Mecum : Indianapolis | |
1934 DeSoto Airflow Coupe Chassis#: 5072977 Sold for USD$68,200 2017 Gooding & Co. : Scottsdale, AZ | |
1934 DESOTO AIRFLOW Chassis#: SE11863 Sold for USD$41,800 2017 Barrett-Jackson : Scottsdale | |
1934 Desoto Airflow Sold for USD$46,000 2016 Silver Auction - Arizona in January 2016 | |
1934 DeSoto Airflow Coupe Chassis#: 6078798 Sold for USD$82,500 2013 Bonhams - Quail Lodge Auction | ![]() ![]() |
1934 DeSoto Airflow Coupe Sold for USD$43,450 2013 Auctions America - Ft Lauderdale | |
1934 DeSoto Airflow Coupe Chassis#: 6078798 Sold for USD$55,000 2012 RM Auctions - Hershey, PA | ![]() ![]() |
1934 DeSoto Airflow Coupe Chassis#: 6078798 Sold for USD$52,250 2012 RM-Automobiles of Arizona | ![]() ![]() |
1934 DeSoto Airflow Brougham Sedan Sold for USD$51,700 2009 Collector Cars of Fort Lauderdale | |
1934 Desoto Airflow Sedan Sold for USD$28,600 2008 RM Auctions - Classic Car Auction of Michigan | |
1934 De Soto Airflow Sold for USD$52,250 2007 Vintage Motor Cars at Amelia Island | ![]() ![]() |
DeSoto Airflows That Failed To Sell At Auction
1934 DeSoto Airflow's that have appeared at auction but did not sell.
Vehicle | Chassis | Event | High Bid | Est. Low | Est. High |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1934 DeSoto Airflow Sedan | 2019 RM Auctions : Auburn Fall | ||||
1934 DeSoto Airflow Coupe | 2017 Auctions America : Auburn Spring | $50,000 | $60,000 | ||
1934 DeSoto Airflow Street Rod | 2016 Mecum : Dallas | $90,000 | |||
1934 DeSoto Airflow Street Rod | 2016 Mecum Portland | $90,000 | |||
1934 DeSoto Airflow Street Rod | 2016 Mecum Indianapolis |
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1934 DeSoto Airflow
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• Other DeSoto Airflow model years