1932 Chrysler Series CL Imperial Convertible Sedan

The first Chrysler arrived on the market in 1924 bowing as a Maxwell-made medium-priced car. With Maxwell reorganized as Chrysler in 1925, by 1929 the company's products included Plymouth, DeSoto, and Dodge, all of which encompassed the low- and middle-priced range. Walter Chrysler succumbed to the temptation to join the luxury ranks beginning in 1931 with the Custom Imperial powered by his new 385 cubic-inch, 125 horsepower straight-eight. Its styling was inspired by the low and lithe Cord L-29, yet it had an identity all its own.

Walter P. Chrysler introduced the Imperial in 1926 as a separate, top-of-the-line model to enable Chrysler to compete directly with the other luxury brands of the era like Packard and Lincoln. This 1932 design, with a body by LeBaron, was meant to emulate the Cord L29. C.W. Van Ranst, Cord's chief engineer, was lured away to Chrysler in order to manage the design.

The coachbuilder LeBaron of Bridgeport, Connecticut was founded by Ray Dietrich and Tom Hibbard. The company name was a collaboration of using a French word that smacked of prestige and could be easily understood through a telephone.

Powered by a 384.8 cubic-inch, L-head, straight-eight engine that produces 125 horsepower, the 1931 to 1933 Imperials were known to be powerful. A four-speed transmission, hydraulic brakes on all four wheels, and a solid, heavy chassis also make for exceptional road manners.

The CL is part of the Imperial's 1932 update with an added 10 inches of wheelbase.

This 1932 Chrysler Imperial CL Convertible Sedan holds body number 1, being the first convertible sedan LeBaron built for Chrysler. This resulted in it having a variety of unusual and one-off design details. Among them are the bullet headlights, a scalloped radiator shell, and a sculpted hood. It is one of 36 convertible sedans produced in 1932.

The original owner of this Chrysler Imperial CL Convertible Sedan was movie legend, Clark Gable. It is said that he personally purchased this car right off the New York Auto Show display floor.