1932 Chrysler Series CL Imperial Roadster

The inline eight-cylinder Chrysler CL Imperial of 1932 to 1933 was among the Paragons of its era. Wearing meticulously constructed coachwork and fitted with the greatest amounts of luxury, the CL Imperial was smooth, powerful, and easy to drive. The two-passenger Convertible Roadster body by LeBaron provided all-weather motoring, elegant styling, and lightweight touring. Approximately 27 examples were delivered in 32 and it is believed that fewer than a dozen exist in modern times.

This particular example is a late 1932 model that was sold by a Philadelphia dealership. In 1933, it was retrofitted with a three-speed transmission, a factory-authorized installation performed by the original dealer and noted on the car's build card.

It is believed that the car remained in Pennsylvania for many years, later acquired by automobile dealer M.H. 'Tiny' Gould, who passed it to Ed Stolarczyk of New York. The car was later sold to Quaker State collector Paul Stern, who later sold it to Dr. Don Vesley of Florida, and then Rick Carroll. Its current owner acquired it for the first time in the early 1980s, from Paul Quinn. It was later sold to Sam and Emily Mann of New Jersey who undertook a complete restoration by Stone Barn of Vienna, New Jersey. After the work was completed, the car was driven and shown at various events including concours and CCA competitions. It achieved its Senior badge, no. 1521.

The Manns later sold it to Dave Kane of New Jersey, who sold it to Check Spielman of California who kept it for nearly twenty years. During his ownership, the car appeared at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance in 2008.

By Daniel Vaughan | Jun 2021