1932 Chrysler Series CH

The first car to wear Walter Chrysler's name was a medium-priced six. Two years after its introduction, the upwardly mobile automaker added a lower-priced four, essentially an improved Maxwell, and a high-end model, the E-80 Imperial. Prices ranged from $2,645 to $3,695 for production styles which placed it within the range of the Packard Six and the lower-priced Cadillacs. Chrysler added distinctive styling touches to the Imperial which set it apart from other models, including a scalloped radiator, a unique hood, and bullet headlights. Six production body styles were offered, along with two long-wheelbase catalog customs, a landaulet, and a town car. Sales reached 9,114 units.

1927 and 1928 saw the introduction of additional Imperial body styles, along with custom styles from Dietrich, Locke, and LeBaron resting on four different wheelbases. The custom-bodied cars reached upwards of $6,795. Engine displacement measured 309.3 cubic inches thanks to an enlarged bore by an eighth of an inch. Horsepower rose to 100 or 112 with an optional high-compression head.

For 1929, the appearance of Chrysler automobiles became more in line with the new DeSoto and Plymouth marques. The scallop motif on the Imperial continued, and the grilles shells received a thin band of chrome around the perimeter. Imperial wheelbase sizes grew to 136 inches.

For 1930, a new four-speed transmission was added to the Imperial, and In July, a Series CG Imperial was added to the lineup. It had a large 145-inch wheelbase and the appearance was completely transformed. There was a long hood, and the radiator shell had become a grille that was canted back at a rakish angle and protected by a wire mesh. The fenders had flowing curves and the headlights became sleeker. The 309 cubic-inch six-cylinder was replaced by an all-new straight-eight displacing 384.8 cubic inches with nine-main bearings. With 125 horsepower, it was the largest and most powerful of the four different Chrysler eight-cylinder engines. There were four 'production' bodies by Briggs and four cataloged custom styles. Individual custom and semi-custom bodies were also available.

Chrysler introduced their 'second series' models in January 1932. The Model CH had a 135-inch wheelbase while the Custom Imperial CL was 10 inches longer than the CH. They had Floating Power engine mounts and a vee-configuration split windshield with panes that opened individually. The most popular of all open Imperials was the CH Convertible Sedan. Of the 1,393 CH Chryslers built in 1932, 152 of them were convertible sedans. Standard equipment included hand-buffed leather seats with matching kick panels and a leather door, storage pouches in the rear doors, and matching carpets in the front and rear. Also standard were dual side mounts, a trunk, a top boot, and a painted dash with a damascened instrument binnacle.

by Dan Vaughan

Imperial Cabriolet by Bohman & Schwartz
Chassis number: 7900825
Engine number: CH1877

Walter M. Murphy's Pasadena coachworks company enjoyed a blissful era of coachbuilder until the Great Depression forced him out of the business, which Murphy did in April of 1932. The doors, however, did not fully close as the tradition was taken up by two long-time employees, Maurice Schwartz, and Christian Bohman. The newly formed Bohman & Schwartz Company would continue building bodies until 1941, surviving longer than any other West Coast coachbuilder.

This Chrysler CH Imperial is believed to have been the first car to receive a Bohman & Schwartz body. It has a similar appearance to the Murphy Convertible Coupe bodies found on the Duesenberg Model J chassis.

Bohman & Schwartz chose the 'short' 135-inch CH chassis to showcase their talents. It has a racked-back windshield, a painted radiator shell, an extended cowl, and a rumble seat.

The original owner of this Chrysler is believed to have been Lincoln Theodore Monroe Andrew Perry. Perry was the first African-American actor to become a millionaire. He remained active in film until the mid-1970s, but, by then, his career had faded from its mid-1930s peak, when he reportedly owned a dozen automobiles.

In 1980, the car was acquired by Gordon Apker, following many years of ownership by the late Sam Bergman. In 1983, it changed ownership again, this time to J. Martin Anderson, of Kent, Washington. A restoration began in August 1993 and was completed in March 1995. In August of that year, it was put on display at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance and was awarded First in Class. Soon after the show, it was acquired by its present owner.

by Dan Vaughan

Convertible Sedan
Chassis number: 7900919
Engine number: CH 1959

This particular example was purchased by its previous owner in 1975 from a Rolls-Royce dealer. It had been restored for the previous owner, Donna Shade, for whom it had won its class at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. She then traded it to the dealer for a Rolls-Royce.

This Chrysler is finished in light cream with brown moldings and fenders that are accented by red pinstripes. The interior is finished in correct brown saddle leather and a new tan canvas top.

This Model CH Chrysler is one of only ten known to survive.

by Dan Vaughan

Convertible Sedan

The Imperial model was first produced by Chrysler in 1926 to compete with premium luxury cars from Cadillac and Lincoln. Production continued until 1954, and the nameplate was reintroduced from 1981-1983 and again from 1990 through 1993. A hybrid tea rose was named the Chrysler Imperial and debuted in 1952. It is a fragrant, dark red variety. The flowers were used in a float built for the 1954 Pasadena Tournament of Roses Parade and were entered into the parade by the City of Detroit and the Chrysler Corporation. The float's theme was 'Life of an American Workman' which was the title of Walter Chrysler's 1937 autobiography.

It might seem hard to believe, but with just 152 produced, this was the most popular open model in the entire Chrysler Imperial lineup. All Imperials were built in limited numbers as they represented the top tier at Chrysler. In order to remain competitive, Chrysler introduced this smaller version of the luxurious Imperial in 1932. The two distinct series included the CH (on a 132-inch wheelbase) and the CL (on a 146-inch wheelbase). Both used the same 384.8 CID, 125 horsepower L-Head inline eight-cylinder engine introduced in 1931. Chrysler boasted of the model's performance, which was quite exemplary for the era - a cruising speed of 96 mph and 0-60 mph in 20 seconds. Production of the CH bodies came from Briggs while most CLs were fitted with custom coachwork by LeBaron. Briggs was an auto supplier that began manufacturing bodies in the 1920s and purchased LeBaron in 1926.

The current caretakers recently acquired this Imperial, with just nine examples known to exist.

There were 1,393 CHs built in 1932 and only 152 of these were convertible sedans. These feature a rubber-mounted engine, an electric starter, and four-wheel brakes. The 384.8 cubic-inch, straight-eight engine generates 125 horsepower. The CH came standard with a sumptuous interior featuring leather seats and matching kick panels along with storage pouches in the rear doors. Ventilation was aided by the split-vee windshield which hinged at the top.

Rumble Seat Coupe

Walter P. Chrysler used the word 'imperial' to describe those things he considered to be of exceptionally high quality.

All Imperials were built in limited numbers, as they represented the top tier at Chrysler. In order to remain competitive, Chrysler introduced this smaller version of its luxurious flagship in 1932. For the first time, two distinct series were made available - the Series CH and CL. The CH featured a 135-inch wheelbase with bodies by Briggs while the CL's chassis measured 146 inches with bodies by LeBaron. Custom body builders would use these chassis along with a variety of body styles that were available. Both CH and CL models featured standard side mounts, buffed leather seats with matching kick panels and door covering, matching carpets front and rear, and many other luxury features.

Both used the same L-head 384.8 cubic-inch, 125-horsepower inline eight-cylinder engine introduced in 1931. Chrysler boasted of the model's performance, which was quite exemplary for the era, with a cruising speed of 96 mph and 0-60mph in 20 seconds. A four-speed overdrive transmission, solid front axle, and live rear axle with semi-elliptic leaf springs make it particularly roadworthy even at the high speeds of which it is capable.

1932 was a unique year for Chrysler. The Imperial line consisted of only CH and CL models. This car represents one of only 239 CH rumble seat coupes made. Only 5 of these models exist today. This car sold new for $1,925 during the post-depression era at a time when the average worker earned $900 annually. This car was delivered from the factory on December 31, 1931.

The car is powered by an eight-cylinder 385 cubic-inch engine developing 125 horsepower.

Special Roadster

This Chrysler automobile was built specifically for Walter P. Chrysler. It was assigned to the Chrysler Design Department and likely penned by Herb Weissenger, known for his distinct French influence.

In addition to the unique design, it has numerous experimental features and engineering concepts. This includes the high-compression aluminum cylinder head and gas pedal actuated starter with an automatic stall restart. Additional unique features include the automatic choke with a solenoid-operated gas dump valve that activates in the case of flooding and a pendulum-actuated control valve that disengages the clutch in the event of a panic stop. It also has a high-speed rear-end gear ratio and a spare tire mounted on rails in the trunk for easy access.

Nearly everything on this car is custom. It has all-aluminum bodywork and headlamps that were made slightly larger in diameter, as is the grill and unique design stone guard. The body features a disappearing top, tool cases mounted on both fenders, a custom radio with an invisible antenna sewn into the folding top, and custom pedal and trim rubber molded in red to match the color scheme.

When this car was purchased from the Chrysler family, it had a mere 8,600 miles on the odometer. Now with the second non-Chrysler family owners, it currently has 12,900 miles.

Convertible Sedan

In the early 1930's post-depression era, all of the luxury marques were intent on broadening their image with slightly smaller designs. It was Walter P. Chrysler that would introduce the sporty 135-inch wheelbase Imperial. This new, lighter-weight model was indeed smaller, but certainly not small.

All Imperials were built in limited numbers as they represented the top tier at Chrysler. In order to remain competitive, Chrysler introduced a smaller version of its luxurious flagship in 1932. Two distinct series were available, the Series CH and the Series CL, riding on 135-inch and 146-inch wheelbases respectively. Both used the same 384.8 cubic-inch, 125-horsepower L-head inline eight-cylinder engine introduced in 1931. Chrysler boasted of the model's performance, which was quite exemplary for the era: a cruising speed of 96 mph and 0-60 mph in 20 seconds. Production CH bodies came from Briggs while most CLs were fitted with custom coachwork by LeBaron.

The CH was available in four body styles, the rarest of which is the convertible sedan with just 152 produced. Dual side-mount spare tires, leather seats, an external trunk, floating power engine mounts, a v-configuration split windshield with separate opening panes, and front and rear carpeting were included in the $2,195 price. Standard equipment included hand-buffed leather seats with matching kick panels and a leather door, matching carpets in the front and rear, storage pouches in the rear doors, a top boot, twin sun visors, a painted dash with a damascened instrument binnacle, dual side mounts and a trunk.

The current owners acquired it in 2014 in central Pennsylvania. It had been stored for many years and was in very poor condition, missing some key parts. After extensive research, a four-year restoration was undertaken and has recently been completed.

A total of 1,393 CH Chryslers were built.

Imperial Coupe by Briggs Manufacturing

In January 1932, Chrysler introduced their second series line, including two Imperial series, the 135-inch wheelbase CH and the longer-wheelbase Custom Imperial CL. The CH was fitted with the powerful 135 cubic-inch, 8-cylinder engine, which made for a very sporty ride. Other features included 'Floating Power' engine mounts and a split-vee windshield with each side opening individually. The Briggs-built bodies on the CH chassis had excellent proportions with luxurious interiors featuring hand-buffed leather seats, matching kick panels, and matching carpets in the front and rear. The Imperial Coupe also featured a rumble, or 'dicky,' seat for occasional extra passengers. In all, 1,393 CH Chryslers were built, but today just four CH Coupes are known to survive.

This car has lived most of its life in California and has just been restored to its original configuration.