1942 Chrysler Series C-34 Six

In the shortened 1942 model year, with production lasting from August 1941 and ending February 9th, 1942, output was significantly lower than in previous years for Chrysler and throughout the industry. The attack on Pearl Harbor occurred on December 7th, 1941, and following the temporary suspension of civil automobile production, Chrysler factories switched to the production of tans, airplane engines, and munitions in support of the war effort.

Chrysler's 1942 model lineup included both six- and eight-cylinder models offered in various body styles and configurations. The 'Series C-34' was a line of six-cylinder vehicles that included the Royal and Windows in both standard (121.5 inches) and LWB (long wheelbase / 139.5-inch) wheelbase configurations. The eight-cylinder models (Series C-36 and C-37) included the Saratoga and New Yorker (C-36) and the Crown Imperial and Derham-bodied customs (C-37). Both the six- and eight-cylinder models wore similar styling, with the latter having slightly longer sheet metal at the front of the car, additional chrome trim, front interior carpeting, a folding rear seat armrests, and more upscale interiors. The Crown Imperial rested on the longest wheelbase which allowed for more interior room and (often) seating for up to eight or nine passengers (depending on the body style). They had the finest interior appointments and were outfitted with nearly every available amenity.

1942 Chrysler Styling
Chrysler introduced all-new, modern styling in 1939, and the immediate years that followed incorporated minor updates. Styling features included recessed headlights into the fenders, narrow running boards, a vertically positioned chrome stripe in the middle of the pointed nose/grille, tasteful horizontal moldings along the bodyside, a vee-shaped windshield, and concealed rear luggage compartment. Styling updates for 1940 included larger fenders, sealed beam headlights, longer hoods (thanks to longer wheelbases), and horizontal bars on the grille.

The bodies of the 1941 Chrysler became lower and wider, had more glass area, fewer horizontal grille bars (down from nine to six), and several body styles were devoid of running boards. The Fluid Drive transmission was standard equipment and a new 'Vacamatic' semi-automatic transmission was optional. This was the first year of the Windsor Six 'Barrel-Back' Town & Country wagon.

The 1942 Chrysler models continued the trend of fewer horizontal grille bars, shedding one and bringing the total to five. These five bars stretched across the front and wrapped around either side, terminating just in front of the wheel well opening. The top par stretched slightly farther passed the wheel well opening, and on some models (including the Royal, Town & Country), reached nearly the front door. In the back were five chrome bars on the fenders. The running boards were concealed, adn the one-piece alligator hood was unlocked by a control in the driver's compartment.

1942 Chrysler Standard Amenities
The six-cylinder models came standard with hydraulic brakes and Solar Spark ignition. The interiors received full circle horn rings, and dual visors, horns, and wipers. The Windsor models added even more standard amenities including an electric clock, front carpeting, 'Air Foam' seat cushions, and broadcloth upholstery. On the outside, they wore whitewall wheel rims with mirror hubcaps. Windsor sedan and brougham body styles added rear seat folding armrests.

Windsor models could be optioned with the Highlander plaid interior for an additional $20.

1942 Chrysler Engine Specification
The L-head six-cylinder engine had a cast iron block, solid valve lifters, four main bearings, a Carter carburetor, and delivered 120 horsepower at 3,800 RPM and 200 lb-ft of torque at 1,600 RPM. The eight-cylinder unit also had an L-head configuration, solid valve lifters, six main bearings, and a cast iron block. It displaced 323.5 cubic inches, had 6.8:1 compression, a Stromberg carburetor, and delivered 140 horsepower at 3,600 RPM and 260 lb-ft of torque at 1,800 RPM. The six-cylinder engine was paired with a manual transmission while the eight received a Fluid Drive unit. Stopping power was via four-wheel hydraulic brakes.

The 1942 Chrysler Royal | Pricing and Production
Chrysler's value leader for 1942 was the Royal offered as a two-door coupe, club coupe, and brougham, and as a four-door sedan and town sedan. The most popular of these was the sedan priced at $11,75 with 7,424 units built. The second most popular was the club coupe priced at $1170 with 779 examples built, followed by the brougham ($1150) with 709 examples built, and the coupe ($1075) with 479 units built. A mere 73 examples were the town sedan priced at $1,220.

On the long-wheelbase Royal platform, body styles included an eight-passenger sedan and limousine. The sedan listed for $1,535 and a total of 79 were built, and the limousine was $1,600 and a mere 21 were built.

Total 1942 Chrysler Royal (C-34) Six production was 9,564 units.

The 1942 Chrysler Windsor | Pricing and Production
The Chrysler Windsor, which added a more comfortable interior, additional standard amenities, and minor styling updates to the exterior was offered with eight body styles on the regular platform and two on the long wheelbase platform. The most popular 1942 Windsor was the sedan priced at $1,255 with 10,054 units built. This was followed by the club coupe ($1,230) with 1,713 units built, the Town & Country 9-passenger wagon ($1,685) with 849 built, and the convertible coupe ($1,420) with 574 constructed. A total of 479 examples were Town Sedans ($1,295), 317 were Broughams ($1,220), 250 were coupes ($1,140), and 150 were the six-passenger Town & Country Wagon ($1,595).

On the long-wheelbase Windsor platform, the eight-passenger sedan ($1,600) was more popular with 29 examples built compared to 12 of the limousine ($1,685).

Total 1942 Chrysler Windsor (C-34) Six production was 14,427 units. The combined Royal and Windsor (C-34 Six) production was 23,991 units accounting for approximately 65% of Chrysler's 1942 automobile production.

The Chrysler Royal
The Royal was part of Chrysler's lineup in 1933 and from 1937 through 1950. The two years preceding 1933, the Royal name was used as body style designations on the Model CD and CP. For 1933, the Chrysler Royal Series CT was offered with five different body styles on a 120-inch wheelbase platform and was priced from $895 to $1,085. Power was sourced from an inline L-head eight-cylinder engine with a 273.7 cubic-inch displacement that delivered 90 horsepower at 3,400 RPM with standard 5.4:1 compression. All-new 'airflow' styling arrived to Chrysler's lineup in 1934, and the 'Royal' name was temporarily retired.

In 1937, following the failed Airflow experiment, the Royal nameplate and conventional styling returned to Chrysler (The Airflow and the Royal were sold concurrently for a brief period before production of the Airflow ended after 1937 with no direct successor). The 1937 Royal was offered in ten body styles with all but two resting on a 116-inch wheelbase. The 7-passenger touring sedan and limousine received a long-wheelbase 133-inch platform. Powering the 1937 Royal was an L-head six-cylinder unit with a 228.1 cubic-inch displacement and delivering 100 horsepower at 3,600 RPM.

The Chrysler Royal would serve as the company's entry-level model from 1937 through 1950. For 1951, the Chrysler Windsor became the company's entry-level model.

The Chrysler Windsor
Chrysler built the Windsor from 1939 through 1942, and from 1946 through 1961.

by Daniel Vaughan | Mar 2023