General Information

Walter P. Chrysler was a Kansas farmer who bought his first car in 1908.  Shortly thereafter, he became a plant manager for Buick under Charles Nash, later succeeding him as Buick President.  Neither he or Nash got along with GM president Billy Durant, and both men left to start their own car companies.  Chrysler was formally incorporated in 1925, making it the newest of the Big Three.

The earliest Chryslers were mostly mid-priced six-cylinder cars, but the acquisition of Dodge and the launch of Plymouth gave them a chance to move up-market.  The name “Imperial” has been used by Chrysler since 1924 to refer to their top-of-the-line models, and they were top-of-the-line in performance as well as luxury.  In 1928, the Imperial became the first stock American car capable of 100 MPH speeds.  For 1933, the Imperial range was split into two separate models: the new CQ, which was simplified, shortened, and considerably less expensive, and the CL, or Custom, which retained all the grandeur of the earlier Imperials.  The CQ rode a shorter wheelbase and had fewer standard features, although its much lower price meant that it found more than 20 times as many buyers.  In 1933, one of the worst years of the Great Depression, the Imperial Custom sold just 151 copies.

The Imperial CL is equipped with some highly advanced features, including automatic choke, a helical gear transmission, hydraulic brakes, a vacuum-assisted clutch, and freewheeling.  Options to this particular car include dual side mounts, chromed wheels, trunk rack, touring trunk, white wall tires, cigar lighter, and radio.   This example retains all of its original major components and was recently the recipient of a high-quality restoration to original specification.  Tammy Allen purchased it at the 2010 Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale auction.