![]() Meanwhile, all the original parts would go on a shelf so that it could be put back if it ever needed it. I’d pull the front bumper in by building some custom brackets, and pretty much call it a day then. Since we’d probably be doing an entirely new drop axle up front, we’d throw front disk brakes on it so we could drive it without worrying about stopping. We’d lower it up front a bit and throw a slightly smaller tire on the front and a little more tire out back for a good rake. We’d back it with a T5 or other small late model overdrive from our friends at American Powertrain and probably update the rear-end as well. ![]() We’d put an early little Hemi in it, say a 331, with just the right hot rod parts to make it look, sound, and go good. If it was ours, it would get just a couple modifications, but they are big ones. As previously stated, only 445 of these cars were made and it was a one year only offering, which makes it a little harder to swallow what we would do if this was a car we bought. However, in Canada the CY Airflow Six has built using an inline 6 cylinder flathead instead. In the United States in 1934 the Airflow was powered by an inline 8 cylinder flathead engine. Sorta sounds like an early American sports car to me. It was aerodynamic and it handled really well. This put weight distribution much closer to 50/50 and made it handle much nicer. Not so with the Airflow.Ĭhrysler slid the engine forward, and followed it with the passenger compartment, so that most of the weight was within the center of the car. Stock 1930’s cars tended to get sketchy when loaded with the family, the dog, and luggage if any sudden changes in direction were needed. With engines located just behind the front axle, and at least half the weight of the car located just in front of, on top of, or behind the rear axle, weight distribution was great for drag racing but not so good for anything else. And it went more than skin deep as engineers actually looked at the dynamics going on inside and underneath cars. With it’s flowing hood and grill, much more flush mounted front fenders, two piece windshield, and more, it was a really sexy machine. In 1934, almost nothing was as aerodynamic and swoopy as an airflow. With only 445 of these CY models built, it is a true rarity most people have never seen. It is all original, and looks as sexy as hell in our book. This example is an older restoration, but the guys at Stoker’s Hot Rod Factory say it runs and drives nice. That makes them super rare now, although we do see them on occasion. This 1934 Chrysler Airflow CY is not only an example of one of the coolest cars that came out of the 1930’s, but also one that was so far ahead of it’s time as to put off buyers and therefore cause its ultimate failure as a commercial success. Names like Chrysler and Tucker have multiple examples proving that point, and even today many more people on the roads are driving cars and trucks that are far from the best thing offered. The automotive industry is full of history lessons that teach how the best product isn’t necessarily the one people will buy and therefore make successful.
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