#AIRFLOW DESOTO UPDATE#
#AIRFLOW DESOTO MANUAL#
#AIRFLOW DESOTO SERIES#
#AIRFLOW DESOTO WINDOWS#

has a good treatment of the history of DeSoto models and specs as well.Chrysler advertisement for Airflow AND the (fake streamlined) Airstream appearing in Colliers Magazine March, 1935 The Chryslers have longer wheelbases, longer hoods, and other refinements owing to their eight-cylinder engines.Īn attempt to catalog DeSoto specifications was published in an Airflow club newsletter years ago. Yet there are surprising examples of engineering refinements year to year in the cars.įrom the firewall back, the Airflow DeSoto sedans and coupes share most sheet metal with the regular wheelbase Airflow Chryslers: the 1934 CU, 1935 C1, and 1936 C9. Inside a 1936 sedan trunk, for example, there is a visible, rather crudely welded seam at the top where the trunk has apparently been spliced onto the body. The differences (external trunk and steel roof panel for 1936 trim variations) were added later. The Airstream DeSoto for 1936, the S1, sold well, with many being purchased by taxi companies.Īccording to one Airflow expert, all or nearly all the Airflow bodies were built in 1934. The price was raised again, to $1095 for all models. Many of the S2 parts were unique, making restoring these cars even more a challenge. The drive train was not much changed, except that the transmission was redesigned to incorporate the automatic overdrive unit inside the same casting. The exterior door handles have elaborate trim. Stylish grills decorate the sides of the cowl. The grill is reminiscent of the Chrysler building in Manhattan. Notable styling enhancements and art deco touches make this model easy to spot. The fabric and wood top panel was replaced with a steel panel. The arrangement was much more practical than the earlier trunks, which had access from inside the car, behind the rear seat back, only. The sedan spare wheel was brought inside.

Times and tastes have since changed, however, and the original 1934 Airflows are now better appreciated than they were.įor 1936, the Airflow DeSoto gained an external trunk, giving it a less sleek appearance.

#AIRFLOW DESOTO UPDATE#

DeSoto thinking was pretty clear - the waterfall front end was too radical, so they restyled the 1935 and offered the update for 1934s to gain a more conventional look. The 34 front bumper center section had two bars, and this was changed to a simpler design for 35 (see photos). The 1935s have a more straight-edged hood. You can tell the updated 34s from the 35s in viewing the front - the 34 hood was wider above the headlights, and so was the updated hood. Engine performance was unchanged an optional overdrive transmission was offered. The brougham was dropped, and the price of all models increased by $20 to $1015. A conversion kit was even offered to dealers to update 1934 models to the new look. For the Airflow, DeSoto modified the radiator grill and hood, raising the nose to give the new models a more conventional 'prow' look.

It outsold the SG by a large margin, partly due to the substantially lower price ($220 lower for the 4D sedan).

#AIRFLOW DESOTO SERIES#

DeSoto also introduced a more conventional car, the series SF Airstream. All models had the same base price, $995.įor 1935, the Airflow DeSoto was designated series SG.

#AIRFLOW DESOTO MANUAL#

Transmission was a three-speed manual with freewheeling and optional automatic clutch. It was powered by a 241.5 cid in-line flat head six with a 6.2 compression ratio, rated at 100 hp at 3400 rpm.

#AIRFLOW DESOTO WINDOWS#

The 1934 Airflow DeSoto was offered as a two-door coupe, a two-door brougham, a four-door sedan and a four-door town sedan, which was the sedan with the rear quarter windows deleted. (Trifon photo Creative Commons license, credit Greg Gjerdingen from Willmar, Minnesota.) The 1932 Airflow prototype Trifon, which still exists, is much like the first Airflow DeSoto, the 1934 series SE. Some argue that the DeSoto was the 'first' Airflow, in the sense that Carl Breer and the Chrysler engineers he led designed it first, probably with no intention of developing a Chrysler version.

Airflow desoto