AUBURN, Ind. — The Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum received a 1935 Chrysler Airflow, which has been on the Museum's automobile wish list. The museum currently has a list of 30 vehicles on its wish list. The Chrysler was donated to the Museum by William T. Deibel of Seattle, Wash.
In 1934, Chrysler introduced the streamlined Airflow, a radical design that was years ahead of its time. Chrysler engineers wanted to achieve a more aerodynamically efficient automobile. So, along with the help of Orville Wright, they came up with a series of designs. The final product was the Airflow. These cars were of unibody construction and boasted a near 50/50 weight distribution. However, Chrysler's bold move was made during the height of the Great Depression, and sales dwindled. The 1935 Chrysler Imperial Airflow C-2 was one of the more popular models with a production run of 2,598 vehicles.
The automobile will be displayed in the Gallery of Excellence and Innovation on the third floor of the Museum as part of its permanent collection. The Museum wish-list can be found on our website under the support tab "Funding a Noteworthy Need," or on the Annual Report.
More than 120 classic, antique, vintage and special interest cars are displayed with other automotive related exhibits on three floors at the museum. The museum is located in the original 1930s national headquarters of the legendary Auburn Automobile Company and is a National Historic Landmark.