Airflow Coupes in Three Wheelbases

Chrysler Corporation's Airflow design, launched for the 1934 model year, included many features advanced for its time.  One was an early type of unitized body, unlike the normal (in those days and for the next 20 or so years) body-on-chassis construction.  Such bodies, due to their integration, are usually more expensive to modify than non-unitized bodies.

That said, Chrysler offered Airflows on five different wheelbases for 1934.  The shortest was 115.5 inches (2934 mm) on DeSoto Airflows, the longest was 146 inches (3708 mm) on Chrysler CW Imperial Custom Eight Airflows, of which only 67 were built that year and 32 for 1935, after which that wheelbase was dropped.   I wrote about varying-length Airflows here.

Today's post deals with coupe-body Airflows that had more of a "fastback" profile than Airflow sedans.  Such coupes were marketed as DeSotos, regular Chryslers, and line-topping Chrysler Imperials.  Each was built on a different wheelbase.  Body engineering needed to vary so as to accommodate the various wheelbase lengths.

Gallery

1934 Chrysler CU Airflow Sedan - factory photo
Reference photo: This was the standard, best-selling, 1934 Airflow.

1934 DeSoto SE Airflow Coupe - Mecum Auctions photo
Wheelbase: 115.5 inches (2934 mm).  This coupe body (abaft of the hood) was used on DeSotos and regular Chrysler Airflows as shown in the image below.  DeSoto Airflows featured short front ends (forward of the cowling), and therefore looked stubby altogether.  Note that DeSotos were powered by inline six cylinder motors whereas Chrysler Airflow engines were inline eights, so differing hood lengths were somewhat justified.

1936 Chrysler C9 Airflow Coupe - Gooding Auctions photo
Wheelbase: 123 inches (3124 mm).  The longer wheelbase was accommodated by lengthening the front (this '36 model has a longer prow than the '34s shown here).  Compare the distance between the door's forward cutline and the fender in this photo and in the previous one.  The design has better balance and is more attractive.

1934 Chrysler CV Imperial Airflow Coupe - Revs Institute photo
Wheelbase: 128 inches (3251 mm).  Imperial Airflows had the same cutline-fender relationship seen in the image above.  The longer wheelbase was dealt with by lengthening the passenger compartment between the door's aft cutline and the rear fender.  The dark paint on this car makes it a bit hard to see door cutlines, but the greater length of the after side window is clearly seen.

1934 DeSoto Airflow sedan body structure
This shows the unitized body on the short DeSoto wheelbase.

1934 Chrysler Imperial Airflow sedan body structure
And here is a longer-wheelbase version.  Perhaps being new to unitized construction, Chrysler Corporation body engineers were not very aware of cost requirements for altering framing.  As can be seen, the structure here lacks a fair amount of commonality with that shown for the DeSoto.