When exactly did the musclecar era begin? Was it the mid-'60s when the first stripped-down, lightweight sedans began coming off the assembly lines with high-output engines? Maybe the musclecar era began during the '50s when the one-horsepower-per-cubic-inch benchmark was set by Chrysler's early Hemi engines. In actuality, it's hard to define when the true musclecar era began as manufacturers and enthusiasts alike have been trying to make cars more powerful since the inception of the automobile. Each era in automotive history contains examples of performance-oriented vehicles. during the '30s, one of the most advanced cars produced was the Chrysler Airflow.
Lakeland, Florida, resident Scott Kowalski wasn't looking for a Chrysler Airflow when he found the '36 model shown here. Actually, he was talking to his neighbor John about the unique collection of automobiles that John had accumulated over the years. During that conversation, John told Scott about the '36 Airflow he had in his barn. Being a Mopar nut, Scott quickly asked to see the car since he'd never seen an Airflow before. Once Scott saw the car and the condition it was in, he just had to have it. A deal was quickly struck, and for $5,000, Scott was the new owner of the Airflow.
The Chrysler Airflow was ahead of its time in many ways. The streamlined, aerodynamic design-introduced in 1934-made the Airflow one of the most efficient automobiles of its time. The suspension of the Airflow was also state-of-the-art and featured much better antiroll qualities than other cars of the era, making the Airflow an extremely good-riding, good-handling car for its day. The Airflow represented a totally new concept in car manufacturing and was more like a modern car than the "horse-and-buggy" inspired counterparts offered by other manufacturers in the '30s.
The Airflow will also be remembered for the lesson it taught the car industry-ugly cars don't sell. Even so, the Airflow marked one of the most significant individual design changes in automotive history, transitioning the way cars were designed and marking a complete break from convention in terms of body construction, engine placement, and ride quality. Though lacking sales prompted critics to dub the Airflow a sales folly, in truth, the car was very well engineered and a much better product than what was being produced by the brand-X manufacturers of the time.
This '36 Chrysler Airflow is a four-door, 128-inch-wheelbase model equipped with the 332.5ci, flathead, straight-eight engine. Though worn and dirty, this 71-year-old car is in amazing condition for its age. The history of the car tells the story of its preservation-the Airflow was driven extensively by its first owner, then stored inside for some 40 years by that owner, followed by a 15-year storage period by John, leading up to its sale to Scott. Although it hasn't run in more than 50 years, the car was said to have been running when initially parked, and the engine still turns over today. Unfortunately, a barn fire during one of the storage periods caused some smoke, window, and paint damage, but the car was saved before any major damage was done. The car is complete, even down to the jack, spare tire, and lug wrench, and shows some 90,000 miles on the odometer.
Scott's plans for the Airflow are simple: restore it to like-new condition. "Musclecars are more my thing," says Scott, "but how often do you see a complete Airflow in this kind of condition?" Our response: How often do you see an Airflow at all?
Luckily, this car is super solid and won't need any metalwork as it's not at all rusty. Of course, the engine and driveline will need some service, as will the interior. The chrome will have to be re-plated and several windows will need to be replaced, but when finished, this car will be a classic example of Chrysler's advanced engineering for the day.
While its not-so-appealing looks kept the Airflow from selling when new, we think Scott is very lucky to have found this interesting piece of Mopar history.