AUTOMOTIVE MEMORIES - Chrysler photos, history, stories and more..

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The company was founded by Walter P. Chrysler on June 6, 1925, when the Maxwell Motor Company was re-organized into the Chrysler Corporation. The Chrysler was a 6-cylinder automobile, designed to provide customers with an advanced, well-engineered car, but at a more affordable price than they might expect. The Maxwell was then dropped after its 1925 model year run, although in truth the new line of lower-priced 4-cylinder Chryslers which were then introduced for 1926 were basically Maxwells which had been re-engineered and rebranded. It was during this period that Walter Chrysler assumed the presidency of the company, with the company then ultimately incorporated under the Chrysler name.

Walter Chrysler became the only major railroad industry figure to go on to success in the automotive industry. He introduced the advanced Chrysler automobile and founded Chrysler Corporation which, under his leadership, became the second largest auto producer after General Motors.

Chrysler Corporation

The 1924 Maxwell Club Sedan was priced at $1,024.00. The Maxwell is perhaps most famous as the vehicle driven by comedian Jack Benny on his radio and television programs, decades after the Maxwell ceased production. It was a running joke on the programs that Benny was a miser driving an outdated, noisy, barely-functioning jalopy. On Benny's radio program voice artist Mel Blanc portrayed Benny's Maxwell sputtering, chugging, and gasping with various comic vocal sound effects.

In 1928, Chrysler Corporation began dividing their vehicle offerings by price class and function. The Plymouth brand was introduced and aimed at the low-priced end of the market by reëngineering and rebadging Chrysler's 4-cylinder models. At the same time, the DeSoto marque was introduced in the medium-price field.

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Chrysler wanted to enter the brand in competition with its arch-rivals General Motors, Studebaker, and Willys-Knight, in the mid-price class. Shortly after DeSoto was introduced, however, Chrysler completed its purchase of the Dodge Brothers, giving the company two mid-priced makes. Had the transaction been completed sooner, DeSoto never would have been introduced.

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The founding of the Dodge Brothers Company by Horace and John Dodge in 1900, quickly found work producing precision engine and chassis components for the city’s burgeoning number of automobile firms. Chief among these customers were the established Olds Motor Vehicle Company and the then-new Ford Motor Company.

In 1934, Chrysler, with advice from Orville Wright, built a wind tunnel to test body shapes that led to the first unit-body, aerodynamic car, the Airflow.Despite its commercial failure, Chrysler's innovative Airflow may well have been the most important vehicle of the 1930s. Not only did the Airflow lead the way in terms of aerodynamics (or "streamlining" as it was then called), it was the first mass-market car in the world to use the "modern" architecture that has now become standard.

1940's era Plymouths are getting restored more often as the supply of other brands dries up.

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Also, more Dodge automobiles from the 30's and 40's are finding new life.

Classic car enthusiasts seem to enjoy the soft ride of the heavy coupes, sedans and convertibles of the mid 20th century.

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Aerodynamics developed by Chrysler for the Airflow carried over to the truck line.

In 1949, Chrysler hired Studebaker designer Virgil Exner to head an advanced styling section, a first step toward realigning the company's design priorities.Exner revived Chrysler production car design with the sleek, sculptured Forward Look designs of 1955 that transformed the product line overnight.

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More Chrysler photos and info coming...

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More Chrysler photos and info coming...

More Chrysler photos and info coming...

We've just started this site so please be patient while we try to remember stuff.. there's more to come.

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