THE CHRYSLER CL IMPERIAL

The Classic Era in America brought about many beautiful automobiles, but the Chrysler CL Imperial of 1932 to ’33 was hard to beat for overall greatness. It featured a potent inline eight-cylinder, a sweet-shifting transmission, and handsome LeBaron-built open bodywork, with a hoodline extended back to the windshield, emphasizing the car’s length and the size of the engine lurking beneath the sheet metal. Each body was meticulously constructed to the highest standards. The result was an automobile that was smoothly powerful, easy to drive for its era, and built with quality as the foremost consideration. It was a superb car—and it looked terrific.

Among the most sensual bodies fitted to the CL Imperial was the two-passenger Convertible Roadster, which, as its name suggested, ably combined the light, fleet look of an open roadster with the all-weather folding top and windows of a convertible. It was few in number even when new, with historians agreeing that 29 examples were delivered in 1932; fewer than a dozen remain, including serial number 7803491, supplied new on 29 June 1932 in Jackson, Michigan, per historian Joe Morgan. Like many of these cars, it was originally delivered with a four-speed transmission, but soon retrofitted with a three-speed by factory order.

‘WHAT ELSE CAN COMPETE?’

As any longtime Hershey denizen will amply testify, many of the early figures in the antique automobile hobby were colorful sorts; you had to be to save what was, at the time, still largely considered “junk.” Yet they were also invariably savvy businessmen, who recognized the potential for what they were gathering, and knew how to market it to those with an increasing interest.

One such figure was Mike McManus, proprietor of Atlantic Auto Sales & Wrecking on Figueroa Avenue in Gardena, California—ironically, directly across the street from what became Carroll Shelby’s latter-day headquarters. Identifiable by its landmark rooftop billboard, imploring California voters to “Impeach Earl Warren,” Atlantic Auto made a specialty of the big Full Classics before they were, in most circles, considered under that term. All the most notable early West Coast collectors, including the likes of Bill Harrah, J.B. Nethercutt, and Jack Passey, haunted the McManus yard, exploring and occasionally purchasing from the stock at hand.

According to Imperial historian Joe Morgan, an H. Jones acquired the car from Atlantic Auto and sold it around 1959 to Harrah’s Automobile Collection. The car was brought to the famous, sprawling Harrah’s facilities in Sparks, Nevada and there remained until 1974, when it was sold at one of the collection’s dispersals to none other than Frank L. Wright, with whom it has now remained for half a century.

Following its meticulous restoration in the original colors of Amboy Beige over a red interior, the car was proudly exhibited by Mr. Wright in Antique Automobile Club of America judging, eventually achieving a Senior Grand National First Prize, the National President’s Cup for the Eastern Division in 1977, and the James Melton Memorial Cup in 1979. He also took to the Classic Car Club of America fields. Notably, in 1978 it attended the very last CCCA Annual Meeting at the Inn at Buck Hill Falls in Pennsylvania, host to that August event for many years; it was one of two vehicles scored at a perfect 100 points, and was judged Best of Show. The car repeated its perfect performance at that year’s Eastern Grand Classic, with fellow club member Mort Bullock recounting its narrow finish over a 99-point car and commenting, “What else can you expect when you compete with Frank Wright’s gem?” It achieved a third 100-point score at the Eastern Grand Classic of 1979. Mr. Wright last placed the car as an Exhibition entrant at the 1982 Annual Meeting, held in Hershey.

Simply put, in its time, the Wright 1932 Chrysler was the absolute car to beat in AACA and CCCA judging—and very seldom was it in fact beaten.

The car has been meticulously cared for since restoration and remains in outstanding overall condition throughout, with little evidence of real age. The level of preservation is outstanding given the age of the work, a credit both to the quality of the Snyders’ craftsmanship and to Mr. Wright’s care. It is still one of the finest examples of its kind and, with rich provenance and having had only a single owner in the last half century, among the most sought-after Imperials to come to market in recent years.