1931 Chrysler CG Imperial Roadster

Coachwork by LeBaron

Chassis No. 7802053

Engine No. CG1773

Body No. 172126

• Multiple Award Winner
• 2008 AACA Senior National First Prize Winner
• 2010 AACA Grand National Winner First Prize
• One of the most stylish cars of the 1930s

125 bhp, 385 cu. in. inline side-valve eight-cylinder engine, single Stromberg carburetor, four-speed manual transmission, four-wheel leaf spring suspension with beam front axle and live rear axle, and four-wheel hydraulic drum brakes. Wheelbase: 145″

The remarkable styling of the CG-series Chrysler Imperial was the work of LeBaron, one of the greatest automotive design firms of the classic era. Founded by Thomas L. Hibbard and Ray Dietrich, with Ralph Roberts later joining them, LeBaron quickly established itself as being innovative, creative and responsive to their clientele. Although Hibbard and Dietrich later left the firm they established to pursue other opportunities, the company still flourished under the guidance of Ralph Roberts.

Probably the most striking automotive design in existence at the time was Al Leamy’s Cord L29, so when Leamy was hired to style the Imperial, it is not at all surprising that the cars bore a striking resemblance to one another. Like the L29, the CG was both long and low, featuring gracefully swept fenders and a vee-shaped radiator grille. However, LeBaron improved on the basic design elements with a longer hood, a rakishly swept-back grille and a more elegant body side treatment.

All Chryslers had a well-established reputation for strong performance, and the CG Imperial did not disappoint. It is powered by a “Red-Head” eight-cylinder that produces 125 hp and a four-speed manual transmission, the cars were very quick for the time, belying their somewhat modest horsepower ratings. Thanks to their many engineering advancements, the cars were also an unqualified technical success, with such features as Chrysler’s “Floating Power” engine mounting system, rubber-mounted spring shackles, hydraulic brakes, automatic spark-advance ignition and freewheeling, among others. With their well-tuned suspension, adjustable seats and driver-adjustable steering column, in addition to revised instrument panels and thoughtful interior amenities, CG-Series Imperials were also remarkably refined and quite enjoyable to drive.

The Imperial’s powerful new inline eight-cylinder engine – when combined with the lightest coachwork, the 2/4-passenger roadster – created one of the fastest cars money could buy. In fact during 1931, Billy Arnold, who was a well-known racing driver, used just such a car to capture several speed records at Daytona Beach. While the Imperial’s flathead inline eight-cylinder engine was far less exotic in its specifications than the more complex and powerful offerings from such marques as Duesenberg, it was highly regarded for durability, reliability and relative ease of maintenance. These attributes were already well proven at Le Mans in 1928, where a two-car Chrysler entry with similar flathead sixes finished third and fourth overall behind only Bentley and Stutz, marking a truly remarkable achievement for Chrysler!

With its commanding 145-inch wheelbase length, the CG Imperial chassis – Chrysler’s longest ever – provided the perfect basis for the ultimate expression of designer Al Leamy’s creative vision with its superb proportions. Many consider the Chrysler CG Imperial Roadster to be among the very finest and most desirable open cars of the era, in addition to being one of the most satisfying cars to drive. Just 100 examples were originally built, but attrition has been high over the intervening decades, and only a handful remain in existence today.

This is a well-known CG Imperial Roadster, having been shown at numerous classic cars events on the East Coast where it has won numerous awards. It is believed that this car started out as a sedan and the roadster body was built some 60 years ago. In the 1980s, this car was part of the late Thomas F. Derro Collection, which was one of the Northeast’s greatest collections of American automobiles. The car then joined another major East Coast American Classic Car Collection before receiving a comprehensive and professional restoration around 2005 that was performed to the highest standards. The quality of the car remains very high today, thanks to the proper care it has received.