Visitors to the 1934 New York Auto Show were stunned by the appearance of the Chrysler Airflow with it’s aero dynamic shape and the comfort promised by mounting the engine over the front axle and moving the rear seats ahead of the rear axle.

Unfortunately, not for the first time nor the last, the futuristic Airflow did not sell as well as might be expected, despite it’s superior agility and comfort, so subsequent Airflow models became more conservative in their design.

The 1936 Chrysler Six C7 Convertible seen here is powered by a 241.5 cui / 3,957.5 cc flat head straight six, who’s origins can be traced back to 1924, with an automatic choke ensured easy starting.

A new rear axle which promised silent running thanks to it’s hypoid gears, a spiral bevel gear whose axis does not intersect with the axis of the meshing gear, was introduced to the 1936 C7 range with automatic overdrive an option to further reduce the vehicles noise at speed.

Only 450 Chrysler Six C7 Airstream Rumble Seat Convertibles, which cost nearly double that of the equivalent Ford, are believed to have been built,

The rare right hand example, seen here at Summer Classics Easter Compton, almost certainly a conversion as the speedometer is on the passengers side, is showing as first registered in the UK on the 1st of April 1994, it is also showing as having a 2.7 litre 167 cui motor, a detail I suspect is at variance with the facts since there was no Chrylser 4,6 or 8 cylinder motor of that size that I know of, if you know different please do not hesitate to chime in below.

Thanks for joining me on this “Silent Running Hypoid Gear” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres”, I hope you will join me again for Ferrari Friday tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !