1932 Chrysler Custom Imperial LeBaron Convertible Sedan
LeBaron coachwork distinguished approximately 220 Custom Imperial CL models built during 1932, with just 49 receiving Convertible Sedan bodywork.
The 146-inch wheelbase chassis supported semi-custom designs penned by Ralph Roberts at LeBaron (then a subsidiary of Briggs Corporation), featuring an extended hood with ventilation doors that stretched to the windshield base.
Four-passenger accommodations combined open-air touring capability with weather protection through a folding fabric top and roll-up windows.
A 385 cubic inch L-head straight-eight with nine main bearings produced 125 horsepower at 3,200 RPM, feeding power through a four-speed synchromesh manual transmission equipped with vacuum-operated clutch and freewheeling function.
Floating Power engine mounts isolated vibration, while hydraulic four-wheel drum brakes provided stopping power for the approximately 5,000-pound automobile.
Introduction timing proved unfortunate, arriving as Depression-era economic conditions devastated the luxury car market. Production continued through 1933 with total CL series output reaching just 151 units that year before Chrysler shifted focus to more affordable models.
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