Peugeot did copied the design of the Airflow for their 202, 302, 402 and 602 and the cars sold fairly well for a number of years in France starting in 1935. Tatra did too.
No doubt he was aware of the Airflow as he kept up with the latest trends in design. But the beetle was much more like the rear engine Lincoln Zephyr prototype designed by John Tjaarda that was shown in car shows starting in 1934.
Automotive aerodynamics are only significantly practical at speeds above 45 mph. However, in the mid-1930s there were no high-speed roads like today. In fact, the typical country road for traveling long distance at that time was winding, heavily crowned, and two-way. Approximately 50 mph was as fast as a driver could safely operate a car on those roads. Thus, the highly aerodynamic Airflow/Airstream cars from Chrysler Corporation did not have a practical purpose. Instead, what buyers at that time found more desirable was a comfortable ride. The similarly styled aerodynamic DeSoto was even less popular than the Chrysler Airflow. Planned, but never produced, Dodge and Plymouth models of similar aerodynamic design would have been so unpopular that Chrysler Corporation would have probably gone bankrupt. As a result of poor sales, all Chrysler Corporation's models had ultraconservative design until Virgil Exner's popular 1955 Forward Look models. The most dumpy/dull looking models of the conservative era were the 1937/1938 models ("potato era") and 1949/1950 models (stubby boxlike).
I almost wonder if the lower numbers you measured not meeting Chrysler's claims wasn't because of better measuring techniques and overall advancement in the knowledge of aerodynamics?
I suspect if you took off the license plates and rear view mirrors and just tested the body shape it would look better. There is also the fact that Chrysler tested wooden model shapes in a 3X2 foot wind tunnel so would not get the same effect as a full size car.
Terrible presentation- just focus on the actual car and what the intent of the video was! You spent more time on the wind tunnel and it's staff than the car itself!
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THANK YOU TO EVERYONE INVOLVED IN THIS PROJECT. I LOVE THE CHRYSLER AIR FLOW. I WOULD LOVE TO BUILD ONE IN THE FUTURE.
Why are we not given the drag coefficient numbers? That would have made the video far more interesting
Great information. The Airflow was definitely a car ahead of it's time. Thanks for sharing.
"Walter P. Chrysler stood by the Airflow even decades later." 9:51. Unfortunately Walter P. Chrysler died in the year 1940!
Peugeot did copied the design of the Airflow for their 202, 302, 402 and 602 and the cars sold fairly well for a number of years in France starting in 1935. Tatra did too.
Ahh, the French. They were always freer with their designs; we have to remember the 1955 Citroen DS.
How about comparing the Airflow to the Lincoln Zephyr?
There was also a DeSoto Airflow
One cool production!
Great vedio
i've often wondered how the big late 50s early 60s jet age cars did with the big fins & such did in a cd score.probably not to great.
MOPAR old school 👍🏻🇦🇺
Great Looking Chrysler ! ! !
One other thing besides the lack of highways, as mentioned previously, was the cost of gasoline being very cheap?
Chrysler Airflow foi o carro certo no momento errado. Muito à frente de seu tempo.
Was the Chrysler Airflow the inspiration for Ferdinand Porsche in creating the VW Type 1 (Beetle) in 1937?
No doubt he was aware of the Airflow as he kept up with the latest trends in design. But the beetle was much more like the rear engine Lincoln Zephyr prototype designed by John Tjaarda that was shown in car shows starting in 1934.
No, it was tatra
I would like to see you put a Cord 810/812 in that wind tunnel.
Automotive aerodynamics are only significantly practical at speeds above 45 mph. However, in the mid-1930s there were no high-speed roads like today. In fact, the typical country road for traveling long distance at that time was winding, heavily crowned, and two-way. Approximately 50 mph was as fast as a driver could safely operate a car on those roads. Thus, the highly aerodynamic Airflow/Airstream cars from Chrysler Corporation did not have a practical purpose. Instead, what buyers at that time found more desirable was a comfortable ride. The similarly styled aerodynamic DeSoto was even less popular than the Chrysler Airflow. Planned, but never produced, Dodge and Plymouth models of similar aerodynamic design would have been so unpopular that Chrysler Corporation would have probably gone bankrupt. As a result of poor sales, all Chrysler Corporation's models had ultraconservative design until Virgil Exner's popular 1955 Forward Look models. The most dumpy/dull looking models of the conservative era were the 1937/1938 models ("potato era") and 1949/1950 models (stubby boxlike).
I almost wonder if the lower numbers you measured not meeting Chrysler's claims wasn't because of better measuring techniques and overall advancement in the knowledge of aerodynamics?
I suspect if you took off the license plates and rear view mirrors and just tested the body shape it would look better. There is also the fact that Chrysler tested wooden model shapes in a 3X2 foot wind tunnel so would not get the same effect as a full size car.
Built by The Budd Company in Philadelphia.
Where are the f'n numbers?
Terrible presentation- just focus on the actual car and what the intent of the video was! You spent more time on the wind tunnel and it's staff than the car itself!