Hello HAMBer's, I am hoping folks on here can help me, as living here in the UK I'm struggling to find information. My dad has sent me this picture It is of his Dad, Mum and his dad's sisters next to their car. On the back is written "WJ Matthews car ( DeSoto ) - dated April 1939". Can anyone shed any light on the car, as we've come up blank. The registration puts the car as 1 of the first registered in Cornwall. The other thing that he dose know is that the car was built in the KEW factory in London, but we can not find any information about that either. Any help would be gratefully received by my Dad. PS. Ryan and Admin I hope this is in the right place.
Looks to be a 1935 Chrysler Airflow (as indicated by the side louver design, 1st photo) with a 1936 DeSoto Airflow hood (as indicated by the chrome grille trim, 2nd photo). It also has a 1934 Chrysler Airflow bumper (as indicated by the 3rd photo).
Thanks Guys. For your replies 31Dodger: I wonder if it might have been an option to choose parts or being in the UK used some spares they had laying around. Now just the hunt for information on the factory
I would not be surprised if different parts of different years were used as the case was common overseas.
Many Chrysler exports were parts bins customs. Dodge front sheet metal on Plymouth bodies. plymouths badged as DeSotos, etc. Older body tools sent over seas and sold as newer models in the offshore country. Example 56 Plymouth sold as 58 in Australia. UK got knockdowns shipped as crated components and assembled there to avoid import taxes on complete vehicles. And Chrysler was famous for using it till the parts bin is empty so a Chrysler body with Desoto trim would not be a stretch. And since the airflow line was not popular here, it would not be a surprise to see any and all combinations cobbled up for European markets. Factory bodging at its best. The Kew factory near the Royal Gardens was one of the places where the knock downs were assembled. Look up Chrysler Croyden. The look at the history of export (use search) on the All Par website. You can also Google Chrysler Kew Assembly plant.
by David O. Hayward, Automotive and Military Historian (edited and expand by Allpar in 2009 and 2011) The history of Chrysler cars and commercials in the UK goes back to Maxwell, and the setting-up by Walter P. Chrysler of his own company. Maxwell, which transformed into Chrysler, had an importation and assembly operation near the Royal Botanical Gardens, on the banks of the River Thames in Mortlake Road, Kew, Surrey. Chrysler Motors Limited imported Chryslers and Plymouths (e.g. the "Airflow" models which were named after Aerodromes and Surrey towns), and Dodge Brothers (Britain) Limited which imported and assembled Dodge and DeSoto chassis. These were all right hand drive (RHD) and included Canadian-built cars as well as US-built, the Canadian parts incurring less duty as a result of being in the Commonwealth. Imports included the Canadian "Plodge" (Plymouth based Dodge and DeSoto) Dodge Kingsway, De Soto Diplomat, and Plymouth Fury. Jim Benjaminson wrote that the first Plymouth PA officially sold in England appears to have been a 1932 model, while the first announcement of Plymouth’s upcoming arrival was in 1930. The cars were often renamed to match London suburbs, so that the Plymouth became the Chrysler Kew or Wimbledon, the DeSoto a Richmond or Kingston, and the Airflow a Croydon. The Dodge truck became a Surrey. Dutch writer Frank Van der Heul said Plymouth was renamed because the name was not well thought of, being associated with drunken sailors. The vehicles were all right-hand-drive, based on American pressings, with standard or special export engines. The latter were downsized to reduce taxation; with one model having a shorter-stroke six. Dodge cars and trucks were imported or assembled by Karrier; Dodge commercial trucks were made in Kew and other places for some time
Plym 46 and HJmaniac. Thanks for the replies and the in-depth info. Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
Just guessing the person who captioned the photo way back when knew enough to know the car was sold and titled as a DeSoto.
That comment seems highly anecdotal. I seriously doubt that Chrysler decided to name a series of cars, built primarily for domestic use, after British locations. It couldn't have had anything to do with their being "Aerodynamic". Nah, I doubt it
Carl LaFong? Say, aren't you the guy that put lemonade in my lemonade? Ye gads. On subject; I'm kinda thinking "aerodynamic" too, like Carl. With upmost respect, William Claude Dunkinfield
the airflow was too radical for its time and pretty much flopped. it had unibody construction and its safety was touted. one was run off a 100-foot cliff and then it was driven away!
Like a fellow I worked for years ago once said.."don't be a pioneer, the pioneers are the ones with arrows in their back"........ Yes, the Airflows were ahead of their time AND, more importantly, a bit uuhhhh, "homely" looking. But like many other advanced ideas..........the Airflow's features of unitized construction, rear seat ahead of the rear axle, aerodynamic styling.....ALL came to be adopted, successfully, over time. Ray
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