1948 Chrysler Royal

1948 Chrysler Royal The Chrysler Building is one of the most beloved of New York Citys skyscrapers, an architectural manifestation of both the Art Deco era and the automobile age. Famous as it may be, the Chrysler Building holds many fascinating secrets, compounded by the fact that it is difficult to visit and doesnt offer tours, unlike the Woolworth Building and the Empire State Building. The Cloud Club once belonged to a group of mile-high power lunch spots in New York City atop the citys most distinctive skyscrapers. The New York Times calls The Cloud Club the inspiration for many of the others. It was initially designed for Texaco, which occupied 14 floors of the Chrysler Building, and used as a restaurant for executives. It opened with 300 members of New York Citys business elite. For consignment, a 1 family owned car with believed to be an actual 58,534 original but unverifiable miles wearing a nice paint job and clean post war lines. A fine example from 1948, hailing in the big and plenty chrome era. Exterior Bathed in a Dove Gray respray, the big steel body is straight and gaps are good. All chrome is still nicely polished and not much fault can be found with it. In front there is plenty of chrome trim interacting to form the eggcrate centrally peaked grille with multiple layers. This emulates the peak of the hood and carries it through down to the clean front bumper. Fenders with single headlight showing off with chromed bezels and chrome grille bars which wrap around the fenders and die off before the front wheel. A nice hood ornament which is a flamboyant Chrysler badge leads off the rounded bulbous hood and sits upon a long trim piece which runs rearward to the front glass. The passenger cabin design with its front split glass has a rearward canter, and more surrounding chrome trimming wrapping all the other glass. On the rear quarters are rounded bump outs to carry on the design from the front fenders, with a belt line trim spear and more trimmings just above the rear wheels. A beautifully rounded trunk finishes this car off, and within this round field is another Chrysler badge and fancy chromed license plate illuminator. Small veed taillights in shiny chrome bezels wrap the rear fenders and hover nicely above a pristine rear bumper with single exhaust peeking out from underneath. Dove Gray steel wheels are capped with chrome Chrysler moon caps and wrapped in wide whites. Interior Looking like new, we see fuzzy broadcloth gray panels sandwiched between a wood painted sill and gray carpeting below. Within the smooth gray are the door actuators, window cranks and vertically ribbed broadcloth armrests. Inside a front bench cradled by a ribbed broadcloth tub and the seating follows suit with thin striped broadcloth bordered by piping all in gray. This split bench presents beautifully with no staining or tearing of the material. In the back is a split bench in matching condition and color which more so resembles an overstuffed couch than a car seat. The dash is all original with a faux wood grained front. Within this, a cream bakelite panel holds the original gauges, a centrally located radio and bakelite covered speaker looking much like a jukebox, all chromed and big! The original steering wheel is fronting this dash and is looking just dandy with its tan bakelite rim and chrome horn ring. The clear topped shift lever is on the tree . Very nice gray carpeting is flooding the rear floors and a ribbed black mat is up front. Peering upward reveals the original mohair style headliner, nice, clean and tight. Drivetrain Popping the hood, we are greeted by a 250ci L head inline 6-cylinder engine, original to the car and mostly unrestored but clean. It has a 1-barrel carburetor, an oil bath air cleaner, a 6-volt electrical system, and supple hoses are seen. A 3-speed manual transmission is on back and a 3.90 rear axle handles the 114 horses that emanate from the mill. Undercarriage Still wearing its age-old rust proofing on the frame and flooring, things present as patined with surface rust but no invasive rust is noted. All remains solid and we see one small repair area in the outboard flooring. Hydraulic drum brakes for the front and rear. Independent of each other, coil springs and shocks work together to provide the ride for the front, and leaf springs are on the back. Amazingly preserved underneath with a newer exhaust with a single pipe working their way rearward to culminate in a chrome tip. Drive-Ability This car with its original engine started right up and idled smoothly. Off at the test track, it accelerated with ease and held a decent cruising speed. Brakes were good, and the car stopped in a straight line with an un-held steering wheel. Functions were good and overall the car provides a nice smooth ride. Chrysler built solid cars to last, and this car upholds that theory. Bulletproof construction which was built to last and with all the chrome add ons it was sure to be a looker, and it is! Rounded fenders and hood, and a comfy interior and we are looking really good with this example.