135 bhp, 385 cu.

in.

high compression Red Head inline eight-cylinder engine, three-speed manual transmission, solid axle front suspension with leaf springs, live axle rear suspension with leaf springs, and four-wheel hydraulic drum brakes.

Wheelbase: 146 in.

As Chrysler rolled into the 1931 calendar year, it mounted a serious assault on the fine-car market by offering a more affordable luxury car that still offered bountiful styling and performance.

With its long-wheelbase chassis, flowing fenders, and smart LeBaron-designed coachwork, the Imperial was among the most beautiful classics of its era.

While its chassis and drivetrain was certainly conventional, the car was quick, with its 385-cubic inch, nine-main-bearing straight eight producing 125 horsepower.

For 1932, the original CG Imperial was refined into the CL, with enhanced front end design, an extended hood with ventilation doors rather than louvered, and new bodies.

Many of the bodies were “semi-custom” designs by LeBa...