The Classic Era in America brought about many beautiful automobiles, but the Chrysler CL Imperial of 1932-1933 was hard to beat for overall greatness.

It featured a potent inline-eight-cylinder engine, a sweet-shifting transmission, and handsome LeBaron bodywork with a hoodline extended back to the windshield—emphasizing the car’s length and the size of the motor lurking beneath the sheet metal.

Each body was meticulously constructed to the highest standards.

The result was an automobile that was smoothly powerful, easy to drive for its era, and built with quality as the foremost consideration.

It was a superb car—and it looked terrific.

Just 11 1932 CL Imperials are known to remain extant with the handsome Convertible Sedan coachwork, a style offered only that year.

Few can boast the proud history of this example, which until very recently had lived a quiet existence, lovingly preserved and enjoyed by the same family that has continuously cared for it since 1947.

That year, the...