1933 Chrysler Imperial
Chrysler’s most-prestigious cars got power to match their looks in 1931, when the company introduced its first eight-cylinder engines. The largest was naturally reserved for Imperial, and the low-revving 385-cid wonder propelled the 5000 pound flagship to 96 mph.Between 1931 and ‘33, engineering advances on the Imperial continued. Chrysler dropped its unpopular four-speed manual transmission, but gave its new "silent-running" three-speed helical gears, an industry first. An automatic choke was added, and the gas pedal now activated the starter motor.
Over the years, independent coachbuilders had found Imperial’s fine chassis to he a splendid platform for their work. Custom and semi-custom bodies were available from Derham, Locke, Murphy and Waterhouse. The most popular, however, came from LeBaron, and that house was given the task of creating the 1933 Indy pace car.
Technically an Imperial Custom Eight convertible roadster, the LeBaron car was the last Chrysler roadster—it was defined as an open car without roll up side windows. (The 1991 Viper pace car was a Dodge.) LeBaron built nine of the 4910-pound beauties.
Specifications
Body style: 2-door roadster
Engine: 385-cid L-head straight-eight
Bore x stroke (in.): 3.50 x 5.00
Horsepower: 135 (gross)
Transmission: 3-speed manual
Driver: Byron Foy
and they sold for $3295. These roadsters had lower ground clearance than other Imperials, and custom wheels with six chrome spokes. Chrome ventilator hood doors and twin external trumpet horns augmented the brightwork.
Behind the sloping V-grille hood was Chrysler’s big straight-eight. Its long crankshaft had nine main bearings, solid valve lifters, a downdraft Stromberg carburetor, and 5.8:1 compression. The new three-speed transmission took power through a vacuum-assisted clutch, and Lockheed hydraulic brakes provided stopping power.
Chrysler would never again boast styling quite like this, moving instead to the revolutionary Airflow design for 1934. That makes the ‘33 LeBaron-bodied pace car a fitting farewell to the original Imperial line.
The Driver: Byron Foy former Ford salesman, was the 28-year-old vice president of Reo’s California operation when he married Walter Chrysler’s daughter Thelma in 1924 and was named a partner in a Detroit Chrysler dealership. By 1930, he was president of the DeSoto division and, by May 1933, was pacing the largest field—42 cars— In Indy 500 history. The pace car had a relation in the race—Raoul Riganti’s Golden Seal Special used a Chrysler straight-eight and Chrysler axles and gearbox.
The Race: Louie Meyer won his second 500 in six starts to cap a tragic month of speed at Indy. William Orem and his mechanic Hugh Hurst were killed in a crash during qualifying. A lap-79 crash killed Mark Billman and seriously injured his mechanic Elmer Lombard. And on lap 132, Lester Spangler and his mechanic G.L. Jordan were killed in a wreck along the southwest wall.
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