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1936 Airflow 2 dr Coupe


ejonas

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  • 3 months later...

Obviously not on this website. Over 3 months ago you posted here and no replies. Now, if you have parts for sale or a parts car with the rare Airflow parts, then there are collectors out there who will take them from you. Air flow people hoard parts for their own cars - and for the most part - information as well. That's OK, most Airflow club members are old and when they die, the club will go with it. But critical Airflows not yet restored will be crushed or hot rodded. But that's OK to them because they have their 1 or 2 or 3 cars and they tour in them and show them to the few other members in the club who have restored cars, and stashed parts. There is no organized attempt to find and retain parts cars and create new parts because they don't care if a new guy gets into Airflows or not. Like I said, they will wait for you to twist in the wind and sell your car in frustration and move on to other makes.

Bryan Moran

abc.moran@netzero.com

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Thank you "crazy4abby" for your reply. We have an all original 90% complete 1936 airflow coupe that we are thinking of making it into a hotrod instead of a fully restored car. There does not seem to be much interest in a restored car.

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hi.

your car is very rare. in the club there are only about 50 desoto airflows registered. 90% of those are 4 doors. all airflow coupes are rare across the board. in 1936 desoto made about 4000 airflows but very few survive. of those mabey 200 were coupes. the grill of your car mimicks the design of the chrysler building in new york city. desotos were the most art deco stlyed of the airflow series.the best way to learn more is to join the club. that is true in most cases. most airflow members are older. and many do not have internet access. an add in the club publication would bear more fruit than a post on the web site. i have a 1936 desoto 4-door that i'm restoring. if you decide to rod your car let me know as i would be interested in some parts for mine. i don't have lots of parts connctions yet, if i can help in that way let me know specifics. i'm sure your coupe would generate lots of interest if you decide to sell. club members are pretty friendly once you get to know them. you can reach me at 37cordnt@altelco.net best wishes, steve

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Sorry, but that last post proves my point. If you decide to 'hot rod' it then keep him in mind for selling those rare Airflow parts. Honestly it would be a shame to rod such as rare and beautiful car because our world would then be minus one more of only a few. Reluctantly, I would try for about a year to secure the parts I needed to do a restoration. I might even bend in respects to absolute authenticity if it meant I could finish a high quality restoration while still looking for absolute correct parts. By this I mean maybe door handles or tailights, if you don;t already have them. Drivetrains should be the same for Airstreams versus Airflows.

But if not then those club members will come out of the woodwork for your parts!

Crazy4abby

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  • 3 weeks later...

Bryan, sounds like you've had some pretty bad experiences with other Airflow owners? I've found the old guys in the club very willing to help and to share expertise and parts. This forum just dosen't work well for Airflows. I'm on the computer all day every day and I only remember to check this site about once every 6 months, nothing much happens here. The paper newsletter the Airflow Club puts out monthly always has restoration articles and a whole page of want ads just for Airflows so I'd guess that's where everone is trading parts. (plus eBay)

John

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John,

I agree that I never joined the Airflow Club. Before buying my 36 C9 I called the president and VP of the Airflow Club and asked advice. They even looked at pictures of the car before I bought it. Granted, I didn't pay much but the missing parts are crucial. In fact, I now believe my car was stripped of the Airflow specific parts to support another restoration. More then likely.

However, assured that Airflow Club members would sell parts to support this restoration, even if not cheap, I bought the car. I then looked carefully for Airflow parts on ebay daily and found myself bidding against 2-3 others for parts. My car was truly sad :{ in many ways. It needed everything and because it was a basket case, I wasn't sure how it might go back together. Anyway, I emailed the other buyers I was competing against and tried to "collude". Since I knew we needed these rare parts I thought I would back off some I didn't need as much and ask for leniency on those I needed more. Well, that lasted one auction. A beautiful NOS gauge cluster with glass came on. I placed a reasonable bid and was high bidder - you guessed it - 6 day, 23 hours and 59 minutes to be outbid by one of the others who already had 2-3 gauge clusters. Hoarding, that's what that is.

So my attempt to rescue an Airflow went for naught. I placed my $1300 C9 on ebay and sold it to a hot rodder for $650.00. I hope he chops it up. I even offered this car for parts on this forum. Ok so nobody visits it THEN WHY HAVE IT!! STOP WASTING AACA's time and shut it down.

I also have a friend who has a 34 DeSoto 4 door Airflow and he warned me not to buy the C9 stating that Airflow members (club members) hoard parts. I bought the C9 anyway.

Bottom line is that it takes a lot of money to enjoy the Airflow hobby and a lot of connections. I understand not even selling parts to a stranger like me. There is no guarantee that those parts will ever come back around or that my C9 would have gotten restored - then it would have been a waste BUT on the other hand there are a lot of "fringe" Airflows out there - I know - I saw several projects on ebay in the 8 months I was active in Airflow information - that will be crushed, rodded, or left to rust because the older, active members are not practicing Airflow stewardship.

My picture of the active, senior leadership Airflow core is a guy 60-75 years old, 1 to 4 Airflows, a parts stash, who communicates with a group of Airflow guys with similar interests, wealth, and expectations out of the activities of the club. If a long time fellow member needs a rare part (well hell, aren't all Airflow parts rare?) then a handshake transaction will take place. If I were to inquire, I'd get encouragement and good will but no leads.

Bryan Moran

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  • 3 weeks later...

Your experience with the Airflow Club was precisely mine twenty years ago. But mine was much worse. After a criminal car restorer conned me out of $8000 for body work on my 35 DeSoto Airflow, one of the club's leaders said that he would finish the job. He stold (he says "lost")body parts that simply couldn't be replaced, he kept the car gathering dust and never attempted to paint it. When I visited his shop and discovered that no work had been done for many months, he said he needed the car to be "prepped" (that was after the first eight grand of body work and prepping). The car was finally rescued by the great Airflow lover from Merced named Bill Callahan who the club members didn't like because he wasn't like them, he was truly helpful. Bill finally couldn't stand them anymore and sold his Airflows and went off to Truth or Consequences New Mexico where he built a car museum. Still I had one of the Airflow gatherings at my home where they poured hot coffee on an antique desk and let it sit there until it was discovered at the end of the day. 20 years later and it's still the same. A totally restored Airflow brings under ten grand. It is simply not appreciated by the masses, while a restored Zephyr sells for $400K at Barrett Jackson. Go figure. I regret not turning the car into a hot rod in '83. Hot rods have appreciated enormously.

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I am sorry for your experience. I can say that the 2 leaders I talked with were helpful at the time with my decision but they should have been able to read between the lines and say 'look, this cars been stripped of it's Airflow trim, and you'll never find it".

This car needs all the HELP it can get, in terms of stewardship. Meaning the elderly club members don't need to be meeting at fancy Beverly Hills locales. They need to be out among the masses. They just don't get it, but this part is only my opinion. Mt friend locally who has a 35 Desoto Airflow is a normal guy.

But in some of these clubs, the leaders started the organizations and it becomes in-bred. I think we will see in the next 20 years a lot of these pioneer collectors will die and the cars will need to find new homes. Unfortunetly, few guys my age (41) are interested in the classics in original condition. These guys don't realize or care that they are doing the hobby a big dis-service. They just know they have a few years left to enjoy their lifestyle with their friends. And that's Ok in a sense but I am just saying - the hobby will be radically changed by the time I am 70.

Bryan Moran

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  • 2 weeks later...
Guest imported_24Chry48

After reading about all the crying over restoring an Airflow, I have to write my two cents worth. I bought an Airflow about four years ago and it needed some parts. I searched everywhere and corresponded with members of the Airflow Club, joined the club, and posted want ads. I found very little in available parts, but eventually found some of the items I needed. I still haven't found them all. It's called a labor of love. It isn't supposed to be easy. Rare cars have rare parts. If you want to marathon a car together, buy a Model A. It makes me sick to see an Airflow street-rodded, because somebody didn't have the persistance to finish it right. I have a large collection of early 30's Chryslers, and it is no different with them. Again, rare cars have rare parts, and that is why people who own these cars that have extra parts do not want to sell their parts. It takes years to find them. I take offense to the accusation that Airflow, or other old Chrysler owners, "hoard" parts. I have had to travel the entire country searching for 1931 Chrysler stuff, and that has been a great part of the fun of restoring one, meeting people all over that share my interest. The problem is with today's restorer, is that they are too worried about losing money on their project. They lose money at the casino or at the race-track, but heaven forbid they should lose money on a restoration of a vehicle. Cars are nothing more than an investment to them. If you truely love your car, you will give it the chance to become a gem as it was when new, and not worry that you might not get it done in a year and lose some money besides. I don't see any World War ll bombers being retrofitted with new jet engines, and old Chrysler cars should not either. Now I feel better.

Greg Biskey

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Well THAT is what these forums are for. I noted no personal attacks so everything mentioned is fair game. I agree that there was a situation where the restorations were given up on because of lack of parts. I bought my Airflow based on advice from Airflow Club leaders that this car had enough to make it restorable. But come on, it was stripped of all the hard to find stuff. Why couldn't they have chimed in and said, wait a minute-consider this...

I am not a rich guy with time to criss cross the country begging guys to sell a rare part I need. I agree that Airflows are best left to the patient monied types. I make 32,000 per year working 3 jobs. I wanted a unique and different Mopar project when I was in the WPC Club and I prefer to "rescue" cars that would otherwise languish rather then pick easier projects with better aftermarket supplier support.

So, my original idea and purchase was based on optimism. Rare yes, but at some point senior members need to consider stewardship of the Airflow. No mention of that in your post. You mentioned your individual view point, which was fine but what happens to your Airflow when you pass away? Do you show it in 'general' car shows now and invite people to view it, sit in it? Discuss it?

Based on your premise, I was supposed to keep the Airflow and 'chip away' at buying the parts needed and be patient. But the risk greatly outweighed the possible gain. I wasn't in it for the money.

most old cars, the more interesting the car, the more I like it. But let's be realistic. I am 41 years old. If I got, say, 5 % of the parts I needed annually, it would take me 10 years to get this car done. All the while, fighting with other ebayers and restorers for what few parts remain, killing each other to restore our cars rather then working together.

Sorry, I've moved on. I have a couple of cool old GMC trucks, 1945 and 1949 and a 49 Buick Roadmaster 2 door Sedanet. All of them are complete and desirable in their own way. It's just a matter of choice but when you make $32,000 a year you better get the most bang for your buck and have realistic goals going in. With the 36 Airflow purchase, I thought I did the research and got good consultation going in but I did not. It's just too tough of a way to "enjoy" a hobby/leisure. To have to be poised & ready at 1am to "outclick" some other ebayer for an instrument cluster - no thanks.

Bryan Moran

crazy4abby

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Hello ejonas;

I have not been on the site for some time and had not seen your request for information on the DeSoto S2 Coupe. I have one and would be delighted to share information with you. There were only 5000 1936 DeSoto Airflows built. We know that for the Chryslers about 10 percent were coupes. If the percentage holds for DeSotos that means there were never more than 500 DeSoto Airflow coupes built in 1936. As far as I have been able to determine, there are only 15 to 18 left. The best way to get information on the Airflows is to join the Airflow Club and start reading the Club's monthly Newsletter. If you will send me a mailing address, I will send some copies of past Newsletters. Also, if you are anywhere near San Diego, the Western Region of the Airflow Club will be gathering for a dinner in Oldtown on Saturday, February 26th. I would be pleased to introduce you to some of the 40 or so members we expect to be there. It would be a real thrill to have another DeSoto coupe start showing up at our events!!! You can reach me at airflow3@yahoo.com. I would also recommend going to our Club Homepage at http://www.airflowclub.com. There is information and contacts that may be helpful. I am looking forward to hearing from you.

Jim Lightfoot

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  • 3 months later...

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