Jump to content

1936 Chrysler Airstream C7 owners?


Guest 36airstream

Recommended Posts

Guest tennisace

thanks for the nice words Milpaint and keiser31. i got this car from a great uncle that purchased it new in 1936. he passed on in 1980 and had it stored in a garage for over 20 years. i am going to post some pictures of it when i first had it towed out of the garage. i think you will appreciate the work that had to be done to make it look like it does now. it took ten years to restore and cost almost $ 30,000. i haven't seen any others with the wheels on the hood like this one. if you know of any, please let me know.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Does it have spares on both sides? It is a bit hard to tell from the photos. I have did enjoyed gathering the history of my car. I have a original owners manual with the warranty, 90 days or 4000 miles. I contacted Chrysler and got the orignal build sheets, 4" * 6" cards, with dates, factory installed accessories, colors etc. Fun to see that the "Rear Wheel Shields", fender skirts were $9.00 for the pair but the radio, high tech for the period was a whopping $49.50 installed. What a great history your car has being in the same family for over 75 years. Looking forward to more photo's.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...
  • 2 months later...
Guest catzsnot

Hi all - awhile back I remember reading the name and phone number of a man who had the sill plates for the carpet on the 36 Airstream. I had the number but seemed to have misplaced it. I think he was back east somewhere? If anyone has any info, please let me know as our car is about ready to go in for interior and we need those. Thanks.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...
Guest catzsnot
doorsills

81 graham ave.

north haledon, N.J. 07508

ph: 973-423-1196

fax : 973-904-0433

Much appreciated - thank you.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest tennisace

auburnseeker,

really like your 36 chrysler c7 airstream. i have one that is on display in this forum, and i am hoping for some advice on headlamps. when mine was restored the driver side lamp was cracked. i have had several people try to replace it but no one seems to be able to remove the lamp. the manual says push on the bottom of the lamp and the top will pop off, but i have had no luck with this. any suggestions

Link to comment
Share on other sites

auburnseeker,

really like your 36 chrysler c7 airstream. i have one that is on display in this forum, and i am hoping for some advice on headlamps. when mine was restored the driver side lamp was cracked. i have had several people try to replace it but no one seems to be able to remove the lamp. the manual says push on the bottom of the lamp and the top will pop off, but i have had no luck with this. any suggestions

Try this....click on image to enlarge it.

post-37352-143142021921_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The manual is correct. I had a bear of a time getting mine apart. The lens may be stuck. It's a very tight fit and the springs that keep the lens against the bezel are pretty stiff. You could try spraying a little WD 40 around the lens if you can push it in at all. That will help it slide out but you have to be careful as it also makes it slippery to handle. I had to do that with mine to beable to get them to slide past the bezel.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest catzsnot
auburnseeker,

really like your 36 chrysler c7 airstream. i have one that is on display in this forum, and i am hoping for some advice on headlamps. when mine was restored the driver side lamp was cracked. i have had several people try to replace it but no one seems to be able to remove the lamp. the manual says push on the bottom of the lamp and the top will pop off, but i have had no luck with this. any suggestions

Thanks so much. Well I think we are kind of in the same boat - I will let you know as soon as we figure out how to put ours together...:). They were already apart when we got the car. Got the wiring harness from Rhode Island Wiring and it's almost all hooked up. Hopefully tomorrow we will find out if it all works!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks so much. Well I think we are kind of in the same boat - I will let you know as soon as we figure out how to put ours together...:). They were already apart when we got the car. Got the wiring harness from Rhode Island Wiring and it's almost all hooked up. Hopefully tomorrow we will find out if it all works!

When I reassembled mine I took a little wheel bearing grease and put a fine line of it around the edge of the lens as it wouldn't run off like Wd40 and that helped it slide back together. you can that wipe any excess off with a rag. It also gives a little lubrication so the lens will come out easier next time. I got my whole car together, put new light bulbs in it. Drove it one time with the lights on and blew both new bulbs so I had to take them apart and replace them. Even lubricated they were still a bit of a bear to get apart the second time. Good luck.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have had the same issue with the headlights. I did get one removed but the other is difficult. Seems to be a fine line between removal and fear of breaking the lens. On another note I am looking for a sample of the vehicle I.D. tag. Although mine is there it is so worn that it is unreadible even with a magnifying glass. Does anyone have a photo of an original? The tag with the VIN is fine it is the oval tag above it I am seeking.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest catzsnot
I have had the same issue with the headlights. I did get one removed but the other is difficult. Seems to be a fine line between removal and fear of breaking the lens. On another note I am looking for a sample of the vehicle I.D. tag. Although mine is there it is so worn that it is unreadible even with a magnifying glass. Does anyone have a photo of an original? The tag with the VIN is fine it is the oval tag above it I am seeking.

There is supposed to be an oval tag? I do believe I haven't seen one of those on our car. Anyone have a photo?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest catzsnot

I have yet another question for you all... does anyone know anything about the 1 chrysler horn cover and 1 desoto horn cover thing? post-82926-143142040537_thumb.jpg

I was told that when they were ramping up for the war, they ran out and had to substitute the fender with a Desoto one? Is this accurate info - I haven't really been able to verify it in anyway. Thanks again all.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have yet another question for you all... does anyone know anything about the 1 chrysler horn cover and 1 desoto horn cover thing? [ATTACH=CONFIG]204737[/ATTACH]

I was told that when they were ramping up for the war, they ran out and had to substitute the fender with a Desoto one? Is this accurate info - I haven't really been able to verify it in anyway. Thanks again all.

I don't think that is true about the war. That was still five years away. I think someone simply restored it with what they could find.

Edited by keiser31 (see edit history)
Link to comment
Share on other sites

There is supposed to be an oval tag? I do believe I haven't seen one of those on our car. Anyone have a photo?

I think he is talking about the plate similar to the red one on this Chrysler Airflow firewall....

post-37352-143142041129_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes, that is the tag. Do you have a close up that you could submit?

Thanks,

I don't have a better photo. I got that from Google after entering "1936 Chrysler engine photo". There are a few places that reproduce that tag, I believe.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest catzsnot

That is entirely possible, but I do have photos of the car from the original owner's son and it has the different horn covers on it back then. post-82926-143142041205_thumb.jpeg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I found out that it is called a body tag. If anyone has a photo I would appreciate seeing what it should look like and I will try to reproduce. I used google and was unable to find a manufacturer offering replacements. Also tried both Atlas and Bernbaum with no luck.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If I remember correctly you have to reach up behind the dash and push down on something on top of the switch. Much like the later switches have but I don't remember what exactly I pushed down. If you could find a picture of a switch online or in your parts or service manual that would probably help. You may even have to pull up on a thin metal tab. I can't remember which now. The back of the knob has a bump out that keeps it from coming out all the way as a modern switch does. Hope this helps. If you don't have a picture of the switch, let me know and I'll try to get one out of my manual and post it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest catzsnot
If I remember correctly you have to reach up behind the dash and push down on something on top of the switch. Much like the later switches have but I don't remember what exactly I pushed down. If you could find a picture of a switch online or in your parts or service manual that would probably help. You may even have to pull up on a thin metal tab. I can't remember which now. The back of the knob has a bump out that keeps it from coming out all the way as a modern switch does. Hope this helps. If you don't have a picture of the switch, let me know and I'll try to get one out of my manual and post it.

Ours was definitely the metal tab that you had to pull up. Getting to it behind the dash may be another story - ours was already removed when we got it. :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

First show with almost complete C8. Hot August nights, Reno, Nevada post-82038-143142130033_thumb.jpg Had a lot of interest in the car. Folks really enjoyed the owners manual, warranty 4000 miles or 90 days and the original accessory catalog. Also had the build cards and original sales brochure.

post-82038-143142130028_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Looks great. If it was the same car I was looking into buying, I probably should have bought it. Well atleast you're getting to use it. I haven't even fired mine up this summer. I did blast and repaint the backside of my rear bumper today and have had the brackets powder coated so maybe this week I can put the bumper back on it and get it out for the summer before it's fall. Great looking car. I bet the 8 pushes it down the road nice.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I finally got my Chrysler out of winter storage and put the back bumper back on it. It's so tight in the garage I have to take the bumper and brackets off to fit it and the 32 Ford in my 28 foot long Garage. If the 32 touches the wall and I back the Chrysler right up so the rear fenders touch the Ford's headlights. (it's a fenderless 50's style hot rod) I have just enough room to squeeze my legs around the front bumper to get around the car. Well with the bumper off I had the brackets powder coated, blasted the inside of the rear bumper(it was rusty and the plating was peeling in spots on the back side, the face still has really nice chrome) and painted it putting all new hardware on as well as new rubber body grommets on it as the old ones were all shriveled up. It looks a bit more presentable now.

Well I finally got to drive it about 10 miles. I finally got to take pictures of my sill plates as well as one of my cowl tag. I found the cowl tag on ebay. I'm not sure if it's correct but it fits the holes and looks right.

does anyone have a factory radio already installed in their car? I have one but need to install it still. Does the main body bolt to the back of the firewall behind the driver's side glove box above the steering column? I want to know where to put it before I start drilling holes in my Firewall. None of the Knockouts seem to be in the correct place and I have to Shorten one of my new gloveboxes as it's too deep. If someone could post a few photos of one installed that would be great.

post-43003-143142136882_thumb.jpg

post-43003-143142136869_thumb.jpg

post-43003-143142136875_thumb.jpg

post-43003-143142136877_thumb.jpg

post-43003-143142136879_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I found an original tag and made an exact duplicate. The only difference is mine says " TRADE MARK REGISTERED" on the bottom. I have attached a couple of photos of my radio location. I am not positive it was dealer installed but looks to be correct location. It is a tight fit with only about 1/2" clearance from interior wall and steering column. Glad to hear you had a chance to get the Chrysler out for a drive. Mine is running strong be we only another 4 weeks before back to storage for the winter.post-82038-143142138557_thumb.jpg

post-82038-143142138554_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Not a rush but if you get a chance could you measure how deep your driver's side glove box is? Mine is so deep I will have to cut it to put the radio in place. I look like I have alot less room under my dash. How deep is your radio as well? if you don't mind getting me those 2 measurements at your convenience I would really appreciate it. The photo is a big help to confirm the location I was thinking. Even to the inch will be fine. Yours is a great looking car, enjoy it while you can. I should still have 2-3 months to enjoy mine if I can get any time away from sitting the kids in the evening to drive it. I would take them along but they haven't exactly been behaving real well lately so it's nice cruising nights full of time out and getting yelled at while the car sits in the garage.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Glove box on the drivers side is shorter, it measures about 5.5" to the front edge of the dash. The radio is about 7" when measured from the firewall inside. The drivers side glove looks to have been cut and a new back installed. Very well done, could be factory installed. Backwall of box was fitted and rivited in place with old style fasteners. Let me know if you need any further maesurements. It is nice to know there is another Airstream out there.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...
  • 2 weeks later...

I took my 1936 out last weekend and for the second time the gear shift shaft broke off leaving me in 2nd. Has anyone else had this issue and how was it resolved. The metal at the bottom of shifter seems very thin and can not handle the torgue of the long handle.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...