Behind The Wheel 1930 Chrysler 77 Royal Coupe

IAN & LINDSAY LAMB’S 1930 CHRYSLER 77 ROYAL COUPE

A GRAND OLD ROYAL LADY FROM DETROIT

WORDS AND PHOTOS GREG PRICE

Looking at recent pictures of Detroit City, particularly the derelict eastern areas and the former Chrysler factory, it would be fair to say that this magnificent old girl has lasted far better than much of the old industrial city in which it was manufactured all those years ago – 91 years ago in fact.

A REAL BARN FIND?

Anyone who has watched that YouTube programme Barn Find by Haggarty, will have seen his many excursions into the outback of America where the host seems to unearth (for the car aficionados et al amongst us) a treasure trove of classic cars, very often many that have been lying dormant for years and years. Very often too the usually aged owner is not willing to part with any of their treasures and what is particularly sad is the fact that most of those cars will never see the highways again. On the other hand, some similar programmes like Fast N’ Loud’s Gas Monkey Garage will (pre-filming, usually) tempt an owner to part company with their once pride and joy and the vehicle is then trailered back to the workshop for a restoration, or a brief facelift. In recent times, host Richard Rawlings unearthed a 1930 Chrysler Royal coupe but opted to simply put it through an auction,

s Free flow exhaust headers. ▼ Modern indicators. ▼ Left hook, of course.

as is where is. Apparently their filming schedule precluded any additional work being done pre-purchase. I am a big fan of Fast N’ Loud, particularly the episodes when some gem vehicle from the past is located and salvaged to once again grace the highways. But I digress. Ian and Lindsay’s Majestic Chrysler Coupe also languished somewhere unnoticed for some 63 years before being purchased in 2004 by Roger Berry from New Zealand – who just happened to be a friend of the Lambs.

THE EARLY DAYS

When the 1930 Chrysler 77 Royal coupe was first produced it featured hydraulic internal brakes and a floor-mounted gearshift for the four-speed transmission. Part of Chrysler’s success was their racing pedigree. Their cars appeared at Le Mans, Spa and in the Mille Miglia since 1924. In 1930, two model 77 roadsters raced at Spa in Belgium. A Chrysler driven by Stoffel and De Costier finished 5th behind three Alfas and a Bugatti. The Chrysler 77 series was named because Chrysler guaranteed a cruising speed of 77 miles per hour and a top speed of 90 miles per hour! Power was supplied by a 100 horsepower six-cylinder motor. The Chrysler Building in New York City was completed in 1930, and the Art Deco styling is shared with this 1930 Royal coupe. Sadly the original factory is now derelict, unlike this classic.

Ian and Lindsay’s coupe started its life as the personal car of J F Oates, a dealer principal of Chrysler Motor Cars in Birmingham, Alabama, and racing-car driver. He clocked up 3,500 miles in it before selling it on to Eugene Winkler on 24 April 1930. As an aside, Eugene Winkler is no relation to Henry Winkler of The Fonz – Happy Days fame, as that Winkler family (Fonzie’s mum and dad) did not arrive from Germany until 1939. Eugene was obviously a Chrysler fan as he traded in his 1926 Chrysler F58 and got US$610 off the price of the 77, the cost of which was $2,100 before the trade in was taken into account. According to an original receipt, Mr Winkler had the car repainted in 1937, along with fitting two new running boards, a new top, and something else (couldn’t read the bad handwriting) and the all-up cost was US$127.80. Possibly it was being kept outside hence the need for a repaint and new roof perhaps? Mr Winkler last registered the car in 1941. The history from then on in is pretty much unknown save for it being shipped from California (according to the pink slip) in October 2004. There is speculation that Eugene enlisted for WWII, but was killed and never returned home. This would

s Ian Lamb. s Motor never been removed.

s Original upholstery. ▼ Sub-machine gun compartment.

explain why much of the original car documentation, including the original instruction book with Eugene’s name written inside, was still with the vehicle when purchased in 2003. That documentation was supplied by someone in Northport, New York in October 2003. Seemingly that was a Walter Simendinger, who may well have obtained the Chrysler from a deceased estate, perhaps? In any event the car was eventually shipped from Los Angeles on 30 November 2004 in a container with two other vehicles, arriving at the Port of Tauranga on 13 December 2004. Tuatara Management Ltd in Auckland arranged the shipping.

THE ORIGINAL DOCUMENTATION

I guess that one of the bonuses of buying a vehicle that has been laid up for over 60 years is finding that much, if not all, of the original documentation pertaining to the original sale is still with the car. In this case, that included the original vehicle order dated 4 April 1930, and the sale invoice dated 25 April 1930. There is also the receipt for the paint job and running board replacement dated 9 October 1937. But most importantly, there was the original driver’s instruction book in really good condition (well, it ought to have been since it seemingly only had some 11 years usage). It is a first edition copy dated July 1929, with Eugene Winkler’s name handwritten on the inside cover. Also handwritten on the next page is a bit more of its early history, for example by November 1932 it had covered 16,791 miles. On 22 June 1935 the brake linings were taken off and inspected, and a new battery was fitted on 17 December 1939. When the battery was fitted, someone carefully recorded the amp readings and volt readings, which meant that someone was checking the charging output before or after the battery replacement – just like the AA does now when you call them out to your roadside breakdown.

With Eugene covering 16,791 miles in the first two years of his ownership, and the odometer now reading 98,000, and also that it was apparently laid up in 1941, it is pretty evident that the mileage is genuine. I say that because Eugene seemingly averaged about 8,400 per year, so after 11 years the odometer would be showing just over 92,000 miles, which is consistent with all the other documentation. So what are the chances of finding a 91-year-old car, that still hasn’t been around the clock, and has all the paperwork to prove it? Fortunately whoever was sorting out Eugene’s estate (if in fact he did die during the war) recognised the value of the original paperwork and kept it with the car – whereever it was stashed away.

FAST FORWARD TO ITS NEW ZEALAND HISTORY

The Chrysler was not running when Roger Berry acquired it. The Lambs purchased it from Roger in 2007 and one of its first outings was to the Canterbury Branch McLeans Island Swap Meet, which was when I, along with many others, was able to see it up close and personal. Sitting there on the Lamb’s swap meet site it was a huge drawcard and Ian eventually had to put a note on it to the effect that it was not for sale!

As Maxwell Smart (of TV’s Get Smart series) would have said, ‘Would you believe that the motor has never been out of this car?’ Which is pretty good really when you consider that it had covered just 98,000 miles (157,715kms) since new, and the Lambs have clocked up a further 12,000 miles (19,308kms) already.

Ian has added a new roof, which is a hard-top covered with fabric, and a radiator, but otherwise the car was in good condition when he bought it. He has replaced the carburettor with a more modern example that has an adjustable jet, and as the exhaust manifold kept cracking, he managed to score a set of free-flow headers off Trade Me, and they certainly look the part, too.

The paintwork applied in 1937 is still looking good and Ian cleans it with a combination of kerosene and linseed oil, ‘which brings it up nice and shiny’ – to quote Ian. Lindsay insisted on the retro-fitting of seat belts, and Ian has also fitted modern directional indicators, and a tow bar for their caravan. In the ‘30s, hand

signals were the order of the day, but today they often confuse other drivers, especially when only a part of the hand is utilised. The original velour upholstery has lost a bit of the fluffy stuff in some places, and the driver’s seat needs an auxiliary cushion as the original springing is a tad tired.

PERIOD ACCESSORIES

Even in 1930, this Chrysler came with four-wheel hydraulic brakes. It also has a wind-up windscreen (just a couple of inches to let the air in!) and a wind-down rear window to allow better communication with the folk sitting in the rumble seat. On the passenger side, there is a compartment for your golf clubs, or a Thompson sub-machine gun if you want to play at being Elliot Ness of the Untouchables. (Another aside, apparently gangsters did not drive these Chryslers preferring the Ford V8s for their power). On either side of the dickey seat are small compartments for the revolvers, or tools, since handguns are banned. There’s no heater, and while it was originally wired for a valve radio, it does not have one. It does still have its original art deco style door handles and window winders, which complement the original patina.

ECONOMY?

As Mrs Audrey Forbes-Hamilton (of the To the Manor Born television series) once intoned about how much petrol her aged Rolls-Royce consumed, and adapted for this Chrysler, “If you own one of these you don’t worry about the cost of petrol!” Ian tells me that it is not cheap to run despite being one of the first cars to have a downdraft carburettor for better fuel consumption. With its 16 gallon (60 litre) fuel tank, stopping at the gas station is not much fun. At $2.20 per litre and rising that’s going to hurt alright.

THE TEST DRIVE

Once again, given that Ian had offered me the opportunity to take it for a hoon around the neighbourhood, he let it slip that it had a crash gearbox, so I opted to let him drive while I took some notes. Given the fact that the old girl had lasted some 91 years already, I didn’t want to hasten her demise with my fumbling gear changing techniques. As I’ve previously said, I learnt about crash gearboxes in the 1960s when I owned a 1926 Austin 12/4, and the previous owner had given me a fully reconditioned gearbox for it with the instructions, ‘Learn to change gear with the box that is currently fitted, and when you’ve mastered the technique, swap it for the reconditioned one’. Ian hadn’t bought a spare reconditioned gearbox along with him on the test drive day, thus it was safer to let him show me how easy it was – which he did. So much so that apart from observing the double-declutching, each change was as noiseless as a fully synchromesh box. Given it was left hook, and I was perched in front of the dash panel where the steering wheel ought to have been, not to mention the absence of any pedals under my feet, it took a bit of getting used to not having a wheel in front of me to steer around the sharp bits, or ease off on the corners. I had no idea if it was safe to corner at those speeds! Notwithstanding that, my apprehensions were unfounded as Ian motored around the countryside as happy as the proverbial pig in the sloppy brown stuff. The old girl pulled well under acceleration and went where it was pointed. First gear is only to get it moving when either on an upward slope or towing a heavy trailer (or caravan) so starts were made in second gear. The Armstrong power steering seemed quite direct from where I was sitting with little play (wandering) evident. We achieved 30 mph quickly which is actually just under 50mph as per the tumbler-type speedometer which gave a steady albeit incorrect reading.

Surprisingly there were few, if any, rattles and the ride was smooth, remembering its 91-year-old suspension. The brakes were effective when required so it would be suitable in busy traffic, as if anyone got in the way, you could simply butt them off to the side of the road and carry on unimpeded. I was conscious of keeping an eye out for any significant potholes, lest I got bounced up and made contact with the non-existent headlining as there was only the chicken wire above my head. Getting in and out was a bit awkward, (maybe it’s an age thing?) as I was trying to avoid sliding off the aged velour upholstery, or stepping on the running boards, but then, that’s what they were for, weren’t they?

Having first seen this car in 2007, just after Ian acquired it and took it to McLeans Island Swap Meet, it was really great to finally get up close and personal, and get to cruise around the countryside in it. It seriously impressed me when I first laid eyes on it, and after 14 more years she still is an impressive, somewhat magnificent vehicle, and still largely unmolested.

SPECIFICATIONS: (ex the Driver’s Instruction Book) Car Serial Number: C114HW Engine Serial Number: IN13203 Cylinder bore: 33⁄8” Stroke: 5” Number of cylinders: 6 NACC Horsepower Rating: 27.34 Piston displacement: 4.4L (268.4 ci)

OTHER SPECIFICATIONS: (There are nearly 4 x A5 pages of specifications in the handbook! So I’ll just show the usual ones here.)

Brake horsepower: 93bhp Wheels: 18 inch wood, artillery type, with demountable rims (split)

Tyres: Balloon cord, heavy duty 6-ply 6.00 x 18

Overall length: 177 ½ inches without bumpers, and 189 ½ inches with bumpers

Gearbox: 4-speed forward and one reverse all non-synchromesh (crash!)

Carburettor: Downdraft (non-original replacement, with adjustable jet)

Overall rating: M (magnificent!)

THE FUTURE?

Both Ian and Lindsay have no intentions of parting with the Chrysler anytime soon as it is quieter than most vintage cars, to name but one attribute. It also has style and grace which I can attest to and it is very hard not to like this magnificent old lady from Detroit. There’s an old adage that goes “They are only original once.” Thus its attraction is in its originality, and to restore it would be a real shame because it looks great just like it is. (Or, ‘It’s not broken so why try to fix it?’) Fortunately Ian and Lindsay are of the same view!

I grew up around cars, motorcycles and scooters. Significant milestones in the hundreds of vehicles that have graced my garages over time included a 1959 Cadillac Fleetwood (owned over 16 years) and currently two Mk 1 Zephyrs (a sedan and a convertible) owned for 48 years and 43 years. I like anything with wheels especially if it has whitewall tyres! The wish list includes an E-Type Jaguar. What I can’t get to own I like to write about

Greg Price