Chrysler By The Decade

The 1920's

In 1908, a 33-year railway worker traveled to Chicago, IL. For the annual auto show and fell in love with a $5000USD "Locomobile" which he immediately bought on credit. The young man was Walter Percy Chrysler, and his interest in the automobile would change the direction of the auto industry forever.

The first "Chrysler" was actually a "Chalmers-Maxwell" machine. It was not until 1924 that Chrysler created a car under his own name.

The first car to bear Chrysler's name appeared in 1924, called the Chrysler Six. It features such "high-tech" equipment as aluminum pistons, a high-compression engine, hydraulic brakes and shock absorbers.

The Chrysler Six made its public debut in January 1924 in the lobby of the Hotel Commodore in New York City. Chrysler wanted the vehicle displayed as part of the New York Automobile Show, but show operators denied him space because the car was not yet in production. He parked the car in the hotel lobby because many investors and exhibitors passed through. Chrysler sought interested investors. A Chase Securities banker finally underwrote a $5-million USD issued of Maxwell Motor Corp. debenture bonds to finance Chrysler's plans.

The original Chrysler lineup consisted of six body styles. Chryslers explained why he created the type of vehicle he sold. "I am building the Chrysler because I have been convinced for years that the public has a definite idea of a real quality light car - one not extravagantly large and heavy for one or two people, but adequately roomy for five, economical to own and operate."

Walter P. Chrysler formed a division of Chrysler in Antwerp, Belgium and Chrysler Motors Ltd. in London, England, in 1926 and 1927, respectively, to help ensure profits during a North American downturn.

Despite the fact that Chrysler Corporation had only been in business for four years. By 1928, it was a strong competitor with the "big two" Detroit automakers, General Motors and Ford Motor Company.

Chrysler cars were starting to be noticed for their speed, and numerical names now belied how fast the vehicles could travel.

Horace and John Dodge started their careers designing bicycle parts and later produced transmissions for Oldsmobile and Ford. The brothers died months apart in 1920, only sic years after establishing their vehicle company.

In 1928 Chrysler Corporation purchased Dodge Brothers Co. Observers said it was like a minnow swallowing a whale.

Nonetheless, the purchase of Dodge brought Chrysler one of the strongest dealer networks in the United States and the world.

In 1928, Chrysler also introduced the Plymouth line - committing the company to producing a Chrysler-quality vehicle that anyone could buy. The price of the first Plymouth USD670.

A year later, Chrysler opened the Detroit Plymouth Assembly Plant, the largest in the world.

Also that year, construction began on the Chrysler Building in New York City. For a time the world's tallest structure, it is today recognized as one of the classics of art-deco architecture. It sealed Walter Chrysler's reputation as one of the most influential businessmen of the 20th Century.