cars news 10: 15 Notable Cars From the Walter P. Chrysler Museum

The Walter P. Chrysler Museum in Auburn Hills, Mich., was home to 65 historical vehicles. Sadly, the museum closed its doors for good on December 18, 2016. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles will convert the 55,000-sq-ft museum into office space for approximately 100 people. The museum opened in 1999, but struggled financially for many years. Slow attendance forced it to close in 2012, and it only just reopened in June for certain weekends. Now, the impressive collection of early Chrysler cars, one-of-a-kind concepts, and rare Mopars will be mothballed, only brought out for special events. The automaker plans to put some vehicles on display at the Chrysler Technology Center and other FCA facilities, but the full collection will never be available to the public as it was when the museum was open.

Here are a few of our favorites from the collection.

Dodge Razor Concept

The 2002 Dodge Razor concept was built in collaboration with Razor USA – the makers of the popular aluminum frame Razor scooter. Power for the compact two-door coupe came from a turbocharged and intercooled 2.4-liter I-4 pumping out 250 hp. A six-speed manual sent power to the rear wheels. Dodge claimed the engine could propel the 2,500-pound car to 60 mph in less than 6 seconds, and on to a top speed of 140 mph. The Orange Slice exterior paint was in sharp contrast to the minimalist interior.

Plymouth Pronto Spyder Concept

The Plymouth Pronto Spyder concept shown in 1998 featured a rear mid-engine turbocharged 2.4-liter I-4 making 225 hp. A five-speed manual transmission sent power to the rear wheels. While the concept featured silver PET (polyethylene terephthalate) panels over a steel chassis, the interior was obviously spray-painted red. The gauges were set in a machined aluminum panel. The concept was said to weigh around 2,700 pounds.

1943 Willys-Overland Jeep MB

Today’s Jeep Wrangler evolved from the original Willys-Overland Jeep MB models produced for the U.S. military from 1941 to 1945. After competing with Bantam and Ford, Willys-Overland won the contract for the U.S. military to produce the lightweight four-wheel-drive vehicle. Ford also built a version of the Willys design to help meet demand during the war. Power came from a 2.2-liter Willys Go Devil I-4 engine making 60 hp and 105 lb-ft. The engine featured an L-head design and one-barrel carburetor. It was backed by a three-speed manual transmission and two-speed transfer case.

Dodge Power Wagon

Derived from the World War II-era Dodge ¾-ton WC series military truck, the civilian Dodge Power Wagon arrived in the mid-1940s. It featured the civilian cab and bed on top of the military chassis. Power came from a 230-cu-in (3.8-liter) flathead I-6 making 99 hp. The engine was backed by a four-speed manual and two-speed transfer case.

1915 Dodge Brothers Model 30-35 Touring Car

In 1910, the brothers John and Horace Dodge began their business building engine and chassis components for existing automakers including Olds Motor Vehicle Company and Ford Motor Company. Then in 1914, Dodge Brothers began building the Dodge Model 30, which was an upscale competitor to the Ford Model T. The Dodge Brothers Model 30-35 Touring Car featured a steel frame and body, 35-hp engine, and 12-volt electrical system. The company quickly became the second largest U.S. automaker.

1948 Chrysler Town & Country Convertible

While the original pre-war (1941-1942) Chrysler Town & Country was a four-door eight-passenger wagon, the nameplate returned in 1946 as a four-door sedan and two-door convertible. A two-door hardtop was offered in 1950. This generation marks the last of the woodie bodystyle with the Town & Country name used on steel-bodied wagons and later in the 1980s on the minivan.

1934 Chrysler Airflow

The Chrysler Airflow brought a few firsts to the automotive world. It was the first car to feature unit-body construction and wind-tunnel-optimized aerodynamics. Details included curved sheetmetal and integrated headlights. With its aerodynamic styling, the Chrysler Airflow was ahead of its time. So far ahead that sales numbers suffered.

Dodge Super Bee

Based on the midsize “B” Body Dodge Coronet (and Plymouth Road Runner), the 1968-1970 Dodge Super Bee packed lots of power from a choice of three V-8 engines including the base 335-hp 383 Magnum, 390-hp 440 Six Pack, or the 425-hp 426 Hemi. Like the example at the museum, the majority of cars packed the 383-cu-in big block V-8 engine. Dodge has brought back the Super Bee name as a package based on the modern Dodge Charger SRT8 packing a 470-hp 6.4-liter Hemi V-8.

1986 Dodge Omni GLH-S

After making a name for himself in the 1960s with the AC Ace-based Shelby Cobra and Daytona Coupe and modified Ford Mustangs, Carroll Shelby tinkered with front-drive Chrysler vehicles in the 1980s. The top-spec variant of the hot hatch was the Dodge Omni GLH-S (Goes Like Hell S’more), which packed a turbocharged and intercooled 2.2-liter I-4 making 175 hp and 175 lb-ft, making it quicker than many of its muscle car contemporaries. Other mods included Shelby wheels and high-performance tires and revised suspension tuning. Just 500 cars were built.

Dodge Shelby Charger

Based on the front-drive Dodge Charger, the Dodge Shelby Charger on display at the museum was powered by the same engine as the Dodge Omni GLH: a 146-hp version of the turbocharged 2.2-liter I-4. The car featured a revised transmission and suspension and rode on Shelby wheels wrapped in high-performance tires. At the end of the production run, Shelby bought the 1,000 Dodge Chargers and built the Shelby Charger GLH-S with same engine mods as the Omni GLH-S.

Dodge Slingshot Concept

While many Dodge concept cars were based around the Dodge Neon SRT4’s turbo 2.4-liter I-4, the Dodge Slingshot concept was based on the Smart roadster and was powered by a supercharged 1.3-liter I-3 engine tuned to 100 hp. The engine is backed by a five-speed automated single-clutch transmission. This may be one car we are glad remained just a concept.

Chrysler Turbine Car

Designed by former Ford designer Elwood Engel, the Chrysler Turbine Car was powered by the automaker’s fourth-generation turbine engine, rated at 130 hp and 425 pound-feet and backed by a three-speed TorqueFlite transmission, sans the torque converter. The midsize car featured a 2+2 interior with coil springs up front and leaf springs in back. Although the Chrysler Turbine promised a future of jet-powered cars, the concept never took off for regular production. Bummer.

Dodge Copperhead Concept

The Dodge Copperhead concept debuted as a more affordable companion to the extreme Dodge Viper. Where the Viper was powered by a large-displacement V-10 engine and six-speed manual combo, the Copperhead concept featured a 220-hp 2.7-liter V-6 from the LH sedans. A five-speed manual transmission sends power to the rear wheels. The concept featured a four-wheel independent suspension. While speculation suggested the Copperhead would go into production in 2000, the sports car never materialized.

1955 Chrysler C-300

Designed by Virgil Exner, the Chrysler C-300 was a mishmash of Chrysler vehicles including the Imperial, New Yorker hardtop, and Windsor models. With a 331-cu-in FirePower Hemi V-8 packing 300 hp thanks to lots of race-spec parts, the C-300 coupe was intended for NASCAR homologation. One year later, the engine made 355 hp. During its two-year run, just 2,827 examples were built.

Plymouth Prowler

While most of Chrysler’s concept cars from the 1990s and 2000s were well received on the auto show circuit, few made it to production. The Plymouth Prowler was an exception. With styling influenced by 1930s hot rods, the powertrain was a letdown: Power came from the Dodge Intrepid sedan’s 3.5-liter SOHC 24-valve V-6 rated just 214-235 hp. A four-speed automatic transmission sent power to the rear wheels. It’s a damn shame the 707-hp supercharged 6.2-liter Hemi V-8 and eight-speed auto combo wasn’t a thing in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

See many more photos taken on one of the Walter P. Chrysler museum’s last days in the gallery below.