ragtop43

Good article with some great pictures. However, it repeats a long standing misnomer that Dean Clark designed the Hayes coupe. This was pure speculation back in the late 60's and has been carried forward through now. According to Dirran Yazedjian, who worked at Chrysler design studios from the late 50's into the 80's states many of the older designers told him Dean Clark designed some of the interior and special features. Ray Dietrich was working full time at Chrysler design and is supposedly the one who sketched the original design. Dirran purchased the Dodge Hayes coupe for Chrysler HIstorical that is still owned by the Chrysler collection and was featured in some of the more modern commercials featuring the Dodge Brothers (Green Coupe). Dirran was never able to get specific proof that Dietrich was in fact the designer. However, neither is there proof that Dean Clark was the actual designer either. There is proof that Oliver Clark(Dean's father and original Chrysler body engineer) was gifted the first Hayes prototype, an Imperial. There were just over 1000 available for order to Dodge, DeSoto and Chrysler dealers. However, the bodies are numbered and the highest number we have found is 265(coincidentally the one I own). So there is speculation that perhaps just less than 300 were actually made and perhaps the rest of the bodies were scrapped for the war effort. We have only found about 16 with 8 or 9 in very good to decent driveable condition. All of this is speculation though as is the speculation about the designer of this beautiful body style. Next step in the research is to look at the Hayes body records in the AACA museum. Didn't have time to check last time I was there. Hope to next year when I get out there again though.

Hi folks, been trying to find a place to add a club to your Clubs listing. If anyone can point out how to go about this that would be great. Club in question is the WPC club AKA Chrysler Club. www.chryslerclub.org

Yes, there was overdrive in 38. Believe the Airflows in 34 had overdrive and it was optional on everything but Plymouths from 35 on up. Most Chryslers and DeSoto's did have overdrive if it was available. If you have a picture, I can compare it to the 39 and 40 overdrives I have. I know in 39 it was operated by an electronic solenoid on the side of trans. The earlier years were mechanically actuated I believe. Bill Adams