1932 LaSalle Series 345-B Imperial Seven-Passenger

1932 LaSalle Series 345-B Imperial Seven-Passenger Sedan by Fisher
Division-window Imperial sedan, body style 32-663Attractive high-quality restorationClassic Car Club of America (CCCA) Full Classic

Both LaSalle and its parent Cadillac were restyled for 1932, with softer lines and a stronger family resemblance. Engines were the same, too—Cadillac’s 353-cubic-inch, 115 bhp unit. LaSalle bodies, however, were all by Fisher, the Fleetwood styles of 1931 having been discontinued. Wheelbases were 130 and 136 inches, the seven-passenger sedan and Imperial sedan on the longer chassis. The Imperial differed from the seven-passenger sedan in having a division window. At a whopping 5,065 pounds, it was the heaviest LaSalle and also the most expensive, at $2,795, though much less expensive than the equivalent seven-passenger Cadillac, which was just four inches longer.

Purchased by the Merrick Auto Museum in 2000, this LaSalle had previously belonged to John Graham of Akron, Ohio. Its build record shows it was ordered on 2 November 1932, a verbal request from the Cleveland branch, the shipping recorded as “will call,” implying a drive-away. The order calls for all-black, with “Tokio Ivory” body stripe, much as the car is today. Upholstery is specified as grey whipcord. The passenger compartment is restored in that fashion, with the driver’s compartment in black leather. The wheels are now grey, and they carry 7 × 17–inch whitewall tires. The recipient of a 1,600-plus-hour restoration, its quality is excellent. The engine compartment is correct and clean, without being over-detailed.

Just 3,390 LaSalles were built in 1932. This car’s chassis number indicates it was one of the last to be constructed. For 1933 there was considerable restyling, as streamlining gained favor and the upright era was left behind. The 1932s artfully managed to combine beauty with a vertical façade.

Engine No.: 1103355