To be sold at the Gooding & Company Pebble Beach Auctions on August 18 and 19, 2012. For further details please visit www.goodingco.com or contact a vehicle specialist at 001.310.899.1960 or specialist@goodingco.com.
Engine Specifications:
385 CID L-Head Inline 8-Cylinder “Red Head” Engine
Stromberg Carburetor
125 BHP at 3,200 RPM
4-Speed Manual Gearbox
4-Wheel Hydraulic Drum Brakes
Solid Axle Front Suspension
Semi-Floating Rear Axle with Semi-Elliptical Leaf Springs
About this Car:
Few American cars of the inter-war period better convey the finest in luxury, mechanical prowess and cutting-edge design than the Chrysler Imperial, making the model a natural selection for the Pettit Collection. Debuting in 1932, the CL was the upper of two distinct Imperials, riding a massive low- slung 146" wheelbase chassis and clothed with eight different variations of custom LeBaron coachwork.
This impressive example of the Custom Imperial Convertible Sedan reportedly shipped from the factory on June 4, 1932, and was delivered to an owner in Dayton, Ohio. The car’s chassis number suggests that it was the 58th CL built. By the early 1980s, this Chrysler was acquired by Roger Ritterbeck of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, who began restoring the car. The Imperial was soon spotted by noted Chrysler collector Joe Morgan, who offered to buy the car several times.
In 1986, Mr. Ritterbeck finally acquiesced, and Mr. Morgan returned to his native New Hampshire to conduct a restoration. Mechanical components were refurbished beautifully and cosmetic elements were refinished, resulting in an attractive presentation worthy of concours d’elegance showings. On the basis of the beautiful restoration, the car took First Place in the Primary Division at the CCCA’s 1992 Pennsylvania Grand Classic. In 1999, Mr. Morgan sold the car to Mr. Pettit, and it has been used sparingly ever since.
It is notable that of the 220 examples of the Imperial CL that were delivered in 1932, only 49 of these were bodied as convertible sedans. Some enthusiasts believe that a mere 11 of these cars exist today, suggesting that this special example offers unusual rarity. Mr. Morgan also points out that this Imperial is particularly unique for its interior layout, which features twin bucket seats in the front compartment as well as the rear.
In addition to the sensationally long engine compartment that visually defines the CL, this Imperial features intricate brightwork, from the chrome trim of the rear fenders, spare wheel covers and the trunk, to the engine vent covers, which feature plating that is only found on a handful of examples. A beautiful basis for further exhibition that would require little freshening, this stunning Imperial CL is a CCCA-awarded car that represents one of the most opulent American classics of the 1930s.
One of the first generation of classic automotive enthusiasts, William A.C. “Bill” Pettit, III brought his discerning eye and love of vintage motorcars to building one of the finest and most extensive car collections of his era. At its peak, the remarkable Pettit Collection encompassed 150 early motorcars, which the family graciously shared in their Museum of Motoring Memories. Although Mr. Pettit sold many of his cars over the years, until his passing he kept the finest and most significant of his extraordinary estate, many of which had been with his family since the 1950s, and which are offered today without reserve.
In many respects, Mr. Pettit’s father, automotive entrepreneur W.A. Claude Pettit, Jr., sparked his son’s lifelong passion for classic cars. A Virginia native born in 1905, Claude Pettit discovered at an early age his gift for maintaining and selling motorcars. Soon after Bill’s birth, his father moved the family to his hometown of Louisa, Virginia, to found Pettit Brothers Chrysler-Plymouth auto dealership, which he ran for 55 years until his passing in 1990.
With a childhood rich in cars, Bill Pettit caught the collecting bug early on and, in 1949, purchased with his father a 1927 Rolls-Royce Phantom – the first piece in a stupendous collection that quickly bloomed. By 1958, with over 100 historically significant cars in their possession, Mr. Pettit and his father opened the Museum of Motoring Memories in Natural Bridge, Virginia, to share their passion with the public. As resident curator and director of the museum until its closing in 1967, Mr. Pettit lovingly assembled, restored and cared for the classics, which ran the gamut from a 1906 Reo to a 1940 Duesenberg SJ. The museum also displayed the family’s collection of automotive bud vases, license plates, hood ornaments and early motorcar advertising, all evidence of the Pettits’ genuine enthusiasm for the automobile.
In sourcing their many historic pieces, the Pettits often purchased directly from original owners, carefully tending to their acquisitions over the decades. Mr. Pettit admired the unique character and personality of the older models, and with respect to their integrity, never gave in to the lure of hasty or haphazard restoration jobs. As a quality steward, Mr. Pettit sought instead to preserve the originality of the cars; much of the collection retained factory-original paint, leather, and even tires.
Though committed to curating and caring for his great classics, Mr. Pettit was equally dedicated to the community of automotive enthusiasts, generously showing his landmark cars to those who shared his passion in events like the ACD Meets in Auburn, Indiana, the AACA National Fall Meet in Hershey, Pennsylvania, and the RROC National Meets across the states. Additionally, from as early as 1950, Mr. Pettit participated in vintage car clubs including the Rolls Royce Owners’ Club, for which he managed membership for several years, and the Old Dominion Packard Club, for which he served three years as president. He also devoted much of his time to working at his family’s dealership, taking lead of the business after his father’s passing.
In addition to his enthusiasm for the classic car hobby, Mr. Pettit will be remembered for his kindness and generosity. An advocate for children’s health care, he specified that estate proceeds be donated to Shriners Hospital for Children.
Gooding & Company is honored to present these exceptional cars from the William A.C. Pettit III Collection at auction. For those who have admired Bill Pettit’s sincere passion for historic cars and decades of devotion to the family collection, this is a prime opportunity to partake in the estate’s legacy and acquire one of Mr. Pettit’s beloved, renowned classics.
Shriners Hospital for Chidren is changing lives every day through innovative pediatric specialty care, world-class research and outstanding medical education. Their health care facilities located in the United States, Canada and Mexico provide advanced care for children with orthopedic conditions, burns, spinal cord injuries and cleft lips and palates. For more information or to make a donation, please visit www.shrinershospitalsforchildren.org.
From the William A.C. Pettit III Collection