Perhaps the most successful wood-bodied vehicles of all, the
Chrysler Town & Country enjoyed a long production run that
stretched more than a decade. For luxury-minded buyers, it was hard
to beat the cache of bodywork that was so obviously hand-made, and
Chrysler was certain to emphasize the car?s connections to the good
life: yachts, hunting, and horses were the mainstay of period
advertising. The cars commanded a premium when they were new, which
made them rare, but time and the elements inevitably claimed most
of the natural materials on neglected examples, making finding a
good Town & Country today a rare thing indeed.
This 1949 Town & Country convertible offers an all-new body style
that was revamped in 1949 to reflect the trend towards longer,
lower, and wider styling. At once contemporary and traditional, the
wood was no longer structural but became decoration, which
preserved the car?s good looks while improving structural rigidity
and serviceability. Featuring a full frame-off restoration to
extremely high standards, this handsome convertible was a repeat
show winner and remains an exquisite automobile today. The Gulf
Green finish is correct, and offers a soft contrast with the
woodwork and tan convertible top. The ash framework is original and
has been fully restored. Paint and chrome are outstanding, and this
has never been a rusty car or in need of body panel replacement.
The stainless has been buffed, and it offers a highly detailed hood
ornament that?s simply spectacular. This car is very impressive at
every level.
The interior offers a traditional late-40s look with durable and
attractive tan Bedford cord and contrasting green leather, a
tasteful combination that works well with the light green bodywork.
As inviting as a wood-paneled study, it was fully restored with the
rest of the car and shows almost no wear or signs of use. Correct
light green carpets, wonderfully trimmed door panels with lots of
bright accents, a leather-wrapped padded dash, and particularly the
back seat all look as new. The instruments are housed in a single
pod ahead of the driver, as was the fashion at the time, and they
are crisply rendered and fully functional. All the chrome remains
bright with sharp details, and accessories like the heater and
radio operate correctly. The tan canvas top has probably never been
folded, and offers a small glass rear window in place of the
original plastic curtain for a more formal look. In the trunk,
you?ll find original sisal carpets and a restored steel wheel that
is in need of a matching spare tire.
Mechanically, the 1949 Town & Country was largely carryover,
including the 323 cubic inch straight-8 engine. In this car, it was
fully rebuilt and detailed for show, demonstrating bright silver
paint on the engine, proper ?Spitfire? spark plug loom, and an oil
bath air cleaner. The massive heater/defroster assembly dominates
the passenger?s side of the engine compartment, and remains fully
functional, quite useful during our sub-freezing photo shoot. It
starts quickly and easily and settles into a powerful-sounding idle
with eight cylinders purring away. It?s linked to Chrysler?s famous
Fluid-Drive transmission, a curious blend of a manual transmission
with a torque converter, but in practice it?s quite easy to drive
around town. On the highway, the big eight cylinder stretches its
legs and can cruise effortlessly at modern highway speeds thanks to
a set of 3.54 gears retrofitted out back. The chassis was also
detailed for show during the frame-off restoration, and shows only
the most minor signs of use and needs nothing more than a quick
wipe-down to be ready for the show field. Correct 8.20-15
BFGoodrich Silvertown wide whitewall tires were fitted and correct
full wheelcovers sparkle like new in their centers.
The woodies were dying off in 1949, but the Chrysler Town & Country
remained the undisputed queen of the timber. Sleeker and more
modern than the earlier cars, this 1949 is a rare find that has had
a top-flight restoration and has been treated as a show car ever
since. Recently and extensively serviced, it is ready to show or
tour at almost any level.
