1947 Chrysler Town & Country - $149,900 - Orange Village, OH - Extremely high-point car with all original wood. Highlander interior. Documented frame-off restoration. Stunning!
This lovely 1948 Town and Country was restored to show-winning standards several years ago and shows only six miles since it was completed, most of which were generated on the show field. Still presenting in outstanding condition throughout, with beautiful wood, an unmarked interior, and 100% of its equipment fully functional, it is a wonderful candidate for shows and touring and will likely score very well in competition. Finished in handsome Royal Maroon, it perfectly complements the ash frame and mahogany panels aft of the firewall. It appears that most of the wood is original, suggesting that this car has always been meticulously maintained, and the restoration merely restored and preserved the already excellent joinery. Today there are few signs of age, and the joints remain tight, the doors and trunk fit beautifully, and the varnish offers a gentle shine that looks exactly right. All the chrome was restored to show standards, including the intricate egg crate grille up front, which is one of the more challenging pieces of any era.
Stitched in the correct patterns and showing zero wear, the Highlander plaid interior is an inviting place to spend a week touring the countryside in 1940s luxury. Matching burgundy carpets show the right weave and nap, which is unusual and unique to the Town & Country, and the door panels are like new with more Highlander plaid material. All the gauges have been restored with bright faces and clear numbers, the original AM radio plays loud and clear, and the moment you open the door you can hear the clock happily ticking away. Overhead, the tan canvas power top folds effortlessly into the well and the fully finished trunk remains in excellent shape with a full-sized spare and correct carpets and side panels.
Chrysler’s dependable, smooth, and powerful Spitfire straight-eight engine powered all top-of-the-line New Yorkers, including the Town and Country. Displacing 323 cubic inches, it makes a robust 135 horsepower and its smooth flow of torque moves the sporty convertible with aplomb. Fully detailed at the time of restoration, there is almost no evidence that it has been driven and is still very, very close to show quality. It starts quickly, idles properly, and drives as it should, with easy 70 MPH cruising possible thanks to the two-range Fluid Drive transmission and 3.54 gear set out back. The chassis was finished to show standards at the time of restoration and remains clean and detailed, with even the exhaust system looking shiny and new. Braking is firm, there are zero squeaks and rattles, and those lovely 7.60-15 BFGoodrich Silvertown wide whites are simply dazzling around the full hubcaps and wide trim rings.
With impressive power and performance and that timeless wooden body, they are exactly the kind of hand-crafted rolling works of art the CCCA was founded to celebrate. This one is an exceptional example that was restored to show quality and is still a very high point automobile in every way. If you’ve been looking for a Town and Country, it will be a challenge to find one nicer than this.
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