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1942 Chrysler Windsor Town and Country

The United States government abruptly shut down all car production in the U.S. during the 1942 model year, after only five months, and Chrysler was quickly retooled for Sherman tank production. Chrysler had produced 141,522 vehicles during the 1941 calendar year and just 5,292 vehicles in 1942, placing them 10th within the industry.

The 1942 Chrysler model lineup included the Series C-34 Six, the Series C-36 Eight, and the Imperial Series C-37 Eight. The L-head six-cylinder engine had four main bearings, solid valve lifters, a Carter carburetor, a 250.6 cubic-inch displacement, and delivered 120 horsepower at 3,800 RPM. The eight-cylinder engine displaced 323.5 cubic inches, had six main bearings, solid valve lifters, a Stromberg carburetor, and delivered 140 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque. The six-cylinder engine was backed by a manual transmission and the eights used a Fluid Drive transmission. The Town and Country also used the Fluid drive. The Vacamatic transmission was optional. Four-wheel hydraulic brakes provided the stopping power. The C-34 had a 121.5-inch wheelbase, the C-36 measured 127.5 inches, and the C-34 measured 139.5 inches.

The six-cylinder models were known as the Royal and the Windsor. The C-36 Eight was known as the Saratoga and the New Yorker. The body styles offered on the Royal were the same as the Saratoga, and the New Yorker body styles mirrored the Windsor. Both the Six and Eight shared similar styling, with the Eight being larger and wearing additional chrome trim. The interiors of the New Yorkers were more upscale with carpeting in the front, folding rear seat armrests, and clocks. The Highlander plaid or Indian style 'Thunderbird' upholstery was optional in the New Yorker, adding an additional $20 to the base price.

Body styles on the Royal and Saratoga included a coupe, club coupe, brougham, sedan, and Town Sedan. The Windsor and New Yorker were offered as a coupe, club coupe, convertible coupe, brougham, Town Sedan, and a Town & Country Wagon with seating for nine. The Windsor line also had a six-passenger Town & Country wagon. Chrysler built 150 examples of the 1942 Town & Country with six-passenger seating on the Windsor, and 849 of the nine-passenger version. It is believed that a single Town & Country wagon was built on the New Yorker line. Derham may have converted at least one New Yorker convertible into a sports model with fender skirts, sweep spear side moldings, and cut-down doors.

1942 Chrysler Windsor Town and Country photo
Woodie Wagon
Chrysler President David Wallace had chosen the 'Town & Country' name because the new wrap-around front grille was very urban but outback, it was all country. The Town & Country had a longer steel roof used for a limousine, resulting in a sleek, sedan-like profile. Pekin Wood Products of Helena, Arkansas provided the White Ash used for the framing, and the Honduran Mahogany veneer laminated to wood panels. Briggs Manufacturing Company supplied the sheet metal, and the cars were hand-assembled at the Jefferson Avenue Plant in Detroit.

The Town and Country were rooted in drawings penned in the late 1930s by Chrysler designer 'Buzz' Grisinger. They were sporty yet elegant and championed by Chrysler Corporation General Manager Dave Wallace as a limited-production showroom-traffic generator. The first-series Town and Country are commonly known as 'Barrelback' due to the smoothly curved profile, useful cargo compartment, and clamshell rear doors. These were fastback sedans rather than station wagons, and six- and nine-passenger versions were offered.

Updates for 1942 included streamlined frontal styling and distinctive brightwork in the front and rear.

1942 Chrysler Windsor Town and Country photo
Woodie Wagon
When the second-series 1949 line was introduced wearing a new design, it dropped the Town and Country sedan. In 1950, the model became an eight-cylinder hardtop coupe with painted metal insert panels. The 'Town and Country' name would be used by Chrysler for a long succession of steel-bodied station wagons and minivans.


by Daniel Vaughan | Apr 2021

Related Reading : Chrysler Town & Country History

Produced only from 1941 through 1950, the first woodie wagon with an all-steel roof was designated the Town %26 Country. This 4-door sedan luxury vehicle was built for either city or estate transportation and was available for 6 or 9-passenger versions. Due to World War II, production of the Town %26 Country was halted in December 1941. A mere 1,000 models were produced between 1941 and 1942. In 1942....
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1942 Chrysler Windsor Town and Country Vehicle Profiles

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1942 Windsor Town and Country
$1,395-$36,305
1942 Chrysler Windsor Town and Country Base Price : $1,395

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121.50 in.
6 cyl., 250.60 CID., 120.00hp
$1,395 - $1,395

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