1947 Chrysler Town and Country New Yorker Series Convertible

After the war, the most significant change in the Chryslers involved the Town & Country, which was no longer a wagon but a separate series of six- and eight-cylinder sedans and convertibles. Chrysler had promised a full line of non-wagon Town & Countrys, including a two-door brougham sedan and even a true roadster and a hardtop coupe.

The Town & Country line had its origins in a concept conceived by Chrysler Division General Manager Dave Wallace. In the early 1940s, his team of engineers produced an elegant fastback sedan body with unique clamshell rear doors. Its wood trim covered all surfaces from the cowl back, except for the rear fenders. In 1946, the Town & Country returned with Chrysler-designed bodies built by Chrysler subsidiary Pekin Wood Products of Helena, Arkansas. They had an Ash framework, a luxurious interior, and regal bearings. It was positioned as the company's 'halo' car tasked with luring potential buyers back to their showrooms.

Chrysler built 3,136 examples of the Town & Country convertibles in 1947. This example is a California 'Black plate' car that is finished in black paint with a red leather interior. It has a power-operated Beige soft top and is powered by a 323 cubic-inch, 135-horsepower flathead straight-eight engine. There is a 'Presto-Matic' 4-speed semi-automatic transmission, wide whitewall tires, and fender skirts.

By Daniel Vaughan | Dec 2014