Mahogany Wood Paneling From Alaska Defines This Iconic, Eight-Cylinder Chrysler
The 1947 Chrysler New Yorker Town & Country was the flagship model for the company and, at a cost of $3,420 or just shy of $40,000 accounting for inflation, it was the most expensive Chrysler of its time.
This beautiful car was also one of the last real wood-bodied autos that were ever produced. We will get to that later.
Chrysler General Manager David Wallace looked for a way to lure the deep pockets of the wealthy to Chrysler showroom floors. With the Town & Country, the company hoped to entice high-end buyers without losing any of the practicality for which the brand was known. This automobile’s bright and warm-wooded body and cool green steel complement one another, creating an iconic — and historic — look.
Real Wood on Wheels
This Town & Country has structural wood of vibrant white ash with panels of rich mahogany serving as a dark contrast.
Pre-Alaskan Mahogany
For these rolling works of art, Chrysler had the wood shipped in from Perkin Wood Products all the way from what would become the 49th state over a decade later: Alaska.
The mahogany wood featured on Town & Country bodies was used on the model until mid-1947 when the company switched to realistic decals that replaced the luscious sheen of the beautifully varnished wood paneling pictured here.
Exterior Details
1947 Chrysler Town & Country Specs:
- 323.5 cubic inch, L-head, eight-cylinder engine
- 135 bhp
- Fluid drive with Prestomatic four-speed semi-automatic transmission
- Independent coil-spring front suspension
- Live rear axle with semi-elliptical leaf springs
- Four-wheel hydraulic drum brakes
- 127.5-inch wheelbase
- One of the first automobiles with a center brake light
Interior Details
