As swiftly as the production of civilian cars was halted at the onset of World War II, it resumed with nearly twice the speed after hostilities ended. The Big Three scrambled to meet the demand of excited new car buyers, and Chrysler, with an especially creative gusto, helped to make their cars immediately sought after by those who wanted a taste of the “good life.” The Town and Country, with its beautifully handcrafted white-ash-and-mahogany wood trim, exuded style and affluence and evoked the fine craftsmanship of a bygone era. Powered by the reliable Spitfire eight-cylinder engine, the car floated almost effortlessly along, carrying its passengers to and from the country club or lake house in comfort and style.

As historian Donald J. Narus wrote in Chrysler’s Wonderful Woodie: The Town and Country, “The Sedan, while it did not share the glamour of the convertible, was perfectly at home on any of the swank estates of Long Island. If you had a country place in Connecticut and you were anybody at all, you surely had a Town and Country sedan to go along with it. After all, what’s a gentleman farmer without his hansom carriage? Where the convertible had pizzazz, the sedan had elegance, a marvelous blend of wood and steel.”

This Town and Country sedan has been well restored, and according to the owner, most of the original wood was able to be preserved during the restoration. It is finished in Catalina Tan with a red interior attractively accented with tartan seat inserts. Notoriously expensive to restore, it is always advisable to buy a Town and Country that has been well cared for with its woodwork in good condition, like this example. For over a decade it has been part of the current owner’s private collection, where it has been proudly displayed and maintained.