The Chrysler lineup received its first postwar restyling for 1949 to commemorate the marque’s 25th anniversary. The 1949 model year also signaled Chrysler’s final offering of its prestigious, limited-production, New Yorker-based, V-8 powered, wood-paneled Town and Country Convertible.

The Town and Country’s white ash framing and genuine mahogany veneer panels were replaced in 1949 by ash pieces applied over an all-steel body with Di-Noc inserts or body-color painted panels. This was the first “T&C” that did not include the white ash framing as part of the structure of the car, and Chrysler claimed greater safety, durability, and ease of maintenance.

Built in Detroit, the new-for-’49 Town and Country featured an independent front suspension with live rear axle and leaf springs and four-wheel hydraulic drum brakes. Power derived from a 324-cubic-inch inline eight-cylinder “Spitfire” engine and “Presto-matic” fluid-drive three-speed manual transmission. Other standard features included a waterproof ignition system, cigar lighter, electric clock, and two-speed electric wipers. In total, only 993 examples of these steel-body convertibles would be produced, with relatively few having survived to the present.

Finished in Sumac Red over an attractive cabin trimmed in Highlander tartan and red leather upholstery, this Town and Country convertible also features a tan soft top. A pair of optional auxiliary fog lamps are mounted to the front bumper, while dual side mirrors, a push-button radio, a heater, and a set of chrome hub covers round out the car’s suite of desirable accoutrements. This 1949 Chrysler was purchased by the consignor in 2002 directly from a private California collection of midcentury American automobiles, at which time it was reported to show 18,269 actual miles. With the consignor, the car has travelled fewer than 325 miles.

One of fewer than 1,000 built, this Town and Country Convertible is a lovely example of one of the most evocative and elegant automobiles of its era. It remains a staple classic, one that each discerning collection should have.