1947 Chrysler Town & Country

We at Gaswerks Garage are proud to present this extraordinary Town & Country, a vehicle whose story begins long before it came into our care. The previous owner, a passionate collector, often referred to this Chrysler as the car in a shopping bag, as his wife called it when he first purchased it in the late fall of 2003. When he acquired it, the original engine and transmission were mounted to the chassis, and the salvageable parts were stored in boxes. Thankfully, many of the rare brightwork componentstrunk hinges, door hinges, latches, catches, and trim ringswere included. Enough of the original interior leather and Bedford Cord remained intact to allow for precise replication of the seat covers, right down to the stitch patterns.


According to the original build sheet (an IBM punch card supplied by Chrysler), this car was sold new in Logan, Utah. As the story goes, it later made its way to the Midwest in the 1950s and spent decades resting in a Kansas field, where the wood nearly disintegrated. During the restoration, a pencil from a Kansas company was discovered inside the carconfirming the legend as true.


When the previous owner received the car in December 2003, he began the painstaking process of cataloging every single part, from bolts to trim clips, while photographing each detail. The restoration shop began disassembly, and to everyones surprise, the list of required metalwork was short. The car retained its original hood, fenders, and rear quarter panels. The wood, however, was a different storyevery piece of ash structure and mahogany paneling had to be recreated from scratch, as not one element was reusable.


The mechanical and cosmetic restoration was led primarily by American Muscle Car Restorations in North Kingstown, Rhode Island. The engine rebuild was entrusted to Promar Engine in Paterson, New Jersey. The exquisite new woodwork was handcrafted by Glazier Pattern & Coachworks in Houston, Ohio, renowned for being the finest Town & Country wood restoration specialists in the nation. The interior was restored by a shop in Piqua, Ohio, with meticulous attention to the authentic hogs hair carpetingfeaturing the correct brown tone unique to the Town & Countryand a period-correct aircraft-grade headliner. Chrome and stainless trim were refinished to perfection by The Finishing Touch in Chicago, Illinois.


The restoration took twelve yearsa true labor of love shared between the previous owner and his father, who devoted countless hours to sourcing rare parts and building relationships with fellow enthusiasts. Before his passing, the father proudly witnessed the cars triumphs on the show circuit: First in Class at Greenwich, Best in Class at Hilton Head, Keeneland, and Ault Park, among others. It even achieved the near-impossible perfect 100-point score from the Classic Car Club of America (CCCA).


Today, with just 182 test miles since restoration, the car operates as beautifully as it did in 1947. The Fluid Drive semi-automatic transmission shifts smoothly, the engine starts instantly, and every systemfrom the radio and NOS clock to the lights, locks, and windowsfunctions exactly as new. Included with the car are the original owners manual, sales brochure, and Chrysler mechanical literature.


This Town & Country is one of only a few dozen known survivors and stands as one of the finest examples in existence. It represents the perfect harmony of craftsmanship, passion, and preservation. We are honored to offer it now at Gaswerks Garage continuing the legacy of care and admiration that began more than two decades ago.