Chassis No. 70511693
Engine No. C34-19846
Town and Country Body No. 1412

The 1942 Chrysler Town and Country "Barrelback" stands as a quintessential pre-war luxury automobile, blending elegance and everyman functionality. Designed by Chrysler's "Buzz" Grisinger and championed by General Manager Dave Wallace, the Town and Country initially debuted as a limited-production model to attract attention in showrooms. Built on the Chrysler Windsor chassis, it featured a fastback sedan design rather than the typical station wagon configuration that later defined the nameplate. Its distinctive curved rear deck, paired with clamshell doors, earned it the affectionate nickname “Barrelback.”

Crafted with a White Ash frame and Honduran Mahogany panels by Pekin Wood Products Company of Helena, Arkansas, this wood-bodied masterpiece was trimmed with leather interiors, finely finished wood door panels, and an elegant Bakelite dash and gauge cluster. Six and nine-passenger versions were offered, and only 999 were built in 1942 before Chrysler shifted to military production during World War II. These models were considered "limousines for the country," reserved for the estates of the wealthy rather than utilitarian purposes.

This particular nine-passenger example boasts an impressive history. Acquired in the 1970s by Harold Mermel, it retained its original woodwork, rear-fender skirts, and unscripted hubcaps. In the 1990s, it underwent a meticulous body-off restoration by Town and Country specialist Lloyd Mayes, who commissioned a refinishing of the wood by Dave Henderson and a repaint it in period-correct St. Clair Blue, complemented by a red leather interior. Subsequent owner Robert Brelsford, a Town and County aficionado, completed the restoration, including the marbleized onyx-colored cellulose acetate dash, upholstery, and mechanical systems, and exhibited the car at the 2001 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance.

Acquired by the Academy of Art University Collection in 2014 this rare Barrelback, thought to be just one of less than two-dozen survivors, was once again shown during Pebble Beach Car Week at the 2014 Carmel-by-the-Sea Concours on the Avenue. Today, this beautifully preserved and maintained example with rear jump seats and Comfort master heater remains a rare and treasured example of Chrysler's pre-war craftsmanship, offering an exceptional blend of history, luxury, and pre-war design.