Photo: Mecum Auctions
The Town & Country nameplate is usually associated with the minivan that Chrysler produced from 1989 to 2016. Introduced as a counterpart to the Dodge Caravan, it was part of the minivan craze that took over the U.S. in the 1990s. But few remember that the "Town & Country" badge is much older than the said people mover.
Chrysler used it for the first time back in 1941 on a station wagon that shared underpinnings with the New Yorker. Discontinued in 1942 when the U.S. joined World War II, it returned in 1946 as a passenger car offered in sedan, coupe, and convertible body styles.
But that didn't last long because the Town & Country returned to station wagon duty (again based on the New Yorker) in 1951. And that didn't change until 1982 when the nameplate was moved to the LeBaron platform. The badge disappeared in 1988 only to return on the minivan for the 1990 model year.
Come 2022 and the Town & Country grocery getter isn't exactly famous, being overshadowed by other Mopar wagons from the past. But it's a car that deserves a lot more attention because certain model years are getting increasingly difficult to find. The 1963 version is one of those cars because it was sold in only 793 units and many of them are no longer around in one piece.
Part of the third-generation New York, this particular version of the Town & Country shared much of its front-end design with the 300 "letter series" (the 300J in this case), but its rear section was very similar to the Plymouth wagons of the era. All while retaining the (pillarless) hardtop layout that was common on Chryslers at the time.
The Town & Country was quite versatile. Capable of seating up to nine people with all three rows in place, it became an impressively spacious hauler with the second and third rows folded flat. At the same time, it was more than just a practical family car, as it was sold with most of Chrysler's premium features.
It was quite powerful too thanks to a 413-cubic-inch (6.8-liter) Wedge V8 capable of 340 horsepower.
If you're into these old station wagons that are longer than a modern full-size car, a 1963 Town & Country is scheduled to go under the hammer via Mecum Auctions at Kissimmee 2023 in January. There's no pricing estimate for this Mopar, but they usually fetch less than $80,000, even when in Concours-ready condition. And that's a bargain given the low production run.
But that didn't last long because the Town & Country returned to station wagon duty (again based on the New Yorker) in 1951. And that didn't change until 1982 when the nameplate was moved to the LeBaron platform. The badge disappeared in 1988 only to return on the minivan for the 1990 model year.
Come 2022 and the Town & Country grocery getter isn't exactly famous, being overshadowed by other Mopar wagons from the past. But it's a car that deserves a lot more attention because certain model years are getting increasingly difficult to find. The 1963 version is one of those cars because it was sold in only 793 units and many of them are no longer around in one piece.
Part of the third-generation New York, this particular version of the Town & Country shared much of its front-end design with the 300 "letter series" (the 300J in this case), but its rear section was very similar to the Plymouth wagons of the era. All while retaining the (pillarless) hardtop layout that was common on Chryslers at the time.
The Town & Country was quite versatile. Capable of seating up to nine people with all three rows in place, it became an impressively spacious hauler with the second and third rows folded flat. At the same time, it was more than just a practical family car, as it was sold with most of Chrysler's premium features.
It was quite powerful too thanks to a 413-cubic-inch (6.8-liter) Wedge V8 capable of 340 horsepower.
If you're into these old station wagons that are longer than a modern full-size car, a 1963 Town & Country is scheduled to go under the hammer via Mecum Auctions at Kissimmee 2023 in January. There's no pricing estimate for this Mopar, but they usually fetch less than $80,000, even when in Concours-ready condition. And that's a bargain given the low production run.
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