John Reddie Posted September 12, 2017 Report Share Posted September 12, 2017 I am interested to find out if 1946 - 48 Chrysler and DeSoto cars were offered as town sedans as well as regular 4 door models. Below are the town sedan models that I recall: 1942 Plymouth - yes 1946 - 48 Dodge - yes 1941 - Dodge ( I think) 1942 - Dodge ( not sure ) 1941 - '42 - DeSoto and Chrysler ( not sure ) Thanks for any info here. John R Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonaldSmith Posted September 12, 2017 Report Share Posted September 12, 2017 Good question. Searching for images, The only Chrysler and DeSoto Town Sedans I found had running boards (pre-war) or were '42s. Hmm... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plymouthy Adams Posted September 12, 2017 Report Share Posted September 12, 2017 49 minutes ago, John Reddie said: I am interested to find out if 1946 - 48 Chrysler and DeSoto cars were offered as town sedans as well as regular 4 door models. Below are the town sedan models that I recall: 1942 Plymouth - yes 1946 - 48 Dodge - yes 1941 - Dodge ( I think) 1942 - Dodge ( not sure ) 1941 - '42 - DeSoto and Chrysler ( not sure ) Thanks for any info here. John R 1941 Dodge, guaranteed...I have one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonaldSmith Posted September 12, 2017 Report Share Posted September 12, 2017 (edited) Found images of 1941 and 1942 Dodge, Chrysler and DeSoto Town Sedans on line. (I can see Mother Mopar wondering, why make a low-volume model, when we can't make enough cars of the usual models? Edited September 12, 2017 by DonaldSmith added comment Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greg g Posted September 12, 2017 Report Share Posted September 12, 2017 At Maine WPC meet last year. 41 I believe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Elder Posted September 13, 2017 Report Share Posted September 13, 2017 One of none........... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JIPJOBXX Posted September 13, 2017 Report Share Posted September 13, 2017 I spied a 40 Plymouth Town sedan over in Port Orchard last week owners want 11,000 for it! Needed restoration. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
medium_jon Posted September 13, 2017 Report Share Posted September 13, 2017 7 hours ago, Frank Elder said: One of none........... Are those custom front fenders? I like them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andydodge Posted September 13, 2017 Report Share Posted September 13, 2017 Greg................is that 1941 Town Sedan all stock bodied?............it almost looks like a 1940's Californian custom what with the smooth body and deep dark green paint...........beautiful...........and Tim.........any pics of your car?..............andyd. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonaldSmith Posted September 13, 2017 Report Share Posted September 13, 2017 That black Chrysler Town Sedan has the post-war chrome strips, covered running boards, and front fenders flaired into the front doors. So they must have made at least one 46-48. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plymouthy Adams Posted September 13, 2017 Report Share Posted September 13, 2017 what is the possibility that some enterprising builder did some slap and swap some metal...? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pflaming Posted September 13, 2017 Report Share Posted September 13, 2017 Timmakes a good point, it's done all the time In Georgia! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonaldSmith Posted September 13, 2017 Report Share Posted September 13, 2017 Possibility 1: Ma Mopar calls up Briggs and says, "The war's almost over. For the postwar Chryslers, DeSotos and Dodges, we're changing the chrome, reworking the doghouse, and we're flaring the front fenders into the doors. (And making the sedan back windows bigger). Briggs says, "We've still got the prewar dies. We'll tweak the front doors, and enlarge the back windows." "Good to go. "Build us some bodies of each body style." They make a few Town Sedans, until Ma Mopar says "Let's concentrate on the regular sedans, which are selling like hotcakes." Possibility 2: Enterprising builder says, "My '42 Chrysler Town Sedan is looking old. I'll make it look like these new, postwar models. I've already got the covered running boards, but I'll redo the chrome moldings, the tail lights, and add the new doghouse. And I'll add the flair to the front doors." But did he enlarge the rear window? I'm guessing Possibility 1 is the most likely. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greg g Posted September 13, 2017 Report Share Posted September 13, 2017 At Maine WPC meet last year. 41 I believe. As far as I know it is an unrestored car with an older repaint. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Elder Posted September 14, 2017 Report Share Posted September 14, 2017 16 hours ago, DonaldSmith said: That black Chrysler Town Sedan has the post-war chrome strips, covered running boards, and front fenders flaired into the front doors. So they must have made at least one 46-48. Don take a close look at the front seat and you will see another clue......there is a limo divider installed you can see the arch as the window is down, no town sedan ever came with a divider this was ordered by a chrysler vip as legend has it...dodge cab/town sedan on a new yorker frame. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andydodge Posted September 14, 2017 Report Share Posted September 14, 2017 Frank............do you do optometry as a sideline............lol................I suppose it would have been possible to do so long as you found a spare Town Sedan, spare 46-48 front clip and a spare set of doors with the fender stamping...........a couple of full oxy bottles, a few pounds of lead and plenty of red cordial and away you go.............lol..........nice cars either way............andyd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonaldSmith Posted September 14, 2017 Report Share Posted September 14, 2017 So, it looks like Possibility No. 3: One-off for Chrysler executive. Now, I'm wondering how much Briggs had to do with prototypes and one-offs. I suppose that for the Chrysler limo/town sedan, Briggs furnished the body complete with custom interior and limo divider, as they had the parts or could source them. I found photos in line for a 1942 Chrysler limo with a one-piece curved windshield. That probably was a one-off, something that Briggs played with, getting prepared for the future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Elder Posted September 15, 2017 Report Share Posted September 15, 2017 12 hours ago, DonaldSmith said: So, it looks like Possibility No. 3: One-off for Chrysler executive. Now, I'm wondering how much Briggs had to do with prototypes and one-offs. I suppose that for the Chrysler limo/town sedan, Briggs furnished the body complete with custom interior and limo divider, as they had the parts or could source them. I found photos in line for a 1942 Chrysler limo with a one-piece curved windshield. That probably was a one-off, something that Briggs played with, getting prepared for the future. I've seen one too and it was an Imperial. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Elder Posted September 15, 2017 Report Share Posted September 15, 2017 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonaldSmith Posted September 15, 2017 Report Share Posted September 15, 2017 That's the one (and maybe the only one). Notice that the rear doors have their own locks, possibly keyed separately .... don't want the hired help getting into the good stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andydodge Posted September 15, 2017 Report Share Posted September 15, 2017 I particularly like 1942 Chryslers, there were apparently 10 or 12 Windsor 4 door sedans imported into Oz at their release in late 1941 for Oz federal government use, as far as is known only 1 survives and I saw it many years ago in a NSW country town display, nice original condition, only 42 Chrysler I've seen in the flesh, from memory I think it had the Highlander upholstery .........makes me wish I'd kept the 1948 Windsor I had which was a similar deal to the 1942 cars here in Oz, one of a dozen or so government imports for official use..................andyd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodgeb4ya Posted September 15, 2017 Report Share Posted September 15, 2017 2 hours ago, DonaldSmith said: That's the one (and maybe the only one). Notice that the rear doors have their own locks, possibly keyed separately .... don't want the hired help getting into the good stuff. This restored 1942 Imperial Limo divider window car is in California. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B-Watson Posted September 18, 2017 Report Share Posted September 18, 2017 The complete list of town sedan models : Plymouth - 1942 Special DeLuxe : 5,821 Dodge (Export - Plymouth body) - 1942 Special DeLuxe : 55 Dodge - 1941 Luxuryliner Custom : 16,074 - 1942 Custom : 4,047 - 1946-1948 Custom : 27,800 DeSoto - 1941 Custom : 4,362 - 1942 Deluxe : 291 and Custom -:1,084 Chrysler - 1941 Royal : 1,277 - Windsor : 2,704 - Saratoga & New Yorker : 2,326 - Crown Imperial Special : 894 - 1942 Royal : 73 - Windsor : 479 - Saratoga : 46 - New Yorker : 1,648 - 1946-1948 Town & Country Six : 4,049 - Town & Country Eight : 100 Plymouth and the Plymouth-based Dodge export models had their bodies built by Briggs, but Dodge bodies were built by Dodge at their Hamtramck plant and DeSoto / Chrysler bodies were built at Chrysler's Kercheval body plant on East Jefferson Avenue, across the street from the East Jefferson plant. Special / low production bodies were contracted out to various body builders. Chrysler bodies were trucked from the Kercheval plant across the street to the East Jefferson plant while DeSoto bodies were trucked across town to the DeSoto plant on Wyoming Avenue. Chrysler of Canada built their own bodies, but built town sedans only in 1941. The 1941 Town Sedan is a Crown Imperial Special - basically a New Yorker town sedan with fancier upholstery and the Crown Imperial engine - 6.8 :1 compression ratio, aluminum head, 140 bhp. Also note the Crown Imperial wheel covers. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Reddie Posted September 18, 2017 Author Report Share Posted September 18, 2017 Thanks to all for your most informative responses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricky Luke Posted September 18, 2017 Report Share Posted September 18, 2017 So what is the difference between a sedan and a town sedan? We're limited in options over here. No business coupes, but we do have utes I guess... Rick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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