Looking for Info: 1948 Chrysler New Yorker Business Coupe 3 window

[Bouncy B]

Hello!

I jumped over from the Pilothouse Forum. I am looking for any information on how rare a 1948 Chrysler New Yorker Business Coupe is that I am considering purchasing. I think this car is pretty rare but have no way of verifying.

Any and all information would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you,

Richard Harbison

[BobT-47P15]

I suspect someone here will know that answer by looking in their literature.

I imagine they might be a bit rare, since a Chrysler was a more expensive

car to start with, and the average business coupe was a sort of bare bones model with no back seat. Will be interesting to see.

[Plymouthy Adams]

not just a bare bones...it is a definite one seat with no provision for anything to be mounted in the rear..not even a quarter glass..these are not anything like the Plymouths where the quarter glass is on both but the Bz is a bit smaller with faster sloping roofline. This body style is shared in the Dodge Chrysler and Desoto...

http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A9G_bDuu4PNH88sAmWujzbkF/SIG=13iq51kv6/EXP=1207251502/**http%3A//www.oldcarandtruckpictures.com/Chrysler/1948ChryslerRoyal3WindowsCoupe-JoeGoss-aBut.jpg

[greg g]

Not talking from any factual resource but i believe the Business Coupe body was the least produced of the Mopar body styles in any of the brands, to run across one that is optioned up to the New Yorker level would be unusual if not rare. These cars were usually purchased by busineses for thier on the road employeess or like the original owner of my P15 Bizzy Coupe a fellow who was a manufacurers rep working basically for himself as an agent for others. In the chyrsler line I could imagine a Doctor, or a country lawyer, or maybe a large animal veteranirian, or maybe some other single professional purchasing a highly optioned coupe but that would be against the grain of "normal purchases"

I believe a New Yorker should have the straight 8 and teh Highlander plaid interior seats and door panels.

Can you post the serial number? Then somebody with the encyclopedia of American Vehicles could look it up and see how many were actually produced

[Andydodge]

Richard, the Standard Catalog of Chrysler book by John Lee lists it as having 699 made......great body style, good luck.

[Bouncy B]

I had heard about 700 for the three years 46-48. So I guess that number came from those books. I wonder how many 48s there were? What model number do they call this particular car? I've heard C39N, but that may cover all New Yorkers.

[BobT-47P15]

Those big ol coupes can make a neat looking car, like this Dodge done up

as a street rod.

[Bouncy B]

Those are certainly HOT rods! I'm a little more of a resto guy but either way it's saving a classic.

[Young Ed]

I like restos too but a hotrod is better then this

[Bouncy B]

Is that a DeSoto business coupe? I agree on the road is better.

[Young Ed]

Yes I believe thats what it used to be. Other car is a 63-64 valiant convert.

[Dodgeb4ya]

I have a 1946 Chrysler C39 NewYorker 3 pass coupe. They are really so ugly - they look like some of the cars in the 50`s cartoons.! Mine has the Stromberg 2BBL. carburator for the 140 horses. Later 8`s had the carter 1bbl-135hp. The car "Hauls Ass" ! It`s a real cruiser. Chrysler made them in the Royal and Windsor 6 cylinders series too which are much more common.

Bob

[Frank M.]

The car IS actually a hard to find body style on Chrysler chassis. It was availiable in New Yorker ( C-39 N ) or Saratoga ( C-39 K ). Both are 8 cyl. The New Yorker was the top trim level, and different in the interior. Easy I.D. is by the dash finish. NY had body color dash,while Saratoga was wood grained. Seats were two tone wool in NY that harmonized with exterior color. Saratoga was a much plainer material . The Highlander Plaid was a interior trim option using plaid woven especially for Chrysler ( 1940 thru 1955 ). The 6 cyl. models were C-38 W ( Windsor ) and C-38 S ( Royal. Windsor was the upper trim level car. Again --Plaid was availiable in Windsor and NY models ONLY. Cost was about $32 extra for it. All cars with the Highlander option had Maroon dash and window mouldings for the red-blue plaid and Blue for the green- blue plaid. The red -blue was by far more popular. Also the plastic in upper trim level cars ( NY and Windsor was solid colored , while Saratoga and Royal had Mottled plastic. The Mottled plastic was quite popular on the pre-war Chryslers. Hope this helped instead of confusing. The Bus. Coupe was also a Saratoga,Royal Option. Frank M.

[Bouncy B]

Thanks to everyone who has posted information.

I guess the next question would be "Does scarity equal value?"

Does anyone know if these are highly sought after or what their value would be?

[greg g]

from anther recent post regarding the purchase of a vehicle;

By the way, it's very dangerous asking a bunch of addicts if you should buy an old truck/car like this one.

Of course we'd say YES!

[RobertKB]

Call me whatever you want but I would rather see that old Desoto sitting in the junkyard the way it is rather than looking like that chopped and lowered Chrysler coupe. I love junkyards and that would be a great car to spend some time looking over. It is certainly a restoration candidate and could be restored to stock as easily as being rodded. I respect the amount of work that goes into a rod but they just leave me cold. As for cutting up good originals or restored cars, I find the thought abhorrent.

[Niel Hoback]

RobertKB, your every word is gospel to me. Thank you. It needed to be said.

[rearview]

I like restos too but a hotrod is better then this

That picture wasn't taken at Elmer's on the WI side of the border, was it?

[Don Coatney]

junk yard pictures here are a few I shot at Hog Heaven near Toledo, Ohio.

[Bouncy B]

Hog Heaven is Right! Love the pictures.

Back to the subject.

Does anyone know if a Chrysler New Yorker Business Coupe would be very valuable?

Normally I would compare prices of restored models on the internet, but I can't find any.

Thanks,

Richard

[Young Ed]

That picture wasn't taken at Elmer's on the WI side of the border, was it?

Nope plan to visit there but haven't been yet. That one is from French lake in MN

[JerseyHarold]

I'll chime in with some thoughts: If it's a complete car and you like the body style, I say go for it. The upside is the rarity and uniqueness of its sihouette. There is only one seat, two door panels, and a relatively small headliner, so interior restoration should be less expensive than a larger car. Locating pot metal trim will be no worse than any other Chrysler from that era, and the mechanicals are easy. Just be sure it doesn't have a lot of rust, and that the paperwork is in order. Enjoy!

Harold

[BobT-47P15]

Either Hemmings Motor News or Old Cars Weekly publishes an Old Cars

Value Guide magazine. You can usually find it at the supermarket, or

WalMart, or where ever a selection of magazines is sold. They give

prices determined from auctions and based on condition running from

1 to 5, 1 being the best. Would depend to me on whether the car is

complete with most of its parts in place, or if it needs a lot of work and

you'll have to buy many parts.

This 46-48 Chrysler 4 door was for sale locally at a bit over $2000.

Pretty complete and yet needs quite a few things done.

[Bouncy B]

I'll look for the Old Car Price Guide. It's a pretty decent car. Probably a 4.

Needs repaint, chroming but pretty complete

[Jeff.P_46]

Since the cat is out of the bag and NOW everyone knows how rare and desirable the 3 window coupe is, I'll open up the bidding on it now for forum members before I take it to Scottsdale