1941 Chrysler Town & Country Barrel Back Estate Wagon

Built for a limited time, the Town & Country remains arguably the rarest, most desirable pre-war Woody produced

by Carl Bomstead

Conceived in 1939, the Town & Country Estate wagon represented Chrysler’s desire to create an entirely new car that was both luxurious and dramatic. It had to be elegant enough for city driving and chauffeur driving, but utilitarian enough for country living.

David Wallace, Chrysler’s president, was the driving force behind the creation of the unique Town & Country Estate wagon design. He wanted a wood-bodied car that would have the same basic lines as the steel-bodied sedans, yet with greater refinement, quality, and panache. The cars were constructed utilizing two very different types of wood, including the structural wood of white ash with contrasting panels in a rich Honduran mahogany.

By 1941, the evolution of the Town & Country had blossomed into the streamlined and beautiful design presented here. Built for a limited time only—production halted with the onset of World War II—the Town & Country was a rare sight on the street and remains,...