Danbury Mint 1942 Chrysler

Just another repaint --I don't think so. The reissued '42 Chrysler Town and Country in 1:24th scale with Polo Green paint makes an eye-popping replica that should be a consideration to your collection today.

The 1942 Chrysler Town & Country is an icon, considered by many to be the finest American wood-bodied motorcar ever built. In an era where wartime production had virtually halted, fabricating car bodies of wood was an expensive proposition.

All Town & Country Chryslers for 1942 were built on either the Windsor or New Yorker chassis, they were available in six or nine passenger configurations. The power plant in the '42 was an L-head straight 'six' displacing 250.6 cid and producing 120 horsepower. The torquey 'six' relayed its power to the rear wheels via a three-speed manual transmission with overdrive.

Stylistically speaking, the '42 Chrysler Town & Country Station Wagon was a striking re-styling of the 1941 wagon. The entire front was wrapped in stainless steel bars that run from wheel opening to wheel opening, across the entire grille. This theme was carried to the rear fenders, for a stylish "art deco" treatment. The roof slopes gently back to the tailgate and the wood contrasts beautifully with modern styling. This model features 'barrel back', or 'clam shell' rear doors, that opened to a storage area behind the rear passenger seats. The rearmost seats could be stowed in a forward position, to enlarge the storage area, or in a rear position, to enhance passenger legroom.

Chrysler built approximately 2,000 cars by the time automobile production ceased for the Second World War early in 1942. In total, nine hundred ninety-nine barrel-back 1942 Chrysler Town & Country station wagons were constructed. Of these, 150 were 6-Passenger models, and 849 were 9-Passenger models.

Now you know why this automobile was considered a classic, thus, holding a place in automobile history. Allow us to review Danbury Mints' interpretation of this exquisite replica for you today.

Viewing the profile of this model you have to be awe struck by its sheer beauty. Notice the stainless steel bars that create the "art deco" fore and aft. Danbury Mint captured the style/look of the original perfectly in their representation. The moldings that constitute the deco look are delicate and perfect to scale. No jagged edges are noticeable on any of the bars, which fit snuggly to the body. The Polo Green along with the deco bars assure this replica pops out in a display, screaming "look at me, I am special" and it is.

Turning our attention to the nose of the Chrysler view underneath the headlights; there you will notice yellow marker lights nestled between the stainless steel bars one on each side. This particular replica spots a set of fog lights, which adds to the overall appeal or as I like to call it "bling" of the replica. Collectors love "bling"; the higher the part count via "bling" the more bang for the buck so to speak, we all love that.

The wood panels on the polo green replica are richer and darker in color than those found on the black version. The fit and finish of the woodwork is recreated exception-ally well; no noticeable gaps, all-wood panels fit snuggly to the body like a glove. The paint is smooth and silk like in appearance. The doors functioned properly albeit via doglegs. It is time dogleg hinges make their departure from the high-end market; it would have been nice if they vanished on this model.

While focused on the finer details of this replica I found myself mesmerized by the realism of the roof rack. The wood laths are so realistic that you will notice wood-grain running through each simulated piece of wood. It is little touches like this or "bling" that makes a model stand out above all others, classifying it a "must have replica", this is one of those models.

The rear clamshell doors open easily, operate smoothly; they are a joy to behold. Upon opening them you will find a spare tire and cargo mat. Get out a magnifying glass to enjoy the etched design of the locking mechanisms one on each door, another nice touch or "bling".

It was difficult to fully enjoy the amenities under the hood; the engine compartment is very long by design. Therefore, when the hood is fully extended everything sits back near the firewall making it difficult to enjoy all the fine detail under the hood. Allow me to clarify this it is not a design fault of the replica but rather the duplication of the original 1:1. The compartment area on the DM replica is a good representation of the original L-head straight 'six'.

In conclusion I love the overall appear-ance and quality of this replica. Even though this is nothing more than a repaint of an old tool it is one you should consider adding to your collection regardless if you own the black one or not.

Yes, there are a few items that could have been upgraded to enhance the appeal of this model like those doglegs hinges but lets not split hairs. Bottom line you are looking at a model with a very high part count, plenty of "bling" for a suggested retail price of $115.00. This is one model where you are most definitely getting the bang for your buck. Order yours today!