Owned by the Louis Vuitton family: one of the most sought-after pre-war Chryslers
1 of 24 known surviving Barrelbacks; 1 of just 4 known six-passenger examples
Ownership believed to include the Louis Vuitton family
Listed in the Chrysler Town & Country Owners Registry
One of the more desirable pre-war wood-bodied cars
VIN: 7714767
As America was recovering from the Depression, the automotive industry was moving forward with new, more powerful engines, advances in handling, safety, and passenger comfort, while creating vehicles that people wanted and needed for busy active lives. David A. Wallace who had joined Chrysler in 1929 as a Master Mechanic and quickly rose through the ranks, had been appointed President of the Chrysler Division by 1937. Unlike many executives, he was an enthusiastic car guy and an inventor having 70 patents issued to him during his career.
One of his better ideas was for a long-wheelbase Suburban-type vehicle that could carry up to nine passengers while providing space for their luggage and personal belongings. Wallace came up with the basic dimensions for this station wagon-type vehicle and designed one of its most notable features, the "clamshell" style rear doors that would help it earn the nickname as the "Barrelback". He called on one of Chrysler's most talented designers, Arnolt "Buzz" Grisinger, to work with Chrysler's body engineering teams to smooth and refine Wallace's original ideas and create this entirely new vehicle. The body panels were framed in white ash, which had plentiful quantities in Michigan, combined with beautifully grained Honduran mahogany for the panels on the doors and body sides. The Town & Country models were among the highest priced in the series.
One of the most sought-after pre-war Chryslers, this six-passenger 'Barrelback' Town & Country's is 1 of just 200 examples built for the model year. In total, 996 'Barrelbacks' were built in 1941 between the six- and nine-passengers, of which just 24 are known to survive today, and just 4 six-passenger examples are listed in the Town & Country Chapter of the National Woodie Club. Said to have been built on May 16, 1941, this 'Barrelback' was delivered to its first owner who lived in Syracuse, New York. Eventually this Town & Country would be exported from California to Europe in the early 2000s.
The current owner, a former Executive Vice President of the Town & Country Chapter of the National Woodie Club, would acquire this woodie in 2010 from a Belgian broker, who reported that this woodie was from the seventh generation Louis Vuitton family. It was aptly nicknamed and has become known as "Louie". The current owner would return this 'Barrelback' to his home in California and commission a refurbishment of the white ash and Honduran mahogany wood panels, maroon leather upholstery and carpeting, which would take place between 2014 and 2015. A special appearance, thanks to its signature curved barrel back rear, the well-varnished wood and steel body feature swan-neck side mirrors, a driver's side cowl-mounted spotlight, and the words "Metro Goldwyn Mayer" hand-painted on the front doors. The inside is lead by the aforementioned maroon leather interior, which is paired with varnished door panels and ivory-color marbled plastic accents.
Power is derived from a well-sorted 241-cid L-head inline six-cylinder engine that is mated to a column-shifted fluid drive four-speed semi-automatic transmission. Work performed under the hood includes a rebuild of the carburetor and generator, and a replacement of the center engine block freeze plug. Other work performed under the current owner's care includes the transmission shift forks, rear transmission seal, right-rear axle seal, and rear spring shackles all being replaced. A very solid and mechanically maintained example, the owner notes this rare woodie is ready for spirited driving, as he did an 800-mile round trip from Sausalito, California to Harbor City and back without any issues.
Accompanying the sale of this Town & Country are three rare salesmen's booklets. Very few of these outstanding 'Barrelbacks' were produced in 1941 and today a very finite number of these examples are known to exist. "Louie" is a beautiful example of American woodworking combined with steel sculpting. Beautifully finished and painstakingly maintained, this six-passenger Town and Country presents a seldom seen opportunity for the serious collector to acquire one of the most attractive, luxurious and rare wood-bodied station wagons ever produced.
400 Vehicles | 250+ Cars Offered Without Reserve | Starting Thursday, August 29
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