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Plaid Seats: 1941 Chrysler New Yorker Convertible

The seller of this 1941 Chrysler New Yorker Convertible purchased it off the original owner about 1-year-ago. He has treated it to a mechanical refresh to ensure that it is in a roadworthy state. With the hard work now done, he has decided to part with this “turn-key” classic. His loss could be your gain, because it presents exceptionally well, and is sure to attract plenty of attention wherever it goes. It is located in Cumberland, Rhode Island, and has been listed for sale here on eBay. Bidding has reached $25,500, but the reserve hasn’t been met.

When I first looked at the photos of this Tropical Tan Chrysler, I thought that it had some pretty obvious paint issues. However, after carefully analyzing all of the supplied shots, it appears that the color inconsistency is a result of poor photo quality. The paint does seem to have a consistent look to it and is holding a beautiful shine. The body gaps look uniform, and there are no signs of any rust problems. The chrome isn’t perfect, but it does seem to be extremely good for an original survivor of this vintage. The wheels are fitted with flawless hubcaps and beauty rings and are wrapped in a new set of whitewall tires. The Chrysler features a White convertible top, and this seems to be in good condition. It has a couple of dirty marks, but otherwise, it presents well. The glass looks good, with no problems to report.

This particular New Yorker is the “Highlander” version. I’ll bet that you couldn’t have guessed that by merely looking at the upholstery. The leather and Scotch Plaid are original, but it has had some minor repairs in the past. The leather has aged nicely, and if the next owner keeps the conditioner up to it, it should have plenty of years left in it. The rest of the trim and the carpet appear to be in good condition. There are no signs of any problems with the Art Deco dash. There are a couple of marks around the windshield frame and a chip on the wheel, but these don’t detract from the overall appearance. The New Yorker does come equipped with both a clock and a factory radio.

Under the hood of the New Yorker, we find a 323.5ci straight-eight engine. This punches out 137hp, which finds its way to the rear wheels via a 3-speed manual transmission and a Fluid Drive. This latter feature was a cool one that replaces the normal flywheel with a fluid coupling. The driver still has to shift gears using the clutch. However, the coupling takes up some of the “slack” during launch, which removes the chances of stalling the engine. It also means that a New Yorker can be brought to a halt in top gear, and can take off from stationary in that gear. Acceleration is slower than normal in these situations, but it is possible. The owner of the Chrysler has undertaken plenty of mechanical work in the year that he has owned the vehicle. As well as replacing the tires, the entire braking system has been replaced. He also infers that other work has been completed, but doesn’t elaborate on this. The owner indicates in his listing that the Chrysler has a genuine 35,600 miles showing on its odometer. However, he doesn’t state whether he has evidence to back this claim. The New Yorker is said to run well and is ready to be driven and enjoyed.

For the 1941 model year, Chrysler only managed to sell 1,295 examples of the New Yorker Convertible. Just how many were the Highlander version is not clear. Today, good examples will command very respectable prices. When they come onto the market, prices of around $40,000 are quite common. A pristine example can reach upwards of $60,000 on a good day. This one appears to be a great survivor, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see it sell for more than $40,000. I think that its condition and rarity justify it.

Comments

  1. Avatar scott m

    A beautiful car, and interesting about the Fluid Drive. For my own edification I’m curious if the “paint issues” you mention include a downward streak from the gas filler- as I often can’t tell a defect in the paint from a highlight of the film

    Like 3
  2. Avatar Mike

    A car that you drive to spend a sabbatical at your summer cabin on the lake.

    Like 12
  3. Avatar Brakeservo

    So the car was 78 years old when our seller bought it from the original owner. He would have been 99 years old if he’d received the car at 21.

    Like 4
    • Avatar David Ulrey

      Brakeservo – I was thinking something very similar. If that’s true the original owner must have really good genes and led a healthy lifestyle!

      Like 2
    • Avatar David R Member

      I was wondering the same thing. Someone that young buying a new Chyrsler New Yorker must have been a member of the Vanderbilt family.

      Like 1
    • Avatar DON

      I thought the kid must have come from money to afford this type of car new ; in 1941 My father was 19 and had a base model 37 Ford – and the only reason he got a car that new is he worked two jobs !

      Like 1
  4. Avatar Chris

    What an absolute cracker … the lines are fantastic ….

    Like 0
  5. Avatar BR

    Changing the engine oil in one of these was quite a process since the “Fluid Drive” coupling was filled with engine oil through a hole in the end of the crankshaft. The fluid coupling had to be drained separately, so this was usually omitted.

    Like 3
  6. Avatar Phlathead Phil

    Wow is all I can say.

    Like 0
  7. Avatar Onree

    I was wondering about the availability of the Highlander interior. I had a blue ’48 Windsor 4-door sedan Highlander and a Torch Red w/black top ’54 New Yorker Club Coupe Highlander, Was ’54 the last year for the wool plaid and leather Highlander option? I’ve never seen one later than that.

    Like 0
    • Avatar Bill McCoskey Member

      IIRC, Bill Hirsch Auto Parts offered the Highland Plaid material for restorers, and probably still does.

      Like 0
  8. Avatar Bob Mck

    Beautiful old car.. it will be interesting to see what the market says it is worth.

    Like 0
  9. Avatar marvin wilson

    What the hell does the sellers age have to do with it?

    Like 0
    • Avatar bone

      when a story raises flags ,you begin to wonder what is true and what isn’t

      Like 1
  10. Avatar Eric Kohler

    My beloved aunt had a club coupe version of this model for fourteen years! It was a great car

    Like 1
  11. Avatar DON

    To quote my late mother who was Scottish and very proud of it – “Scotch” is a drink . The plaid would be called Scots or Scottish plaid , of which there were many .

    Like 1

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