This 1953 Chrysler Town & Country is one of 1,399 built for the model year and is said to have remained parked for nearly six decades before the seller purchased it out of Upstate New York in 2022. Service since that time included converting the electrical system to 12 volts, installing an electric fuel pump, repairing the heater fan, rebuilding the brake booster, and replacing the brake shoes, brake lines, wheel cylinders, fuel tank, valve-cover gaskets, shocks, and tires. The car is powered by a 331ci Hemi V8 mated to a Fluid Drive–equipped semi-automatic transmission and is painted blue with a white roof over brown vinyl upholstery. Features include power-assisted drum brakes, a wood-lined cargo area, a split fold-down rear bench seat, and a roll-down tailgate window. This Town & Country wagon is a running-and-driving project now offered at no reserve with a copy of the factory build card and a clean Tennessee title in the seller’s name.

The body wears worn blue paint with a white roof and features chrome bumpers with guards, a driver side mirror, polished quarter-panel gravel guards, and brightwork that includes body-side, beltline, and rocker-panel moldings. The tailgate features external hinges and a roll-down window. The rear passenger windows are cracked, the chrome is pitted, the front bumper is dented, the driver-side rear door is misaligned, and the seller notes the presence of rust in the floorboards and rocker panels.

Steel 15″ wheels wearing chrome covers were mounted with 235/70 General AltiMAX RT tires in 2022. Braking is provided by power-assisted four-wheel drums for which the booster was rebuilt at Karps Power Brake Service of Chino, California. Additional work included replacement of the brake wheel cylinders, shoes, and lines. The shocks have also been replaced, and the seller reports that the driver-side leaf springs are cracked.

The cabin features reptile-skin-patterned brown vinyl bench seats with a color-coordinated dash pad and door panels. Interior details include a heater, vent windows, and a locking glovebox. The floorboards are overlaid with deteriorated black rubber mats, the driver’s seat has a tear, and a push-button AM radio, a clock, and a heater are all present but inoperative.

A three-spoke steering wheel with a cracked rim and a chrome horn ring fronts an arched instrument pod housing a 120-mph speedometer, an ammeter, and gauges for coolant temperature, oil pressure, and fuel level, the latter of which is inoperative. The five-digit odometer shows 94k miles, approximately 20 of which were added by the seller. True mileage is unknown.

The cargo area features a wood veneer deck with metal skids that extends from the tailgate to the back of the split fold-down rear bench seat. Matching wood panels line the inner sides, and the inner wheel wells are trimmed in vinyl that displays torn and loose edges.

The 331ci FirePower V8 came equipped with Hemi cylinder heads along with a Carter two-barrel downdraft carburetor and was rated at 180 horsepower and 312 lb-ft of torque when new. An electric fuel pump was installed, and the alternator, starter, wiring, and bulbs were replaced as part of the 12-volt conversion. Additional work included replacement of the valve-cover gaskets, spark plugs, and ignition wires along with the fuel tank, lines, and filter. The seller recommends rebuilding the carburetor and notes that valve work may be required to address an intermittent ticking that occurs when accelerating.

The number C53-8-44362 stamped on the engine block corresponds with a 331ci/180hp Chrysler V8 of 1963 vintage, and the last five digits match the engine number shown on a Chrysler Historical Services copy of the factory build card, a photo of which can be viewed in the gallery.

Power is routed to the rear wheels through a Fluid Drive unit connected to a semi-automatic transmission with high and low ranges consisting of two speeds each. Shifting between high range, low range, and reverse is through the use of the shifter and Safety Clutch, while shifting between the two speeds of each range is accomplished by increasing or decreasing pressure on the accelerator. Rust is observed on components of the underbody, additional photos of which are presented in the gallery.