Genuine Barn Find: 1950 Chrysler Town and Country Newport

This 1950 Chrysler Town and Country Newport seems to prove that the supply of interesting and promising barn finds isn’t drying up. It recently emerged from a Nebraska barn and hasn’t suffered unduly from its prolonged hibernation. It needs a new owner to return it to its former glory, but its complete and solid nature should ensure that the process is relatively straightforward.

The story of this Chrysler is slightly vague beyond the seller’s claim that it spent many years in storage. The conditions must have been quite favorable because this survivor appears to have avoided any significant rust problems. There is surface corrosion requiring attention before it deteriorates, but little evidence of steel penetration. Its Black paint holds a warm glow, rather than an intense shine. It is presentable if the winning bidder pursues the preservation path, but my instinct suggests that a cosmetic restoration will probably be the buyer’s goal. That brings us to the subject of this Chrysler’s defining exterior feature; Its timber. This is intact and doesn’t seem to have any rot that would spoil the party. The varnish is lifting in several spots, so stripping and refinishing is required for long-term protection. A couple of trim pieces are missing, but the glass looks excellent.

This Town and Country’s interior demonstrates why condition assessment is a subjective matter. The seller describes it as “very nice,” and that is undoubtedly true of the Black leather, dash, and carpet. However, the cloth upholstered surfaces exhibit multiple stains and a few very obvious seam separations. Whether the situation is salvageable is debatable, but sourcing the correct cloth would allow an upholsterer to restore the seats while retaining the original leather and padding. The dash and gauge cluster are a model of Art Deco beauty and appear to need nothing. If this interior has a genuine highlight, the dash deserves that honor.

Lifting the hood reveals an engine that isn’t radical. The 323.5ci “Spitfire” flathead straight-eight produced 135hp and 270 ft/lbs of torque when the car rolled off the line. However, the transmission is a point of difference, being the four-speed Presto-Matic unit. The engineering was quite complex, with it technically being a two-speed with overdrive on both ratios. The Presto-Matic proved extremely expensive to produce, and following its introduction in 1946, it found its way into the final production models in 1953. The seller confirms that this Newport doesn’t run, and I suspect it probably hasn’t since being placed into storage. However, the engine turns freely, potentially leading to a cheap and easy revival.

The Chrysler Town and Country Newport is a relatively rare vehicle, with only around 700 rolling off the line in 1950. This one shows promise as a project candidate, with the lack of apparent rust making a hands-on approach viable. The seller has listed the Chrysler here on eBay in Anoka, Minnesota. Two bids have pushed the price to $1,150, which is below the reserve. The seller provides a BIN option of $9,980 for those wishing to bypass the auction process. That figure is probably realistic because spotless examples typically exceed $30,000 on the rare occasions that they come to market. If you have been searching for a Mopar project, is this one you might consider?