1948 Chrysler Windsor in Farmingdale, New York

Vehicle Description

1948 CHRYSLER WINDSOR HIGHLANDER CONVERTIBLE for sale. Motorcar Classics is proud to present this incredibly preserved 1948 Chrysler Windsor Highlander Convertible which comes with a fascinating history. Our unrestored 1948 Chrysler Windsor Highlander Convertible was purchased in 1948 from Northwest Motors in Helena, Montana as a high school graduation gift for Bob Starz by his father. In 1950 Mr. Starz caught his son drinking and driving, so he took the car away from his son and placed it in a stone garage. Mr. Starz made sure that Bob could not get the car out of the garage by cementing an iron railing around the car. Thus, with only 16,300 miles on it, the Chrysler was interred this way more than 30 years, until after Mr. Starz senior passed away. An old high school friend asked Bob about purchasing the car, but the car held a lot of bad memories, and Bob told his friend that he was going to take the to the city dump and burn it! Fortunately, Bob was talked out of that idea, and after 6 more years, the friend convinced Bob to sell him the car. When it was finally released from its long confinement the car still had only 16,300 miles. Subsequently the car was sold again in 1999, at which time it had 20,600 miles. In the year 2002 this car won the Presidents Cup at the Walter P. Chrysler National Meet. The car remains unrestored. The convertible top is factory original. The power top mechanism works properly, but it is rarely put it down because of the material is 68 years old. Almost everything else is 100% original as it came out of the Chrysler factory in 1948; original paint, original plaid upholstery. The car currently shows 22,796 miles. The front and rear bumpers have been re-chromed because, while the car was in storage, people would put their feet on them. Both front and rear gravel pans have been painted because of scratches. The passenger door is a little off-color because, when the car was delivered to the dealership, the door was scratched during the unloading process and repainted at the dealership.The Windsor is powered by Chryslers Spitfire 251 CI L-Head inline six cylinder engine and this car has the Fluid-Drive hydraulically operated transmission. Everything works properly and the car likely drives as well now as when Bob Starz was caught by his father! It was comprehensively serviced in 2013 and would be an ideal candidate for preservation class showing. Pre-war designs that survived WW II like the 1948 Windsor Highlander Convertible feature an impressive mix of classic styling and the improved reliability and driving manners found in post-war cars. They remain strong in the market, and are considered to be a blue-chip post-war collectible. The convertibles lovely Highlander plaid interior is a bold feature of the luxurious cabin, and the fantastic dash features a vintage Motorola radio between the factory gauges and an era-correct clock. The emblems, stainless trim, and carpets are set off by a chrome-trimmed, 3-spoke steering wheel with old school Lucite shift and stalk knobs. Top up or down, this car is ready to tour or show.