Chrysler Windsor
The Chrysler Windsor is a full-size car which was built by Chrysler from 1939 through to the 1960s. The final Chrysler Windsor sold in the United States was produced in 1961, but production in Canada continued until 1966. The Canadian 1961 to 1966 Windsor model was for all intents and purposes the equivalent of the Chrysler Newport in the United States.
The Windsor was positioned above the entry-level Royal from 1939 to 1950. With the demise of the Royal for the 1951 model year the Windsor became Chrysler's price leader through to 1960. For the 1961 model year the Chrysler Newport was made the marque's price leader with the Windsor positioned one level above the Newport. Chrysler replaced the Windsor name in 1962 with the introduction of the non-lettered series Chrysler 300.
1939–1942
The Windsor first came out in 1939 as the junior model to the larger Chrysler New Yorker. In 1940, the Windsor came in either long or short wheelbase versions as a 6-passenger sedan, a 6-passenger coupe, a convertible, a Victoria sedan, or an 8-passenger sedan. New this year were sealed beam head lights. The Windsor used independent front suspension, 11" brakes, and a X girder truss type frame.New for 1941 was the Windsor Six Town and Country, a station wagon type vehicle designed by David A. Wallace, who was the president of Chrysler at the time. Fog lights and bumper crash bars were optional.
Production ended in January, 1942, as all automobile companies in the USA switched to war production. The 1942 heralded post-war design, with fenders being better integrated into the overall bodywork.
1946–1948
After the war, the Windsor was put back into production. It was similar to the 1942 models. New things included a handbrake warning signal that warned that the handbrake was not fully released, and a new grille. Tank capacity was 17USgallons. There was full instrumentation.The Windsor made up 62.9% of the company's sales.
1949–1952
In 1949, for Chrysler's 25th anniversary, Chrysler Windsors were redesigned, however, the styling was "boxier" than the competition. New this year was a padded dashboard with sponge rubber for safety. The 1949 through 1952 Chryslers continued the Highlander trimmed cars which added an interior trimmed in a tartan fabric and leather, available on all bodies except the station wagon. The Highlanders came with most options standard, including full wheel covers and radio.In 1950, the Windsor Traveler Sedan was reintroduced, but only lasted one year. The Windsor still had full instrumentation. The "Windsor Newport" hardtop coupe bodystyle, seating six and with a three-piece wraparound rear window was new for the year and reserved for the Windsor and New Yorker.
1951, the Royal was dropped, and the Windsor became Chrysler's low-priced car. The costly egg crate-style grille was deleted in favor of painted metal and two broad chrome strips. The Windsor DeLuxe had an electric clock standard, while electric windows were optional. In the September 1951 issue of Popular Mechanics, readers reported getting an average of 14.1 mpg with the Windsor and 98 percent reported liking the padded dashboard.
Little changed in 1952. Power brakes were standard on the Windsor DeLuxe 8-passenger sedan.
1953–1954
In 1953, the Chrysler Windsor got new sheet metal and finally a one-piece curved windshield. Power steering was a $177 option.For 1954, the base Windsor was dropped and all that was left was the Windsor DeLuxe. The grille and the instrument panel was new. A Popular Mechanics Survey of Chrysler owners reported that the best liked feature for Windsor owners was the comfortable ride, followed by handling ease.
1955–1956
In 1955, all Chrysler cars were completely restyled with styling by Virgil Exner, sharing some visual similarities with the all-new Imperial which became its own division.The styling of the Windsor was more rounded and featured wrap around windshields. The word DeLuxe was added to Windsor again. Front head room was. Rear axle ratio for the 3-speed manual was 3.73. The Windsor made up 64.72% of Chrysler's sales.
For 1956, the "Forward Look" restyling came out, introducing the first tail fins on a Chrysler car. Interior trims remained mostly the same, though a new Highway Hi-Fi phonograph player was a new option on the Windsor.
The 1956 edition for the Canadian market featured the Plymouth 303 Poly V-8 Engine, the same one used in the Plymouth Fury and the Canadian Dodge Custom Royal.
1957–1958
For 1957, Chrysler cars, including the Windsor, were restyled again. This time with taller tailfins with vertical taillights, thinner C-pillars, and a wraparound front bumper. Mid-year, dual headlights became standard. Front head room grew to 35.7 inches. Safety equipment was optional on the Windsor. Unfortunately for Chrysler, 1957 cars were plagued with quality problems, such as breaking torsion bar suspensions and rust.In 1958, the Windsor was moved to the Dodge/DeSoto Firesweep chassis. Canadian Windsors still used the longer, chassis and was essentially a rebadged Saratoga, a model which was not sold in Canada this year. New this year for all Chrysler cars was the new "Auto-Pilot" cruise control system. It had two features. One was the speed-warning feature that the driver would turn the knob to set a certain speed. Then, when the driver would start to pass the speed, pressure would be felt in the pedal, letting the driver know that they were going too fast. The other feature was the actual cruise control. It was activated by pressing on the speed-set knob. The Windsor made up 42.36% of Chrysler's sales in 1958.
1959–1961
In 1959, Chrysler started to advertise the car's new wedge-head "B" engines as "Golden Lions" and the cars as "Lion Hearted". The RB 383 produces with a twin-barrel carburetor. Lions were used in the advertising, and the cars had lion emblems on the front doors and on the cylinder heads. Air conditioning was a $510 option.Canadian-built cars did not get the new RB 383 engine, but were equipped with the "Low Block" engine as used in US Dodges and DeSotos. Thus, Canadian Windsors also did not get the "Golden Lion" decorations; instead, they were fitted with three golden crests on the front doors. The B 361 engine produces with a twin carburetor. As convertibles and station wagons were imported from the US, they did not receive differing specifications. Brochures for the 1959 US Chryslers actually show this triple crest being mounted on the front door, with the Golden Lion appearing on the rear fenders instead, but this is not how the finished product appeared.
In 1960, all Chrysler cars got a unibody frame. A new parking brake was also used, and the brakes on the Windsor were 11" drums.
In 1961, all Chrysler cars were redesigned. On the Windsor, standard equipment included a cigarette lighter, map lights, and new for 1961, a safety padded dash. 1961 was the last year of the Windsor in the United States.