Vehicle Description
A special and rare survivor, this is one of 18 Chrysler 300Cs
produced in 1957 with an optional performance package designed for
NASCAR competition. Of those 18 cars only three survive to this day
and this unrestored 300C remains as a unique example of the very
first muscle cars. The other cars are the "mule" Chrysler used to
engineer this special run and the other is in New Zealand and
restored.
Big and very fast these cars were a sensation during the
mid-Fifties. Chrysler 300s were so named because the original
models delivered 300 horses. The car consigned to this auction put
out significantly more power. Featuring the famed V8 392 cu.in.
"hemi" engine this Chrysler was modified with larger exhaust
manifolds and pipes and a Snyder roller camshaft installed by
Chrysler. The horsepower was increased from 375 to 390. The exhaust
system still has hand made metal part numbers welded to the pipes
to pass NASCAR inspection. On the dash a large tachometer is
installed in the middle where the clock normally sits, another
giveaway this car was intended for competition.
The heavy-duty suspension was also as revolutionary as the hemi
engine because Chrysler used torsion bars to provide a stiffer
suspension than normal in the era.
At 4600 lbs. this is a big car so the drum brakes were large and
the best of their day but not up to the standards of disc brakes. A
unique air scoop under the headlights helped cool the front
brakes.
The three-speed stick shift is a replacement for the original but
is a Chrysler NPG all-synchromesh three speed built in 1967 and
purchased from a local NASCAR racer.
These original muscle cars are a memorable sight on the road with
their sweeping rear fenders and substantial front grill. A two-door
coupe, this 300C has been repainted in its original black and the
interior is in beige leather.
The car is unrestored but has been carefully stored since 1984 in a
dry urethane insulated garage that has no dew point and helps
prevent rust.
Purchase by the current owner in the early 1960s, this car only
61,000 actual miles on the odometer.
The long time owner is a nationally recognized authority on these
cars and a show judge for Chrysler 300s.
ESTIMATE: $90,000-$140,000
