Vehicle Description
The market is awash in '70s American luxury cars right now, with
Lincolns and Cadillacs bringing decent money, but where are the
Chryslers? Well, wonder no more, as this handsome, low-mileage 1979
Chrysler New Yorker Fifth Avenue delivers all the same luxury but
has that unique Chrysler vibe and "future collectable" is written
all over it.
The New Yorker badge has been around since WWII, and it has always
represented the top-of-the-line Chrysler. By 1979, it meant an
XL-sized luxury sedan with a clean, chiseled look that makes it
stand apart from the gothic Lincolns and downsized Cadillacs.
Finished in a light cream color dubbed Designer's Cream, this
well-maintained New Yorker has the look of a car that's lived and
easy life (as most of these cars do) and it still shows rather
well. Yes, it's original paint, so there's about 40 years of light
wear and use, but aside from some minor nicks and scratches, it's
really, really nice. We like original paint on our cars because it
means there's no questionable bodywork hiding underneath and if
there was any rust on this car, you'd see it right away. But
there's no evidence of either issue here, and this survivor-grade
car is going to show well in preservation-class competition.
There's enough chrome to remind everyone that this is a luxury car,
and the padded roof is in excellent condition. A 4-door luxury land
yacht with loads of style, sounds good to me!
The New Yorker was all about traditional luxury, so you got a pair
of champagne-colored Corinthian Leather seats (well, a split bench,
but who's being picky?), as well as a full-sized back seat that
could handle three passengers. 'Corinthian' leather is a wonderful
made-up creation all on its own, and that master stroke of
marketing is perfectly exemplified in this Fifth Avenue. That sure
looks like original, vintage 1979 leather, and it's holding up
remarkably well, with no splits or tears and only light wear on the
outer bolsters. Carpets, door panels, and even the dash pad don't
seem to have seen the passage of over four decades, and the gauges
are in round pods that actually look kind of sporty. A long list of
features defined Chrysler's top-of-the-line vehicle, including
power windows, locks, and seat, A/C (yes, it's working!), cruise
control, a tilt wheel, and an AM/FM/8-track stereo that's still in
place and comes ready with a nice collection of tapes to play. The
cavernous trunk is finished with proper dark gray carpets as well
as what might be the original spare tire under its own matching
cover.
The 360 cubic inch V8 under the hood is rated at 195 horsepower,
which isn't too shabby considering the era. Underneath all the
hoses, this one is still wearing factory Chrysler Turquoise engine
enamel and all its original decals. It has never needed to be
rebuilt and still runs superbly, smooth but torquey, and with a
muted hum from the exhaust system. A TorqueFlite 3-speed automatic
gearbox was the only choice, and it spins a set of factory gears
(likely 3.23) that make it a fantastic highway cruiser, and it'll
loaf along for hours at any speed in eerie silence. The chassis was
undercoated either at the factory or the dealer (the Jerry
Lundegaard's of the world did a great job overselling those
'true-coats' in the '70s and '80s), but there are no real signs of
neglect or rust underneath, and thanks to Chrysler's famous
torsion-bar suspension, it has an impeccable ride. Simple wire
wheelcovers give the New Yorker an understated look that probably
played well in 1979, and has been fitted with 205/75/15 whitewall
radials.
Nobody kept these as collector's items, so finding one this nice is
all but impossible. But if you're a Mopar guy, this is an
indispensable piece of history. Documented with its original
owner's manuals, window sticker, dealer invoice, and maintenance
records, this is Fifth Avenue is top-flight survivor that's ready
for the road today. Call now!
