Chrysler buyers who chose the New Yorker in the late fifties were treated to both luxury galore along with that beautiful Virgil Exner styling, but those who wanted to take things up to an even higher level opted for the 300 letter series, which for 1958 only was the 300D. Although it was billed as a personal luxury car, the 300D was also a muscle car offering, and quite rare too as only 618 hardtops were produced, plus an additional 191 convertibles. This 1958 Chrysler 300D has a few blemishes when you look closely, but overall seems to be in reasonably good condition and might make a decent weekend driver without a whole lot of effort.
Rocco B., thanks for spotting this one and sending us the tip! While the exterior lines are stunning, the crown jewel is what can be found under the hood. A 380 HP version of the 392 FirePower Hemi was standard equipment on the 300D, which included a pair of 4-barrels on top. 1958 was also the swan song for the 392 Hemi, as the following year it was replaced by the 413 Wedge. The seller doesn’t offer a lot of background information here, but he does say the engine runs strong and states the car’s mileage as 43,261.
300D buyers had six colors to choose from, with this one wearing Ermine White paint, although it’s not specified if the finish is original. A couple of areas are showing what the owner is calling surface rust, including the lower sections of the quarters and one area on the hood, plus some visible corrosion on the rear bumper. However, the overall panel fit seems good, and with a few repairs and touch-ups, it would probably look somewhat better outside. If you’re ready to go the extra mile, a new paint job would turn this one into a true beauty.
There’s no word on whether or not the interior is original or if it’s been freshened up, but for the most part, everything in there appears to be in acceptable condition. The driver’s door panel is showing some wear, but it’s minor and probably more than adequate for most owners. A couple of (hopefully) small issues to deal with are fixing the brake lights and turn signals, along with some work on the brakes. This 1958 Chrysler 300D is located in Nicholasville, Kentucky, and can be viewed here on Craigslist, where the seller has posted an asking price of $57,500. What are your thoughts on this one?
Gorgeous car, nice options, I wish I could buy it!!!
You & me both Zen! `58s don’t come up for sale very often, and when they do they usually sell fairly quick. This one appears reasonably solid, and the brake, turn signal issues seem do-able. I would research the original color of this one since the pallet got opened up to more than just red, white, black, and parade green. My Mom drove a `57 300C hardtop when I was a kid; dad bought it used. It was white too. The dual quads apparently acted up quite a bit; I recall Mom’s angry trips to the repair shop for adjustments.
At .29 cents/gallon back then, I doubt it crossed her mind.
Hagerty is in agreement with this price for an “excellent” example. If you want to ask 57.5K for a car, then fix the rust on the hood and fenders.
For 57.5k it better be in showroom condition which it is not.
In #1 condition, such as a frame-off restoration these are over $100K.
Kudos to the seller for an ad with honesty and disclosure. Does look to be a solid cared for example. What can you say about a 300D (?) One of the most magnificent models of the era. I’ll bet a fair price can be negotiated and someone is going to get a great fulfilling project that shouldn’t take too much heavy lifting to get her back on the highway, which is where this car belongs over the show field…….
29 cents in 1958 is equivalent to about $3.00 in 2024. So, relatively speaking, gasoline hasn’t really gotten more expensive over the last 66 years.
Shh! Don’t let Big Oil hear that or the prices will shoot up again!
For some reason I was expecting to see bucket seats, those swivel seats were cool. A silver quarter will still buy a gallon of fuel, I wonder if the Sunoco 260 is still available? maybe it still exists on the east coast.
Compared to California gas prices ,it’s a bargain. I drove a beat up 1961 Bonneville convertible in 2968, premium gas was 25 cents a gallon. Gas now in California is anywhere from$4.69 to over $6.00 a gallon depending on location.
Not a lot of these around. The problem I see here is that most people who are interested in buying this are going to want to correct its deficiencies. They won’t live with the rust. The question is how much money you want to spend. I think that given what needs to be corrected here and the cost to do it right makes the asking price a reach IMO. GLWTS.
If you could actually afford a car like this, you weren’t worried about fuel economy. Some folks are thrifty, some not- then and now. My Dad bought a ‘68 Ford ex cop car for $530 in ‘71. It had a 390 Interceptor, and got 10mpg. Dad was very thrifty, so I was confused. I asked why he would buy a car that got 10mpg. He said that he got a 3 year old car for $500, gas is 30¢ a gallon, and there’s no way your Mom drives 10,000 miles a year. Do the math. What do I care about gas mileage?