Chrysler Corporation shook up its entire lineup for 1957 with the all-new Virgil “Ex” Exner’s fin-tastic new “Forward Look” designs. This 1957 Chrysler New Yorker 392 Hemi Two Door Hardtop resides far away from the Big Apple, in Olympia, Washington. It’s no driver, but the factory-looking 392 V8 runs! The listing here on eBay has exceeded $4300 without meeting the seller’s Reserve. Quad headlights were optional in ’57 as some states did not allow them.
Got patina? Whether you see it as honest weathering or abused metal, this car’s wind and weather-stripped paint has surrendered to surface rust on most of its sky-facing surfaces. The New Yorker’s fins begin just after the door and gain height along a straight line to a peak above the pyramid-style rear light pods. The 1957 DeSoto featured a similar treatment. Bumpers in these days could actually bump something without needing $500 in repairs!
Queue the warbling background music! No old-fashioned gear-change lever confronts the driver of this stylish space-age New Yorker. It’s push-button gear selection all the way! Though partially preserved by the then-popular clear plastic seat covers, the upholstery fabric has still disintegrated over time.
With a blower fan that could ventilate a small apartment building, this Chrysler should have no problem pushing air through the hardtop cabin. The Hemi was designed to be a “100,000 mile engine” in the days when many people bought a car every three years and low-tech gaskets and sealers saw engines leaking various fluids before covering half that distance. This 392 cid “Hemi” features the famous hemispherical combustion chambers, but pre-dates the “Elephant” Hemi of the classic muscle car era. Though performance options for the early hemi are limited, they do exist. Hot Rod magazine made 436 HP with an early hemi build. This car needs work everywhere, but it will be a stunner when finished. The great lines and big Hemi hold broad appeal. Do you have the right stuff to put this New Yorker back in the wind?
Oh, it’s a nice car, or was. I’m amazed that motor didn’t “go missing” for a hot rod. With restoration costs in the stratosphere, be a costly one, for sure. What a car when done. Just because it has a hemi, don’t expect wheelstands. In a car like this, it was kind of a slug, but get ‘er rolling, and that hemi shines.
Interesting note, Carl Kiekhaefer, of Mercury outboards, had such great success with his ’56 letter cars, he had 4, 1957 Chrysler 300’s with fuel injected 392 hemi’s ready for the ’57 season, but an argument with NASCAR officials, caused him to withdraw the cars.
Howard, part of the argument Kiekhaefer had was the fact that Chrysler’s Bendix “Electrojector” FI system had been yanked from production early due to problems, so technically it wasn’t an approved mfr. set-up. No idea whose FI set-up he was using.
Actually the Hemi’s were banned by NASCAR for 1957 and would be again
Howard, I had a 58 New Yorker with 392, single 4 barrel, and it was far from being a slug! I never once lost a street race and I was clocked on radar at 135 mph!
Bob: Was it stock ? Wondering what I should do to it now that I own it.
This is so neat. As a die hard GM guy, I like this better than any GM offering in 1959. Someone in town had a 59 DeSoto, and added the new wide whites (radials) along with genuine wire wheels. It is a stunning car to see.
I know this car, run away. Not even worth half that.
I’ll bet that it was a thing of beauty when it was new.
is there anything in particular (glass, frame, body mounts, etc. ) or seller or? just asking!
Roger is top current top bidder
Why run away? Looks like a nice project. It’s not like it’s a rusted out east coast car.
Yep…. He s been trying to sell it for awhile.
I believe my brother now owns it. Worked on it yesterday. took care of some wiring and came across this site while looking for wiring diagrams.
What do you know about this car? I didn’t run fast enough, now I own it !
The coolness factor on this car is over the top with the space age body style and the hemi under the hood!!! It deserves a full restoration and those original colors will pop on this car!!!
A car with such a great “look”. So much promise. Hope someone saves it.
What I am seeing in the pics is a Forward look collector/specialty shop and or bone yard. I don’t think anyone will be getting a deal here. The reserve means I want what I think it’s still worth.
These were very very collectible 10/20 years ago and high prices paid for weatherd cars like this. Sadly the time has come and gone. Nice cars and ones you can still drive are still worth something. Prices at collector car auctions have hit these pretty hard. I predict a continued fall.
This car is cool but it needs everything and then some. The guy selling looks well versed by his other boned out Mopar stash in the background (hopefully he never pulled off any uber rare pieces you can’t see on this) He knows exactly what it needs and will take to restore.
Just sit back and dream. This really isn’t for you.
First car I remember my mom having was a baby blue/navy two tone `57 coupe like this. Every option. But by `65 it’s styling was so pre-historic, it was time to unload. I have a vague memory of my mom speeding down a road one day; why she did it I have no idea but it was a thrill to this 4 yr old at the time!
Seller says it has the patina everyone wants, reserve not met at $6600. Too much patina and too much money for it to me. Old trucks look neat with patina but not old Chryslers. As much as I love 50’s Mopars the cost to restore this one to even a nice driver condition would be more than it would be worth.
i would like to buy it if i had jay leno money , the oldcar report price guide says this 57 chrysler new yorker in number five condition is worth about $4900.00 dollars and i dont know how much rust is in the floors and that would add another two thousand dollars . james
If you had Jay Leno’s money you wouldn’t buy it.
My late grandparents had a bright blue 57 New Yorker coupe…they bought it secondhand from his boss. I remember it as a young child…such a memorable car with those fins! My uncle ran it off the road back in 68 or 69 and destroyed the undercarriage. My grandfather said he got more for the 392 than the car was worth. They bought a new 68 or 69 Impala 4dr to replace it; boy was I underwhelmed and disappointed (from dramatic to boring almost overnight).