It’s hard for me to believe that cars with as much style as this 1964 Chrysler Newport Wagon, for sale here on eBay in Sarasota, FL, were once commonplace. The amount of effort put into details that are so small and strictly aesthetic never ceases to amaze me. While I realize some of my enthusiasm is due to the rarity of cars like this 50+ years after they were made, I’m pretty confident that no one will be looking at a 2018 Toyota Sienna in 2068 and be amazed by it’s beautiful styling.
Reintroduced as Chrysler’s entry-level model in 1961, the Newport was available as a convertible, hardtop, sedan and wagon. Designed to lure buyers who would have previously shopped the recently-discontinued DeSoto brand, the Newport was a decontented version of Chrysler’s more upscale offerings.
The seller says that this car is an original survivor with just over 79,000 original miles on the odometer. Based on the provided photos, it’s hard to dispute that claim, as both the interior and exterior are in near-perfect condition. Everything on the car is said to work correctly, from the numbers-matching engine to the dash lighting. Said to be one of roughly 3000 built, it’s hard to believe there could be many in a better state of preservation.
At the current high bid of $8,500, I think this car is a bargain. My guess is that the price will climb a bit before the auction comes to a close, though. While I’m all for using cars as they were intended, I can’t see doing anything with this car except enjoying it on an occasional cruise and taking it to shows.
I wouldn’t say these wagons were ever commonplace as very few were ever built, but I sure did like my 1962 New Yorker with dual air.
It is somewhere in Sweden right now.
Is this it?
Sorry, I forgot to put it was a wagon. It was a mustard color from the factory. That is the best way I can describe the color.
Like Miguel said, there weren’t too many wagons built and this one looks to be a real beauty.
Thanks for posting, Lee.
I don’t really remember seeing a lot of these around growing up either. Where else could you get a 4 door hardtop wagon? They certainly were a rare breed.
Aren’t most if not all (except maybe Nomad) wagons four door hardtops?!?!
Oh. By hardtop you mean no post. Got it. Didn’t realize that was rare, but I pieced it together from comments below.
In the auto enthusiasts world Hard Top refers to a pillarless side windowed vehicle be it two or four door models car or station wagon..
Also, Buick and Oldsmobile also had “Hard Top” models back in the 50’s
In Chevys and Pontiacs they were referred to as Sport Coupe in 2 door models in sales brochures and ads.
Various auto manufacturers referred to these models with a variety of model name add ons.
Didn’t Buick have a Century 4 door hardtop wagon in the late 50s early 60s?
Yes they did. Here is a 1957 Caballero.
Yup – – – Buick and Oldsmobile – – – first Buick I saw was in Nelson C when I was a teenager and ramped up on the cars of the day – – – learned to drive in my dad’s 56 Chevy 265 V8 standard trans.
Practiced my driving skills when alone with his car while holidaying in the Kootenays
Mountain driving – – – hell of a race track back then – – – feared nothing – – -pushed the limits but never had an accident. Probably more luck than skill at 16.
Dash is a work of art. If this were nearby I would be putting the old El Camino up for sale to get it.
Wow, what a beautiful station wagon, They were not commonplace around southern Ky. either but I wish this one was in my garage, It might be a shame to add vintage air but would have to do it so it could be driven in our humidity here.
Nice. Looking car .but I really don’t like the dash board just looks to flat
To me, these look best as a wagon. Our local radio station (volunteers), is playing some Grateful Dead, groovy baby!
I think the wagon and the convertible look the best of this series. One detail that I admire on the 1960s Newports are the tail lights. You can just see the amount of care and styling art that was put into the design. The grilles and dashes also deserve a mention for the amount of care they received.
So true. As well, look at 64-65 Valiant, any pre-64 Imperial, the details are fantastic.
Beautiful.
And the seller made the wise decision to photograph it with all the windows down, the whole point of having a hardtop. Plus it looks sleeker and less utilitarian.
Mercury had hardtop wagons as did AMC with their late 58-60 Ambassador.
Such a fantastic look.
Reminds me of my 1961 New Yorker 4-door hardtop wagon, one of those cars I’ve always regretted selling. White with a light blue leather interior, this special wagon had been ordered by a local Maryland man who towed a big “sport fisherman” style boat on a trailer.
Ordered at Fred Frederick Chrysler-Plymouth in Laurel, MD, he wanted lots of towing power, so he ordered the Chrysler 300F 413 engine with dual quads! But wait – there’s more; he ordered the 4-speed transmission, buckets & console. That very rare transmission was the French Pont-a-Mousson competition ‘box! He asked for swivel bucket seats, but was told it wasn’t possible. I suspect the reason why, was the floor pan was different on the 4-door cars. The shifter box stuck out into the driver’s foot area, and always was in the way of my leg when using the gas pedal.
The wagon was also loaded with all the power options he could order, and dual A/C too. Of course it had the towing package, but I think that came with the HD 413 package. Back then Chrysler Corporation would build you almost anything you wanted, so when he told them he wanted 16 inch wheels, he ended up with Dodge truck hubs & drums up front & Dodge truck drums in the back, giving him the 16″ wheels & tires. I never had to do anything to the back axle other than brakes, so I don’t know if it had a Dodge truck axle or not, but it was a limited-slip. Removing a rear tire meant using the bumper jack, as the tire wouldn’t clear the fender if it was jacked up by the rear axle. I’ve never seen another factory made 1960s Chrysler New Yorker that sat so far off the ground!
The expense of meeting economy and emission standards on a schedule and later the tight money at styling departments put styling on the back burner. Today the necessity for low drag had made all cars the same shape from the side. and taken styling down to mere details. Sometimes unchanged through the production cycle.
I love these and other period Mopars. Especially but not only wagons.
Hey, don’t knock the Sienna!
I love my ’13. Actually like the lines, and that’s coming from after liking my former ’99 and ’07 Odyssey vans.
It is hard to get a good look at the paint because all the photos were taken under a carport and the shadows do not help.
From what I can see it looks ok.
My dad had a 63 Newport sedan.
Lots of memories of the times with that car.
I bought one just like this one with the exception of color, mine was tan. I bought it from a elderly gentleman who said it had been sitting for about 10 years. I paid $100 for it, put a battery in it, started it and drove it home in 1973. It had 1100 miles on it. It was a blast to drive and was built like a tank! Good times.
Great wagon. Nice color too. Agree with the details on Mopars of this era, like the handle integrated into the dash at the A pillar. Too cool. My parents had a ‘65 Belvedere wagon in a similar color and they loved it until my sister totaled it.
Wife wants to ditch the Caddy Escalade EXT for a minivan. I want this! Being in Florida, I have to agree with Ronald that added AC is a must, under 40mph with the windows up especially. What a beautiful piece of automotive art.
Ended: Jun 10, 2018 , 8:00PM
Winning bid:US $16,567.00
[ 72 bids ]