You know that a car has been sitting parked in a barn for some considerable time when the dust is so thick that it’s impossible to determine what color it is. That’s the story with this 1957 Chrysler Windsor. In fact, the dust is so thick that it’s hard to decide whether to wash the car, or whether to throw on some lawn seed, water it, and see what happens from there. In reality, this gentle giant is actually a prime candidate for restoration and is a vehicle that would have a real presence when returned to its best. Located in Red Bluff, California, you will find the Chrysler listed for sale here on eBay. Bidding has now reached $3,550 in what is a No Reserve auction.
With the dust removed, what we find is a Windsor that is finished in Indian Turquoise with a Cloud White flash down the side. The first thing to note is that apart from the hubcaps and the “R” badge on the trunk, the Chrysler appears to be complete. The second is that with this one, it really does appear to be a case of it being dusty, but not rusty. There is surface corrosion visible in a few areas, but the rear quarter panels and all of the remaining lower extremities of the body appear to be very clean. The owner provides no information on the state of either the floors or frame, but being a California car, there is probably a case for remaining cautiously optimistic. While virtually all of the chrome is present, some of it will require a trip to the plater. There are a couple of light lenses that are broken, but overall, this appears to be a pretty solid restoration project.
The interior of the Chrysler will require restoration, but not only is it complete, but it appears that many of the trim pieces could be cleaned and reused. The seats look like they are free of rips and tears, although the covers aren’t original. The door trims look pretty reasonable, but the headliner and dash pad look like they might be beyond help. The dash looks good, but there is an aftermarket radio replacing the original. However, it doesn’t look like the dash has been cut to fit this. Possibly the biggest issue is going to be replacing the steering wheel. It has deteriorated quite badly and finding a good replacement might prove to be difficult. Having said that, there are companies like “The Steering Wheel Guy” who have specific experience in restoring Windsor wheels, so that could possibly be the best option. As for interior space, the Windsor is, quite simply, huge. There is little doubt that you could seat six people inside the car in relative comfort.
The Chrysler is not a car where you are going to slip behind the wheel and drive it away, simply because the driveshaft has been removed. It isn’t clear just why this was done, but hopefully, there isn’t a fault with the TorqueFlite transmission. On a more positive note, the Windsor is fitted with a 354ci V8, and this starts and runs really well. In addition, the next owner will be scoring a car that is fitted with both power steering and power brakes. With the 354 in good health, the Windsor might be long and low, but it isn’t really slow. Tipping the scales at 4,270lbs, it is still capable of covering the ¼ mile in 16.6 seconds, which is not that bad for a car of this size.
There is no doubt that the American cars of the late 1950s had a look all of their own. They were generally long and low, while the fins just continued to grow. Motoring style trends can change at the drop of a hat, and fins were gone from the scene even faster than they developed. Today, classic cars with huge fins have gained a fresh level of popularity, which explains why bidding on this car has been fairly strong. This is a car that will be eye-catching once restored, and it’s a car that I would love to get a look at once it is finished.
The future’s so bright I gotta wear shades. Really cool stuff. The apocalyptic scum they shoulda left on.
Here is its twin, selling for a similar price.
https://classiccars.com/listings/view/1223753/1957-chrysler-windsor-for-sale-in-jackson-michigan-49202
It looks like a nice clean car for 1957. To bad they washed it, With the grass seed idea, you could have a giant CHIA Chrysler. ( even has the correct base color)
I remember when a lawn service company in Iowa did that to a ’52 Chevy
sedan in the early “60s. They covered all
the painted area on the car with Dicondra
sod, let it grow out, and then “mowed” it
down so that the car looked as if it had grass painted on it. When properly cut,
the grass on the outside of the car looked great and the chrome trim looked
to be shiny and in good condition. Fast
forward 10 years. The company no longer needed the car to promote it’s
business and put the car in storage. Well,
you can almost imagine what that car looked like when it was pulled out of
storage in 1971. The AP and the other
wire services had a field day when the
car was discovered languishing in the
garage where it was found. Steve Hunter,
a news caster with the ABC affiliate in
Peoria, Illinois summed it up best when
he used the line “Tis a sod but true story”
to describe the car before he told us the rest
of the story. I know the car still exists
because I saw it in a YouTube video that
was made in 2011 or thereabouts. When
I saw it, the car ran and drove well and
the owner was very pleased with it. And
what he had was truly one of a kind. As
for the Chrysler before us, it would be a great entry level car for a family guy on
a tight budget. Just sort the mechanicals and drive it while you finish
the rest as time, cash, and your wife permits.it.
I don’t think this was a California car. Chrysler was one of the few that pushed 4 headlights in ’57. There’s a lot of controversy as to which states allowed them, but I’m pretty sure, and someone may correct me, California was one of the last to allow them in 1958. Chrysler had a 2 headlight option for those states.( or vice-versa) I remember, these had dismal build quality, suspension failures, doors popping open on bumps. Again, same old thing, for any attraction today, these have to be nice. I can’t see someone pouring money into this, just to get a 4 door ’57 Chrysler. Somebody probably wants it just for the taillights. Imagine trying to find those today.
Howard, the middle to the late fifties is when a lot of easterners were moving out west. A lot of my family moved there in 1957. Maybe it went west after it was bought on the east coast.
i want to buy the whole car.
My late Aunt & Uncle had one of these when I was a kid. They were cool enough to special order an all-gold car without any of that rather awkward side trim or two tone paint. Really beautiful to this kid’s eyes.
I don’t see a 354 that everyone usually thinks of…. I see a Chrysler Poly-head engine.. cool-but not a 354 Hemi.. 👍
They are the same engine basically, they were not called hemi or poly by Chrysler they were the double rocket shaft and single rocker shaft and both head type fit the same block so yeah you see a 354 same as me but now you have been educated.
No one said it was.
Up and running right this Poly head could keep up with a Hemi of the same vintage.
Looks like this one is going to Australia
thanks for showing this car. i like it alone just for the styling, personal favorites being the evocative and appealing recessed headlights up front with the Chrysler lettering on the hood. Where i live there’s a restored fifties Caddy sitting on a platform in front of new building. Is showing casing a car on this level art? It depends on the viewer.
Not sure about Mopar’s but back in the day we always removed the drive shaft when towing the car,(GM) otherwise the trany would be burned up if you went very far.
Do you see the similarities between the Studebaker-Packard lines and Chrysler? THat Exner family must have had fun keeping those lines differentiated.
When I was a kid my Dad had the same car in dark green, later he traded it in on a 60 Windsor sedan in robins egg blue with the golden lion 383, talk about fins … He always bought used cars… Bought his first new one in 1971, a nice skylark hardtop, silver with black painted roof … Never really got to enjoy it as he passed away in 72..
I assume this is the same seller who has the 1957 Buick (also featured here on Barn Finds) sitting outside? (“Parked Outdoors For 25 Years: 1957 Buick Special”) Both are in Red Bluff, CA. There was only room in the barn for one, and the Buick drew the short straw!
Translation:
From Argentina I read these juicy comments, caused by the appearance in the garage of the Chrysler Windsor of 1957. I add mine: Americans, in the years from 1949 to 1965 have been very creative in the automotive industry: chrome, colors, combinations of these , powerful engines and many new features that make passenger comfort. For all this, if someone can restore and restore one of these authentic car creations (of any manufacturing origin) do it thinking about his glory! Greetings and hands to work. Horace
To many doors but cool nevertheless!!