Though the nameplate dated to the 1950s, the Newport was Chrysler’s “bread and butter” car throughout the 1960s. With a redesign in 1965 and a restyle in 1967, the Newport stayed the course in 1968. While Chrysler built more than 182,000 Newports in ’68, the convertible (like this one) numbered fewer than 3,000. We’re told this was a one-owner car for 35 years, but it appears to now be a flipper offered by the seller. It’s going to need some mechanical work as the drop-top has been idle since 2005. Located in Livonia, Michigan, this Mopar land yacht is available here on craigslist for $5,500 which the seller says is far below market value. Thanks for the heads up on this tip, T.J.!

Chrysler sold more Newports than the other products in their portfolio in 1968, such as the 300 or the New Yorker. These cars came standard with a 383 cubic inch V8 (2-barrel carburetor), but you could upgrade to a 4-barrel or even a 440 (this car has the base engine). The TorqueFlite automatic transmission continued as the way to go with these vehicles. The Newport may have been Chrysler’s least expensive automobile, but there was nothing cheap about these highway cruisers.

As the story goes, this car’s most recent owner bought it around 1990 and drove it daily during the summer months for about 15 years. For reasons not mentioned, it was then parked in a garage and not used after that. From the photos of the Chrysler on a hook, we assume that’s where the seller found the car (or why would it have been shown this way?). The red paint is original, as are the canvas top and interior (no inside photos are offered).

This was a well-optioned automobile when new, with factory air conditioning (status unknown) and tilt steering. It’s said to be rock solid, and rust is not an issue (though bits of it may be there). Considering how few of these big convertibles were made, perhaps only a few hundred have survived after 56 years. So, if you chose to restore this Chrysler, you’d be in rare company today.