If you’re in the market for a Hemi, but don’t want to throw down a ton of cash, this one may be for you. This diamond in the rough is a ’53 Chrysler New Yorker 2 door hardtop, which is a little unusual because most of these cars that turn up are often the 4 door variety. The car was running when parked and looks to be mostly complete, it’s just waiting for someone to come along and save it. Find it here on Craigslist in Inola, OK for $3,500. Thanks to Barn Finds reader Brent for the tip.
What impresses me about this car is how intact all of the trim seems to be, and the condition of the chrome is good considering the shape of everything else. This Chrysler must have been stunning when it was new, there is no doubt that someone was proud to own this car. We are looking at a high-end model in ’53, I believe this model was a New Yorker 2 Door Newport Model, adding to the list of names I think this is a DeLuxe model. In 1953 the New Yorker DeLuxe Newport Hardtop sold for about $3,900, calculating for inflation that is about $36,000 in 2018.
Pictures are not great and there are only 4 of them, the car has obviously been parked in the woods for a while so let’s hope the undercarriage is not a total loss. No interior or underhood pictures are provided but the ad says the car has a Hemi, the V emblem on the hood and trunk confirm that. The engine should be the 331 CI Hemi V8 that produced about 180 HP, very respectable for 1953. The only other details we get from the ad are the car ran when parked and should run again. The car is equipped with power steering and power brakes.
It would be nice to see this car restored, but I don’t know if it makes financial sense. There are some major unknown factors like the condition of the interior and what the rust situation is like underneath. The option I like for this one is to make it a safe, roadworthy driver just like it is. Clean it up as much as possible, go through the mechanicals and enjoy. What do you think, is there a future for this once proud Chrysler?
It looks like it’s been parked there for a really long time, cars tend not to sink that far into the ground quickly. “Did run and should still run” doesn’t inspire much confidence. Thirty-five hundred dollars is too much to gamble on what may very well be a parts car.
Steve R
I agree once one becomes part of the ground the floors rot and then the moisture gets into the vehicle . This then eats the rest …
if the owner wants to sell for money move the car out if field and provide frame shots and Underneath pictures.
Junkyard cars in the thousands crack me up as it’s come to this in selling scrap …not biting ..
A side view would be nice 🤳
Yeahhhh…. but it’s got a Hemi. I haven’t tried it, but some success with using Dakota frames have been touted. The Hemi can be modified at the clamshell to accept turbo 350s, etc. But what condition is the car really in? I picked up a ’56 D-500 years ago sitting like this one. In pieces. Still, I hope something can be done with this one.
Pull the engine for a rebuild and bolt a 8-71 in it!!!! LOL
Clean it up, cut away the poison ivy, wash off the dead leaves, clean the windows, get the car up and out of the dirt, then put it up for sale. Incredible how lazy some sellers are! It might be worth $3500 cleaned up and looking good, but not the way it is now.
Yeah, that’s poison ivy on the front
end, and probably other places.
Work gloves, long sleeve shirt and
long pants. Work boots. Wash
front with rubber gloves.
As long as the frame rails are still off the ground it might be salvageable but if there in the dirt than you might as well pull the engine and put it into something else. To bad it was treated this way it’s a 2 door hardtop. Had it been put in dry storage this car would be a whole different ball game. People have no clue how to properly store an old car. I’ve often wondered if your just going to stick it in the woods and leave it there than why are you keeping it makes no sense.
Parking it in the woods cost him nothing but having it towed and scrapped would have cost him bucks, so, leave it in the woods. After all is said and done, to the owner at the time it was just an old klunker.