Before there was a Pontiac GTO or a Chevelle SS 396, there was the Chrysler Letter-Series of cars that began in 1955. Much like a New Yorker under the skin, these cars came with the most powerful engines that the company built back in the day. This 300C, with all-new “Suddenly, it’s 1960!” styling for 1957, was partially restored some years ago before the previous owned died. It’s been sitting since then and needs some mechanical tinkering to get on the road again. Located in Santa Paula, this nice project is available here on craigslist for $27,500. This Mopar tip was snagged for us by Barn Finder T.J.!
Chrysler Corporation’s futuristic “Forward Look” cars of 1957-59 took General Motors by surprise. And they attracted enough attention that – instead of retreading their all-new 1958 models for 1959 – Chevy, Pontiac, and the rest went back to the drawing board for 1959. The ’57 300C was completely redesigned from the ground up and was five inches lower than its predecessor, the 300B, as well as the competition. The 300C had a 392 cubic inch Hemi V8 that produced up to 390 hp with twin 4-barrel carburetors, like in the seller’s car.
These were low production automobiles with 1,918 2-door hardtops and 484 convertibles built for 1957 with 300C badging. The seller’s car is not in running condition, witness its missing fan belts and non-connected battery. The car has 70,000 miles on it and the drivetrain, which includes a TorqueFlite automatic, may never have been cracked open. It is a well-equipped car with several power accessories and factory air conditioning, a rare option in 1957. But does it work?
While the undercarriage looks crusty from sitting several years, the sheet metal all looks good from a repaint several years ago. Some of the trim pieces were not reinstalled and might be in the trunk, but the seller is not certain if the automobile is complete. Parts of the interior were redone, such as the upholstery, door panels, and carpeting, but the steering wheel looks all of 65 years. If the mechanical work isn’t extensive, this shouldn’t be a money pit to get back on the road. A Concours example of one of these cars can fetch up to $80,000.
Nice – my find a buyer with that factory air even if it gets an A/C upgrade. They didn’t call them beautiful brutes for nothing !
Karl Kiekhaefer had 3 of these ready to go for the 1957 NASCAR season. 1 4 speed, 2 automatics, all with 392 hemis. Officials had grown leery of his constant wins in ’55 and ’56, and a shouting match ensued, and he told the officials to cram it, and pulled the cars out of racing forever. Amazingly, the cars weren’t much different than this one, but crew chiefs began to understand what Karls high paid marine mechanics did to the hemi, eventually leading to it’s ban altogether. You could say, Karl was the pioneer in hemi racing development, that is still used today. There’s a reason he chose this car. It was simply the most powerful car you could have from the factory. 390 hp was under rating this motor considerable. Took the others years to catch up. As impressive as the motor looks, a medium built small block would eat it for lunch,,until about 100 mph, that is. These did an unimpressive 15.7@91mph in the 1/4, but unfair to say, at almost 4500 pounds, at a 1/4 mile, this car was just beginning to hum. It’s atrocious appetite for fuel, some reports of 5-7 mpg, were it’s obvious downfall, certainly not needed today. It would be fun, to sell the motor for big bucks, and put some economical motor in, IDK, turbo 4 cylinder maybe, just cruising along in this would be so nice, you don’t have to go 142 mph, the claimed top speed as equipped. Beautiful cars.
The world really doesn’t need any more four-cylinder turbo cars. The only thing worse would be transitioning this magnificent automobile into an EV.
Howard you must copy and paste this every time an early 300 car is for sale is posted – it’s just wrong – but it is your opinions or thoughts. I hate to post against you as you are so well liked for your comments but I just hate posts that get the information wrong – doesn’t matter who – but I do let most just slide by.
“You could say, Karl was the pioneer in hemi racing development” – No the racers at Bonnieville had run and been stretching the early hemi boundaries starting in 1953.
“Took the others years to catch up ” actually that small block 265 Chevy was kicking some tail on NASCAR short tracks starting in 1955 long before the Black Widow showed up.
The 300 was never intended to be just a race track car but with the competition on the show room floor – Mopar had to keep up,
Why are you butting heads with me? Plenty of people might be wrong, but you never rip on them. Got to be my name, Howard,,must be an idiot.
Karl Kiekhaefer began his hemi exploits in 1952 with a Chrysler Saratoga 331 in the Panamerica races. He ran letter cars in ’55, ’56 and almost ’57. In 1955-56, he amassed an amazing 52 wins( 16 straight) and here are the finishers in the 1955 Daytona 500, not too many Chevy’s, in fact, more Oldsmobiles, even a Hudson or 2, but not many Chevy’s..btw, I appreciate interaction, but you are pushing it.
https://frcs.pro/nascar/cup/races/results/1955/daytona-beach-road-course/1955-04
And another thing, since you got me wound up, Karl Kiekhaefer was one of the states most influential men, and cars like this SHOULD remind us of those people. I’m beginning to eat my words on what I said about “members being kind of special”, I won’t pay to be insulted much longer,,,if anyone has a problem with that,,talk to “stillrunners”,,
My father briefly drove a 57 two tone Windsor before stepping up to his first Imperial. Wish I had photos.
So much prettier than the ’57 Chevies or Fords. Always wanted one of these. Great roofline but would prefer a convertible.
As a single 1st Lt in the USAF, in 1966, looking for something more exciting than my trusty ’56 Chevy 4 door sedan, I drove a used one, red and black, probably a repaint, rear jacked up, looked pretty beat up, but went incredibly fast, and as the used car dealer just outside the gate told me, it was “mechanically perfect”, and do not “judge a book by its cover”. “Previous owner, a USAF pilot, sent to Viet Nam and had no place to store it.” Not that innocent, and having a distrust of all used car dealers (misplaced – I ran into two later in life who were as honest as the day is long, and bought quite a few cars from them for my relatives and myself, over the years), I passed and bought a ’54 Corvette instead from a guy who was being drafted, and, presumably, headed for Viet Nam as well. There is a movie from ’57 or so in which the rich oil man in Texas drives one just like this on rough dirt roads at great speed touring his rigs. It takes a lot of abuse at high speeds.
Charlie, you are probably thinking of Hud, with Paul Newman. They beat the snot out of that car for sure.
That was a ’58 Cadillac.
GM could only dream of ever building cars like these in the 1950s. My uncle had a new red 1960 model. The interiors were very high quality. I don’t know if Gary Goers is still in business. He was THE person to redo these lovely interiors. Seems dumb to redo the interior and not that translucent steering wheel. all we have today are ugly black steering wheels dressed with gizmos
. Chrysler builds nothing but garbage today, well so does GM and Ford. As a country, we are rolling back instead of forward.
George, it’s not even Chrysler anymore. It’s “Stelantis”
I always think of Atlantis when I here about Stelantis. Under water and rotting away, just like Chrysler
Another example of how a simple design can look good 64 years later…fins and all!
Good rumrunner/moonshine mobile right here
I have long thought the 300 series 57-60 and Imperials of 55-59 were among the most beautiful of 50s cars.
That car is ready for a full restoration, take the body off and do that chassis first, looking at the rubbers on the front end need replacing and surface rust it would be a great restoration project.
During High School in the late 60’s, a friend of mine’s Dad had (3) of them. one Black, Emerald Green and Copper. I believe he started the Overhead garage door business in the day. If so, he could afford these vehicles and still support his family of eight. Got one ride during this time and remember for a huge car, it moved out quite well. Great memories.
Charlie and Gary…..
The movie, “Imatation of Life” with Lana Turner has a red ’57 300 convertible in it that you get to see three or four times.
When I was a kid, I was nuts about ’57 Chevys…I still like them but the years have taught me that Mopar had the prettiest ’57s by a lot. I prefer 2 tone, but this white–even as a repaint–is great advertising for the condition of the body. There’s still potentially a lot to do for this to be really nice, but it looks like a good place to start.
These cars were heavy and that 15.7 quarter sounds about right. Most of the decent running 57 Chevrolets could out run them on the street. One mostly stock 57 Chevy with a three speed and overdrive with a 4.11 rear ran a 14.1 in the quarter.
This was one of the many cool cars my father owned. He had a black 57 300c convertible. I remember all us kids sitting in the back (there was 9 of us) no seatbelts speeding along on a winding road our faces covered in ice-cream after a Carvelle run.
This was one of the many cool cars my father owned. He had a black 57 300c convertible. I remember all us kids sitting in the back (there was 9 of us) no seatbelts speeding along on a winding road our faces covered in ice-cream after a Carvelle run.
This beauty is GONE.
One of my favorite cars in the toybox is my ’58 300D convertible. Sweet, smooth and fast. A brute underneath, though . . .. I love my 57 Chevys, but drive one of these and you’ll see there is a difference. . .
You tell’em, Howard !