Naming a car is harder than it looks because the name itself is not the only thing being judged. If you get the car and the name right, you have the original Mustang; if you don’t, Henry Ford’s only son becomes a punchline. In the pantheon of automotive names, Chrysler’s New Yorker didn’t fare too badly. It conjures up images of Broadway shows, monolithic skyscrapers, and nights on the town; therefore, it takes a classy car to make it all work. Few would disagree that the ’55 New Yorker does the name proud, especially in an elegant black and white paint scheme. Barn Finds reader Zappenduster found this one in Idaho by way of Los Angeles’s Craigslist. “Nicely restored” and featuring a $17,500 price tag, it looks like a fair buy.
The first thing to do when confronted by a Chrysler with a “Hemi” front license plate is to open the hood. The 331-cubic-inch Chrysler “Firepower” V8 produced 250 horsepower and 340 lb.-ft. of torque in its final year of production (it was superseded by the 354-cubic-inch Hemi for 1956). Backing it up was a two-speed PowerFlite automatic and a 3.36:1 axle ratio. The seller merely mentions that “many mechanical items [have been] done,” so the maintenance history is a mystery.
The 1955 Chrysler brought about a couple temporary “lasts”: It was the last year for a non-pushbutton transmission selector (until 1965) and the last year without significant fins (until 1962). The interior of this New Yorker has been refurbished in a reportedly original and lurid red-and-white theme. The upholstery matches other New Yorkers I’ve found online, and there are several pictures included in the advertisement to show off the quality of the interior work. The dashboard is vaguely European, which is certainly no coincidence; Chrysler’s chief stylist Virgil Exner was responsible for several Ghia-bodied one-offs throughout the 1950s, so he certainly brought an Italianate sensibility to his work.
The New Yorker two-door hardtop was offered in two trim levels, this Newport and the St. Regis. The more expensive St. Regis ($3,690 vs. $3,652) outsold its Newport linemate almost two to one: 11,076 to 5,777 units. From what I can tell in my materials, there was little difference between the two aside from a flashier two-tone paint scheme on the St. Regis. Few will look askance at you today for driving the Newport, however, although you may want to substitute the thin-white-striped whitewalls for a more appropriate set of wide whites. That’s your privilege as a buyer, of course. Judging by other New Yorkers offered and sold on the internet, in addition to Hagerty’s value guide, $17,500 is not an unfair asking price. Is it something you’d take out on the town?
My neighbor had a 55 Imperial with the super cool fender-top mounted tail/brake lamps, Hemi of course, same colors as this car. He traded in in on a 57 Pontiac Bonneville convert with fuel injection. It would bury the 120 mph speedometer with ease, leaving a lasting impression on a young boy!
In `55, my Dad found himself with:
* A new house
* A new baby (my brother, their first)
* A brand new `55 Chrysler Windsor Deluxe Sedan
I’m sure dad eyed the New Yorker, but a young new father has to watch their pennies. He always said how much he liked that car, but it wasn’t as fast as his maroon `52 Saratoga sedan with the Hemi. Darn that `ol polysphere 301!
I would buy this for the red and white interior alone. Well worth the ask. Chrysler, like Lincoln needs to make a renaissance. But hey, I’m just a car enthusiast and probably won’t buy a new car again since I retired.
I agree, Fox owner regarding Chrysler and perhaps Lincoln. Right now both marques are languishing; Lincoln is nothing more than rebadged, tarted-up Ford crossovers and trucks. Very sad. Chrysler is a van. My suggestion is for Musk to buy Jeep, Dodge, Ram, and Chrysler back from Stellantis, move them back to the US, build them here, and have a car company similar to the one Iacocca rescued in the ’80’s. He’s probably too busy currently and not interested.
I always loved the 1955 Chrysler best, Imperial too, mainly for the split grille look. I don’t usually like black color cars, but this one is nice. But did the original red interior look this bright? Too much, maybe a darker shade for me anyway. Blood red might be okay.
I love this look. Price deems that it should not last long other than the faraway location of the vehicle. A terrific interior!
Very nice Chrysler and the price seems right and not to high. My Dad had a 1956 2 door Chrysler Hemi back in the mid 1970’s when I was about 5 years old and I say to him now why didn’t you keep it and he says it was just another used 20 year old car at that time.
“Stalk” shifter is a hoot !
I had one as a teenager, No park on the transmission and a dismal emergency brake. Built like a main battle tank! Six volt positive ground. It ran out of gas one day while driving it; I had all to do to wrestle it to the side of the road!
But it had a amazing back seat! I’m sure most of you can relate!
Very similar to my 1955 DeSoto. These are great road cars and will effortlessly keep up with modern traffic. Not too shabby for a seventy year old car. My only nits were that power steering makes for fairly numb road feel and vapor lock can also be a a problem. What strikes me is how much cars changed in just a few short years back in the fifties. If you were to park my 1952 Plymouth next to this (yeah I know it’s just a Plymouth); the Plymouth would look positively ancient. Split windshield, bolt on rear fenders and flathead six with three on the tree compared to the feature automobile? No contest. Really nice Chrysler. I could enjoy just sitting inside and admiring that gorgeous interior. GLWTS.
Good catch Rick. The one year only “stalk gear shift lever.” Easy to make any gear selection at any speed.
Love it esp the engine. I’m getting ready to pull the trigger, and list my 48 New Yorker business coupe this spring. Amazing how much changed in just a few years, 7 to be exact, from 1948 to 1955.
A business coupe! Please send us photos. I did not know they included that model. I love the lines of business coupes in general, and, as stated above 1955 Chryslers are my favorite year. One who owned a New Yorker business coupe would have been successful salesman.
My father bought his first new car ever in 1955 and it was a New Yorker St. Regis in Navaho Red over Desert Sand. That was a very expensive car. I think the fabric portions of the St. Regis seats were a more complex weave than this one. To put it in perperspective, his 2 1/2 bedroom Cape Cod style house only cost $12,000 two years earlier. He loved it. ’55 BelAirs used to try to race him and they stood no chance against that 331 four barrel hemi. He kept that car for over 20 years, and it was the first car I learned to drive on! This one appears to be very reasonably priced, but my preference is the St. Regis. I don’t think the firewall is original and I can’t see correct tailpipe trims which are usually missing.
Some lucky person is going to 🎵 Make a brand new start 🎶in this old 🎵 New Yorker 🎵. Definitely a black beauty survivor, well worth the price, IF you can part with that much. But IMO the 55 DeSoto had the best styling and dash of the Chrysler Corp line. I can’t see the gear shift. Our family 55 DeSoto had a lever straight out of left of steering column which actually broke at the base leaving the car inoperable until a service representative geryrigged a temporary replacement. It took a week for a replacement to arrive from Chrysler. IF this New Yorker has that same lever, it would be next to impossible to find a replacement.
You bet I’d take it to town! As frequently as I could find an excuse to do so.