This 1964 Chrysler 300K convertible is for sale here on eBay in a no-reserve auction, with the option to buy it outright for $16,000 mentioned in the fine print. The seller is putting it up for grabs after his uncle passed away and it’s an interesting hybrid of performance and class.
I always associate the Chrysler letter cars with understated dignity, but backed by prodigious power. The hood scoop, rear spoiler, and white-letter tires all combine to give this 300 a somewhat ungainly appearance though. But with only 625 convertibles made in ’64, beggars can’t be choosers.
Based on the seller’s enthusiasm for the 440 engine, it would appear the original 413 has been removed and replaced. While the 440 is an upgrade (bigger is better, right?), for a limited production model like this I’d rather see the original, numbers-matching engine in place. But based on the other tweaks, originality is not one of this car’s selling points.
It’s clear from this picture that some gauges have been added and there’s a kill switch of sorts where a cigarette lighter used to reside. It will take a bit of work to return this 300K to OEM condition if that’s your goal for the project, and keep in mind the windows and seats are known not to work. The seller doesn’t discuss the condition of the top, which was also powered when new. What do you think is a fair price for this rare Mopar convertible?
Would be a way better car if it was 100% stock. I don’t get why people have to change stuff all the time. Oh well not my car.
At one time it was just a funky old car.
Sorry Jeff, those early Chrysler 300 letter series cars were never “funky old cars”. They were special built cars.
When you plan to keep something until your life ends, you make it the way you want it.
^
yup
It is all a matter of taste and goal. If you want a car that you want to use on todays road its no escape from adding or modifying some parts to make it more usable, preferably keeping the original parts for later return to OEM. On the other hand, some keep the car for investment and keep it 100% stock.
For me i like to use my cars and enjoy while i can, it is no sense to me to keep up my investment to be sold after I am gone. Nevertheless, i agree that some cars have to be preserved for future generations but too expensive and i stay away from them, there are enough people for them.
It is a shame what has happened to this once lovely car. I had one decades ago, one of the cars I regret selling. This car will take a lot of money to fix……..the cross ram 413 is a magnificent machine while the 440 is just common. These were the last of the great letter series cars that ended in 65 with the boring L model. I always thought the K was one of the best
It’s interesting due to its rarity but honestly I always thought Extner designed cars were, well, ugly. And that’s not a kill switch in the lighter, it’s a novelty plug sold in NAPA stores. Had one in my first car, a 79 Datsun 210. It was hokey there too!
Didn’t think Virgil Exner had much to do with this design era since as i heard it, he was fired by Chrysler earlier in 1961 or 2…
Due to the lead times Exner had finished the 1963 line. The 1964 lines retrim was Engle’s work
Wow, what a shame. This price would be low, if it was original. The seller sure likes the right side of the car. The spoiler would have to go. It would be nice if the original engine was stuffed in the barn.
He’ll get his price if a lucky soul just happens to already have a parts car with all of the original parts available.
On top of any and all of the obvious concerns is that this guy is selling it on The Flea-Bay and he has a *Zero* feedback score. No experience in selling or buying on what can sometimes be a “difficult” forum?
That alone would scare me away.
OK, I won’t even mention the boy racer scoop and wing.
Moving on….
I have always admired the understated dignity of the 300 series, beginning with the first one in 1955. They were a great mix of handsome and muscle.
My problem with the later versions is that although they kept the muscle, they lost the handsome. And I don’t want to think of the lift that front end generated at 100+ MPH.
I also noticed the zero feedback. I would think a lot of the higher end cars are bought in person, or inspected prior to bidding. I know I would want to see it first.
There is a problem with your title, and description, of this car. It is not, and the seller makes no claim, that this is a 300K. Yes it’s rare as is, but not near as rare as a letter series convertible.
Being a non letter car, base engine and trans was a 383 and 3 speed, optional 413 and optional 4 speed or Torqueflite..
$16K would be high for this car as is, but the auction is in no danger of getting to that number. Up to $10K would be fair in this condition.
You are correct……I was looking for the letter series uneque parts and could not see any. At first, I thought they might have been removed……so, it does not appear to be a K car…….so, a bit less of a sin than destroying an orignal K………I am sure the color (that is awful) is not orignal either. I had a yellow 65 Newport that was a much different factory color. My 300K was white with a Black leather interior……Chrysler did do some custom colors (I had a buddy that owned an Imperial ordered by a film studio for Maureen Ohara with her hair color) but I don’t think this is one.
Although I would make a couple changes to the car like eliminating the rear spoiler before I even went for the first drive this is a nice example of the 300. Overall it looks clean and well cared for even if the modifications are not to everyones taste. The price seems reasonable to me. This car looks good as a drop top….wonder why more were not ordered when new.
Really dig the hood scoop, it would look awesome on my Bentley.
JoeyG…
I had a very good all original 300k convert years ago. This one is going to need a few bucks before someone would want to be seen in it.
The earlier 300g hardtop I had was 10 times cooler though. 30 inch cross ram intakes and a dashboard and cockpit styling that was killer kool….even though they were low numbers at this age, they lost the identity of a strip down barge muscle car.
Chrysler made some wild big iron cars back then, and had quality throughout.
My K had cross Rams…….but I know many were converted back to single carbs.
DRV you and I lead a similar life, I had a 64 300 as well as a 300g (though not a convertible). In the process of trying to get my 2nd 300g now. Did your 300G have the factory AC?
Personally I think all the letter cars and even the non-letter 300’s are some of the best cars ever built during that era.
I like the swing down chrome ash tray behind the front seats. growing up no one in our family smoked so those would get filled with chewed gum and pennies. Today that ash tray would would be a DVD player with USB port for the modern tech addicted world. One addiction swapped for a “healthier” one??
With the 300K, the “K” stood for Kooky styling. Weird and unbalanced from every angle. I didn’t think it was possible for one of these to be uglier than original, but then this one came along.
i fully agree james, but to each his own. we are all wieird in some way and mopar people have same rights as the rest, but the 60’s chrysler products were to me the most unapealing, unbalance cars chrysler ever made. exener may have been a talented designer but it all just looked like a drunken friday night to me
The 1965 300 wasn’t too bad looking.
http://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/dealer/chrysler/300/1796297.html#PhotoSwipe1453759992944
They were very nice but the letter series had become more of a trim package in 65. It lacked the special drivetrains that made the earlier cars so distinctive. My 65 Newport 2 door Hardtop 383 4bbl was a wonderful car………but not a letter series.
Ron, here’s another…not all bad for Chrysler in the 60’s. Don Draper’s car, this 1965 Chrysler Imperial looks pretty nice:
http://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/cars-for-sale/chrysler/imperial-crown/1804699.html
How dreadful. I guess there’s good taste and bad. Should have spent all that money on a 1965 Cockroach Citroen.
But, hey, don’t feel alone. Years ago I watched an old guy destroy a stone-mint gold/white 1957 Dodge convertible the same way. Too bad they never met…
I guess the styling is a little odd, but what would you expect from Chrysler in the early 60’s. The hood scoop appears to be off a Plymouth( or Dodge) 6 Pak. Certainly doesn’t fit the styling of the car, but it was his expression, and the car looks like it will set you back in the seat, for sure. I think it’s really cool.
Speechless.
@Joe Howell:+1
The hood scoop and the spoiler on the trunk looks goofy on this car. Much nicer looking w/o them.
I agree lose the scoop and spoiler repaint clean up interior and go have fun
Looks like it was a nice car before it was painted yellow. If you get it cheap enough to cover a repaint, then it would make sense and you can remove the custom work, but you can’t get decent work for less than $4000. A nice show worthy paint job can run $10,000 and up. What’s is the high end on this if redone? Might be ok for a fan of yellow.
…got to agree with the general tone of the comments….
This is pretty “ugh…” to me. horrible choice of color, cheesy add-ons, non-original engine set-up?
I like a lot of the Mopar performance cars from the 1960s and the earlier “letter cars” in the late 1950s were very cool. I find the styling on the 1963/64 Chryslers just plain goofy. I know beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but to me they look ugly and a bit bizarre.
Were the HVAC controls actually mounted sideways like in this car?
Seems weird.
They matched the push button shifter opposit the speedo. Hvac controls have had many designs. This is not so weird.
so ugly it’s beeeeeeee-eautiful..!!
I like the ’64 Chryslers, in particular the 300’s. It is to bad this car has been customized in a ridiculous way.
Man, gotta say, this guys Uncle had to have been some kind of character! I like to adjust my vehicles to my tastes. I buy something to drive until the wheels fall off, so I’m not too concerned with resale value. Although, I will say, I do tend to receive a fair a,oh t of compliments on the appearance of my vehicles and have for some time. Must be something right. I have a soft spot for soft tops. I agree with most on the “readjusting” of the vehicle towards a more of a factory look would do wonders. Hope whomever buys it, makes “his/her own” and drives it with pride!!!
Hi all .
I was surprised it took so many comments before someone picked it for a non letter series .
I just love it — yellow and all the mods.
I’m the new owner and i live in New Zealand.
I haven’t seen another here yet and am almost back on the road after brakes n interior work .
Looking forward to hitting the summer roads next week.
Shane
Pic.