When Virgil Exner showed up at Chrysler in 1950, he was a refugee from Studebaker’s design department after a crescendo of dissension with Raymond Loewy. He was immediately put to work, and managed to ascend to management’s top tier, gaining respect for the style department along the way. After a few halcyon years, however, the vibe began to shift. In 1956, Exner had a heart attack. It was a seminal moment, not just for him, but for Chrysler. Bill Schmidt took over for Exner, transforming the design idiom. Upon his return to Chrysler in 1957, Exner must have sensed the same turmoil he had experienced at Studebaker. Meanwhile, controversy swirled around the use of fins, as the public lost interest in that exuberant feature. Worse yet, top management made a drastic error in the early 1960s, believing that its competition would downsize. Chrysler commanded Exner to shrink the coming years’ offerings, effectively stuffing dealer lots with cars that wouldn’t sell. Into this storm arrived a variant of Chrysler’s “letter” 300 series, but letter-less: the 1962 300 Sport. The Sport was meant to fill the void left by DeSoto when it was finally discontinued. Today, we have a one-owner, first-year 300 Sport here on eBay, with an asking price of $15,500, located in Woodinville, Washington.

The seller purchased this car from the daughter of the deceased owner. The car was originally sold in California and still wears its black plates. The interior is snazzy, with a perfect dash pad, seats upholstered in red vinyl accented with plaid cloth, and red vinyl door cards. The rear seats are as nice as the fronts. The seller notes that he had all the gauges serviced and everything works. The kick panel on the passenger’s side is missing, and curiously, the trunk is harboring what looks like an oil slick.

The Sport offered buyers several V8 engine options. The base model came with a 383 cu. in., but the wedge 413 cu. in. was available in two configurations – fitted with a single four-barrel for 340 hp, or with tandem four-barrels coming in at 360 hp. This engine is the 413 single-carb, backed by a three-speed automatic, and it runs well. The former owner ditched the factory front dual-wheel cylinder brakes in favor of later Bendix set – a worthwhile upgrade. I see opportunity in this engine bay – for more power, and cosmetic improvement. It’s not far from becoming a head-turner.

Exner’s misses were stacking up by the time this car arrived. The Plymouth Fury of 1961 left buyers cold. Canted cat’s eye quad headlights were never popular, disappearing from the 300 Sport by 1963. We’ve already discussed fins: Exner just couldn’t resist a tight little fin here, but again, by 1963, all vestiges of fins were gone. (Someone must have sat him down and said knock it off.) And if that grille in the top photo looks familiar, that’s because it drifted up the Chrysler line-up from of all cars, the Valiant. All that said, the 300 Sport has fans. Expect to pay high-teens for a prime example. This car’s one-owner history and 413 ci V8 are assets, but I’d want to negotiate to account for a repaint, at least. What do you think?