With the first generation of the Cordoba about to age out of the marketplace, Chrysler pulled an old number out of the bag that hadn’t been used since 1971 to offer high-end buyers something special, before the car was slated for a downsized redesign in 1980. Late in the model year, the 300 was added to the lineup, and although it was essentially a glorified Cordoba, the package provided some performance goodies that were pretty impressive for the period. Choosing the 300 added over two thousand dollars to the price tag of a base Cordoba, so sales were lackluster, with fewer than 2,900 made. Priced at $15,000, this 1979 Chrysler 300 appears to be a nicely preserved example, with its current home inside a garage in Centerville, Massachusetts. Barn Finds reader Doc found this one here on Facebook Marketplace, and we’d like to thank him for sharing the tip with us!
On the outside, there wasn’t a whole lot extra to show for your extra two grand investment. However, buyers did get an upgraded grille, plus unique 300 emblems to distinguish the car from a base Cordoba. Almost all came from the factory in Spinnaker White, with the red pin stripes an additional luxurious touch for the exterior. The seller reports that this car belonged to his late father, who acquired it back in 2018. There’s no word on whether the paint is original, but the appearance is described as a well-cared-for example, with no apparent signs of anything being wrong. I’m not spotting any evidence of corrosion on any of the panels either, so the sheet metal appears to remain solid.
Under the hood and further down below is where the additional cost mostly paid off. The standard V8 engine for the Cordoba in 1979 was a 318, with the 360 optional in either a two-barrel or 4-barrel configuration. Even the mightier 360 was only able to achieve 170 horsepower, but stepping up to the 300 got you a 360 with a special camshaft and dual exhaust as standard equipment, raising the HP number to 195. The upgraded police-style suspension featured sway bars, heavy-duty leaf springs, and a 3.23 rear end. This one’s reported to have only traveled just over 4k miles since 2018, and it’s still taken out occasionally for neighborhood drives to help keep the essential fluids circulating.
The seller lists the mileage at 37k, and based on the interior’s fine condition, I’m guessing that number is probably accurate. The red leather buckets look both luxurious and comfortable, with another fun feature here being the sunroof. I’m a little surprised this one hasn’t attracted a buyer yet, as it’s been listed for 4 months already. Perhaps the price is a bit higher than the actual market value, or maybe the right buyer just hasn’t found it yet. How much would you be willing to spend on this 1979 Chrysler 300?
Nice write up Mike –
Also worth noting this car is showing in kilometers .
37k to miles would be 22,000 miles .
Pretty low for an obscure Chrysler .
Looks like “Fine Corinthian leather” to me.. lol.
Bought a’78 Cordoba, new, for $8,000. $15,000, seems high for this one in ‘79.
Beautiful car! It appears the lean burn spark advance system has been removed from this car. Would love to know the history of this built for the Canadian market vehicle.
Back in 1979 I had a black Dodge Magnum with that same red leather interior. Wish I still had it.
If this checks out as it looks- this is a good value. The sunroof alone makes it a rarity.
Many of these go on the market for $18,000- $22,000 in similar condition. I do not know what they eventually sold for.
With the removal of the AC and black coating in the engine compartment, plus some other changes will limit its appeal. For whatever reason, potential buyers aren’t looking at it as a good value, if they did it wouldn’t still be on the market after 16 weeks. This segment of the market tends to compete on price, there are a lot of mid-1970’s and later cars in similar or better condition that can be found for significantly lower prices.
Steve R
It was something for its time. Today the appeal is limited. Nice car though. I’d certainly walk around it at a show
I like it for sure. With a few exceptions, such as the W-72 400 Pontiac, this was as potent as anything that came from the factory was in 1979. The GM Colonnades were already gone by then too, with the 305 as big as anything you could get in an G body by then (for the most part). I think it will sell to the right buyer that appreciates this about it.
A very nice example save for some questionable mod’s underhood that detract from the originality. When i was 13 next door neighbour bought a brand new one. Was very sharp looking
If this is your style this looks to be a good deal. Yes, the A/c was removed but that’s easily reversed. I don’t see this as a classic car investment, more of a comfortable older car that’s been well taken care of. As MOPAR Joe said, one of the bigger nuisance issues, the Lean Burn nonsense has already been addressed so it should be pretty easy to take care of.
Clean car, low mileage if it’s verified; it’d be appreciated at any local car show and if the engine got a couple innocuous tweaks all the better.
FWIW, $8k in 1979 should come out to be about $35+k today. Just try to find this equivalent in a modern showroom.