The Chrysler 300 Letter Series cars (1955 to 1965) are legendary and considered forerunners to the muscle car era that swept the nation. But not all 300s carried a letter as part of the name that changed every year (300C, 300D, etc.). In 1962, Chrysler came up with the 300 Sport Series with a smaller V8 that was designed to be a more affordable alternative to the letter cars. They would remain in the lineup through 1971. This ’62 300 is said to be a one-owner barn find that has been in dry storage for decades. Non-running as yet, it’s available in Orange, California, and here on eBay where the reserve is unmet at just $2,025 so far.
After the demise of DeSoto in 1961, Chrysler did some product shifting in 1962 and that’s when the 300 Sport Series emerged. Unlike the 300 Letter Series, these cars had a 383 cubic inch V8 as standard (vs. the 413) and a bench seat instead of buckets and a console. Also, it could be ordered as a 4-door in addition to the 2-door hardtop and convertible. Whereas only 558 300-Hs were produced in 1962, more than 25,000 copies of the Sport Series were built.
According to the seller, he’s a Ford man who ran across this 1962 Chrysler which had been sitting for 66 years (but that math doesn’t work; maybe 46 or 56 years?). At any rate, the storage space was kept dry, so the body has survived with no rust other than perhaps a little of the surface variety. The car may have been undercoated when new and that would have turned out to be a huge plus. By the looks of things, this Chrysler was painted white when new, but the owner decided to go with blue later on and that shade is badly faded now.
We’re told the vehicle is numbers-matching, including the push-button automatic transmission that Chrysler used in those days. This 300 doesn’t run but the seller has been tinkering with it and that may change before the car changes hands. When that happens, it would be cool to see the “space age” instrument cluster these Chryslers had come to life! The car is sporting new tires so that it can be moved around.
Regarding photos, we don’t get a lot of good shots of the interior. The back seat looks nice, but we’re told the driver’s seat bottom has a split. Someone decided to take stick-on woodgrain appliques to the metal portions of the dashboard and that needs to go. The carpeting is still around but was pulled out to check out the condition of the floorboards (which are good, BTW). One of the exterior taillights is MIA. This Mopar is sporting its original black/yellow California plates – are they transferrable?
I always thought that these cars bore more than a passing resemblance to the 1959-60 “Breezeway” Lincoln Continentals, with the angled headlights and large ovoid grille. Discuss.
The grille smacks of a 60 Lincoln, more than a suspicious resemblance to the roofline is noted as well!
The roofline looks like the rest of the “forward look” Chryslers to me , and I see no resemblance to the Lincoln at all other than the slanted headlights which Buick also had.
Not being CATTY 🐈 😻. But the final 61 DeSoto was even closer to those Lincolns. Almost identical with section above carrying D E S O T O. Though many would disagree, I believe the 61 DeSoto was one of the best looks of Exners fabulous finned fantasies for Chrysler. Fortunately it was spared disastrous 62 Plymouth and Dodge restyle. But Dodge quickly brought out the Custom 880 which was a badge engineered Chrysler.
Not seeing the resemblance apart from the canted headlights, which the ’61s also had. The ’62 is basically a ’61 without the tailfins and the ’61 is a ’60 with canted headlights and different taillights/rear bumper. I think roofline is the same on all three years.
“This Mopar is sporting its original black/yellow California plates – are they transferrable?”
Yes. If the car stays in California the black plates could be kept on it. In CA, the plates stay with the car when the car is sold. The exception would be personalized plates the seller wanted to keep. These black plates may be original to the car but the first year for them was 1963. If this car was sold new in CA in ’62 it presumably would have had the ’56-’62 yellow plates originally (those plates were recalled and replaced by the black plates). Or it was sold new elsewhere and brought into CA after 1963.
These Sport 300s did have the 383 2 barrel (305 hp) as the base engine but you could option them with the 4-barrel 413 (340 hp) that was in the New Yorker or the base 300-H 413 with two 4 barrels (380 hp).
Question for you MOPAR guys. I was and am a Cadillac only guy ever since my first one at age 16. Never bought another make. Anyways, my grandfather (a Cadillac guy too but not exclusive) cheaply bought a 1961 Plymouth Belvedere which had a push button gear selector but no park. I understand the E brake was on the drive shaft. Also the steering wheel was oval. Does this one shown, with the park lever need to be in neutral to engage park and does it lock the drive shaft in the transmission instead of brake shoes on the drive shaft?
There is no park lever, you’re seeing the turn signal switch below the shift buttons. It would have the parking brake on a pedal which actuates the brake shoes on the drive shaft.
There is no park lever on this car. What you are seeing is the turn signal lever. It was placed beneath the transmission pushbuttons so that the unit would be a mirror image of the heater and defroster controls. The heater and defroster had five function buttons and a temperature control lever. The e-brake could, at least in the 1960 models, be engaged with the transmission in any gear.
you put the car in neutral and then flip the lever up to put it in park. all the old mopars were this way, then to start it you keep the lever up and push the neutral button after you turn the ignition key, to sart it. it will turn over in neutral and start.
Unfortunately my parents bought a 62 button ugly Plymouth with push button transmission. The buttons were P R N D L. The P button was supposed to be fully functional. But usually parents also used parking brake pedal. No KID ing! 😉
In 1963 and ‘64 Chrysler went to a vertical lever to put the transmission in park, just to the left of a row of buttons for RND12.
Fortunately Chrysler and Imperial were spared the disastrous 62 Plymouth and Dodge restyle. Once Dodge realized the mistake, the Custom 880 (a badge engineered twin to Chrysler) quickly filled the spot formerly of full size Dodge and DeSoto. 63 and 64 Chryslers were awkward looking. In 65, Chrysler returned to more traditional American styling. This was a confusing time with Chrysler. 61 Newport (at $2964) began the shuffle. Dropping DeSoto, moving Chrysler down in price and position, et al The use of 300 name was a further attempt at increasing sales. Apparently it worked well. Revived years later in an attempt to boost Cordoba sales it didn’t work as well. This one looks like it really needs TLC, but could be worth the time, effort, and money !
If it wasn’t 3000 miles away, or better, if it was in my area, I might be a player on this one. However, I would recommend a personal inspection. The bottom of the left front fender close to the A pillar, the left rear quarters, the underside of the trunk lid, and the right inner rocker (in the shot of the floor without carpet) all look very suspicious with respect to rust. At least 106K miles on it, so it was well-used. Under carriage looks pretty good from the limited pictures. About $3500 bid so far.
Interesting comments about the Dodges. Note that the rear treatment of this Chrysler and the Dodges was identical (I always liked that backward swooping C-shape, almost a swoosh). Would be better as a convertible, but this coupe is a pretty nice shape to my eye. Love the futuristic instrument dome/cluster.
RE: 1962 Chrysler
I am a California resident and car collector. In California the license plates stay with the car until an owner elects to purchase new plates. The black plates are prized and add value to collector cars. This should be a rust free car since it appears to have always lived in southern California and inland from the ocean.
The plate has “63” stamped into it in the upper right corner, so it could be original to the car.
Another lets see if we can fool all of the people all of the time…..what was it 66 years storage ?
in early 70s wrecking yards, Chryslers of this vintage were plentiful often with nothing wrong other than a bad transmission, anyhow i got a lot of joy taking a big wrench or similar to the space age dash and smashing it to smithereens
The engines looks more like a 70s corporate blue than the 60s turquoise. I can’t tell if the valve covers are 4 bolt or 6 bolt. Is the seller sure it’s a numbers matching car?
On behalf of ALL trying to find parts from a salvage yard, 🎵Ain’t 🎶 YOU 🎵 Ashamed?🎵.
Like these old unique two door mopars.Now that’s what I call a wrap around bumper.Id drive it,cleaned up of course.
In Williams, California is a large parts yard and it has nothing but Mopar cars. Mostly 60’s and 70’s. I believe they will ship out parts. I stopped one day and it has more than 1000 cars.