For more than 20 years, the Newport served as the entry level model in the Chrysler line-up. It competed with the likes of the Buick LaSabre and the Oldsmobile 88. The big Chryslers of the 1970s still had land yacht proportions, like the seller’s 1978 Newport. The car is said to have just 2,700 miles on the odometer. 2,700. That’s the equivalent of starting the car up once every two weeks, driving around the block and parking it again for 42 years. This possible time capsule is located in Clarion, Pennsylvania (northeast of Pittsburg) and available here on Facebook Marketplace for $7,750. Thanks, Russell Glantz, for the tip!
The Newport name appeared in Chrysler brochures from 1961 to 1981 for buyers who wanted a big Chrysler but didn’t have the resources to buy a New Yorker. The 1974-78 generation of the Newport would be its last on the same platform as its big brother. Along with the New Yorker, the ’78 models would be the American automobile industry’s last true two-door and four-door pillarless hardtops. This generation contributed to the near downfall of Chrysler in the late ‘70s because they were still building large cars after the OPEC oil embargo forced buyers to seek out smaller, more fuel-efficient vehicles.
The seller’s ad says the car is a New Yorker in the headline but a Newport in the body copy. I’m pretty sure it’s a Newport given the exposed headlights. While there is some discussion of the car, the seller provides only three pictures – all exterior shots. No interior, engine compartment, trunk, or underbody pics. We’re told it’s in excellent condition and was essentially purchased new and then stored, given the reported low mileage of 2,730. Did someone think this would be a collectible 40 years later? The seller says the car is original with the exception of consumables like batteries, oil and filters, and tires. We’re not told which engine is under the hood; it could be a 360, 400 or 440 cubic-inch V-8.
There is a 77 New Yorker St Regis with a 440 near me for sale with 13,000 miles. It is pretty nice, but the Lean Burn junk is still on it. It runs ok. He wants $8,000. A collector had it but recently died. My daughter went to college in Clarion. Pretty far out in northwest PA.
Newports only came with the 400 or 440. I own a 77 Newport, has the 400.
I bought a Newport in CT. that had a factory 360 in it . It still moved that car around very well.
isn’t this the chrysler vanderbrink auctions sols at jim gesswein motors back around july first?
Hemmings Classic Cars did an article on this car a few years back. The guy bought it as “the last of it’s kind” and had other cars as daily drivers.
Man I wish I could!
Sure, the closest one to me ever on Barn Finds, 40 minutes later it’s already sold. My luck.
Apparently the 360 was only standard in California and high altitude regions.
The 400 was standard everywhere else.
If we had a vin# we could determine which engine it has.
Almost bought a ’77 Newport sedan
from a friend’s mom in the mid ’90s.
And the only thing that kept me from
it was that damned lean burn carb. And
if the carb didn’t give you fits, the electronic ignition certainly did–especially when another driver came
along behind you with a CB radio and
shut down your engine when he keyed
his mike! That’s what almost killed
Chrysler along with the company’s
reputation for poor workmanship.
But to be fair, Ford and GM weren’t doing much better. That’s why the
Japanese and the Germans were beating the pants off us when it came
to building a good quality automobile.
💯% correct. American car makers , just gave away the auto industry to Japan. American big corporations just think short term. Japan always looked long term and for the future. American Executives always figured fast money with lower quality, so sad.
Wow, somebody got a really nice car for short money.
This looks just like a car that was featured in Hemmings Classic Car magazine. That car was ordered from dealer with a 400 big block.
It’s interesting that they dropped the C-body four-door post sedan (and station wagons) along with all Dodge and Plymouth versions for the final, 1978 model year leaving only the hardtops and the opera-windowed 2 door that was still structurally a hardtop despite an ornamental B pillar and fixed rear side glass.
I dated a French chick back in the 80s that had one of these Chrysler products. We sure had fun at the drive-in theater too.
Took a long road trip in it and the cruse control was a dream along with the air conditioning, and power windows. Power seats as I recall too.
These cars were for highway driving and drive-in theaters.
Bob
Don’t forget the submarine races down at the lake. That was always popular as conversation in my high school locker room.
These aren’t killer desirable but for 7,700 with 2,700 miles on it, it was going to sell fast. It’s like a brand new car, with dried rubber.
I have a ‘78, 2 door with the 400. All original (yes the lean burn is on it and it works fine). It used to tow my great great uncle’s airstream all the way to the « Blue Haven campground » in the state of New York. Still has the camping stickers in the windshield. It was parked in ‘81 because the guy bought his first RV. He left it in the garage until 2017. By the time we found it, the guy had just gotten his 26th RV and renewed his license for his 95th birthday. The car now has around 18 000 miles on it.
Makes no sense why a newport 4 door(with or without window frames) 1970-78 would still have the small ancient sideways opening vent windows in the front doors, but 2 doors would never have no such vent windows.
The vent windows were optional during these years.
Many people lamented the loss of vent windows, so Chrysler and FoMoCo added them to the option list.
If buying Ford, you could get vent windows on a two door.
Never seen a 2 door full size late ’60s or ’70s Chrysler WITH vent windows or a 4 door W/O them. Only the 4 door fans complained? & the 2 door drivers didn’t deserve that extra breeze? lol
Imagine the complainers’ reaction to the 1975 VW rabbit & even Magnum’s Ferrari with MUCH BIGGER “vent windows” that didnt open out OR roll down!
Such nice cars,,,how did we EVER lose our way?
I consider the 1978 Chrysler New Yorker brougham the most timeless American 4 door hardtops ever made. This Newport version exemplifies the New Yorker design. A design that was unmistakably Chrysler. Straight lines from front to back that all came together in a amazingly well proportioned result for such a large car. A long, edgy flat hood with a tout deck lid. The interior with its low straight belt line and low sweeping dashboard provided a feel and view unlike anything GM or Ford ever accomplished with their full size lineup. I sure hope some of these survive for posterity sake as I’m convinced as these cars age it’s styling legacy becomes more apparent. We’ll see.
I owned a 1977 Newport sedan in the late 90s/early 2000s. I saved it from going to the junkyard. It was BIG. It rode very well. Despite it’s large proportions, I could see all 4 corners of the car easily, so I had no problem parking it. Now we need cameras to park and back up our smaller cars. It had Lean Burn, which could be temperamental. When the engine was cold, there was no spark advance, so it was sssllllooooooowwww! But when it warmed up it was a bit better. 12 mpg city, 15 highway. When I first got it, it was getting 9 mpg… then I tuned it up so it did a little better! I remember fitting an entire patio table in the trunk, 4 chairs across the back seat, and 3 of us across the front – no need for a truck or a station wagon! We had a Chrysler we could use for that instead!
Beautiful.