The Chrysler 300 was first launched in 1955, an ideal mannequin 12 months for the Huge Three: Chrysler, Ford and Basic Motors. All three producers introduced out utterly new fashions for his or her total line, and all have been effectively styled and in style. U.S. auto gross sales elevated from 5.8 million in 1954 to eight.3 million in 1955.
The Chrysler 300 was a head-turner. The “300” designation was derived from the 300-horsepower, 331-cubic-inch Hemi Firepower V8 engine. It was America’s strongest automobile, packing significantly extra horsepower than that 12 months’s Corvette with 195. The 300 was somewhat expensive, with the bottom value of $4,100 (about $43,243 in 2022 dollars) and was generally known as “the banker’s sizzling rod”. It turned out to be the primary of the Chrysler “letter” vehicles though it was by no means marketed as a Chrysler 300 A.
The next 12 months, although, it was the 1956 Chrysler 300 B, then the Chrysler 300 C in 1957. The corporate used letters for every mannequin 12 months with important adjustments till 2004, when the Chrysler 300 M was constructed.
Many believed that 1957 was Chrysler’s golden 12 months. It was the beginning of what Chrysler referred to as “The Ahead Look.” The 1957 Chrysler 300 C was solely accessible as a convertible or a two-door hardtop. Quad-headlights that boasted of improved night time driving appeared for the primary time, however they have been additionally a brand new styling characteristic. Nonetheless, in some states they have been really unlawful, so the standard two headlights had for use in vehicles bought in these states.
Automotive consultants typically agree that Chrysler took over automotive styling management from Basic Motors in 1957, credited largely to their chief designer, Virgil Exner. The tail-fin designs have been a part of the aerodynamic styling that originally seemed nice and added stability. It was greater than styling, although, that made the 1957 Chrysler 300 C in style. At the moment, conventional Detroit pondering was that radical styling and engineering shouldn’t each be launched in the identical mannequin 12 months, however Chrysler efficiently deviated from that caveat.
The brand new three-speed, push-button TorqueFlite automated transmission teamed with extra highly effective engines have been notable new options, as was the brand new torsion-bar entrance suspension which improved the dealing with of the automobile with no drawback to using consolation. The Hemi engine was by then 392 cubic inches and rated at 375 horsepower, but when that wasn’t sufficient, an possibility would elevate the horsepower to 390.
This situation’s featured automobile is an unbelievably excellent 1957 Chrysler 300 C. For proprietor George Pehanick, of Fairfield and Tahoe, proudly owning basic vehicles is a pastime and a enterprise. Whereas he’s a critical collector of basic vehicles, he’s additionally a licensed vendor and ceaselessly buys and sells his classics. He owns 40 to 50 of them, with some being proven in several automobile museums across the nation. He doesn’t appear to have a model loyalty however favors American vehicles. Whereas this automobile, like lots of his others, is clearly a present automobile, he additionally likes to drive it.
Pehanick’s automobile has all the usual options of the time, together with a Hemi engine, energy steering, energy brakes and a signal-seeking AM radio, nevertheless it additionally has a document participant mounted on the underside of the sprint. Based on Google, Chrysler was the primary with the “Freeway Hello-Fi” characteristic, providing six data from Columbia that have been 7 inches in diameter and performed at 16⅔ revolutions per minute. The document participant possibility solely lasted two years and at about $190 was costly, roughly $2,000 in 2022.
Pehanick’s automobile is an attractive coral with a white canvas high. The inside is a smooth, snug tan leather-based protecting two bench seats. Sitting behind the wheel, the sprint and steering wheel whisper opulence. There are three spherical housings on the sprint, one for the speedometer and odometer, one to measure the fuel, oil, engine temperature and battery, and within the middle is an electrical clock that’s nonetheless precisely working.
Essentially the most attention-grabbing a part of the sprint, although, is the push-button drive mechanism. The motive force really pushes one in all 5 buttons a quarter-inch or so to function the automobile: “R” for reverse; “N” for impartial and begin; “D” for drive; “1” for low gear; and “2” for first and second gear. There isn't any “park” gear, solely what's hopefully a wonderful parking brake.
Pehanick provided to take me for a journey, and I realized firsthand why this was thought of one of many first muscle vehicles. Details about the automobile said the ’57 Chrysler may go from zero to 60 mph in 8 seconds, very quick for the time, with a high pace of 145 mph. I didn’t time it, however my again was pushed deep into the again of the entrance seat as we went from zero to 80 mph fairly darn fast. The proprietor has no plan to promote the automobile quickly, however someday he'll. In any case, he's a vendor.
Have an attention-grabbing car? Contact David Krumboltz at MOBopoly@yahoo.com. To view extra photographs of this and different points’ autos or to learn extra of Dave’s columns, go to mercurynews.com/creator/david-krumboltz.