Checking out my friend Paul’s Flickr page, I see there’s quite a few other interesting shots. This ’62 Chrysler caught my attention, as it’s sporting a 300 grille but is devoid of all other brightwork/trim, even the windshield surround. It comes across more like a stripper Plymouth.
At first I thought it might be a base-trim Newport with a 300 grille, but all Newports came with some trim on the sides, and the Chrysler script on a black background in that area on the front fender between the bumper and that crease. Someone really wanted a stealth Chrysler.
Even the “Chrysler” badge on the forward front fender is missing, along with the chrome roof drip rail. An original 300 would have a single chrome trim molding running from the front door to the rear, with a “300” badge at the end. Might be an actual 300 that after 60 hard years has lost a few things along the way.
There’s a guy near me that’s restoring a tan, 1961 Newport 4 door. Very basic, with a three-on-the-tree, black walls, and dog dish hubcaps. I believe it has the 361.
I doubt that it has an actual 3 on the tree – the Chrysler dash would not accommodate a column shifter of any kind, and therefore for a few years (60-64, I think) any stick shift Chrysler got a floor shifter. And not the cool performance-style floor shifter, but more like a 36 Dodge-style shifter.
JP,
You are correct. As the “space globe” instrument pod for the ’61 and ’62 Chryslers had a chrome base that extended to the edge of the steering wheel, there was no room for a shift arm. Plus, since there was only one instrument unit in the parts book, and there is a lack of column shift parts numbers in the MoPaR parts books for these years, the only option is floor shift.
This was covered in CC on December 9th, 2017 as well.
https://www.curbsideclassic.com/automotive-histories/automotive-history-the-mysterious-appearance-of-floor-shifters-for-chryslers-three-speed-transmission/
I suspect this car was involved in a front end accident in the 1970s, and required a replacement of the entire front end. The donor car was a 300. The accident probably required the replacement of the windshield, and the trim was not re-installed.
I’m betting the car was already missing some of the side trim. The car was old enough when the car was repaired, that the trim pieces were no longer available from MoPaR or local junkyards. So the decision was made to take off the trim & fill the holes, then paint the entire car.
Back then it was just a used car, simply a reliable piece of transportation. They put it back on the road again, looking good.
That’s one possibility. Given that this is San Francisco, I’m more inclined to think someone wanted the stripper look. It’s a thing, out here in the West. Someone clearly removed trim; it didn’t just fall off.
Rear window and drip rail minus trim as well. Interesting wheels.
Some cars have a really clean shape that takes well to a de-trimming like this. I don’t think this car is one of them.
Late model Corvair 500’s are getting more popular because of this.
I’m lusting over this one.
Something about the combo of slanted headlights and push button Torqueflite automatic controls just “Melts Mah Buttah” (quoting Dolly Parton).
I’m also guessing the stripper look was brought forth in this one. The wheels suggest some hot rodding touches. Even the base Chrysler’s had some trim detail iirc. Not a bad rolling piece of history though.
I think that these are the only cars that look good with canted headlights.
The removal of the fins from the 1962 Chryslers is to what I think Exner’s famous ‘plucked chicken’ comment really referred, up to and including the rounded taillights which, to me, resemble the rear of a chicken without its tail feathers.
I could just not correlate the statement with the appearance of the downsized 1962 Dodges and Plymouths since the 1961 cars didn’t have fins, at all (Plymouth) and the Dodges had those weird, reversed fins.
That aside, I had a friend who drove a 1967 Fairlane hardtop, and he mentioned that many people thought the car was much older. I suspect they might have thought it was a 1962 Chrysler like the feature car, right down to a similar light turqoise color.
I bet this one is a hoot to drive .
-Nate
This car is on San Pablo in Oakland, near MacArthur… there are three old mopars keeping her company, all in similar states of unrestored / period mods