Antique car shopping is so much more fun (and often more fruitful) when the potential buyer isn’t looking for anything in particular, and I’d say that most of my purchases fundamentally found me, because I’m always shopping for interesting cars. Unfortunately, I’m presently in a bit of a slump because everything in the world seems expensive and I’m focusing my pursuit on two specific vehicles: a first-generation Riviera or a first-generation Toronado, whichever comes first. Regardless, this semi-local 1966 Newport is exactly the car I’d be looking for if I weren’t looking for anything.
Here is the ad: 1966 Chrysler Newport. Motor is healthy, previous owner had said it was recently rebuilt. Drove around for summer of 2019 and then started to trace down some wiring issues, car has been sitting since spring 2020. Will need brake work, ignition wiring, and some suspension work to be safely driveable. NOT RUNNING CURRENTLY. Has some rust but not much, floor is solid all the way around. Interior is an 8/10. Odometer reads 34,000, not certain if it’s rolled over or not. Very nice and fun car, I just don’t have the time for it and it breaks my heart to see it sit. Asking $6000 OBO or trade for cars, trucks, motorcycle, machinist tools, etc. Should be trailered.
Traditional Aaron would be forced to drive an hour to take a look (it’s in Harrison, MI, by the way) because I’ve always liked ’65 and ’66 full-size Chrysler Corporation hardtops. Seventeen years ago, a few weeks before I got married, my dad and I made a six-hour round trip to the Lake Michigan coast to look at a ’65 Newport ($2000 back then) that the owner claimed would make the trip back home easily: The leaking carburetor and 40-year-old snow tires did nothing to corroborate his claim. ***Side note: Internet shopping has made those long, unsuccessful journeys less frequent, as most websites allow more and better pictures. From my recollection, the Newport’s ad showed only one, and it was small.***
I also fell in love with a ’65 New Yorker awhile back, but it just didn’t tug at my heart strings quite enough to write the check. Either way, the big Chryslers are simply a little too long to fit in the garage with the others, which is why I don’t have a fleet of full-sized cars from the 1960s.
Therefore, this Newport is simply one of my myriad daydreams. On the other hand, even with some work to do, this one is tempting, although I don’t like when a supposedly rebuilt engine isn’t running; my imagination runs wild. It doesn’t take a herculean effort to wipe a camshaft if it’s improperly broken in, and honestly, I’d take a slightly worn original engine over a claimed rebuild any day. I’d use the car’s status as a non-runner as a bargaining chip if I were wheeling and dealing and simply assume that I’d be learning the intricacies of a big-block Chrysler in the near future.
***Another side note: I once changed a water pump on a 383, and it was by far the easiest water pump I’ve ever replaced. I was only about 21 years old at the time and more accustomed to small-block Ford water pumps, which apparently were designed by an engineer who hated auto mechanics. The Chrysler uses four bolts instead of 4 million, and those four are not only the same length, but they also thread into the timing cover itself, not the block, so there’s no possibility of disturbing the timing cover seal.***
Back to the Newport: There’s also a bit of rust to deal with, although I could knock out a patch for that long, flat panel in a few hours. A quick trip to the paint store for a pint of single-stage urethane for the touch up gun would have the repair looking good enough for me, especially with that big piece of stainless trim to cheat the eye with the paint match.
I’ll never understand why some sellers don’t vacuum the floor of the car. The seller claims that the interior is an eight out of ten, and this picture shows no obvious blemishes. Imagine long rides on a country highway with your right arm leaning on that big, comfy armrest and your left hand atop that big, dangerous steering wheel, with that big 383 burbling away the miles up in the boiler room…nope, wake up!
The back seat also looks nice, and that makes me wonder if the headliner constitutes the remaining two out of ten of the seller’s interior rating.
Finally, one of the best reasons to buy a ’65 or ’66 Chrysler is the dashboard with its spectacular hemispherical speedometer; the seller was firmly in the right by taking and including this picture in the ad. One can also see the ignition switch on the dashboard, as God intended.
These days, I don’t know if $6000 is in the ballpark for this car; I’ve lost my bearings in this nuclear market and I’m currently settling in for a patient wait for a Riviera or Toronado that aligns with my personality and budget (It’s annoying how nit-picky I get when I’ve limited my scope). But there’s no way I’m not tossing this Newport around in my mind and trying to figure out how much cash I’d take on the trip, and how I’d get it home. Sometimes, daydream shopping is almost as fun, and I don’t have to pay for more rented storage.
Having owned a 1st Gen Riviera, this car would be higher on my list. My bias against green cars is fading, all the survivors are green anyway.
A lack of factory AC would be a deal breaker for me on this car, got to have that Airtemp sticker in the rear glass or no deal.
I can’t figure this one out, it has the three beautiful chrome AC vents, but is totally void of AC under the hood, and no Airtemp sticker that I can find.
That is a really good observation on the a/c.
I have to assume this car originally had factory a/c but it was ripped out after it failed.
The ’66 Dodge Polara I used to drive had aftermarket A/C which failed and was later ripped out to make more room in the cabin. No air ducts in its dash other than the defroster vents in non-factory air cars, which I think is how the Chryslers were too. The only “Airtemp” decal I ever had was on a home window A/C (yes, Chrysler made them too). I still have a 1950s GM Frigidaire A/C.
I’d say definitely a factory AC car. It has the dash vents, the 5 button HVAC controls, and the heater hose routing says it has the AC heater box.
My question is, how much did they hack up the dash putting the modern radio in?
look at the close-up of the dash – there’s the “Max Cool” button – it had factory a/c.
Nice but the postage to get it to me would be eye watering then theres the repairs, some genius just made that a whole lot more expensive here, plus I have nowhere to keep it.
This falls into the category of dangerous. It’s in good enough shape that it doesn’t ‘seem’ like it would take much to get it into really presentable. drivable shape. That front seat, alone, is in remarkable condition, especially for an old Mopar, enough to make the 34k mileage believable.
But who knows what lies underneath. Unless someone is a good wrench-turner (as are many of the CC contributors), this could turn into a nickel-and-dime money pit, and quickly become a forlorn fixture in the back of someone’s garage (or, worse, backyard). And, as mentioned, the lack of factory A/C could be the final nail in the coffin against a purchase. All things considered (mainly that it’s not running), $6k seems a little high.
OTOH, it ‘is’ in Michigan…
Back when a Chrysler was a viable, if not often superior, alternative to a Mercury or Oldsmobile.
Gotta agree with Dave B on the factory air conditioning issue. Here in Hot & Humid New Orleans a Chrysler without factory A/C would be a deal breaker in any month of the year during the extended Summer (March to November) here.
I love a good menthol reference! And if I still smoked, I could totally imagine enjoying said Newport while behind the wheel of this Newport, remembering to flick the ash out of the front vent window.
Seriously, a beautiful find of a fine example of a Chrysler from an era I am only appreciating more and more.
I think my favorite tagline is “You’ve come a long way, baby!” 🙂
Or “Tareyton smokers would rather fight than switch!”
I was never that invested in any cigarette brand in the long run that I would “fight” for it (whatever was reasonably inexpensive and didn’t taste terrible or give me post-nasal drip was good enough for me), but I love the conviction of the Tareyton byline!
Haha, yes…I’d rather fight than switch!!
Haha, yes…I’d rather fight than switch!!
Would be cool ride. I dont necessarily trust …”somebody” rebuilt the motor, but ears, nose, eyes and a compression test would say a lot. As well as an underbody scan with (safety glasses) and a bright headlight, if you see SOME rust on the OUTSIDE.( Side note, bought our current minivan WAY off the asking price buy getting it up on the lift, and really poking around with with light and an IR camera!) Evidence of some poor workamanship: Positive battery cable slapped on and slack taken up with tape…trim to fit! Missing battery hold down rod, and what about heater core lines draped in exhaust manifold? On a last note why are there 4 firewall connections for the heater hose? Thanks for sharing.
Because the car has a double heater core:
Oh boy – as the former owner of a 64 Imperial, 66 Fury III and 68 Newport Custom, this one is really calling my name. I like the color better than I did in the 70s when it cursed my first and third cars.
You point out the several negatives here – and they are not inconsiderable. But when these are sorted out they are really, really nice drivers.
A car that big with a single circuit master cylinder is terrifying.
Much bigger trucks carrying much bigger loads also had single circuit master cylinders. They didn’t call them stomp and pray brakes for nothing.
There appears to be ’61 Plymouth in the garage behind the drum kit. I don’t think it’s a ’60 because I don’t see any fins. I think the ’65-’66 Newports are magnificent cars. While I may have inherited the family preference for Furys over Newports, this would definitely be the exception. When I was in college in the early to mid 1980’s, ’65-’66 Newports could still be seen in some numbers and find them on used lots still quite serviceable. Almost all the Newports running around town were a light blue.
As for why it’s not running it could just as easily be something simple as a bad set of points. New points seem to have a lot of problems with the rubbing blocks, a bad ballast resistor, a carburetor problem from sitting too much or something. I’d change out the master cylinder for the 1967 and up dual circuit M/C and distribution block which is a very easy upgrade.
I think that’s a ’68 or a ’69 Buick Skylark back there in the garage, Patrick. Agreed on checking the basics first regarding the car’s non-running condition, but when you’re putting down money you have to be prepared for the worst, and pleasantly surprised when it’s nothing big. 🙂
Day dreaming a car purchase…….much more fin than working…..
Current prices are a little bonkers but not sure I’d be willing to pull the trigger on that. Its a nice old with a very nice looking interior. A/C is quite rare on classics in Canada so that would not be a deal breaker for me.
The fact that seller seems to have at least a few other likely needy vehicles makes me question the non-running status. Its likely not something super basic.
I tend to agree with you, David…
This Newport just appeared on Marketplace today for $12,000, and it might be a better buy!
This is the ad: 1965 Chrysler Newport convertible, very nice original condition, 56k actual mileage,383 automatic,runs and drives great, new tires, beautiful interior
Power top works, bluetooth hidden audio installed
Not bad. Reminds me of one of Ray Liotta’s early cars in Goodfellas.
No air conditioning here, either…
The interior’s certainly been redone…
Always a soft spot for me for 1966 Mopars. These Chryslers had such an improved shape from the older looking 1965s. 1966 also had the Charger, a car for the ages. This Newport has seen its better days however.
Another softie for this era of Chrysler. I campaigned a ’65 Newport from later ’73 to mid ’75. Somehow, I managed to take it from 70k mi. to 138k mi. in that time. Mine was a 2 bbl. 270 hp 383, the base engine. That was about the time that the 383 replaced the 361 as base Newport engine. Reliable as a hammer. The entire time I owned it I was based in N. Fla. No A/C.
The four corners are more stylized on this ’66 but the basic body style seems the same as the ’65. The dash seems completely reminiscent of the ’65. I’d have no problem thinking that the featured ’66 may have a rolled over odometer along with some interior refreshening.
I had a ’67 Newport custom 383 4 bbl 4door with A/C in white with red interior. My dad bought it new off the lot and I got it after my sister, in 1981. I rather not do another 4 corner drum brake job, but I sure wish I still had it hid in a barn somewhere.
Saw this car last Wednesday on the C Body forum. Didn’t get much responses there.
I have a 1967 Convertible Chrysler 300. If interested. $3000
Mileage: 90012
Has A/C
Car was running when I parked it. It has been sitting around 10 years
Additional picture