This gallery of Chryslers of the 1960s is a slightly mixed one. Unlike others, the cars appear by themselves in some shots, and in others, they pose alongside their owners. And being the sixties, the images showcase the transition from the whimsical Exner years to the sober and dignified Engel era.
The gallery is also a nice mix of sedans, hardtops and even a neat Newport convertible with Sportsgrain (not that good a picture, but I just had to include it). And being Chryslers, it’s probably no surprise that those 300 models make repeat appearances.
Not too many yung uns buying those Chryslers.
My favorite picture here is the couple with the New Yorker in the shopping center parking lot. They’re conspicuously parked across 4 spaces, and posing with their car, but in a very ordinary setting – a shopping center with a pharmacy and supermarket in the background. I’d love to know the story behind the staging of that shot. Great car, though!
Incidentally, it looks like that photo was taken in Santa Ana, California.
Love that “sober and dignified Engel era” Chrysler in photo #6. Not sure, but it might be the most squared-off styling I’ve ever encountered. The more I look at it the more I like it.
Regarding the “Sea Spray Inn,” I checked the inter-webs and found there are many many locations using this name (and who could blame ’em). Back in the day, we stayed at the Sea Spray in Lincoln City, Oregon, while my dad had business at a pulp mill in Coos Bay. Always blowing, always raining, loved every minute of it.
Thanks, I always love when the location is noted. Makes me wonder what it looks like today. I love the squared off look, too, and especially all the chrome trim.
For me, that last photo takes the cake.
It is one of my “favs” in the bunch too..
The 68 wood grained Newport convertible was rare when new. Less than 200 built I believe.
Recall seeing a yellow one on the road “decades ago”.
Let’s take a vacation at the Sea Spray, then sit on the porch and watch our car. That will be infinitely more fun than sitting on our own front porch and watching our car.
I’ll take that ’64 Impala sport coupe in the driveway from the first picture, please.
Ok, my parents were generations apart from me. Dad was already 40 and mom 42 when I bee booped in!
Dad drove mostly Buicks, or other GM vehicles, but never a Chrysler. And I never understood why. He didn’t particularly treat them down or build them up: it was forbidden talk I think!!!!
When I was 18, I needed wheels. We looked at 4-6 Chrysler New Yorker and Newport. They were low mileage cars, but dad was really concerned. He finally explained that buying a Chrysler was a roll of the dice as far as how well it held. Up. So we went with the COAL Caprice instead!
I’ve always viewed the ’65 (last pic) as one of the cleanest Mopar designs of all time. Too bad it had more length than the average garage could handle.
Such good times, parents drove the grocery getter and us teenagers had a muscle car. Car insurance was $50 a year, gas 16 cents, my ‘67 Chevelle SS 396 got 8 mpg.
Can’t help but notice the ’66 Mercury colony park wagon near the grocery store in the background in picture #5 (68? Chrysler). We still have ours, bought new in late ’66, in probably the same color. Hasn’t been on the road since about 1980, though.. probably about as far as many of the contemporary Chrysler s
I had hoped to see a Chrysler New Yorker in the photos. That was the kids car in our family, It was black with what was called a police intercept engine. It didn’t break a sweat at 80 to 90 miles an hour. You could fit 7 teenagers in with all their ski in the trunk.
@Eric703,
And get a load of all the oil spots on the parking lot! You sure don’t see that anymore..
First new car I’m aware of my parents buying was a ’63 300 with a 383. Burgundy 2-door, gorgeous cream/black interior, that rectangular steering wheel. The 383 threw a rod heading into Southern California mountains, Daddy pulled a 440 Hemi 4-barrel out of a newly wrecked ’67 station wagon (yes, I grew up in junkyards!) and that’s what I learned to drive in, along with an assortment of small British sports cars. The 300 went through a lot of tires until Sears started selling Michelin radials under their house brand. Those tires completed the package, what a great car IF you were paying .28/gallon . . .
I had a ’65 Windsor nearly identical to that last pic. Mine was a gold/beige colour and sported a 383. It’s hard to grasp how huge these cars were. It didn’t have seats, but front and rear sofas! You could put a double mattress and box spring in the trunk and close it.
Picture of the people at the shopping center with their Chrysler, no door dings there… Taking up 4 spots.
I was born in Detroit in March of 1955. My dad’s side all worked at the Ford Motor Company, mom’s side all worked at Chrysler’s Highland Park headquarters location, that’s just the way it was in Detroit during the 50s and 60s. The family all drove Chryslers and Plymouths, Although one of my uncles had a 66 4 door hardtop Crown 66 was the first year for the 440 engine to be the standard engine for Imperials. I really loved how elegant the 64 through 66 Imperials were. In the 60s, we had all kinds of Chryslers. I learned to drive in a 63 Newport and a 64 Valient station wagon. In 69, dad traded the 63 Newport for a new 69 300. It was white with a dark blue vinyl top and dark blue vinyl interior. Under hood was the famous Chrysler 440 with what I think was 4 barrel Carter carburetor. That 300 was really powerful, he used it to tow a 17 foot Aristocrat Land Commander trailer, that 300 pulled that trailer up steep Sierra grades like that Aristocrat wasn’t even back there. 69 was the first year for the fuelsage body, and I really liked it. I know there are some people that never liked Chrysler’s styling, it wasn’t everyone’s favorite, but I always liked it. In the 1970s, Chrysler’s financial status began to show up in Chrysler’s vehicles, which was too bad. In 1976, my parents bought their first Lincoln Town Car, and a 73 Ford F-series truck. That marks my family’s first vehicles made by the Ford Motor Company, and it’s been that way ever since. Never anything from GM or anything fourign. Today it’s Lincolns, Explorers and F-series trucks. The Ford Motor Company has really been the top US auto maker. From Henry Ford himself to the best selling F-series trucks and Explorers. the Blue Oval is one of America’s most popular brands. Ford has launched more collectable cars than any other other of the US Big Three manufacturers. And to me, I think that’s the way it was meant to be. My favorite Ford advertisement campaigns is “we’re just sitting on the porch watching the Fords go by.” I think that says it all. It was only Ford was known as the “Wagonmaster.” And they still are today. I know there will be station wagons once again, I believe it will be the Ford Motor Company that does it.
MoPar buyers have always tended to the 40 + age group and Conservative to boot .
These are terrific pictures .
-Nate