1965 Chrysler 300L

Chrysler introduced the first of the 'Letter Series' cars on February 10th of 1955 with the unveiling of the C-300, combining luxury with a high-performance version of its Hemi V8 motor. For the decade that followed, Chrysler's 'Latter Cars' were the ultimate in personal luxury and performance, with the C-300 arguably being the first true muscle car. 1965 was the final year for Chrysler's 300 letter cars until the recently released 300M was introduced. Powering the 300L was the high-performance, 413 cubic-inch, V8 engine with a 4-barrel carburetor, offering 360 horsepower and 470 ft-lbs of torque. These factory muscle cars were limited production vehicles with just 2,405 coupes built in 1965. The other body style, the convertible, found 440 interested buyers. The 2-door hardtop cope had a factory list price of $4,090 and the convertible listed for $4,550.

The 300L was the 11th and final edition of the letter series models, and, like every other 1965 Chrysler, it featured a completely restyled body. Penned by Elwood Engel, it was a linear look with slab sides, crisp lines, and tall greenhouses, abandoning the panoramic windshield that had been used since 1957. The 300L had grown two inches in wheelbase and three inches in overall length. The interiors featured a center console, front bucket seats, textured upholstery, and a wide array of comfort and convenience options. Comprehensive heavy-duty underpinnings produced taut handling. The 413 Wedge engine had 10:1 compression, a hydraulic cam, a regular inlet manifold, an unsilenced air cleaner, dual exhaust, and Carter 4-barrel carburetor. This was the only engine option, with the choice of standard three-speed TorqueFlite automatic or no-cost option four-speed manual with Hurst shift linkage. Every 300L feature could also be ordered as an option on the regular 300. the only exclusive 300L features included the round '300L' medallions on the grille and in the middle of the textured aluminum applique between the taillights, a red-paint-filled full-length beltline molding, and a rectangular diecast '300' badge on the rear fenders.

The interior featured front bucket seats, and a center console with a special three-speed Torqueflite automatic transmission with a console shifter and performance indicator gauge. The 300 L was also given special heavy-duty suspension and brakes, power steering, power brakes, air conditioning, a clock, a heater, and a push-button radio.

By Daniel Vaughan | Jun 2016