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1968 Chrysler Newport

Chrysler designers gave the 1968 Newport only minor updates to its styling as the following year would bring a completely new design described as the 'Fuselage' that would become symbolic of Chrysler's full-size cars through the end of the 1973 model year. The Newport was given a new C platform in 1965 with squared-line styling, a 124-inch wheelbase, and powered by the 383 cubic inch V8 with two-barrel carburetion. Body styles were carried over from 1964 and included a four-door hardtop sedan, pillared four-door sedan, two-door hardtop coupe, and convertible. A station wagon body style had been available on the Newport line in 1964, but in 1965, it was renamed the Chrysler Town and Country and became a separate series. A six-window Town Sedan body style was added in 1965.

Between 1961 and 1981, the Newport name was applied to hardtop body styles and it served as the most affordable model within the lineup. The Newport, 300 (non-letter series), and New Yorker shared the C platform and 124-inch wheelbase, with the 300 being powered by a four-barrel version of the 383 with 45 additional horsepower (rated at 315), and the New Yorker had a 413.8 CID V8 and 340 hp. The 300 was priced above the Newport but below the New Yorker.

Updates to the grille and trim molding occurred every year, including 1968, along with new bumpers and updated styling to the rear. In the front was a V-shaped, mesh-type grille with five horizontal bar moldings positioned between the quad beam, and round headlights. Located at the center was a vertical Chrysler badge and 'Chrysler' - in block lettering - at the edge of the hood.

In the back, above the bumper, was a full-width horizontal panel that carried a large taillamp on either side of the car. The square side marker lamps, which were mandatory per federal law, on the rear fenders were new for the 1968 model year. The interior remained mostly unchanged except for the AutoPilot speed control option was now integral to the turn signal level (when so equipped).

Body styles included a four-door sedan priced at $3,730, a hardtop coupe at $3,790, a four-door hardtop sedan at $3,865, a convertible at $4,130, a six-passenger Town & Country sedan at $4,300, and a nine-passenger Town & Country wagon at $4,390. The most popular was the sedan with 61,436 units built followed by 36,768 examples of the hardtop coupe, 20,191 of the hardtop sedan, 12,233 of the 9-passenger wagon, 9,908 of the 6-passenger wagon, and 2,847 of the convertible.

The standard engine was the 383 cubic-inch V8 engine with overhead valves, hydraulic valve lifters, a Carter two-barrel carburetor, five main bearings, and delivering 290 horsepower at 4,400 RPM (an increase of twenty horsepower over the previous year's output). The four-barrel 383 CID increased from 325 hp to 330 hp, and the 440 CID TNT was unchanged at 375 hp. A three-speed column shifted manual transmission was standard, and a three-speed TorqueFlite automatic was optional. Power brakes, power steering, air conditioning, power radio antenna, Golden Tone AM/FM Touch Tone radio, Golden Tone AM/FM Multiplex radio, power vent windows, power side windows, and remote control trunk release were part of the options list. A new option on the convertible and two-door hardtops, made available mid-year, was wood-grained exterior side body paneling. The standard list of amenities included torsion air suspension, 8.55x14 blackwall tires, rear wheel opening skirts, exhaust emission controls, center panel convenience drawer with coil sorter, glovebox with three-cup tray, cigar lighter, carpeting, dual front and rear ashtrays, trip odometer, cleaner air systems, and heater and defroster.

The Town & Country wagons came standard with the items listed above plus foam seat cushions, three-speed wipers, TorqueFlite automatic transmission, the lighting group, power steering, power brakes, power tailgate window, time delay ignition light switch, all-vinyl bench seats with front center armrests, bright upper body moldings and seat side shields, and wood-grained exterior body paneling. The six-passenger, two-seat wagons had lockable hidden storage compartments. Tire options included 8.85x14 or 8.85 x 15 black sidewall.

The Newport Custom was available as a sedan priced at $3,915, a hardtop coupe at $3,975, and a hardtop sedan at $4,050. The sedan was again the most popular with 16,915 units built followed by 11,460 of the hardtop sedan and 11,460 of the hardtop coupe. Styling was similar to the 'base' Newport, distinguished by additional brightwork and Custom nameplates on the front fenders, near the side of the cowl (rather than at the rear of the back fenders as on the 'base' Newport). Along with items standard on the 'base' Newport, the Newport Custom added bench seats with front center armrest and bright upper door moldings on the four-door sedan.

by Dan Vaughan

Convertible

What separates this automobile from most others of the period is the woodgrain side panels, a unique Chrysler Newport option available in April 1968 (with a mere 174 cars being produced with this wood trim feature). The side panels, a unique marketing feature, are reminiscent of the famous Chrysler Town and Country wood-trimmed cars of the 1940s.

This Chrysler features a 383 cubic-inch V8 engine, 290 horsepower, three-speed automatic Torqueflite transmission, a 24-gallon gas tank, and a base price of $3,704.

This award-winning automobile was painstakingly and totally restored by its owner.

The Chrysler Newport name first appeared in the early 1940s on a dual-cowl Dream Car designed by Ralph Roberts, and five examples were built. It was powered by an eight-cylinder engine and used a three-speed manual gearbox to send the power to the rear wheels. A Newport appeared at the Indianapolis 500 race in 1941 and served as a pace car.

The name was revised in the 1950s and was a trim level on each of the Chrysler series. The Newport signified a two-door hardtop body style.

In 1961 the Newport name reappeared as its own Model. It was immediately popular and was responsible for most of Chrysler's sales. At a price of just $2964, the vehicle featured full-wheel covers, and minimal amounts of exterior and interior trim. Under the hood was an eight-cylinder engine that produced 265 horsepower. It was available as a two- and four-door convertible, and two- and four-door hardtop.

In 1963 the design was updated and again in 1965. It now sat atop of the Chrysler C-platform with the station wagon being renamed to the Town and Country lineup. The convertibles were discontinued in 1971.

by Dan Vaughan

The name Newport was first used by Chrysler on a 1940 show car of which five actual vehicles were produced. Between 1961 and 1981 the Newport was a name used by the Chrysler division of the Chrysler Corporation used as both a hardtop body designation and for its entry-level model.

Unveiled in 1940, the Chrysler Newport Phaeton was a 2-door low production roadster that utilized an I8 engine linked to a 3-speed manual transmission. Only produced for one year, the first generation Newport was based on the Chrysler New Yorker and was designed by Chrysler designer Ralph Roberts. A total of five units were produced. Chrysler founder Walter P. Chrysler had one that he used as a personal vehicle. Another owner was actress Lana Turner. The 1941 Indianapolis 500 race featured the Newport Phaeton as the pace car.

From 1949 through 1961 the second generation of Newport was featured to designate the 2-door hardtop body style in Chrysler's lineup. A new hardtop Newport model was placed in each Chrysler series, Saratoga, the Windsor, and the New Yorker. Originally, the totally redesigned '49 Chrysler Town and Country was proposed as a hardtop, but in the end, the body style only appeared during the model's final year in 1950.

In 1961 Chrysler revived the Newport name for their full-size entry-level model. Priced at $2,964, the Newport was strategically placed to fill the price gap between Dodge and Chrysler that emerged when DeSota was deleted. Quite successful, the Newport comprised the bulk of Chrysler production. The base Newport sedans were detrimmed versions of Chrysler's traditional upmarket models that featured hubcaps rather than full-wheel covers, very plain interiors, and a minimal amount of exterior trim. Unfortunately, in the long run, cheapening the brand's cache with an inexpensive model wasn't good for Chrysler.

The '61 Newport was available to the buying public as either a 2-door convertible, 2-door hardtop, 4-door sedan, 4-door hardtop, and 4-door station wagon. Though most Newports were equipped with the 305 hp 383 in³ V8, the base engine was the 361 in³ V8 engine that was rated at 265 hp. The trademark fins were removed for the 1962 model year. For 1963 the Newport was restyled next to the New Yorker and Chrysler 300. This body style remained until 1964. The Newport received the small, chrome-topped fins again in 1964.

The fourth-generation Newport was assembled at Jefferson Assembly Plant in Detroit Michigan. Redesigned on the then-new Chrysler C platform, the next Newport ran from 1965 through 1968. The Newport station wagon was renamed the Chrysler Town and Country.

Assembled in Belvidere, Illinois, the fifth generation of the Newport was again built on the C-body platform. Redesigned for the 1969 model year, the Newport now featured the 'Fuselage Styling' that would eventually become symbolic of Chrysler's full-size vehicles until the end of the 1973 model year.

After 1970, Newport convertibles were discontinued. In 1978 production of the C-body Newport also ended along with the Chrysler New Yorker. During the previous year, related Dodge and Plymouth C-body car had already been dropped. The American car industry's last true two-door and four-door hardtops were offered with the 1978 Newport.

A newly resized Newport was introduced in 1979 on the Chrysler R platform which was a derivative of the circa 1962 Chrysler B platform. This downsized model reduced model availability to a single 'pillared hardtop' 4-door sedan. Chrysler went about the reduction of their vehicle a different way from GM and Ford who downsized their big cars by chopping with an ax. Chrysler improved fuel efficiency by reducing weight but retaining as much of the traditional full-size look and feel as possible.

A much more attractive vehicle was built from this process, but unfortunately, some of the weight-saving measures proved to be more trouble than they were worth. The plastic brake wheel-cylinder pistons had the tendency to swell and bind up the brakes following a couple of years of service. Another new innovation where chrome-plated aluminum bumpers that were replaced in 1980 with a newer and stronger steel rear bumper.

Sales were strong at the beginning of 1979, but unfortunately due to Chrysler's unsteady financial condition, along with tightening oil and gasoline supplies, all of the R-body models were discontinued following a short run of 1981 models. Chrysler began to shift towards smaller front-wheel drive vehicles and the Newport was replaced with the front-wheel-drive Chrysler Executive in 1983.

by Jessican Donaldson