1964 Chrysler 300

Chrysler had two 300 series models in its lineup during the early 1960s, the 300 'non-letter' Series and the 300 'letter series.' The 'letter series' was introduced in 1955 as a high-performance personal luxury vehicle that came standard with a 300 horsepower V8 engine that made it the most powerful automobile of the year. The 1955 model was known as the 300, and the 1956 version was designated 300B. The next letter of the alphabet was applied each successive model year, skipping 'i', until reaching 300L by 1965, after which the model sequence was discontinued.

The 'non-letter' series was introduced in 1962 and continued through 1971 and served as a replacement for the 1961 Chrysler Windsor. It was lower priced than its 300 'letter series' sibling and its styling was similar, with a wider range of body styles that included a hardtop coupe, hardtop sedan, convertible, and sedan. In comparison, the performance 300H of 1962 was available as a hardtop coupe and convertible. The 300 Sport came equipped with a 383 CID V8 with 305 horsepower while the 300H used a 413.3 CID V8 with 380 horsepower.

The 1963 Chrysler 300 Sport was similar to the previous year, except for the addition of the Pace Setter Series later in the model year, commemorating the use of a 300 as the Pace Car for the Indianapolis 500-mile race. The 383 CID V8 continued to produce 305 hp but the 413.8 CID V8 in the 300J had Ram-Tube Induction manifolds, and the previous Model 3251S carburetor was replaced by a Model 3505S, with horsepower now reaching 390 bhp.

Styling for the 1964 'letter' and 'non-letter' 300 was similar, although the interior of the 300K was much more luxurious. Both were available as a hardtop coupe or convertible, with the 300 Series adding a hardtop sedan or sedan. New for 1964 was the removal of the word 'Sport' from the 300 designations. A star-shaped insignia could be found on the C-pillar on hardtop body styles and the back part of the front fender on convertibles. Power was from an overhead valve V8 engine displacing 383 cubic inches and offering just over 300 horsepower. It had overhead valves, a 10.0:1 compression ratio, a Carter two-barrel carburetor, hydraulic valve lifters, and five main bearings. It was backed by a three-speed manual floor-mounted transmission with non-synchromesh on the first gear.

The two-door hardtop coupe had a base price of $3,445 and the four-door hardtop sedan listed for $3,520. The sedan was priced at $3,370 and the convertible was $3,800. The most popular body style was the hardtop coupe with 13,401 examples built, followed by 11,460 of the hardtop sedan, and 2,026 of the convertible.

by Dan Vaughan

The Non-Letter Chrysler 300 Series was produced by Chrysler from 1962 through 1971. The Chrysler 300 Sport Series was positioned below the letter series and served as a replacement for the Windsor. The exterior appearance was identical to the Letter Car, except for minor differences including the tires, hubcaps, and an absence of 'H' on the rear deck. The 300 Sport Series also added a 4-door hardtop which had never been offered on the Letter Series. Powering the 300 Series was an overhead valve V8 engine displacing 383 cubic inches and offering 305 horsepower.

The 300 Sport Series was available as a 4-door sedan, 2-door hardtop coupe, 4-door hardtop sedan, and a convertible.

A Pace Setter Series was introduced in 1963 in commemoration of the 300 Series which had been the Pace Car for the Indianapolis 500-mile race. This special edition Pace Setter had special interiors and a checkered flag placed underneath the front fender 300 emblem. Instead of having a round steering wheel, they were given a square-shaped steering wheel.

In 1964, Chrysler dropped the word 'Sport' for the 300 designations. Also new this year was a special 300 which added a silver exterior finish and black vinyl roof with black leather or vinyl interior.

For 1965, the Chrysler 300 Series received mild updates to its trim alterations, and to its front and rear design treatment. The headlamps were now located within the grille and were given a unique glass shield. They were given different lower body trim to help distinguish these cars from the 300 Letter Series. The 383 CID V8 was now rated at 315 horsepower.

Chrysler discontinued the Chrysler 300 Letter Series in 1966.

In 1966, the glass-covered headlamps and the cross-bar grille were replaced with a more modern design. Horsepower in the 383 CID V8 rose to 325 horsepower. An optional V8 engine was available for those enthusiasts seeking even more power.

In 1967, the Chrysler 300 received extensive styling revisions to the front and the rear. The 4-door sedan was no longer available. Another change occurred in the engine bay, where a 440 CID V8 now came standard and was the sole engine available. This overhead-valve V8 engine was fitted with a Holley four-barrel carburetor and delivered 350 horsepower.

In 1968, the 300 was given concealed headlamps which would continue with the car until 1971.

In 1969, the 300 received 'fuselage style', and the 300 nameplates were now spelled out as Three-Hundred in chrome block letters. Standard equipment included a TorqueFlite automatic, heavy-duty batter, power-operated concealed headlamps, and triple body accent stripes.

For 1970, a Hurst 300 edition was available in Spinnaker White with Satin Tan trim and leather interior. Power was from a 440 CID V8 rated at 375 horsepower.

For 1971, the final year of the 300 Series, the convertible body style was no longer available.

by Dan Vaughan