1965 Chrysler 300 Series

Chrysler introduced the non-letter 300 series in 1962 taking the place of the Windsor model. The 300 'letter series' car had been in production since 1955, with the C-300 and its potent 300-horsepower Hemi engine. It was essentially a halo model produced in limited numbers aimed at homologating cars for racing. The 1962 300 non-letter Sport Series added confusion to the lineup, which by this point in history, included the 300H in both hardtop coupe and convertible form. Buyers associated the 300 name with exclusive, high horsepower, and high-cost automobiles, and the 300H certainly fit that description, with just 435 of the hardtop coupe and 123 of the convertible built. The non-letter 300 was positioned below the top-of-the-line New Yorker and above the entry-level Newport. Body styles included a sedan, a 2-door hardtop coupe, a 4-door hardtop sedan, and a convertible. To add even more confusion, the 300 Sport Series hardtop and convertible were identical to the 300H Letter car, except for the lack of the 'H' on the rear deck, hubcaps, and tires.

The 'Sport' designation was dropped from the 300 Series in 1964. For 1965, the 300 Series continued to be above the Newport and below the New Yorker. Body styles remained the same, with the two-door hardtop coupe listed at $3,500 and the convertible at the top of the list, at $3,850. The four-door hardtop sedan was the most popular with 12,452 sales, followed by the two-door hardtop with 11,621 sales. The sedan found 2,187 buyers and the convertible had 1,418 sales.

The blacked-out grille bars had a star-shaped emblem, and headlamps were set within the outlined grille and covered by a glass shield. The base engine was a 383 cubic-inch overhead-valve V8 with a 10.0:1 compression ratio, hydraulic valve lifters, and five main bearings, and delivered 315 horsepower at 4,400 RPM. A three-speed manual transmission was standard, and an automatic was optional The automatic transmission column shift controls replaced push buttons this year. A four-speed manual floor shift transmission was also available.

1956 was the final year for the Letter Series 300 cars.

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