Yeah buddy, I absolutely love that song and I almost sang the part at the end I can say I need you but then you’d realize that I want you just like a thousand other guys who say they love you.. lol But I’m going to say that for a car i want to own
My brother Dave had a 1966 300 coupe. His had a burgundy interior. It had 4 bucket seats and a console that went from front to back. His was an early 1966. It had a 413 wedge head motor. A very fast and smooth car. BillD
Wow! Thank you Jay for bringing back my fantastic car memories of the 60s. At the time, my family only drove Chrysler vehicles. We had them all. Family gatherings looked like a Chrysler commercial. Elwood was a styling genius, and you're right, he doesn't get the fame that the others at the time got. Exner seems to be the one that gets it all. I was 10 years old in 1965, and I grew up in the back seat of Chryslers. I love the 62s, one of my uncles had a carmal colored 300 that I loved. It had the canted headlights, and the taillights are beyond description. But it was that Astrodome instrumentation with the Panelesent lilighting that had me memorized. Another uncle had a 64 300, light blue 2 door hardtop, it had the 383 underhood. I loved the new styling of the 65s, they were so elegant, much different than the 63/64 look. Then in 66 the look became more detailed and refined, gorgeous. However, we were sorry to see the push-button drive go, and the Panelesent lighting. Yet another uncle had a 66 tan with black interior Town and Country wagon, 383 duel exhaust that sounded fantastic. That car was huge. But so was his 66 Imperial, Crown a 4 door hardtop silver with silver cloth and black leather interior. Headlights under glass and taillights that were embedded in the rear bumper, in thin points below the squared off spare tire shape of the trunk. A 440 underwood, a beautiful, elegant sophisticated road car. Our last Chrysler was a 69 cream color with dark blue vinyl top and interior 300. A great looking car. Hidden headlights, a new dash with blue floodlights lighting the entire dash and front seat. Leave it to Chrysler. A 440 and duel exhaust sounded magnificent. After the 69, the family moved to Lincolns, there was one cranberry with white vinyl top and cranberry fine "Corinthian leather interior that Ricardo Montobon Cordobaon advertised on TV. We all drive cars from Ford Motor Company now, but I will always have a special place in my heart for the Chrysler Corporation. Back in the 60s, I had a cousin that worked in the clay styling dome in Highland Park Chrysler Corporation headquarters. He once gave me a tour of the dome while I was in Detroit. In any event, the Chryslers of the 1960s had styling all to their own. Compared to GM and Ford, Chrysler was in a class of it's own. I say that as a huge Ford man today. I just love those beautiful works of art from Ford and Chrysler, GM, not so much, I think GM should have been selling baked goods and still do. And after living with the cars of the 50s, 60s, and even the 70s, how are we supposed to live with the boring cars of today that all look like used bars of soap. I vote for the 300 in all the above choices. I noticed there wasn't a GM car in the contest, and for good reason. Thanks again!
I OWEND A 1966 CHRYSLER 300 2 DOOR HARD TOP PEARL WHITE WITH RED INTERIOR. IT HAD THE 383 WITH A 4 BARELL CARBORATOR. I DROVE IT FROM NEW YORK CITY TO SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA AND AVERAGED ABOUT 16 PER GALLPN. IT A 5 YEAR 50,000 WARINTY. IT WAS THE BEST CAR I HAVE EVER OWND. MARVIN FROM UTAH
Thanks for finding the 300 at the mall, nice luxurious classic car I would to own, I take this over a SUV any day, loved both dashes, like the 65 front better with the glass headlight covers as well as the 66 Imperial. A friend had a 67 New Yorker sedan , could almost fit 8 of us in those wide seats.That interior looks almost Imperial quality. First pick 66 Chrysler 300 , second 68 Chrysler 300. Song sounds like Cherish by the Association .
Yeah buddy that’s the name of the song and band somebody just beat you for it It sucks I can’t find Chrysler 300s and when I do find them like I saw a bunch of Hershey that I really wish that I would’ve asked to do but they were behind ropes.. and I just didn’t ask.. if I’m honest there’s a couple cars that I’ve been holding out on because I wanted to perfect my craft more I wanted to get a better camera that shot better angles and gave better detail of what bodies look like now that I have that.. I want to go after some heavy hitters Awesome choices
My late father owned a 1965 Chrysler New Yorker 4dr hardtop 413V8. Loved all mid 60s Chrysler s and cars of that era as a whole but the 65 Chrysler is my favorite❤
Got my license in a '65 like your Dad's. Pissed a friend of the family off when he let me drive his Caddy and I told him that it felt just like the New Yorker! My brother totaled the New Yorker, after which we got a '66 Lebaron. Best car that we ever owned.
I still prefer to drive sedans :) To me the 65/66 Chryslers were some of the best looking full size cars of the 60's, though I slightly prefer the 65 - and in particular love the 65 NY door handles (shared with the Imperial and not found in 66. The 66 300 excludive rear end though is very cool. Probably Engel's 2nd best design. I logged drive time in a 65 300 4dr with the optional 413, and that had some snap - this was in the early 80s, and it could dust off almost all then new cars with ease. Fingertip power steering, no road feel - whisper at the brakes or go through the windshield. But, once you got used to both, the thing could be hustled down a back road with surprising speed for such a large car - square, good visibility and easy enough to place once you were comfortable with the width (!) We kept 15" wheels, but ran radials. Really liked that car. Much more engaging than the 74 Newport I also drove - truly was an enormous barge, and that was about it - execpt that you could stuff even more teenagers inside (bench, not buckets). WYR: I never say this, but all please. If pressed, the Lincoln and the 68 300 (not as pure as the 66, but the hidden headlights.....)
Thank you so much Joe for sharing all of that insight and information and I literally laughed when you said whisper at the brakes and you go through the windshield that touchy.. My grandma has a Lincoln MKZ and she told me to move it the other day and it was an experience like that I barely touched the brake pedal and I almost went through the windshield I wasn’t even going that fast I was lot driving it.. I’m too tall for that car and I’m not really a fan because it’s very claustrophobic experience for me and I’m not a claustrophobic type of person I just don’t like that car the roof is too low my opinion tho
Isn't that funny what you mention about Chrysler power brakes - all the full size Chrysler products were like that in that time period as I remember. Put you right through the windshield! 🤣
As an ex-owner - 1970 and 1974 Chryslers, second a wagon - l have to agree about the ‘68 300 with hidden headlights. I was six when it was released, but obsessed like my brothers with these ‘vasties’ - particularly in metallic green. Ultra-style.
WYR 1: All of them. WYR 2: All of them. If you find a 1965 Chrysler Imperial, that's what they used for the Black Beauty in the original Green Hornet show as well as in the Seth Rogen movie.
Awesome choices you can bet your ass if I find an imperial I’m gonna do it I’ve only been able to feature one imperial for the channel so far I’ve been working very hard car to find
A former co-worker of mine presently owns a 1966 300 4 door hardtop , which he purchased over 15 years ago. My cars of choice here would be the 1966 Continental and the 1968 300.
I at one time liked convertibles but over time have decided to go with hardtops or sedans. The Continental was unique with its suicide doors which were available up to 1969. Their 4 door convertible was offered until 1967.@@jmad627
Yes! I'm that coworker! Thanks Ernie for recommending this channel and of course for recommending this particular episode. I love my 66 chrysler 300❤❤❤❤
I would have at one time chosen the convertible but over time decided I'd prefer the hardtop. The Continental offered a convertible until 1967, and suicide doors until 1969.@@jmad627
That's the car my grandparents had when I was born. Of course they were a lot younger than I am now! They had the 383 two door hardtop version, though.
That’s awesome I think this had to 383 in it I’m pretty sure it did because I don’t recall seeing TNT on the air cleaner.. Do you have any memories of the car My grandparents had a car that they bought around when I was born and it became my first car they kept cars for 10+ years
I remember riding with Grandma when she hit a pothole in the rain while driving to see one of her sisters and she lost a wheelcover. There was some man who'd had a mental breakdown and moved home to the mountains who used to walk up and down the highway who found it and kept it for her.@@What.its.like.
Everyone just called them hub caps, but the internet's made everyone more pedantic. Of course when they'd issue a new set of tags every year, license plate collecting was big, too.@@What.its.like.
@@What.its.like.the TNT 440 was different than the regular 440. Take a look at some older literature and write ups on it. The TNT had a different cam profile (I'm saying wrong), different exhaust manifolds and standard dual exhaust. There were also two versions of the 383 although I don't think it was designated "TNT", but it might have been. I don't recall the specs on the 300s, it might have had the higher of the 383 standard - definitely was in 65, and the 440 was indeed the TNT. Standard 440 with the NYer had single exhaust, but retained the 4bbl Carter carburator. TNT was around for quite a few years - even in the s/w version. Back then, of all s/w's, many Chryslers had dual exhaust over GM & Ford products. Not sure the reason for that.
Chrysler, Lincoln, or Caddie? The Chrysler, hands down. That's not a car, it's a work of art. So much thought and detail went into the design of that car, as many other cars of that era. They were designed by humans. They were designed by hand--- not by computer programs. That's why they are so intriguing to look at, and why their looks withstand the test of time. Plus, they were built like tanks, and were so much fun to drive. The one you were showcasing looks to have the 383, I'm guessing. Great video. Thanks for posting.
Hi Jay!: Another FINE 1960's American automobile! Elwood Engle did a fine job of rehabbing the styling at Chrysler Corporation!! He is overshadowed by the biggies, though, such as Bill Mitchell, Raymond Lowey, and Brooks Stevens. This 1966 Chrysler has VERY interesting styling! But good looking! That car would be a pretty sporty device with that big 440 in it! I just LOVE hardtops! another body style that doesn't exist anymore. The dash styling is really interesting in this car! It is reminiscent of earlier speedo layouts, which I like a lot. WYR#1 Going to be Lincoln here! Even though Elwood was at Chrysler at this time, the update of his magnificent Lincoln is still a tremendously good looking car! #2 Going Chrysler 300 here! Especially that SWEET two-door hardtop in the picture!!
Totally agree thank you so much for sharing all that information and insight great choices as well My favorite engle design is the Chrysler turbine car.. I got to see one in person I did a Chrysler turbine car for the channel but I would really love to do that car again when the base gets bigger..
I was born in Detroit in March of 1955. My mom's side of the family all worked at Chrysler's Highland Park headquarters location. My dad's side all worked at the Ford Motor Company. Other than a 1957 blue and white Ford Country Sedan, that my uncle Bob owned, everyone else drove vehicles from the Chrysler Corporation. That'..s just the way it was in 50s Detroit and and everyone was proud to work at the Big Three. The entire family moved to Southern California in June of 1958. My dad bought a new 58 Dodge Custom Sierra wagon. It was red and white with black and white cloth and vinyl seats. We made the trip to California in that Dodge wagon. In the early 60s, I spent most of my time in the back seats of a 63 Chrysler Newport, 4 door hardtop. It was white with blue vinyl interior. My uncle Bob had a 64 Chrysler 300, 2 door hardtop. It was light blue with blue interior. My dad's Newport had one of those famous Chrysler rectangleur steering wheel. It had a 361 cid, uncle Bob's was a 383. They both had Chrysler's great Tourqueflight automatic transmission. They were both great cars. When the 65 square Chryslers arrived they were so much different than the 63,64 model years and I wasn't sure if I liked them or not, they were much bigger Chryslers and the push button drive was gone, and to me that was very disappointed. Luckily they still had the unique sounding Chrysler starters that to this day we still love. I think I liked the 65 the best, but I do like them all. In 1966, my uncle bought a new Imperial Crown. It was a 4 door hardtop, silver with silver cloth seats trimmed with black leather. In my opinion, the 64 through 66 Imperials were one of the best looking luxury cars that Detroit ever made. 66 was the first year the 440, was the standard engine for Imperial. For me to select my favorite cars in your servay is a tall order because I love them all, and they are all beautiful. Our last Chrysler was my dad's 69 300. It was an off white with medium blue vinyl top and interior. 69 was the first year for the Fuelsage styling and I really liked it. Dad's 69 300 was a 4 door hardtop and had the 440 cid under hood. In 1976, my parents bought a new Lincoln Town Car 4 door sedan. It was Dark Red Moondust Metallic with matching thick padded half vinyl top with coach lights on the B pillars. The interior was dark red velour with matching thick shagg carpet. It also had one of the best looking instrument panel of any car I have ever seen. Under hood the mighty Ford 460 cid, and it fit that huge Town Car perfectly. Lincoln did an excellent job with the quality of that Town Car. It made dad's 69 300 look small. Not many cars could make the 69 300 look small, but that Lincoln Town Car did. Thanks for your review of my favorite things in life, the Golden Age of American luxury cars.
Oh, God, I'm going to cop out and take all of them for WYR. I just can't narrow it down. The Chrysler cars by this time were a vast improvement over anything they offered five years earlier. The excesses were all gone. For me, the best parts of this car are the dash and the rear end treatment.
It would be a really hard choice that’s for sure I like the 68 with the flip up headlights and what they did to the back of the roof almost gives it like a semifast back look
there was actually a tissue dispenser in the glove box that came up - your camera was sitting on it - also the center of the dash had a "picnic tray" that came out below the radio, it was wide and had two ashtrays, a lighter, a coin holder and place to hold drinks
The color combinations were interesting in car during the 50s and 60s. This car has cream exterior and midnight blue interior. The center armrest in this 300 instead of a center counsel make this 300 a sportier version of the New Yorker
It was a stellar car seats were very comfortable space everywhere that’s a car that looks 1 million times better in person than on camera but I think my camera did a really good job of capturing the different lines and profiles of that car.
I OWNED A 1966 CHRYSLER 300. IT WAS WHITE WITH RED INTERA I GOT ABOUT 15 MPG I DROVE IT FROM NEW YORK CITY TO CALIFORNIA IT THE BEST CAR I HAVE EVEE OWNED MARVIN FROM UTAH
Every time l see these cars that were new when l was a kid, l once again, realize how lousy modern automotive design is... thanks for another great video.
@@What.its.like. It does. Design these days is driven by platforming, manufacturing costs and safety regulations. The good old days of rolling art are pretty much done... only some exotics and high end luxury cars (i.e. Rolls Royce) seem to push the envelope.
@@What.its.like. You mean to tell me, this ISN'T 1966?? and there ARE no more Chryslers like this being made?? NO WAY, can't be true - I REFUSE to believe it!
We had a turquoise-aqua 1967 Chrysler 300, 440ci V-8 Hemi sedan loaded, with a black rag top... My Pop bought it right after getting home from serving in Vietnam in October of that year.. I was born in 1968 and that was my "limo" for years.. I would give anything to get that car back!!
My dad bought a brand new 300, black 4dr hardtop, white sport interior, buckets console, pw, auto lights, was a pretty rare option in the day, he always got a kick out of people saying hey you forgot to turn your lights off, he would laugh and say thats ok it’s good for the battery and continue walking away 😂 my mom wasn’t afraid to have a dig from the lights with other cars, I loved it at 10yrs old. Got lots of comments from the day he bought it, it was, and still is, a very nice looking car. I sold it to one of my buddies after my dad passed in 97. Buddy still has it👍 My dad said it got 12mpg (Canadian gallons) tuned up, not tuned up, towing a holiday trailer, hwy or city driving, so he usually had another more fuel efficient car as well.
Maybe I'm just used to today's offerings, but I'm really surprised, at this being the top of the line Chrysler, that it doesn't have power window, seats and a/c as standard. Without the a/c plumbing though, look at how easy everything is to tinker with under the hood. My memory is shot, was it the 383 or the 440 that the sparkplugs went in upside down? That being said, the interior on this beast is beautiful. One thing about Chrysler, they know how to do interiors! LOL... Big and thirsty... weren't all big american luxo-barges that during this time? 🙂 WYR: 1) Gotta go with the Connie! 2) ohhhh, that '68 is hawt!
@justthink5854. Correct. The "non letter car" 300 was just a gussied up Newport. The original 300, which debuted in the 1955 model year, electrified the industry with designer Virgil Exner's "Forward Look," which tended toward long, low-slung and wide. GM and Ford played catch-up for years. The letter car 300s (300 B, 300 C, etc.) got their name from the power generated from their 351 c.i. Firepower V8. It was the fastest American full-sized car in those early years, raced (with success) at Daytona and LeMans. The car was based on a top-line New Yorker chassis, and with its souped-up mill, became known as "the bank manager's hot rod." Later versions of the letter cars, which were available as coupes only, featured futuristic interiors, including a version with four bucket seats and a full-length console. The letter cars were Chrysler's "halo" model, intended to get Dad to cross the street from the Cadillac dealer and check out that red Chrysler coupe in the window, which used twin four barrel carbs and cross-flow induction to deliver 140 mph. As usual, the bean counters screwed everything up. They applied the prestigious "300" badge, without a following letter, to (I believe) coupe-only variants of the low-end Newport, carrying over none of the letter car's performance enhancements. This faux-300 sold for thousands less than a letter-car version, but sullied the prestige of owning America's first muscle car.
Definitely a beautiful car!!! Scenario 1, I’d take the 1966 Lincoln. Scenario 2, I’d take the 1964 300, with the 68 coming a close second. Another great video Jay!!!
Yikes on the 64 Chryslers! Actually I think 63 & 4 were similar(?) Prior to that, say 57-62, the car's front clips were styled like human faces - frowning human faces. That was my indelible impression as a young kid. I feel like they stumbled the first couple of years under Engel, then for 65 was something completely new and refreshing.
Can remember checking out these cars when new at age 12 in our local Chrysler/Dodge/Plymouth dealer's showroom. Really like the 66 dashboard. Styling has a nice resemblance to the 61 Continental & 64 Imperial. 15:06 Is that the true mileage? Only 15,635?? WYR: -1- 66 Continental -2- 64 Chrysler 300, love that downsized body style.
Excellent video. The mid to late 60s Chryslers were a bit more restrained in their styling when compared with the ones from just few years earlier. The influence of other stylists are apparent in this 300.
These Engle era cars don't get enough attention. You should mention the Windsor (Canada market) line which was, in it's last year in '66, positioned between the New Yorker and the Newport.
My father bought a 1966 Chrysler 300 convertible in the late 70s. It was a cool car with the 383 4bbl. Unfortunately being an Ohio car, it had a ton of rust on the chassis and fenders. Not worth restoring. Contrast that to a 1968 Chrysler Newport convertible, a North Carolina car he later had. It had zero rust, not even up in the wheel wells, just the factory yellow paint after 20 years.
Looks like a fine place to go classic car shop'n, so i'll take one Lincoln, and the '68 300, love the cars, and the presentation, always turned the dial quickly when that song was on. . . :>/
I love that song if you grew up in 1966 that was one heck of a year for music.. there was so much to see on this car that doesn’t show up on pictures or in video frankly I tried to capture the car for what it was.. =) No episode today but tomorrow’s episode will be 1959 Oldsmobile dynamic 88 wagon
never really cared for the Chrystler luxury line but i know what goes into building cars this is a quality car. bright work is impeccable and none of the line and curves were eazy to pull off though it doesn't please my eye i can aperciate it anyway
These were 'big old tanks' in ride and handling with the bias ply tires of the time. The 300 was luxury and performance blended together,and even as heavy as they were by now they were surprisingly quick to accelerate. Well-balanced styling in 66 with the "w" shaped front and the recessed grille with a 'w' shaped rear. No A/C on this one though, but back then it was only standard in top-of-the-line cars and most cars didn't have it. Not sure you could sell cars here today without A/C it was an expensive option back in the mid-60's. Gas was cheap back then which was good as thirsty as these big old cars were, and 'premium' grade was always over 100 octane, with Sunoco stations offering blends which you set at the pump going to as high as 115 octane. By now automatic transmissions had fully matured into strong, reliable units and that's what most people bought. Manual transmissions were for base-model economy cars and for performance cars. Can't see anyone buying this car new wanting a 3-speed but if a 4-speed was offered it may have sold OK. The 300 was always something of a 'sleeper' and somewhat rare on the streets where I grew up because of the price and because the main market was luxury or performance, both of which could be bettered in comparison to the 300. It was a;ways special and it's sad that it's gone forever now.
My dad had a 1966 Newport sedan with a 383. I I love the Lincoln, who wouldn’t love such a classic, but the 300 is so rare. I would even take a New Yorker or settle for a loaded Newport. Such land yachts. Our neighbors had 1964 300 (maybe New Yorker). Never saw it as an expensive luxury car. We had a 1961 Valiant V200, with the wheel molding on the trunk lid and to 10 year old me they looked too much alike until you got inside. But I would have to take the 1968 300 coupe, I am a sucker for hidden headlights. My dad had a 1968 T-Bird with the 429 Thunder Jet.
@@What.its.like. I learning to drive when my dad bought the Thunderbird . My mom would let me get driving practice in her Slant 6 Valiant. To get on the expressway you had to floor it. So one day my dad offered to take me for some practice driving. I started to run in the house to get the keys to the Plymouth. Dad stopped me and said that we would take his car. He directed me to get on the expressway. So in true Slant 6 fashion I floored that massive 429 Thunder Jet and before I could take my foot off the accelerator I had laid 60 feet of rubber. My dad calmly said, “Son this car is a little more powerful than your Mom’s car.” I learned a valuable lesson, don’t panic when teaching someone to drive, just ask my son. We kept the T-Bird for my Mom and my sister and I took over the Valiant. Sister got another car (1970 LTD with a 390 for College) and so I drove the Valiant to high school, but got to take the Thunderbird on dates.
That’s awesome what a great story. Thank you so much for sharing that memory with us. =) I could only imagine what you felt when you floored the Thunderbird, and it just laid rubber. That was probably the first time you’ve ever experienced anything like that.
@@What.its.like. seats are very comfortable. Buckets in the front and a contoured rear seat. The swing away steering wheel makes gettin in and out easy. Wish ford would bring it back
Great video. U.S. cars of the '60s were vast compared to U.K. ones. Next month my sons are taking me to Drive Dad's Car, a museum of British cars from the '30s to the '90s where you can drive some of the collection. I'll be driving an Austin A40, the car my Dad had in 1966 when the Chrysler 300 came out on your side of the pond. It has a 1098cc engine & the whole car's so tiny it would probably fit in the passenger cabin of the 300. We went everywhere in it - & we were a family of six! 😮
My grandfather's Humber Super Snipe had a vast interior, redolent of leather and walnut burl. To a ten-year-old, it was like entering an Edwardian mansion.
I had a 1965 Chrysler 300 two door hardtop, it was not the L car. I bought it off a car lot for 200 dollars in 1987. I had to get new set of tires for it, a set of G-78-14 inch! Yes really! It had a 383 two barrel carb. I loved that car! Now there is one that turned up litterally two blocks from where I live. It looks to be in rough shape. I'm afraid to stop, and ask about it, because it might follow me home!
Hey! Great post! I love the 1960s Chryslers. The Chrysler Corporation was known for excellent engineering, unique styling and great performance. I can totally relate to your comment about the 65 300 a few blocks away. I have the same problem. Right now there's a black 1974 Ford Thunderbird down the street from me, also in pretty rough shape. But it's black, and I know there's a 460 underhood and I want to stop and put a note on it, but I also know I won't stop there. It's got to the point that I don't even have to buy one of my favorites, they seem to know and follow me home. But I'm sure, like you. I wouldn't want it any other way. Go get that 300, you have calling your name. We only live once.
Had to get that up there, lol. Despite being a little bit different design, I think somehow the 64 really says Chrysler, I like the 69 but it says Mopar
I have a friend (who currently resides in Pa.) who had a 66 (I think) either a Newport or New Yorker. This land yacht was just 2 tons of fun and he loved it! I do remember it had a 440 cube motor and 727 torqueflite. He was driving one day, and got horribly t-boned on the passenger side. I completely forgot Chrysler made these in the 4 door variety, and this one is a well preserved example. In your scenarios, I'd take the 66 Caddy, and the 68 Chrysler.
@@What.its.like. He was fine. The car is so big that the little car that hit him took the brunt of it. Not sure what happened to the driver of that car, but the driver did walk away from it.
My brother had the ‘66 Newport in 77 when he was working his way through graduate school. He kept getting rear edened at red lights ( even by big cars ) and they all folded and they hardly did anything to the back panel of the center of his trunk. The Chryslers of this era were built like tanks.
These are really beautiful automobiles , a very elegant design, inside and out, and the one in the af looks sporty as well. I can only imagine there were some of these pulling up in front of Caesar's Palace for the grand opening that year! In the first wyr, they are all beautiful, I'd take any, although I'd rather have the convertible if the Caddy, in the second, I'd definitely pick the '66 300, I like the it's styling over the other model years. 😎
I owned a ‘66 Continental coupé (the first coupé Lincoln since ‘60) and would 100% take it again over Chrysler and Cadillac. The Chrysler is a gorgeous car and would a close second.
My dad had a 66 Newport 2dr in the sixties and I was always in charge of washing and polishing it. Looking at the 300 today you can see it's obviously similar to the Newport/NY'er, but its also got some very different features too that aren't just stick-on extra chrome pieces, they're actually cut into the body! Like the front fender dual chrome pieces just above the lower chrome trim. Again, its not just stuck on there are actually body lines under them. The center of the hood - also same deal. The directional indicators are almost side marker lights and maybe they did that as a precursor to the 1968 fed required lighting. Also in a different location than the Newport/NYer. The grille is different - there was a big "C" in the center on Newport. The taillights are different although NOT AS different as the 67 where Chrysler totally changed the rear treatment. Interior is basically the same. I know my dad's did not have a/c or many electrically powered stuff - it had a rear defogger as I remember - not the defroster lines like modern vehicles, just a separate blower motor and thin vent register behind the rear seat. My dad's had a nice vinyl with cloth-inserts interior so as I recall it was pretty cool. I was never able to drive it as I was too young. I think my sister got it from my dad and she eventually sold it in the early 70s I'm thinking. The figure of 200 bucks comes to mind and that was the usual "old" vehicle in those days 😂
That’s awesome was it better than a 54 Cadillac =) I really like this car I think it’s unfortunate that it is kind of like the Oldsmobile Starfire of the bunch great cars that nobody knows about
My father had first a '65 6.3l NewYorker, then a '68 7.2l Town & Country. This was in Europe (Belgium), where Chrysler were of course extremely rare; but there was a firm tradition of American cars in my family and it ended only with the oil crisis of 1973-74 for obvious reasons. I must say that I strongly prefer the '65 style, much more restraint than the '66 (and, imho, more classy). But whaterver the styling, these were fabulous cars, extravagantly thirsty, but able to drive a family of 6, 700 miles/day at 100-120 mph without any difficulty - providing that you had not to use too much the brakes ;-).
If you ever review another Chrysler from 67 or earlier again something that you should have someone from the museum demonstrate are the counter threaded lug nuts on the wheels one side of the car that were an intended safety feature in case a driver didn’t fully tighten their nuts after changing tires. They were made to not loosen up at speed while driving on that side. Chrysler’s engineers really thought outside the box back then. Also if you ever have the chance to review this year’s Newport or New Yorker you gotta feature the ashtray console in the bottom of the dashboard where the extra instrumentation in the 300 is. It’s pretty deluxe.
I really like chrysler my favorite is the 68 newport. I love this dash I had a 62 chrysler. The only thing I can say being young in the 60s I needed better gas mileage so I had a 66 chevy conv 283 it it got 20 mpg and looked as good of coarse did not ride as well but I didn't change ball joints. Chrysler could eat ball joints and altinators distributer bushings and cd boxes.
I’ll take the 66 300 and the 68 300. Sounds like Cherish, Association. Two things, 1. you failed to mention the 300M. That was the last letter series introduced around 2000, the next three hundred was the C300. Also 2. No such thing as fannypacks in 66. 👍🤓
Awesome choices =) Really need to cover some more 300s this year as well as try to find some more imperials we’ve only done one imperial for the channel there’s just a really hard car to find here
65 was a complete new design, and the last of the HP rwd letter cars. The biggest mistake Chrysler made was dumbing the 300 down to a SPORT just above Newport but below New Yorker status. They should've called it a different name and not used 300 trim pieces for that car. The 50s Saratoga fit better. As a result, the real performance letter car sales were horrid from 62-64. 65s did a bit better. For 66, the 300 was not much more than a trim package on a Newport. If you wanted a true performance full sized car, you had to know which boxes to check, because nothing on a std 66 300 was HD.
Even the cheaper cars 50s-60s had lots of detailed decorations within the design, those types of the decorations now are near to impossible for the prices of the 50s, 60s
To me, the big Chryslers of this era had very light steering and brakes which made them feel effortless to drive. I would rather have the 1966 Cadillac Deville and 1964 Chrysler 300 (hoping it would have a cross ram 413), although honestly I'm not in love with any of those cars.
The over-boosted drum brakes were good for ONE stop from 100 mph. Until they cooled, the fade induced by hauling down 4400 lb. of Detroit iron made the brakes practically useless.
I went through public school drivers education in a similar vehicle. Extremely noisy really unbelievably noisy. Our teacher couldn't believe Chrysler would manufacture the vehicle and I think commented Chrysler was finished. Actually Chrysler got much worse before the remake of the corporation.
This 300 is a pretty low-optioned vehicle. The interior detail is nice though. I would venture to guess its got p/s, p/b, am radio, rear def and that's it. Standard 4bbl 383 w/dual exhaust. The interior wih bucket seats is pretty much the difference between it and a Newport for example. Edit: the 68 300 would be my choice!
I think it was 1977 or maybe 1978 I bought a Chrysler 300 convertible not far from where I live I’m in Venango county Pennsylvania and I paid $275 for that car drove it for over 11 years drove it to Dallas, Texas Houston, Colorado Springs Back to Houston back to Colorado Springs then to Denver and then to Seattle. Anyhow, it was the best car ever had the little 383 on the interstate was a monster anyway I was getting about 16 miles to a gallon. I knew how to tune it real. Well, that was a difference anyway yeah that was a a great automobile this is a Jim Mungai from Kennerdell, Pennsylvania
There is SO much detail on these older cars. DESIGN was always the focus. Today, it's like they use the same stamped mold for almost every car. Even the back of the Lexus, Mercedes, and BMW all look alike. The new (which really isn't) bug shaped rear-end design of 4 Dr. Sedans all look alike . This design was tried by GM in the 80'S (called the SALON) and was a failure. There's nothing sleek or attractive about it. Design sure isn't a priority.
Totally agree new cars look like generic blobs only available in certain exterior colors, and very limited interior colors When I was a kid in the 90s I remember going to big lots to get new carpet inserts ( floor mats that match interior of your car ) they had white black tan green blue red maroon all kinds of colors now there seems to be only two colors and they are rubber
Did I see a highway driving light tucked up in the grill next to driver's headlight? I know Dodge had them available in 1970, I have the 70 Monaco brochure downloaded. Edit: it's around 7:15-7:20 ish. And Dodge called it a "Super Lite" driving light.
Those are really nice cars. I had what they were copying. 1964 Olds Super 88. Olds had some advantages over the chryslers like coil springs. I would put a 64 star fire against the 300 even with the TNT engine on a road course, I think the Olds would compete and maybe even win. Starfires were the GM equivalent of the 300's.
Cherish , association
Yeah buddy, I absolutely love that song and I almost sang the part at the end
I can say I need you but then you’d realize that I want you just like a thousand other guys who say they love you.. lol
But I’m going to say that for a car i want to own
Damn... you beat me by one hour.
Too easy even though I am later to this video. This dates me. Born late 61
That song came out the same year as this 300.
@@61rampy65 je suis aussi rapide que ma voiture d’autrefois. Désolé à la prochaine mon ami
My brother Dave had a 1966 300 coupe. His had a burgundy interior. It had 4 bucket seats and a console that went from front to back. His was an early 1966. It had a 413 wedge head motor. A very fast and smooth car. BillD
What a beautiful car
Wow! Thank you Jay for bringing back my fantastic car memories of the 60s. At the time, my family only drove Chrysler vehicles. We had them all. Family gatherings looked like a Chrysler commercial. Elwood was a styling genius, and you're right, he doesn't get the fame that the others at the time got. Exner seems to be the one that gets it all. I was 10 years old in 1965, and I grew up in the back seat of Chryslers. I love the 62s, one of my uncles had a carmal colored 300 that I loved. It had the canted headlights, and the taillights are beyond description. But it was that Astrodome instrumentation with the Panelesent lilighting that had me memorized. Another uncle had a 64 300, light blue 2 door hardtop, it had the 383 underhood. I loved the new styling of the 65s, they were so elegant, much different than the 63/64 look. Then in 66 the look became more detailed and refined, gorgeous. However, we were sorry to see the push-button drive go, and the Panelesent lighting. Yet another uncle had a 66 tan with black interior Town and Country wagon, 383 duel exhaust that sounded fantastic. That car was huge. But so was his 66 Imperial, Crown a 4 door hardtop silver with silver cloth and black leather interior. Headlights under glass and taillights that were embedded in the rear bumper, in thin points below the squared off spare tire shape of the trunk. A 440 underwood, a beautiful, elegant sophisticated road car. Our last Chrysler was a 69 cream color with dark blue vinyl top and interior 300. A great looking car. Hidden headlights, a new dash with blue floodlights lighting the entire dash and front seat. Leave it to Chrysler. A 440 and duel exhaust sounded magnificent. After the 69, the family moved to Lincolns, there was one cranberry with white vinyl top and cranberry fine "Corinthian leather interior that Ricardo Montobon Cordobaon advertised on TV. We all drive cars from Ford Motor Company now, but I will always have a special place in my heart for the Chrysler Corporation. Back in the 60s, I had a cousin that worked in the clay styling dome in Highland Park Chrysler Corporation headquarters. He once gave me a tour of the dome while I was in Detroit. In any event, the Chryslers of the 1960s had styling all to their own. Compared to GM and Ford, Chrysler was in a class of it's own. I say that as a huge Ford man today. I just love those beautiful works of art from Ford and Chrysler, GM, not so much, I think GM should have been selling baked goods and still do. And after living with the cars of the 50s, 60s, and even the 70s, how are we supposed to live with the boring cars of today that all look like used bars of soap. I vote for the 300 in all the above choices. I noticed there wasn't a GM car in the contest, and for good reason. Thanks again!
Thank you so much for sharing those memories and experience with those cars sounds like you had a great childhood =)
General Motors owned the 1960s.. Bill Mitchell was a genius.. I suppose you missed the contest offering of the 1966 Cadillac.
I OWEND A 1966 CHRYSLER 300 2 DOOR HARD TOP PEARL WHITE WITH RED INTERIOR. IT HAD THE 383 WITH A 4 BARELL CARBORATOR. I DROVE IT FROM NEW YORK CITY TO SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA AND AVERAGED ABOUT 16 PER GALLPN. IT A 5 YEAR 50,000 WARINTY. IT WAS THE BEST CAR I HAVE EVER OWND. MARVIN FROM UTAH
Thanks for finding the 300 at the mall, nice luxurious classic car I would to own, I take this over a SUV any day, loved both dashes, like the 65 front better with the glass headlight covers as well as the 66 Imperial. A friend had a 67 New Yorker sedan , could almost fit 8 of us in those wide seats.That interior looks almost Imperial quality. First pick 66 Chrysler 300 , second 68 Chrysler 300. Song sounds like Cherish by the Association .
Yeah buddy that’s the name of the song and band somebody just beat you for it
It sucks I can’t find Chrysler 300s and when I do find them like I saw a bunch of Hershey that I really wish that I would’ve asked to do but they were behind ropes.. and I just didn’t ask.. if I’m honest there’s a couple cars that I’ve been holding out on because I wanted to perfect my craft more I wanted to get a better camera that shot better angles and gave better detail of what bodies look like now that I have that.. I want to go after some heavy hitters
Awesome choices
Chrysler everytime. Classy, attention to detail, beautiful styling
My late father owned a 1965 Chrysler New Yorker 4dr hardtop 413V8. Loved all mid 60s Chrysler s and cars of that era as a whole but the 65 Chrysler is my favorite❤
Got my license in a '65 like your Dad's. Pissed a friend of the family off when he let me drive his Caddy and I told him that it felt just like the New Yorker! My brother totaled the New Yorker, after which we got a '66 Lebaron. Best car that we ever owned.
I still prefer to drive sedans :) To me the 65/66 Chryslers were some of the best looking full size cars of the 60's, though I slightly prefer the 65 - and in particular love the 65 NY door handles (shared with the Imperial and not found in 66. The 66 300 excludive rear end though is very cool. Probably Engel's 2nd best design. I logged drive time in a 65 300 4dr with the optional 413, and that had some snap - this was in the early 80s, and it could dust off almost all then new cars with ease. Fingertip power steering, no road feel - whisper at the brakes or go through the windshield. But, once you got used to both, the thing could be hustled down a back road with surprising speed for such a large car - square, good visibility and easy enough to place once you were comfortable with the width (!) We kept 15" wheels, but ran radials. Really liked that car. Much more engaging than the 74 Newport I also drove - truly was an enormous barge, and that was about it - execpt that you could stuff even more teenagers inside (bench, not buckets). WYR: I never say this, but all please. If pressed, the Lincoln and the 68 300 (not as pure as the 66, but the hidden headlights.....)
Thank you so much Joe for sharing all of that insight and information and I literally laughed when you said whisper at the brakes and you go through the windshield that touchy..
My grandma has a Lincoln MKZ and she told me to move it the other day and it was an experience like that I barely touched the brake pedal and I almost went through the windshield I wasn’t even going that fast I was lot driving it.. I’m too tall for that car and I’m not really a fan because it’s very claustrophobic experience for me and I’m not a claustrophobic type of person I just don’t like that car the roof is too low my opinion tho
Isn't that funny what you mention about Chrysler power brakes - all the full size Chrysler products were like that in that time period as I remember. Put you right through the windshield! 🤣
As an ex-owner - 1970 and 1974 Chryslers, second a wagon - l have to agree about the ‘68 300 with hidden headlights. I was six when it was released, but obsessed like my brothers with these ‘vasties’ - particularly in metallic green. Ultra-style.
Nica 300! Thank you for featuring it, Jay. I'll take the Continental and '68 300.
WYR 1: All of them.
WYR 2: All of them.
If you find a 1965 Chrysler Imperial, that's what they used for the Black Beauty in the original Green Hornet show as well as in the Seth Rogen movie.
Awesome choices you can bet your ass if I find an imperial I’m gonna do it I’ve only been able to feature one imperial for the channel so far I’ve been working very hard car to find
@@What.its.like. Sure is.
What a gorgeous piece of art. I'd love to have one in my driveway. Thanks for sharing.
A former co-worker of mine presently owns a 1966 300 4 door hardtop , which he purchased over 15 years ago. My cars of choice here would be the 1966 Continental and the 1968 300.
Would the 66 Continental be a convertible?
I at one time liked convertibles but over time have decided to go with hardtops or sedans. The Continental was unique with its suicide doors which were available up to 1969. Their 4 door convertible was offered until 1967.@@jmad627
Yes! I'm that coworker! Thanks Ernie for recommending this channel and of course for recommending this particular episode. I love my 66 chrysler 300❤❤❤❤
I would have at one time chosen the convertible but over time decided I'd prefer the hardtop. The Continental offered a convertible until 1967, and suicide doors until 1969.@@jmad627
It seats about 20, so come-on, and bring your juke box money! 🌈 🎶 👑
Love shack baby =)
That's the car my grandparents had when I was born. Of course they were a lot younger than I am now! They had the 383 two door hardtop version, though.
That’s awesome I think this had to 383 in it I’m pretty sure it did because I don’t recall seeing TNT on the air cleaner..
Do you have any memories of the car
My grandparents had a car that they bought around when I was born and it became my first car they kept cars for 10+ years
I remember riding with Grandma when she hit a pothole in the rain while driving to see one of her sisters and she lost a wheelcover. There was some man who'd had a mental breakdown and moved home to the mountains who used to walk up and down the highway who found it and kept it for her.@@What.its.like.
Remember people used to collect wheel covers that is something gone forever.. I remember people would have wheel cover sales
Everyone just called them hub caps, but the internet's made everyone more pedantic.
Of course when they'd issue a new set of tags every year, license plate collecting was big, too.@@What.its.like.
@@What.its.like.the TNT 440 was different than the regular 440. Take a look at some older literature and write ups on it. The TNT had a different cam profile (I'm saying wrong), different exhaust manifolds and standard dual exhaust. There were also two versions of the 383 although I don't think it was designated "TNT", but it might have been. I don't recall the specs on the 300s, it might have had the higher of the 383 standard - definitely was in 65, and the 440 was indeed the TNT. Standard 440 with the NYer had single exhaust, but retained the 4bbl Carter carburator. TNT was around for quite a few years - even in the s/w version. Back then, of all s/w's, many Chryslers had dual exhaust over GM & Ford products. Not sure the reason for that.
Chrysler, Lincoln, or Caddie? The Chrysler, hands down. That's not a car, it's a work of art. So much thought and detail went into the design of that car, as many other cars of that era. They were designed by humans. They were designed by hand--- not by computer programs. That's why they are so intriguing to look at, and why their looks withstand the test of time. Plus, they were built like tanks, and were so much fun to drive. The one you were showcasing looks to have the 383, I'm guessing. Great video. Thanks for posting.
Totally agree thank you so much for digging the video =)
That 300 is quite a machine; Chrysler's powertrains were second to none.
Always loved the 300's. They were great cars, underappreciated.
Totally agree
Love the white interior, wish we could still get it❤❤
Hi Jay!: Another FINE 1960's American automobile! Elwood Engle did a fine job of rehabbing the styling at Chrysler Corporation!! He is overshadowed by the biggies, though, such as Bill Mitchell, Raymond Lowey, and Brooks Stevens. This 1966 Chrysler has VERY interesting styling! But good looking! That car would be a pretty sporty device with that big 440 in it! I just LOVE hardtops! another body style that doesn't exist anymore. The dash styling is really interesting in this car! It is reminiscent of earlier speedo layouts, which I like a lot. WYR#1 Going to be Lincoln here! Even though Elwood was at Chrysler at this time, the update of his magnificent Lincoln is still a tremendously good looking car! #2 Going Chrysler 300 here! Especially that SWEET two-door hardtop in the picture!!
Totally agree thank you so much for sharing all that information and insight great choices as well
My favorite engle design is the Chrysler turbine car.. I got to see one in person I did a Chrysler turbine car for the channel but I would really love to do that car again when the base gets bigger..
I was born in Detroit in March of 1955. My mom's side of the family all worked at Chrysler's Highland Park headquarters location. My dad's side all worked at the Ford Motor Company. Other than a 1957 blue and white Ford Country Sedan, that my uncle Bob owned, everyone else drove vehicles from the Chrysler Corporation. That'..s just the way it was in 50s Detroit and and everyone was proud to work at the Big Three. The entire family moved to Southern California in June of 1958. My dad bought a new 58 Dodge Custom Sierra wagon. It was red and white with black and white cloth and vinyl seats. We made the trip to California in that Dodge wagon. In the early 60s, I spent most of my time in the back seats of a 63 Chrysler Newport, 4 door hardtop. It was white with blue vinyl interior. My uncle Bob had a 64 Chrysler 300, 2 door hardtop. It was light blue with blue interior. My dad's Newport had one of those famous Chrysler rectangleur steering wheel. It had a 361 cid, uncle Bob's was a 383. They both had Chrysler's great Tourqueflight automatic transmission. They were both great cars. When the 65 square Chryslers arrived they were so much different than the 63,64 model years and I wasn't sure if I liked them or not, they were much bigger Chryslers and the push button drive was gone, and to me that was very disappointed. Luckily they still had the unique sounding Chrysler starters that to this day we still love. I think I liked the 65 the best, but I do like them all. In 1966, my uncle bought a new Imperial Crown. It was a 4 door hardtop, silver with silver cloth seats trimmed with black leather. In my opinion, the 64 through 66 Imperials were one of the best looking luxury cars that Detroit ever made. 66 was the first year the 440, was the standard engine for Imperial. For me to select my favorite cars in your servay is a tall order because I love them all, and they are all beautiful. Our last Chrysler was my dad's 69 300. It was an off white with medium blue vinyl top and interior. 69 was the first year for the Fuelsage styling and I really liked it. Dad's 69 300 was a 4 door hardtop and had the 440 cid under hood. In 1976, my parents bought a new Lincoln Town Car 4 door sedan. It was Dark Red Moondust Metallic with matching thick padded half vinyl top with coach lights on the B pillars. The interior was dark red velour with matching thick shagg carpet. It also had one of the best looking instrument panel of any car I have ever seen. Under hood the mighty Ford 460 cid, and it fit that huge Town Car perfectly. Lincoln did an excellent job with the quality of that Town Car. It made dad's 69 300 look small. Not many cars could make the 69 300 look small, but that Lincoln Town Car did. Thanks for your review of my favorite things in life, the Golden Age of American luxury cars.
Thank you so much for sharing all this information and insight =)
Oh, God, I'm going to cop out and take all of them for WYR. I just can't narrow it down.
The Chrysler cars by this time were a vast improvement over anything they offered five years earlier. The excesses were all gone. For me, the best parts of this car are the dash and the rear end treatment.
It would be a really hard choice that’s for sure I like the 68 with the flip up headlights and what they did to the back of the roof almost gives it like a semifast back look
Beauty of a car! Thanks for the coverage!
WYR: Lincoln, 1964 (stands out more rhan the later models). The later big Chryslers always make me think of the B-52s' "Love Shack" .
there was actually a tissue dispenser in the glove box that came up - your camera was sitting on it - also the center of the dash had a "picnic tray" that came out below the radio, it was wide and had two ashtrays, a lighter, a coin holder and place to hold drinks
Thank you so much for pointing that out =)
65 Dash
66 Lincoln and regret it forever...
68 300
and yes, 1966 was a great year for music...
Great choices =)
Cool '66, great vid!!!!!
WYR 1 Elwood’s Chrysler version 2 man I gotta go with the lidded lamps on 68. I am a sucker for anything with lids 😊
I like that I can employ the emergency brake at over 100 MPH! *Who's in control? I am!* Yeah baby!
Hahaha
Those 66 models are very nice. I’ve had a 65,67,and a 68, but not a 66. Always wanted to
That’s awesome out of the ones that you did have which one’s your favorite
Well, that one's only $20K. 🙂
@@What.its.like. The yellow 68 was probably my favorite.
The color combinations were interesting in car during the 50s and 60s. This car has cream exterior and midnight blue interior. The center armrest in this 300 instead of a center counsel make this 300 a sportier version of the New Yorker
That’s a real beauty! I’m leaning toward the 66, but would love either! 👍🏻
It was a stellar car seats were very comfortable space everywhere that’s a car that looks 1 million times better in person than on camera but I think my camera did a really good job of capturing the different lines and profiles of that car.
I OWNED A 1966 CHRYSLER 300. IT WAS WHITE WITH RED INTERA I GOT ABOUT 15 MPG I DROVE IT FROM NEW YORK CITY TO CALIFORNIA IT THE BEST CAR I HAVE EVEE OWNED MARVIN FROM UTAH
Every time l see these cars that were new when l was a kid, l once again, realize how lousy modern automotive design is... thanks for another great video.
There are some modern designs that have some nice body molding but it’s all seems to be like half hearted if that makes any sense..
@@What.its.like. It does. Design these days is driven by platforming, manufacturing costs and safety regulations. The good old days of rolling art are pretty much done... only some exotics and high end luxury cars (i.e. Rolls Royce) seem to push the envelope.
I need to go see my Chrysler dealer right now!! I'm going to order a '65 and '66 red convertible! LOVE both cars!
Haha nice I wish it was that easy Chrysler isn’t really around anymore if we’re honest just a super down water down version shell of their former self
@@What.its.like. You mean to tell me, this ISN'T 1966?? and there ARE no more Chryslers like this being made?? NO WAY, can't be true - I REFUSE to believe it!
We had a turquoise-aqua 1967 Chrysler 300, 440ci V-8 Hemi sedan loaded, with a black rag top... My Pop bought it right after getting home from serving in Vietnam in October of that year.. I was born in 1968 and that was my "limo" for years.. I would give anything to get that car back!!
Thank your pop for his service =) that car sounds super sweet
My dad bought a brand new 300, black 4dr hardtop, white sport interior, buckets console, pw, auto lights, was a pretty rare option in the day, he always got a kick out of people saying hey you forgot to turn your lights off, he would laugh and say thats ok it’s good for the battery and continue walking away 😂 my mom wasn’t afraid to have a dig from the lights with other cars, I loved it at 10yrs old. Got lots of comments from the day he bought it, it was, and still is, a very nice looking car. I sold it to one of my buddies after my dad passed in 97. Buddy still has it👍
My dad said it got 12mpg (Canadian gallons) tuned up, not tuned up, towing a holiday trailer, hwy or city driving, so he usually had another more fuel efficient car as well.
Maybe I'm just used to today's offerings, but I'm really surprised, at this being the top of the line Chrysler, that it doesn't have power window, seats and a/c as standard. Without the a/c plumbing though, look at how easy everything is to tinker with under the hood. My memory is shot, was it the 383 or the 440 that the sparkplugs went in upside down? That being said, the interior on this beast is beautiful. One thing about Chrysler, they know how to do interiors! LOL... Big and thirsty... weren't all big american luxo-barges that during this time? 🙂 WYR: 1) Gotta go with the Connie! 2) ohhhh, that '68 is hawt!
In the early to mid 1960 - 1966 about 20% of all cars in the U.S. had air-conditioning, Yep you're too used to today - -
@justthink5854. Correct. The "non letter car" 300 was just a gussied up Newport. The original 300, which debuted in the 1955 model year, electrified the industry with designer Virgil Exner's "Forward Look," which tended toward long, low-slung and wide. GM and Ford played catch-up for years. The letter car 300s (300 B, 300 C, etc.) got their name from the power generated from their 351 c.i. Firepower V8. It was the fastest American full-sized car in those early years, raced (with success) at Daytona and LeMans. The car was based on a top-line New Yorker chassis, and with its souped-up mill, became known as "the bank manager's hot rod."
Later versions of the letter cars, which were available as coupes only, featured futuristic interiors, including a version with four bucket seats and a full-length console. The letter cars were Chrysler's "halo" model, intended to get Dad to cross the street from the Cadillac dealer and check out that red Chrysler coupe in the window, which used twin four barrel carbs and cross-flow induction to deliver 140 mph.
As usual, the bean counters screwed everything up. They applied the prestigious "300" badge, without a following letter, to (I believe) coupe-only variants of the low-end Newport, carrying over none of the letter car's performance enhancements. This faux-300 sold for thousands less than a letter-car version, but sullied the prestige of owning America's first muscle car.
Definitely a beautiful car!!! Scenario 1, I’d take the 1966 Lincoln. Scenario 2, I’d take the 1964 300, with the 68 coming a close second. Another great video Jay!!!
Sweet choices =)
Yikes on the 64 Chryslers! Actually I think 63 & 4 were similar(?) Prior to that, say 57-62, the car's front clips were styled like human faces - frowning human faces. That was my indelible impression as a young kid. I feel like they stumbled the first couple of years under Engel, then for 65 was something completely new and refreshing.
Oh 300 Chrysler cool 😎
Can remember checking out these cars when new at age 12 in our local Chrysler/Dodge/Plymouth dealer's showroom. Really like the 66 dashboard. Styling has a nice resemblance to the 61 Continental & 64 Imperial. 15:06 Is that the true mileage? Only 15,635?? WYR: -1- 66 Continental -2- 64 Chrysler 300, love that downsized body style.
The website states mileage as 115,635.
It’s flipped over once 115,and change
Sweet choices
Excellent video. The mid to late 60s Chryslers were a bit more restrained in their styling when compared with the ones from just few years earlier. The influence of other stylists are apparent in this 300.
These Engle era cars don't get enough attention. You should mention the Windsor (Canada market) line which was, in it's last year in '66, positioned between the New Yorker and the Newport.
My father bought a 1966 Chrysler 300 convertible in the late 70s. It was a cool car with the 383 4bbl. Unfortunately being an Ohio car, it had a ton of rust on the chassis and fenders. Not worth restoring. Contrast that to a 1968 Chrysler Newport convertible, a North Carolina car he later had. It had zero rust, not even up in the wheel wells, just the factory yellow paint after 20 years.
Awesome =) thank you for sharing those cars with us
Looks like a fine place to go classic car shop'n, so i'll take one Lincoln, and the '68 300, love the cars, and the presentation, always turned the dial quickly when that song was on. . . :>/
I love that song if you grew up in 1966 that was one heck of a year for music.. there was so much to see on this car that doesn’t show up on pictures or in video frankly I tried to capture the car for what it was.. =)
No episode today but tomorrow’s episode will be 1959 Oldsmobile dynamic 88 wagon
never really cared for the Chrystler luxury line but i know what goes into building cars this is a quality car. bright work is impeccable and none of the line and curves were eazy to pull off though it doesn't please my eye i can aperciate it anyway
These were 'big old tanks' in ride and handling with the bias ply tires of the time. The 300 was luxury and performance blended together,and even as heavy as they were by now they were surprisingly quick to accelerate. Well-balanced styling in 66 with the "w" shaped front and the recessed grille with a 'w' shaped rear. No A/C on this one though, but back then it was only standard in top-of-the-line cars and most cars didn't have it. Not sure you could sell cars here today without A/C it was an expensive option back in the mid-60's. Gas was cheap back then which was good as thirsty as these big old cars were, and 'premium' grade was always over 100 octane, with Sunoco stations offering blends which you set at the pump going to as high as 115 octane. By now automatic transmissions had fully matured into strong, reliable units and that's what most people bought. Manual transmissions were for base-model economy cars and for performance cars. Can't see anyone buying this car new wanting a 3-speed but if a 4-speed was offered it may have sold OK. The 300 was always something of a 'sleeper' and somewhat rare on the streets where I grew up because of the price and because the main market was luxury or performance, both of which could be bettered in comparison to the 300. It was a;ways special and it's sad that it's gone forever now.
My dad had a 1966 Newport sedan with a 383. I
I love the Lincoln, who wouldn’t love such a classic, but the 300 is so rare. I would even take a New Yorker or settle for a loaded Newport. Such land yachts.
Our neighbors had 1964 300 (maybe New Yorker). Never saw it as an expensive luxury car. We had a 1961 Valiant V200, with the wheel molding on the trunk lid and to 10 year old me they looked too much alike until you got inside.
But I would have to take the 1968 300 coupe, I am a sucker for hidden headlights. My dad had a 1968 T-Bird with the 429 Thunder Jet.
Great choices what was that Thunderbird like? I’ve never been in a 68 Thunderbird I’m hoping to find one this year was it a four-door or a two-door?
@@What.its.like. I learning to drive when my dad bought the Thunderbird . My mom would let me get driving practice in her Slant 6 Valiant. To get on the expressway you had to floor it. So one day my dad offered to take me for some practice driving. I started to run in the house to get the keys to the Plymouth. Dad stopped me and said that we would take his car. He directed me to get on the expressway. So in true Slant 6 fashion I floored that massive 429 Thunder Jet and before I could take my foot off the accelerator I had laid 60 feet of rubber. My dad calmly said, “Son this car is a little more powerful than your Mom’s car.” I learned a valuable lesson, don’t panic when teaching someone to drive, just ask my son.
We kept the T-Bird for my Mom and my sister and I took over the Valiant. Sister got another car (1970 LTD with a 390 for College) and so I drove the Valiant to high school, but got to take the Thunderbird on dates.
That’s awesome what a great story. Thank you so much for sharing that memory with us. =)
I could only imagine what you felt when you floored the Thunderbird, and it just laid rubber. That was probably the first time you’ve ever experienced anything like that.
@@What.its.like. seats are very comfortable. Buckets in the front and a contoured rear seat. The swing away steering wheel makes gettin in and out easy. Wish ford would bring it back
As "Maybe I'm Amazed" plays in the background. 👍🏾😊
Great pick up on that
Great video.
U.S. cars of the '60s were vast compared to U.K. ones. Next month my sons are taking me to Drive Dad's Car, a museum of British cars from the '30s to the '90s where you can drive some of the collection. I'll be driving an Austin A40, the car my Dad had in 1966 when the Chrysler 300 came out on your side of the pond. It has a 1098cc engine & the whole car's so tiny it would probably fit in the passenger cabin of the 300. We went everywhere in it - & we were a family of six! 😮
My grandfather's Humber Super Snipe had a vast interior, redolent of leather and walnut burl. To a ten-year-old, it was like entering an Edwardian mansion.
I had a 1965 Chrysler 300 two door hardtop, it was not the L car. I bought it off a car lot for 200 dollars in 1987. I had to get new set of tires for it, a set of G-78-14 inch! Yes really! It had a 383 two barrel carb. I loved that car! Now there is one that turned up litterally two blocks from where I live. It looks to be in rough shape. I'm afraid to stop, and ask about it, because it might follow me home!
Hey! Great post! I love the 1960s Chryslers. The Chrysler Corporation was known for excellent engineering, unique styling and great performance. I can totally relate to your comment about the 65 300 a few blocks away. I have the same problem. Right now there's a black 1974 Ford Thunderbird down the street from me, also in pretty rough shape. But it's black, and I know there's a 460 underhood and I want to stop and put a note on it, but I also know I won't stop there. It's got to the point that I don't even have to buy one of my favorites, they seem to know and follow me home. But I'm sure, like you. I wouldn't want it any other way. Go get that 300, you have calling your name. We only live once.
66 Lincoln Continental 66 Chrysler 300. My third grade teacher had one of these 66 Chryslers
Sweet =)
I'll take the 68 300 fastback with hidden headlights and rear speaker with reverb option for surround sound from back in the day Justin 👍
Sweet choice I need to find one of those
Looking at buying on right now. Not too many across the pond here though
Cherish by The Association. I'd chose the Lincoln and either the 64 or 69 :D
Had to get that up there, lol. Despite being a little bit different design, I think somehow the 64 really says Chrysler, I like the 69 but it says Mopar
Awesome choices yeah it is cherish by the association but somebody just beat you for title. =)
lol, all good@@What.its.like.
I have a friend (who currently resides in Pa.) who had a 66 (I think) either a Newport or New Yorker. This land yacht was just 2 tons of fun and he loved it! I do remember it had a 440 cube motor and 727 torqueflite. He was driving one day, and got horribly t-boned on the passenger side. I completely forgot Chrysler made these in the 4 door variety, and this one is a well preserved example. In your scenarios, I'd take the 66 Caddy, and the 68 Chrysler.
Did he survive the accident
Great choices
@@What.its.like. He was fine. The car is so big that the little car that hit him took the brunt of it. Not sure what happened to the driver of that car, but the driver did walk away from it.
My brother had the ‘66 Newport in 77 when he was working his way through graduate school. He kept getting rear edened at red lights ( even by big cars ) and they all folded and they hardly did anything to the back panel of the center of his trunk. The Chryslers of this era were built like tanks.
Personally I like the 65 chrysler body style. I'll take the 66 in the first would you rather and the 64 in the second would you rather.
These are really beautiful automobiles , a very elegant design, inside and out, and the one in the af looks sporty as well. I can only imagine there were some of these pulling up in front of Caesar's Palace for the grand opening that year! In the first wyr, they are all beautiful, I'd take any, although I'd rather have the convertible if the Caddy, in the second, I'd definitely pick the '66 300, I like the it's styling over the other model years. 😎
I know right did you see the pictures of Caesar’s palace in the middle of on where doesn’t look like that now
@@What.its.like. yes
In 66 this looked good and even a few years later it did not look dated
You finally did one on one of my favorites and it would be a 66 coupe
More 60s this year =)
I owned a ‘66 Continental coupé (the first coupé Lincoln since ‘60) and would 100% take it again over Chrysler and Cadillac. The Chrysler is a gorgeous car and would a close second.
Awesome =)
I had a 68 newport rag top 383 auto nice riding car
Sweet =)
My dad had a 66 Newport 2dr in the sixties and I was always in charge of washing and polishing it. Looking at the 300 today you can see it's obviously similar to the Newport/NY'er, but its also got some very different features too that aren't just stick-on extra chrome pieces, they're actually cut into the body! Like the front fender dual chrome pieces just above the lower chrome trim. Again, its not just stuck on there are actually body lines under them. The center of the hood - also same deal. The directional indicators are almost side marker lights and maybe they did that as a precursor to the 1968 fed required lighting. Also in a different location than the Newport/NYer. The grille is different - there was a big "C" in the center on Newport. The taillights are different although NOT AS different as the 67 where Chrysler totally changed the rear treatment. Interior is basically the same. I know my dad's did not have a/c or many electrically powered stuff - it had a rear defogger as I remember - not the defroster lines like modern vehicles, just a separate blower motor and thin vent register behind the rear seat. My dad's had a nice vinyl with cloth-inserts interior so as I recall it was pretty cool. I was never able to drive it as I was too young. I think my sister got it from my dad and she eventually sold it in the early 70s I'm thinking. The figure of 200 bucks comes to mind and that was the usual "old" vehicle in those days 😂
Awesome story/information and insight thank you so much for sharing that = )
My grandma had a similar car that n the 1970s. It took the place of a 1954 Cadillac.
That’s awesome was it better than a 54 Cadillac =)
I really like this car I think it’s unfortunate that it is kind of like the Oldsmobile Starfire of the bunch great cars that nobody knows about
Family friend had the 66 New Yorker I was 6 that car seemed like a boat compared to my parents 62 Bel Air
Precious and Few
That is a great song I absolutely love that song by the climax blues band but it’s not that song
That was my first thought too. Then I remembered that was around 1972...
Cool cars! Wouldn't be practical for me at less than 10 mpg in these times.
My father had first a '65 6.3l NewYorker, then a '68 7.2l Town & Country. This was in Europe (Belgium), where Chrysler were of course extremely rare; but there was a firm tradition of American cars in my family and it ended only with the oil crisis of 1973-74 for obvious reasons. I must say that I strongly prefer the '65 style, much more restraint than the '66 (and, imho, more classy). But whaterver the styling, these were fabulous cars, extravagantly thirsty, but able to drive a family of 6, 700 miles/day at 100-120 mph without any difficulty - providing that you had not to use too much the brakes ;-).
All '65 Chryslers featured cool tempered glass "windows" to protect the headlights.
If you ever review another Chrysler from 67 or earlier again something that you should have someone from the museum demonstrate are the counter threaded lug nuts on the wheels one side of the car that were an intended safety feature in case a driver didn’t fully tighten their nuts after changing tires. They were made to not loosen up at speed while driving on that side. Chrysler’s engineers really thought outside the box back then. Also if you ever have the chance to review this year’s Newport or New Yorker you gotta feature the ashtray console in the bottom of the dashboard where the extra instrumentation in the 300 is. It’s pretty deluxe.
I really like chrysler my favorite is the 68 newport. I love this dash I had a 62 chrysler. The only thing I can say being young in the 60s I needed better gas mileage so I had a 66 chevy conv 283 it it got 20 mpg and looked as good of coarse did not ride as well but I didn't change ball joints. Chrysler could eat ball joints and altinators distributer bushings and cd boxes.
I LAUGHED SO HARD With the Fanny Pack Feature. LOLOLOL
Haha =)
I almost took that part out and put it in as a blooper
Mine was white with a black vinyl top 2 dr. it had a 383 with power bucket seat.
My boss had a 66 Chrysler Newport that had the 383 awesome car and he had a 71 Chrysler Imperial that was a big car. 66 Chrysler - 68 Chrysler
I’ll take the 66 300 and the 68 300. Sounds like Cherish, Association. Two things, 1. you failed to mention the 300M. That was the last letter series introduced around 2000, the next three hundred was the C300. Also 2. No such thing as fannypacks in 66. 👍🤓
I wasn’t sure when Danny packs became a thing I thought it was more 80s but not sure lol
Thank you so much for adding that information =)
Super! Didn't the 300 offer a 4 speed, also?
I didn’t see one but possible
I was born in Detroit in March of 1grew up in a total Chrysler family
1st WYR: 66 Lincoln.
2nd WYR: All three!
Awesome choices =)
Really need to cover some more 300s this year as well as try to find some more imperials we’ve only done one imperial for the channel there’s just a really hard car to find here
I would have liked to have seen the Turbine Car body, but the 300 looks nice
Thanks for this one... I'd take the 1966 Cadillac and the 1968 300
Sweet choices
65 was a complete new design, and the last of the HP rwd letter cars. The biggest mistake Chrysler made was dumbing the 300 down to a SPORT just above Newport but below New Yorker status. They should've called it a different name and not used 300 trim pieces for that car. The 50s Saratoga fit better. As a result, the real performance letter car sales were horrid from 62-64. 65s did a bit better. For 66, the 300 was not much more than a trim package on a Newport. If you wanted a true performance full sized car, you had to know which boxes to check, because nothing on a std 66 300 was HD.
Like almost always, impossible list of choices. I couldn't make a choice to save my life. I like em all!
Haha nice =)
Bilstein shocks make a world of difference
How much does this vendor sell it for now-?
Beautiful car.
I’m not sure.. I’m pretty sure I linked in description. I’m not sure what it sold for.
Very similar to a 1960s Buick. Styling by Elwood Engel.
Even the cheaper cars 50s-60s had lots of detailed decorations within the design, those types of the decorations now are near to impossible for the prices of the 50s, 60s
Those Chrysler 300’s were rare
I grew up in a small town next to a medium town
I don’t remember seeing 300’s back then
WYR 1966 Chrysler for both choices.
To me, the big Chryslers of this era had very light steering and brakes which made them feel effortless to drive. I would rather have the 1966 Cadillac Deville and 1964 Chrysler 300 (hoping it would have a cross ram 413), although honestly I'm not in love with any of those cars.
The over-boosted drum brakes were good for ONE stop from 100 mph. Until they cooled, the fade induced by hauling down 4400 lb. of Detroit iron made the brakes practically useless.
I went through public school drivers education in a similar vehicle. Extremely noisy really unbelievably noisy. Our teacher couldn't believe Chrysler would manufacture the vehicle and I think commented Chrysler was finished. Actually Chrysler got much worse before the remake of the corporation.
I love you man
This 300 is a pretty low-optioned vehicle. The interior detail is nice though. I would venture to guess its got p/s, p/b, am radio, rear def and that's it. Standard 4bbl 383 w/dual exhaust. The interior wih bucket seats is pretty much the difference between it and a Newport for example. Edit: the 68 300 would be my choice!
I think it was 1977 or maybe 1978 I bought a Chrysler 300 convertible not far from where I live I’m in Venango county Pennsylvania and I paid $275 for that car drove it for over 11 years drove it to Dallas, Texas Houston, Colorado Springs Back to Houston back to Colorado Springs then to Denver and then to Seattle. Anyhow, it was the best car ever had the little 383 on the interstate was a monster anyway I was getting about 16 miles to a gallon. I knew how to tune it real. Well, that was a difference anyway yeah that was a a great automobile this is a Jim Mungai from Kennerdell, Pennsylvania
Awesome story thank you so much for sharing those memories
There is SO much detail on these older cars. DESIGN was always the focus. Today, it's like they use the same stamped mold for almost every car. Even the back of the Lexus, Mercedes, and BMW all look alike. The new (which really isn't) bug shaped rear-end design of 4 Dr. Sedans all look alike . This design was tried by GM in the 80'S (called the SALON) and was a failure. There's nothing sleek or attractive about it. Design sure isn't a priority.
Totally agree new cars look like generic blobs only available in certain exterior colors, and very limited interior colors
When I was a kid in the 90s I remember going to big lots to get new carpet inserts ( floor mats that match interior of your car ) they had white black tan green blue red maroon all kinds of colors now there seems to be only two colors and they are rubber
Did I see a highway driving light tucked up in the grill next to driver's headlight? I know Dodge had them available in 1970, I have the 70 Monaco brochure downloaded. Edit: it's around 7:15-7:20 ish. And Dodge called it a "Super Lite" driving light.
I was trying to figure out what that was.. I wasn’t sure if it was a sensor for the automatic headlight
‘69 for Dodge
@@What.its.like. I was wondering what that was, too. I like your idea of an automatic headlight sensor.
Those are really nice cars. I had what they were copying. 1964 Olds Super 88. Olds had some advantages over the chryslers like coil springs. I would put a 64 star fire against the 300 even with the TNT engine on a road course, I think the Olds would compete and maybe even win. Starfires were the GM equivalent of the 300's.
Totally agree just like Dangerfield these vehicles get no respect..
So was the Buick Wildcat
Awful transmission, good brakes though@@MarinCipollina
They are huge and floated down the highway.
Yeah love floaty car soaks up all the bumps in the road and just cruises
We have one of those beauties😎
Awesome how do you like yours
@@What.its.like. Yes i like it, very nice summercar, enjoying so much to drive with it :)
Why are there no electric power windows? Though 300's were top of line
This is a trim level only, not to be confused with the 300 letter series.
66 lincoln, 66 300
Sweet choices both designed by engle