Chrysler 300 letter series
Chrysler 300 stands for a series of passenger car models from Chrysler Corporation or DaimlerChrysler AG that has existed since 1955 . Originally introduced as a sporty two-door, the current models are four-door sedans . Due to the additional letter in the name that used to change annually, the original 300 were also called "Letter Cars".
year for year
1955: 300 / C-300 (Series C68-300)
The Chrysler 300 was presented in 1955 and was to become the new workhorse ("image car") of the Chrysler model range. The design harmonized with the other Chrysler vehicles of the time; not least because many parts from existing productions were used for cost reasons. Basically the new model was based on the Chrysler New Yorker , with the rear section of the Chrysler Windsor . Parts of the front and the dashboard came from the Chrysler Imperial . The engine was a Hemi V8 with a displacement of 5.7 liters. It was a further development of the 5.4-liter "Firepower" V8 presented in 1951, the first V8 in Chrysler's range. With an output of 220 kW , the 300 was considered the most powerful American series vehicle; DaimlerChrysler later dubbed it “the world's most powerful production sedan at the time”. 37 victories and a speed record (205 km / h in Daytona Beach ) in races of NASCAR and the American Automobile Association confirmed the advertised performance. The model name "300" was originally given. Later it was renamed the C-300 , the C should stand for Coupé , the 300 indicated the power of 300 bhp . In view of the later letter cars, the 300A would have been conceivable, which is why you occasionally come across this (incorrect) designation. 1725 1955 Chrysler 300 were produced.
1956: 300B (Series C72-300)
In 1956 the 300B appeared with the changes to the body that are common in the USA every year. a. the tail fins got a little higher. The customer could choose between two 5.8-liter V8s (254 or 265 kW) and in addition to the existing 2- speed automatic transmission , a 3-speed automatic and a 3-speed manual transmission were introduced. The racing successes of the previous year were continued and at the “ Daytona Speed Week ” a 300B reached 230 km / h. 1102 vehicles were produced.
1957: 300C (Series C76-300)
The 300C appeared for the 1957 model year . The design of the vehicle had been completely redesigned. Like all large Chrysler models, the 300C had a front mask that was inclined to the front, the "forward look". The tall tail fins rose in a straight line. Its design went back directly to the Ghia Gilda , a 1955 by Giovanni Sovanuzzi designed show car for Carrozzeria Ghia , which had a great influence on Virgil Exner when it was presented . The 300C was also available as a convertible . The output was increased to 280 kW with 6.4 liters displacement, in a small edition of 18 vehicles the engine was brought to 290 kW. In total, sales rose to 2402 vehicles.
1958: 300D (LC3-S series)
In 1958, the previous Hemi -V8 was used for the last time in the 300D . The standard this year was a displacement of 6.4 liters and the output was 283 kW. For the first time in the company's history, Chrysler equipped 35 vehicles with an electronic injection system that was supposed to deliver 290 kW, but proved to be prone to failure. Most of these systems were replaced by the usual double carburetors. Sales collapsed to 809 vehicles, which is attributed to the poor economic situation at the time.
1959: 300E (MC3-H series)
In 1959 the 300E came with a 6.8 liter V8. In contrast to the previous Hemi, the engine had wedge-shaped combustion chambers and was around 45 kg lighter with almost identical performance. However, the Hemi engines enjoyed great popularity, so that their discontinuation and the continued poor economic situation caused sales to drop to 647 vehicles.
1960: 300F (series PC3-300)
In 1960 the performance was increased again. The same 6.8-liter V8 in the 300F now developed 276 kW (375 gross SAE-HP ) - thanks to a special intake system ("cross-ram"), high output was achieved even in low engine speeds. A 300 kW (400 gross SAE-HP) motor was optionally available. This had an optimized camshaft for different timing and more powerful valves. An exhaust system and an air filter with lower resistance as well as a two-point ignition distributor , special spark plugs and two quadruple carburettors. The intake manifold was modified in such a way that the two carburettors were each mounted on one side of the engine, each with its own air filter, thus supplying the engine with a mixture crosswise. The suction path was about 76 cm long as a result.
The angular shape of the new self-supporting body (“unibody”) was adapted to the taste of that time. The grill was given the now typical Chrysler shape with a "plus-shaped" cross made of chrome clips. Only in this model year did the 300 have a suggested spare wheel cover on the trunk lid, but this was just a design element with no practical utility. 1217 of these models were sold, 969 of which were hardtops and 248 were convertibles.
1961: 300G (series RC4-P)
.jpg)
In 1961, the changes to the 300G were largely optical in nature. The front section has been heavily redesigned, a new "face" should convince potential buyers. The grill changed its orientation, which previously looked like an indicated "A" in a now indicated "V" shape. The headlights took up this shape and the angle and were no longer arranged side by side, but now diagonally one above the other. The rear lights were no longer in the tail fins, but slipped into the rear panel over the bumper. The 300G had a 0-150 mph speedometer with single mph graduation. The buyer could optionally order an air conditioning system, an electric six-way adjustment of the front seats as well as externally adjustable exterior mirrors. The engines were the same as in the previous year, only a new three-speed transmission was available. Instead of the previous manual four-speed gearbox Pont-a-Mousson, Chrysler's own TorqueFlite three-speed gearbox was used. The 300G had 8.0 x 15 inch wheels with Goodyear Blue Streak Super Sport high-performance tires. 1617 300G, 1280 hardtops and 337 convertibles were sold. This year was the most successful since its introduction in 1955.
1962: 300H (SC2-M series)
In the 1962 model year, some innovations were introduced: In addition to the 300H , still a sporty luxury coupé or convertible, the entry-level Chrysler 300 (without code letters) was presented as a "non-letter series". This replaced the previous Windsor series. The equipment was simpler than the H models, and while these were still equipped with the 6.8-liter V8 with 380 gross SAE-HP, the 300 was available with a 6.3-liter V8 on request. The 300 models were also available with four doors for the first time. Both series were visually similar. The strong reduction in the tail fins, which were only present as a hint, was striking. Instead of the Chrysler New Yorker, both series now had the Windsor as their base, which resulted in a weight saving. Only 558 units of the 300H (435 hardtops and 123 convertibles) were produced, with 25,020 units of the 300 much more. The base price of the 300 was 3323 USD , the 300H was available from USD 5090 as a hardtop and from USD 5461 as a convertible.
1963: 300J (TC2-M series)
For 1963, the 300J models (the letter I had been skipped) became more rounded and there were no tail fins at all, the body became more straightforward. The headlights were now sitting next to each other again, the grill retained its basic shape, the upper corners were now more pointed. The 300J was given a rectangular shape. Power steering, brake booster and power windows were standard. The luxury series 300J consisted only of the two-door coupé, while the 300 was still available as a convertible, two- and four-door model. The four-door sedan, however, was actually the Chrysler Saratoga , which was offered as Chrysler 300 on the Canadian market. The engines remained the same, with the 6.8-liter V8 the output had been increased slightly to 390 gross SAE-HP, which meant that the car needed around eight seconds from 0 to approx. 100 km / h. The top speed was 228 km / h. 400 copies of the 300J were produced.
1964: 300K (series VC2-M)
The 300K came back in 1964 with two old virtues: tail fins adorned the rear, at least to some extent, and you got a convertible again in the Letter Series. Thanks to a somewhat simpler interior and a less complex base engine, the entry-level price fell by over $ 1,000 compared to the previous year's model to $ 4,056 for the hardtop coupé and $ 4,522 for the convertible. The 6.8-liter V8 now had a standard intake and a single four-chamber carburetor, resulting in an output of 268 kW. The “cross-ram” engine was still available for an extra charge, for which the customer then received 290 (gross) kW. Sales rose to 3647, which were split between 3022 hardtops and 625 convertibles.
1965: 300L (series AC2-P)
The last representative of the classic Letter series appeared in this model year. With its straight lines, the design was adapted to the zeitgeist in the mid-1960s. It differed significantly from the previous model years. The grill stretched across the entire width of the vehicle and enclosed the headlights. The rear wheelhouses received covers so that only around half of the rear wheel was visible. The exterior mirrors slide from the top of the front fenders onto the doors. The 6.8-liter V8 was no longer available with the Cross-Ram package, and the 300 models were available with all the extras of the letter cars. The only difference between a fully equipped 300 and a 300L was the nameplate. The usual body styles and engines were largely retained (except for the Cross-Ram). 2845 Chrysler 300L left the production facilities, 2405 as a hardtop coupé and 440 as a convertible.
1970: Hurst 300 (FC-M series)
In 1970 there was a high-performance car for the first time in addition to the normal "300". A sporty special model modified by the Hurst Performance Group, the 300 Hurst , visually differed from the large series by a two-tone paint finish in white and gold, the bonnet and trunk lid were made of fiberglass. At the front, an air inlet provided fresh air in the interior (not for the engine) and the tailgate had an integrated spoiler that did not disturb the sideline of the 5.7 m long body. The engine was a relative to the mass slightly uprated 7.2-liter V8, the 645 Nm of torque at 3,200 min -1 delivered while 280 kW (375 gross SAE-HP). The power was transmitted with the only available TorqueFlite automatic transmission, which was enough for the car to reach 100 km / h in 7.1 seconds. That the car weighed around 2.2 tons should be mentioned. The chassis, with a wheelbase of approx. 3.15 m, was adapted to the high driving performance and also received front disc brakes with brake booster. 485 Hurst special models were produced in 1970 and sold for $ 4,234.
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ The C-300 ( Memento of the original from March 21, 2008 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. in Chrysler's history
- ↑ Octane Magazine, 4/2010
- ↑ a b c d e f g Gunnell, John, 1947-: Standard guide to American muscle cars: [a supercar source book, 1960-2005] . 4th edition. KP Books, Iola, Wisconsin 2005, ISBN 0-87349-988-3 .
