Before we get into the car, I’d like to point out that the ad for this 1955 Chrysler C-300 for sale on Hemmings.com is the type of ad that sells cars: lengthy description, illustrative and good-sized photos, and a short video that shows the car running and gives a quick walkaround. As for the car itself, it may look a little rough, but it’s also a solid and complete car, which makes it a pretty good foundation for a project car. From the seller’s description:
one of 1725 made, and one of 299 currently known to exist.
Prior to my acquiring it, this car sat untouched for 26 years awaiting restoration in central Colorado. Before that, it was a Utah car for all of its life, and was last registered in Moab.
The majority of C-300s were white, but this car is an original Tango Red car – the rarest production color – that received a cheap white respray sometime in the 1960′s or 70′s.
This car is a remarkable find due to how complete and original it is. Naturally, a car this old which has been sitting this long needs a complete restoration, and this car is no exception. However – finding one this complete, correct, and un-violated to restore is not typically possible anymore.
Some highlights: * VIN tag and data plate present and matching. Scheduled build date June 11, 1955. * Engine compartment is very close to “as-delivered,” i.e. numbers-matching and date-coded * Correct, original 300 block, stamped 3NE552580 * Original “555″ heads, adjustable rockers, and original, gold, dimpled, 300-only covers * Original dual Carter 2317S WCFBs with dated tags, original lines, linkage and filters * Original, unrusted and undented batwing air cleaner * Original 300-only master cylinder and booster * Original, dated 1541641 radiator * Original dated Autolite EB4006 fuel pump, 1343231 generator, 1604480 starter, 1658989 distributor, etc. * All firewall markings and inspection stampings are well-preserved * All 300-only features are in place. 150 mph speedometer. Tan leather (front seat appears to have been recovered). Unique front and rear bumperettes. Turn signals. HD suspension, etc. * All trim and emblems are present and in fair-to-excellent shape. Pot metal pieces are very nice and show their dry western origins. The grille fascia “CHRYSLER” lettering is not shown on the car in all pictures, but I do have a nice set that goes with. * Many parts were replaced in order to get the car to run and drive (detailed further below). In the event a nut, bolt, hose or line was replaced, the old part was also saved when possible. This includes fuel lines, brake lines, distributor parts, fuel tank, starter, relays, regulators, etc.
I spent a couple of months going through the cars’ major systems to make sure that it is a sound platform for restoration. This process entailed partially restoring some items, and fully restoring others – while ignoring some altogether. The result is a car that runs and drives, albeit not one that you could take very far; my goal was not to make a driver, but to make sure the major systems were sound, i.e. no cracked blocks, heads, fragged transmissions, warped/oversize drums, etc. Again, the highlights:
- Engine: Carbs completely overhauled and blueprinted. New plugs, tube seals, OE-style plug wires, filters, belts and fluids. New Airtex fuel pump, regulated down to 3psi. ’56 gas tank thoroughly cleaned and installed with new hoses. Ignition converted to 12v with Pertronix pickup and coil; ’56 12v relays and regulator used along with freshly rebuilt ’56 12v starter. Generator professionally overhauled. New reproduction MoPar Gel battery. Engine wiring shorn-up only as necessary. Minimal exhaust system installed. Result: Engine starts, runs, and idles well with very little smoke, but shows little compression. There are no cracks or leaks, but needs to be rebuilt.
- Transmission: The transmission was drained (fluid was red), replacement OEM drain plug fitted, and then re-filled. Result: It shifts into all gears and operates as it should, but leaks at the front input seal.
- Brakes: With the exception of the booster and a couple of the hard lines, the brakes were completely overhauled. The master was cleaned, inspected, and reassembled. Each wheel cylinder was cleaned, honed, and seals replaced. The original drums showed very little runout; they were tanked, blasted, turned, and individually fitted to beautifully relined shoes by the last such craftsman in Colorado. Many hard lines and all rubber lines replaced. Result: The car stops, but needs booster repaired and break-in time on shoes.
- Cooling: System left alone. Water pump is working and not leaking. The radiator fins are remarkably straight. There is a small leak at driver’s side bottom that did not affect my ability to run the car.
Bodywise, this is overall a dry western car, but it does have rot in its lowers. The wheel lips are very nice, as are doors, door seams, hood, trunk, roof, valances, inner fenders, grille fascia, cowl and firewall. However the outer rockers, lower quarters, trunk dropoffs and fender doglegs will all need rust repair, as will small portions of the trunk and floor in the usual spots. It’s not a rustbucket by any means, but does need isolated rust repair – just less than most. The perfect example of this is the fenders, which are perfectly solid except for one area of the dogleg, and at that one isolated area they are totally rotten. The lower quarters are rough, but again – it is isolated. Otherwise, there is evidence on the passenger’s door having been dented at one time, and some bondo in front of the wheel wheels. Grille fascia panel is dented up but not severely. There is no evidence of significant crash damage ever, or panel replacement.
Glass is good / very good, but not show quality… no cracks. Interior is complete and correct. Horn ring broken. I have not tried any of the electrical accessories; they were disconnected as not to overload them with extra voltage.
Lastly, the car comes with a generous amount of extras, spares, and parts that have been collected for its impending restoration; a pair of nice, straight, undamaged grilles, an extra powerglide transmission and converter, extra headlight buckets, two gauge clusters, a full 12V conversion kit (’56 12v wiper motor, fan motors, window motors, fuel sender, etc), Beautiful handmade taillight lenses by George Laurie (Australia), exquisite and expensive limited-reproduction sill plates, a brand-new Goers reproduction grille emblem (along with broken original), a pair of rustfree fender doglegs, the original jack, etc, etc.
See more Chryslers for sale on Hemmings.com.
from Hemmings Daily - News for the collector car enthusiast http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2014/12/27/hemmings-find-of-the-day-1955-chrysler-c-300/
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