| Eddie writes: In early 2010 I bought a 1965 Chrysler 300 4 door hardtop off ebay. The car is a 383 4bbl dual exhaust 3 speed automatic with bucket seats. | |
When I went to Philly to pick up the Mopar I started the car up and the 300 had a bad miss in the engine. When I heard that I thought: “What did I get myself into now?” The engine was loping and the exhaust pipes were rattling, but the engine kept running so I drove the Mopar back home 125 miles. You could really tell something was wrong at low speeds but once it got rolling it would cruise along like there was nothing wrong. The TorqueFlite shifted fine and passing gear worked ok. The transmission was supposedly rebuilt in 2007 and now, after having and driving the car, I believe it was. Fluid looks and smells fine. So I made up my mind that the first thing I would do is get a compression check done and go from there. I woke up the next morning and before I even had my coffee I went down and popped the hood — Staring me right in the face a plug wire was off the distributor cap. I put it back on and turned the key: the big block fired up and the engine sounds and runs like new. |
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I took the car to Sears. They do an inspection of the brakes steering suspension and exhaust for 15 dollars. I stood right there at and under the car and watched while it was being done. The only thing this car needed was an exhaust pipe and one hanger.
The Chrysler runs and drives like new. The body is 99% rust free: the only exterior rust is in the lower quarter panels, behind the rear wheels.
The 300 has 74,000 original miles and spent a good deal of it’s life sitting in a barn in Lacrosse, Wisconsin. Everything on the car works but the clock.
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There is a spot on the passenger’s side front floor where the carpet was ripped dry rotted and has surface rust under it. The only holes in the floor pan add up to the size of a dime all together. The interior is like new but the seats are splitting at the seams in a few places. I am having all the seats and carpet redone.
| This is a numbers-matching car with original paint: never been hit and no bondo. |  |
I paid $1700.00 for this Chrysler and will invest $2500.00 in it; when it is done the 300 will look and run like new....This is the best $1700.00 I ever spent!
I am getting the body work done and a new paint job in the original color gold. The Chrysler looks like it is 2 tone at first glance but I compounded a small spot on the hood and the paint came back to a shiny light gold color. It was a real surprise to me but the body guys that are going to work on this car recommend Maaco to paint it when the body work is done. They have had their personal cars painted at the shop here in town and they say this particular shop does excellent work; they say that they ca not even buy the materials for what Maaco charges for the entire job. I asked the Maaco shop what it would cost to do a big car such as the 300. They said all cars are the same price depending what level of paint job you select. Boy are they gonna lose money when they paint the 300!
I am thinking of putting an entire stainless steel dual exhaust system; $740 bucks including stainless steel mufflers) or the same system, only aluminum coated, $440. I only need one pipe but that price is tempting. LOL
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See more pictures of this 1965 Chrysler 300!
Like the blues? Eddie’ is the lead singer in a band called THE BLUES UNCHAINED. Hear some tunes and learn more at:
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February 11, 2010; revised February 21, 2010