1950 Chrysler New Yorker Newport ?

[Guest BJM]

Anybody got a 50 Chrysler New Yorker? There is one in Hemmings this month - I'm still waiting on digitals photos. Anybody got one or close? Happy with the ownership?

The seller has said the floor under the driver is weak due to a leak from the window. Car only has 43,000 miles.

I want a dependable cruise/show car - not for winning trophies, just one to go to these small town festivals you see frequently in the midwest.

Also, he says the only issue with interior is the lower section of door panels.Not an issue?

Thanks all. I know there isn't a lot of activity on here but hopefully someone has a 50 New Yorker.

[Guest imported_BaronvonR]

I have a 50 Imperial Deluxe which is the next car up the line from a New Yorker, but both have the straight 8. I LOVE mine...I have driven it about 10K miles since purchasing it....the lower panels on mine are the same as the carpet so should not be an issue. All I have had to do to mine is the usual mechanicals....brakes and such. It rides like a dream and I love driving it. Since only 2800 of the Newports were built I would say it would turn heads at a local cruise.

BvR

[Guest BJM]

Thanks BvR.

I can't afford all the cars I want so I am trying to get a good cross section. He is asking $5500 but I believe I can get him below $5000, maybe $4500. As mentioned it has some issues, soft floor, needs paint.

[Rusty_OToole]

Had a 52 New Yorker, same as the 50 except for the V8 engine and restyled front end.

Now have a 51 DeSoto, a similar car with 6 cyl engine.

I don't know of any weak points. Chrysler engineering in those days was excellent, they built a very well made product. One expert with broad experience of luxury cars including Rolls Royce said that every part of a Chrysler car looked like it cost more to make than the corresponding part on competitive makes.

A New Yorker Newport hardtop is an extremely rare car.If it is in decent shape at all (except for the problems you name) it is a great buy at that price.

Would make a perfect car for your purpose. Very comfortable and easy to drive, and keeps up with today's traffic quite well. Cruising at 70 MPH no problem.

[Rusty_OToole]

Incidentally if your family is composed of basketball players that is the car for you. No other car of that time has a roomier interior.

[bober]

I have had my 1950 NY hardtop W/ the straight 8 for nearly 30 years. Has 57,000 original miles. Wire wheels, Lt green lower- dark green upper. They are a big heavy car and drive at ease 60-70 miles per hour on the highway. They are a task to drive at slow speeds and to park! I love mine though!

Bob

[Guest BJM]

Thanks all.

Bob,

57,000 miles is pretty low miles too. Do you have issues with sludge in the engine, coolant problems, brake fluid problems due to your low usage over so many years? Has your chrome held up pretty well?

By the way, that a classic early 50's color combo, very nice. This one is grey bottom, black top and if it needs paint, I would consider changing it.

[bober]

1950 Chrysler pot metal chrome is prone to pitting and needs to be kept waxed. I`ve used silicone in my brakes as I don`t drive the car much as I have it in another garage away from home. I drive it 3-4 times a year. As for sludge- no, I still change the oil every year. I`m a mechanic so I do keep all of my cars up on good service. The car is in a good dry garage.A friend also had a 1950 "8" cyl. Newport- Beige and upper maroon but sold it about a year ago.

Bob

[Guest imported_BaronvonR]

One thing you may want to check is whether the engine has hydraulic lifters...IF it does then it is even a rarer car. Chrysler only made 1000 of these engines...called the "whisper quiet" engine. My Imperial has one and I have yet to run across another.

I run straight 30W detergent in mine and change it every year as well as lube etc...your brakes should have the vacuum boost and it may need to be rebuilt...mine had been bypassed but it makes a huge difference in stopping with it working. Mine is Scotch green/Fog green.

I hope you decide to get the car...weak floors can be fixed...make sure the rockers and the metal rim under the trunk lid is rust free....check around headlights and braces that hold rear fenders...these are some common rust spots.

BvR

[Guest BJM]

Thanks again. You guys have really motivated me! The seller has not emailed photos yet so I need to email him and request/remind.

It seems the weak floor happened when he stored outside for a period of time. He says he is 2nd owner and has owned for 25 years.

I am 43 years old and a mechanic myself doing three body offs. It seems to go on forever... so I need something I can drive in the meantime. I look for value and this seems like a big value to me. I wish it was closer, it's in Maine, I'm in Iowa.

He said the Fluid Drive works just like an automatic trans forward, you only need the clutch for reverse.

He said there is one push in dent below the trunk. My goal would be to get it to Iowa and use it next summer, assess it's needs and address them winter 2008-2009.

[Guest BJM]

Also, honestly, but I would not be as interested if this car was a Windsor. Being younger, I like to go back and get top of the line cars I could not afford new (or my Dad would not have bought new). I don't begrudge those with Windsors or Chevys, or Fords, but luckily we have a choice when going old and a 50 New Yorker or Imperial is an impressive sight. The straight 8 in it's last year. The 1st year HT and the cleaned up styling from 1949. I saw a 50 New Yorker club coupe fo sale locally about 4 years ago and I just couldn't pull the trigger. I think the price was a little high, but now that would have made a nice 1-2 punch. The club coupe was still an attractive body style from 50-54 in my opinion, I am glad Chrysler kept making them but they are very different in profile from the HT.

[bober]

Steering wheels for the chryslers are really hard to come by.I`m lucky the one on my hardtop is like new. No one can re-make these "Soybean" plastic type wheels W/the swirls in the plastic.

Brake boosters on the 8 cyl. cars are a item to deal with as previously mentioned. The M6 transmission can require some of these parts if there is an issue--oil pump/direct speed blocker rings , and maybe the "free wheeling gear". Also straight "8" water pumps are VERY expensive and hard to find as are the exhaust manifolds that can crack. But-- the fun of owning or restoring cars is to get the cars back on the road and have some fun!!!

Bob

[c49er]

One thing you may want to check is whether the engine has hydraulic lifters...IF it does then it is even a rarer car. Chrysler only made 1000 of these engines...called the "whisper quiet" engine. My Imperial has one and I have yet to run across another.

I run straight 30W detergent in mine and change it every year as well as lube etc...your brakes should have the vacuum boost and it may need to be rebuilt...mine had been bypassed but it makes a huge difference in stopping with it working. Mine is Scotch green/Fog green.

I hope you decide to get the car...weak floors can be fixed...make sure the rockers and the metal rim under the trunk lid is rust free....check around headlights and braces that hold rear fenders...these are some common rust spots.

BvR

I also have 2 of these hydraulic straight eights!

[Rusty_OToole]

My 52 New Yorker had brake booster problems, the local NAPA store sent it away and had it rebuilt no problem.

The transmission is easy to drive but requires a different technique. It is a cross between a manual and automatic.

Here is how I do it. With the trans in neutral and handbrake on, start the engine.

Once it warms up a little step on the clutch, shift into "high" and release the clutch. Don't worry the engine won't stall, it is like an automatic.

Release the handbrake and drive away like an automatic. Once you are going over 14 MPH lift your foot off the gas and it will shift into high with a soft "click-clack". Now step on the gas and go places.

When you come to a stop just do as you would with an automatic. The trans will start off in low gear of high range as before. Just remember to lift off for a couple of seconds when you get going over 14 MPH.

You don't need the clutch except for shifting into gear from neutral, or from forward to reverse or from low to high range.

Low range is where second gear is usually found. This can be used for starting off on a hill, or for slow driving, or for pulling through deep snow, sand or mud.

In low range, you shift up as before except it will shift at 6 MPH or higher. To go from low range to high range step on the clutch and shift the gear lever.

You have the conventional "reverse" "second (low range)" and "high (high range)" gear positions. No low gear position.

If you get the "Fluid Torque Drive" available from 1951 up, you get more of an automatic type quadrant. It shifts like an automatic except you have to lift up on the gear lever to get it to go into reverse.

There were a couple of long threads on the DeSoto or Chrysler boards about a year ago about the care and driving of the fluid drive. Might be worth doing a search. There may have been some on the Dodge board as well. Search for Fluid Drive and they should turn up.

[Rusty_OToole]

I think the reason the steering wheels deteriorated was they were made of a translucent plastic. The sunlight cut right through and deteriorate them from the inside out, like a candy apple paint job.

Of course they lasted 20 years or more so they weren't too bad, they never expected the cars would be around this long.

[jazzer3]

I have a 50 New Yorker Newport that was bought in 2005 and put on the road in spring of 2007 (parked in a yard since 1980) and has had 6700 miles put on it in the past two summers and it might take a while to go but once it gets going it'll go. I have driven the Newport almost exclusively the past two summers neglecting our other cars. On an uphill pull-out it can be a little slow but on the level and with a little practice with the fluid drive you can learn to keep up with today's traffic, on the highway the straight eight will keep on pulling. There are pictures posted of it in an album on this site.

Buy a Chrysler and save America,

Jay

[Guest BJM]

I was on the Imperial On-Line Website where a fellow was selling a 55 Imperial and the phtos were linked to his photo album. On there was a 50 New Yorker Newport for sale $2700.

I jumped on that and emailed the seller. I finally located my 50 NY Newport project! Wrong - he sold it to a "collector" who cut the roof off to make a New Yorker convertible.

http://web.mac.com/alanmeade

Edited February 4, 2010 by BJM (see edit history)

[Spitfire8]

I have a '50 NYer, been in family since new. IMHO, these are great cars; understated elegance, and smooth performers. Compare the interior to ANY other make that year....outshines them ALL!

Flathead 8s are a rugged and smooth powerplant. Fluid Drive is a 4-speed "semi-automatic" that allows up to 3 forward speeds on any one acceleration. The question of which of the 4 speeds get used depends upon the combination of gear shift handle positioning, and "gas pedal shifts".

As noted in an earlier post, exhaust manifolds can crack if the car is driven with the heat riser butterfly stuck in the "cold" position. Check the counterweight on the side of the exhaust manifold to be sure it moves by hand. Weight should rest away from the block when motor is cold, and spring toward the block when warm. I give both sides of the butterfly shaft a squirt of carb cleaner at each oil change.

Happy motoring! Bill.