'62 Chrysler 300 Sport Production.

[BOPcollector]

I have a rare '62 300 Sport convertible equipped with a 413 and 3 speed manual transmission from the factory. Anyone have any idea how many were built with this combo? I can't find anything and a friend says less than 50. It needs a serious restoration. Last registered in 1976. I got it running and it sounds very good. Can anyone help?

[NTX5467]

According to "The Standard Catalog of Chrysler 1924-1990", the "Sport Series 300" replaced the former Windsor models. Interiors were upgraded from the base Newport models. The commentary of the Sport Series 300 mentions that the exterior trim, "at first glance", very closely mimicked that of the Letter Series 300s, other than the lack of the "H" on the car. Basically, a 300 that looked like the more prestigious and famous Letter Series 300. Std engine was the 383 2bbl. Production of the Sport Series 300 convertible is listed as 1971 units, which is about what most Chrysler product convertibles had in their production runs over the years. The most rare is the Sport Series 300 4-dr sedan, with 1801 being produced. The hardtop models were each just above 10K each, for a total hardtop production of about 22K. For 1963 and the new body, the Sport Series 300 became "Pace Setter 300"

Starting with the 1971 figure, you can figure most of those had the 383 2bbl or 4bbl V-8s. The 413 should have been the single 4bbl 340 horsepower motor. The 3-speed manual trans was the standard transmission. The dual 4bbl 413, at 380 horsepower, was standard in the 300-H and might have taken a special order to get it in a Sport Series 300, but I rather suspect extremely few were built that way as Chrysler did "package cars" where the engine and suspension performance characteristics AND intent were matched to each other. The 413/340 would drop the production numbers down somewhat, but with the manual transmission, the combination's production numbers would be much lower, but I'm not sure they'd be as low as suspicioned . . . but then again, considering that all of the drag racers were very pleased with the TorqueFlites, no real reason to order a manual trans unless you might like the perceived power advantage of such.

Unfortunately, though, the collectible value would be more in "oddball" than "mainstream". I know some friends in the Buick realm of things that rave about how much better the Buicks performed with manual transmissions in the DynaFlow years, but the general public would like, then as now, an automatic transmission they can drive. Be that as it may.

Sounds like you've got a great project car! You might send an inquiry to "Mopar Action" magazine and see if Mr. E might have some input on the production numbers. Perhaps, when it's done, they might do an article on it.

Enjoy!

NTX5467

[BOPcollector]

That's some good info. I appreciate it. Less than 2000 total built almost 50 years ago. The engine/trans combo in mine must be very rare.

[mopar380]

Just to reply on the production figures, the listing of 1801 four door 300 sedans is correct and, at the same time, not correct. The production figures include both USA and Canadian production for 1962. In Canada the low line model was Windsor ( SC1-L ) which in the USA was Newport. The mid line model in Canada was SC2-M ( Saratoga) which was a 300 in the USA. The 1801 four door sedans were ALL Canadian built Saratoga models, not 300s. There were NO four door sedan 300s built in the USA, the only four doors being hardtops. Some 300s were exported and sold in Canada. All New Yorkers (SC3-H) sold in Canada were also shipped from Detroit to Windsor for sale in Canada, none were built in the Windsor, Ontario plant.

A couple of interesting items to note re the Canadian four door hardtops - both Windsor and Saratoga four door hardtops used the Sky-High rear window that was not available on the Newport or 300 four door hardtops built in the USA. Only New Yorker 4 door hardtops in the USA got that rear window. And the Canadian Saratoga used the same standard cloth and vinyl interior as the US built 300, ( leather was not available) and used Newport body side trim, while the Canadian built Windsor used an interior similar to the Newport with shortened body side trim like the 300, but without the round 300 emblem at the rear. The 62 Windsor and Saratoga also came with 1961 Dodge wheel covers as standard as you can see from the photos.

I once owned a white 1962 Chrysler 300-Sport myself, imported into Canada around 1980, owned by me from 1982-2008. It also had a 413 with torqueflite, but was a 2 door hardtop, and had the 300-H dual four barrels, ( factory installed) and leather interior. Picture shown below also.

Edited September 15, 2011 by mopar380 (see edit history)