1961 Chrysler Newport Station Wagon - whats it worth?

[CStaleNY]

Good Morning All,

Question I have a 1961 Chrysler Newport Station Wagon with a 3 speed standard transmission with floor shifter, engine is 361 cu. in. 265HP, trying to get a idea on how much its worth for a private sale. Thanks All

[TerryB]

Survivor wagon like yours can usually command more $$$ than the equivalent sedan in today’s market.  Have you looked at any price guides?

[39BuickEight]

What a neat car!

[1950panhead]

My guess is $6000 on ebay with good photos and description.

 

[CStaleNY]

14 minutes ago, TerryB said:

Survivor wagon like yours can usually command more $$$ than the equivalent sedan in today’s market.  Have you looked at any price guides?

Hello Terry, Ive looked online but all i really see are sedans and the range for those are 10k-14k for that year.  I haven't found anything for the wagon yet.

 

[60FlatTop]

What is your gut feeling of it's value? A lot of people come on this forum and ask values for both selling and purchasing.  Members speculate, but they rarely follow up with what they got or what they paid so the result is unknown, just guesses.

 

You may have had some idea of it's value when you acquired it.

 

Bernie

[padgett]

A lot depends on where it is. No AC could have an effect in the Souf. OTOH it is a really neat looking wagon. Agree in general wagons are worth more than sedans. OTOH this appears to have few options and I would deduct for not having a typewriter. Also need clear pictures of rear, engine, and undercarriage (have sold cars before on pictures of the floor pans).

[CStaleNY]

5 minutes ago, 60FlatTop said:

What is your gut feeling of it's value? A lot of people come on this forum and ask values for both selling and purchasing.  Members speculate, but they rarely follow up with what they got or what they paid so the result is unknown, just guesses.

 

You may have had some idea of it's value when you acquired it.

 

Bernie

Hey Bernie, Im really not sure what its worth even with my gut feeling.  The car was past down from my grandfather and hes long gone so not sure how much he got it for.  I hear its rare as its a 3 speed on the floor and pillarless design.

[CStaleNY]

5 minutes ago, padgett said:

A lot depends on where it is. No AC could have an effect in the Souf. OTOH it is a really neat looking wagon. Agree in general wagons are worth more than sedans. OTOH this appears to have few options and I would deduct for not having a typewriter. Also need clear pictures of rear, engine, and undercarriage (have sold cars before on pictures of the floor pans).

I know its not underneath photos but a few more pics

[60FlatTop]

I have been on this forum a long time and the guesses on value have rarely been verified so I wouldn't put much stock in them.

 

Here are questions a buyer may ask and answering them yourself can give you a good indicator. Answer as the previous owner.

 

1. Do you own the car and have legal proof?

2 Is the paperwork clear and free of liens, unbranded?

3. How long have you owned the car?

4. Is the car currently licensed and insured?

5. Can it be driven on the road, legally, today?

6 Is the car in storage? If so, how long has it been stored?

7. How many miles did you drive it during the last 12 months?

8. Have you done any major work on the car since you have owned it?

9. What and when was the most recent service or repair?

10. If you decided to keep the car what improvement would you consider important?

[trimacar]

Very neat car.  You have a price in mind if you want to sell it, all sellers do,  Post what you think it's worth and we can have fun agreeing with it or taking potshots at it.

 

I agree not have the typewriter option could hurt value .... wait a minute, what?

[vermontboy]

We had a 1964 stripped Chrysler Windsor with the 3 speed transmission and manual steering and non power brakes. The 3 speed is non-synchro on low gear, the steering and brakes are very heavy.

 

On the other hand it's doubtful you will park next to another one at a car show.  If I was younger (and hadn't lost quite so much of my grip) I would be very interested - it is a wonderful example of the last of the big fins.

[TTR]

OP, with all due respect, but the same question ("what's it worth") is asked probably by tens of thousands (or more) of people everyday around the globe on internet forums regarding every kind of car ever made and the answer is pretty much the same on all of them. Whatever somebody is willing to pay for that particular car "as is" & "where it is".

For some (many/most), a car (including yours) is not worth anything, while someone might see it as "maybe $500.00 ?" and someone else might think "it could be worth $50,000.00".

 

99% (or more ) replies to these questions on forums like this are just opinions and what was that old saying about opinions ?

Only  "opinion" that matters is the one backed by cash in hand.

 

Unless a car or any item is something in reasonably high demand with a lots of comparable currently available and recently bought/sold with verifiable numbers (kind of like real estate, 4 year old Toyota, Model A Ford or early Camaro/Mustangs/etc), using "asking" prices as some kind of value/worthiness indicator is not very realistic approach either.

Besides, every seller usually believes "their" car is worth more than an average value of identical/similar ones, while every buyer wants it for less than that (Psychology 101). 

 

If you wish to sell it and not sure what to ask for, auction it, either via established vendor or list it on eBay... ... or consign it with some (trustworthy) broker/dealer specializing in cars of this vintage and might be able to offer guidance/suggestion for what to ask/expect.

 

 

[MikeC5]

Has it been repainted?  It appears the rubber hood bumper has been painted over in body color (2nd to last photo, bottom center).  If it was repainted, a big if in the value would be is the re-paint hiding any rust or previous collision damage/repairs?  If it does have the original paint and is free of rust, etc.,  my guess is it would do well in an auction setting since interior and trim look very good in the photos.

Edited August 14, 2020 by MikeC5 (see edit history)

[alsancle]

Is that a factory floor shift stick?    If so then that might sell the car. 

 

If it was a standard 4 door sedan auto on the column I would argue it was worth next to nothing.   A wagon is typically more money,  a factory stick V8 car is more.  

 

All of Bernie's questions are very pertinent.   No title?  No sale?   Stored the last 10 years,  subtract 50% from perceived value.

[TAKerry]

Chrysler Newports are all over the place value wise. I couldnt find any wagons. I agree that wagons are hot right now, yours seems to check a lot of the bells and whistles. Its an oddball in a good way. Not sure about the stick shift, kinda like selling a house with a pool. Its either gonna make a sale or break a sale. Lets assume its original and in very good condition. I would think 15k-20k would not be out of line at all. 

[alsancle]

10 minutes ago, TAKerry said:

Chrysler Newports are all over the place value wise. I couldnt find any wagons. I agree that wagons are hot right now, yours seems to check a lot of the bells and whistles. Its an oddball in a good way. Not sure about the stick shift, kinda like selling a house with a pool. Its either gonna make a sale or break a sale. Lets assume its original and in very good condition. I would think 15k-20k would not be out of line at all. 

 

There was a time,  say anywhere from 10 to 30 years ago where a stick was always a strong premium.   These days the auto/ac combo seems to trump everything.   A combination of old demographics and kids that can't drive a stick.

[CStaleNY]

2 hours ago, 60FlatTop said:

I have been on this forum a long time and the guesses on value have rarely been verified so I wouldn't put much stock in them.

 

Here are questions a buyer may ask and answering them yourself can give you a good indicator. Answer as the previous owner.

 

1. Do you own the car and have legal proof?

 

2 Is the paperwork clear and free of liens, unbranded?

 

3. How long have you owned the car?

 

4. Is the car currently licensed and insured?

 

5. Can it be driven on the road, legally, today?

 

6 Is the car in storage? If so, how long has it been stored?

 

7. How many miles did you drive it during the last 12 months?

 

8. Have you done any major work on the car since you have owned it?

 

9. What and when was the most recent service or repair?

 

10. If you decided to keep the car what improvement would you consider important?

 

Car has been owned in the family for over 20 years with clean title, its stored in a garage upstate NY, or its been on display at Northeast Classic Car Museum.  There are two mechanics that check it out were its store. Miles wise its barley driven but starts up and is able to drive. the car is insure but not registered for the road.  No major work and all should be original.

[CStaleNY]

30 minutes ago, alsancle said:

Is that a factory floor shift stick?    If so then that might sell the car. 

 

If it was a standard 4 door sedan auto on the column I would argue it was worth next to nothing.   A wagon is typically more money,  a factory stick V8 car is more.  

 

All of Bernie's questions are very pertinent.   No title?  No sale?   Stored the last 10 years,  subtract 50% from perceived value.

i'm pretty sure that's a factory floor shifter

[PFitz]

14 minutes ago, CStaleNY said:

Car has been owned in the family for over 20 years with clean title, its stored in a garage upstate NY, or its been on display at Northeast Classic Car Museum.  There are two mechanics that check it out were its store. Miles wise its barley driven but starts up and is able to drive. the car is insure but not registered for the road.  No major work and all should be original.

I've been to that facility many times and can attest that the cars are well cared for. 

 

Paul

[TTR]

I can offer personal reference point, although it's about as irrelevant as others have offered.

 

Last time I bought similar STW, which was a '60 New Yorker with just about every factory offered option, including factory dual A/C, all power and specialty equipment (C.C., auto dimming headlights & rear view mirror, etc, etc, ...), everything working and the car in overall, very nice original/unrestored condition (perhaps similar to that of OPs car, but something I wouldn't have hesitated to drive across the U.S. as is), I paid around $3000,  sold it couple of years later for twice what I had in it at that time (+/-$10K maybe) to a friend, who commissioned me to restore it mechanically and get it re-painted + some interior improvements.

By the time it was all done, he had spent way more than $50K on all these "improvements", which in my opinion weren't all necessary, especially cosmetics and when he sold it few years later, I think he got less than half he had in it.

OTOH, this was about 25-30 years ago.

 

I think the guy who bought it (& whom I also know), still has it or his son does.

 

P.S. I'm not sure OPs car came from the factory with the manual trans. Might've been converted by a dealer when new or nearly new ...

Edited August 14, 2020 by TTR (see edit history)

[John348]

I had a friend of mine years ago who had a two door hard top with a three speed and it was the same. Remember these cars were push button automatics, so there was no need to have shift tubes and linkages at all, the three speed floor shift was the only alternative

[padgett]

Don't forget back then all of the factories had a standard three-speed manual "loss leader" so a dealer could advertise a low price. I believe at the time the Newport was the low line for Chrysler and had less chrome (good thing today) and this one seems to have just a "radio and heater" and not much more. Base engine was the 361. Cannot tell if it had power steering but doesn't have power brakes. I always liked slant headlights.

[James-Wahl Motors]

Neat car. The shift lever, boot, and that plastic cover under it look factory correct. The knob is not. Someone’s put switches in the block-off plate for the automatic transmission push buttons.
 

It’s a Chrysler A-745 transmission, which was new for ‘61. I’m rebuilding one right now. I’d say they are somewhat rare, but nothing particularly special about them. Never saw one in a wagon. As far as adding value, the thing that gets the most comments on my ‘61s is the push button automatic. Maybe someone would pay more for the relative rarity of the manual.

 

Also, all 1961 Chrysler brand wagons were pillarless hardtops.

Edited August 14, 2020 by James-Wahl Motors
Added hardtop comment (see edit history)

[padgett]

" pillarless hardtops. " nice but needs power windows or a lot of clambering around to get the effect.

[huptoy]

When Chrysler Corp. we’re selling cars with the push button gear selector all manual shift cars came with a factory 3 speed floor shift on the floor.  In the fall of 1964, I rode in a 1963 2 door Chrysler with the 3 speed floor shift.  He was a salesman who drove about 45,000 highway miles yearly.  It had been  a special  order and the kid lost his job & couldn’t get a loan.  The dealer was hung with It and made a really good price offer.  About a year later, a math professor bought a black 1965 4 door with a manual floor shift.

[Buffalowed Bill]

If this is in fact an original car, this is the way I like to find them. My first question is, does the car speak to me in a special way, which it does. No I don't usually talk to my cars, but my better half does. The next question I would want to ask, is this the way it came from the factory. Finally it's all about-condition, condition. 

 

Are production orders available for this vintage Chrysler? IMO adding any options, or trying to change or improve the car, in any way, would be a huge mistake. The farther you stray from the original condition, and verified factory original equipment, the smaller your market will be. If you know what you want for the car, let us know, otherwise an auction setting should give you insight into it's value today. IMO today's market is too different from the norms, most of us are used to, to enable us to handicap your car. I think you have a winner, but how that translates to value......

 

Bill

[Lebowski]

If you're not in a hurry to sell it then start high like $25k. Put it on Hemmings because they usually have a higher caliber of potential buyers than Craigslist, eBay or Facebook Marketplace. Post a couple of dozen pics and a thorough description. The ad costs $99 and runs for 6 months. If it doesn't sell in a month or two drop the price a couple of thousand. You should be able to get $15k easily for it and maybe $20k or more with the right buyer. Good luck....

[8E45E]

6 hours ago, plymouthcranbrook said:

Very interesting car . Is the floor shift original or converted from the column?  I can’t quite tell from the photos provided.

I don't think full-size Chryslers offered column shifts of any kind from '60-'62.

 

Now wouldn't that be cool if it was a special order Pont-a-Moussen four speed!!

 

Craig

[TTR]

16 hours ago, 8E45E said:

Now wouldn't that be cool if it was a special order Pont-a-Moussen four speed!!

Well, that was one year only an option with 300 F and I’ve (test) driven one of the two existing, though that was about 30 years ago when W.G. had his for sale. 
In hindsight, I guess I should’ve bought it for the $14k he was asking

Fun(?) fact: IIRC, the president of the P-o-M in the ‘50s/‘60s was (as the only foreigner at the time) on the board of Ferrari back in those days. His name escapes me at the moment, but perhaps the current 109 degree heat in our backyard & the consumption of adult beverages have something to do with it. 🙄

Edited August 15, 2020 by TTR (see edit history)

[padgett]

Jean Daninos. AFAIR he swapped Pont-a-Mousson trannys for Hemis and Wedges for the Facel Vega.

 

HK-500 with pont-a-mousson and AC is my only bucket list car.

 

Pont-A-Mosson is one of the towns Burt Lancaster goes through in The Train. Does Jeanne Moreau ever smile ?

Edited August 14, 2020 by padgett (see edit history)

[John_S_in_Penna]

2 hours ago, Lebowski said:

If you're not in a hurry to sell it then start high like $25k. Put it on Hemmings because they usually have a higher caliber of potential buyers than Craigslist, eBay or Facebook Marketplace. Post a couple of dozen pics and a thorough description. The ad costs $99 and runs for 6 months. If it doesn't sell in a month or two drop the price a couple of thousand. You should be able to get $15k easily for it and maybe $20k or more with the right buyer. Good luck....

 

Finally, after lots of discussion,  Mr. Cstaleny got

some figures!  I very much agree with $15,000 and the

recommendation to use Hemmings Motor News.  The

magazine and its accompanying website are the 

foremost places to reach serious old-car enthusiasts.

 

I wouldn't start high, though.  Maybe start at $17,000,

expect $15,000, and don't feel too badly if you end up

with $12,000.  Six months with Hemmings should give you

all the exposure you need.  Station wagons have a following,

and all the best to you with your sale!

[trimacar]

I know absolutely nothing about these cars, but people like big wagons, I can see 12k to 15k as being a price someone could live with...Looks nice.....

[Ken_P]

Another thought- set the reserve where you’re happy, then put it on bring a trailer. Not sure what the cost is to sell with them, but they seem to have a lot of cars sell for good or even high prices. Lots of exposure too. 

[James-Wahl Motors]

12 hours ago, MikeC5 said:

Has it been repainted?  It appears the rubber hood bumper has been painted over in body color (2nd to last photo, bottom center).  If it was repainted, a big if in the value would be is the re-paint hiding any rust or previous collision damage/repairs?  If it does have the original paint and is free of rust, etc.,  my guess is it would do well in an auction setting since interior and trim look very good in the photos.

The hood bumpers on 1961 Chryslers are painted over at the factory. I can’t say if this car has been repainted or not, but if it was it probably wasn’t resprayed under the hood

[MikeC5]

Interesting detail...

[Frantz]

Great looking machine. I think for the general market the color and transmission hurt the value a bit. Not so much in dollars but in quickness to sell. It's a bit of a bare bones luxuaryish car that probably no one wakes up in the morning looking for, but the right buyer would see it and be pleased to have it. I agree with others $15k is a fair figures for such a machine. So many great machines out there in that price range like it even if they aren't identical. They check the same boxes for someone wanting an antique that they can drive and enjoy as is. You mentioned it's a clean title, is it in your name or still in your grandfathers? It would have to clear through the estate if it's still in his name, and that can be easy or challenging depending on the situation. I would take the effort to get it into your name to sell if you haven't already. That will not only make the process easier, but also greatly improve a buyers willingness to travel to see and purchase. No one wants to travel and then go around meeting the family to collect signatures and then pleading with cousin Charlie that it really isn't worth $100,000.

[61polara]

What's the mileage on this car.  From the brake peddel i'd guess 90-100,000 miles.  Floor mat and seats don't show this.  Have the seats been redone?

[James-Wahl Motors]

I love this car, but I’m weird - I’ve owned over a dozen 1961 Chryslers since 1983. Had every body style except a wagon; only bought my first 3-speed manual ‘61 late last year. This car does not really fit my lifestyle right now but I think it has a lot of appeal to a niche market. As a ‘61 Chrysler geek I’ve always wanted a wagon, but I think I might prefer a loaded New Yorker. I think the $15K as others discussed is a good baseline. Also agree bringatrailer would be a good venue.

[Robert G. Smits]

On 8/14/2020 at 7:19 PM, Ken_P said:

Not sure what the cost is to sell with them

$99 for a 7 day listing.  You have to send a few good photos and have your car accepted.  When accepted they will assign you an auction specialist to help write the add and set the reserve.  From my experience I would go "no reserve"  They get a lot more attention and sell better and this is a NICE and unusual car.  As  mentioned by others wagons are popular now.  On the other hand if you are searching for $25K go the Hemmings route.