For Sale: 1955 Chrysler New Yorker St. Regis Hardtop - "Excellent condition, CA car" - "Rumored to have been owned by Richard & Karen Carpenter - Dallas, OR - Not Mine - 9/5 Deleted

[6T-FinSeeker]

For sale on Craigslist: 1955 Chrysler New Yorker 2dr St. Regis Hardtop in Dallas, OR  -  $29,500  -  Call: 971 209 63 one one

 

Link to 8/28 relist (same price, $29,500): https://salem.craigslist.org/cto/d/dallas-1955-chrysler-new-yorker-deluxe/7659800788.html

 

Seller's Description:

1955 Chrysler New Yorker 2dr St. Regis Hardtop

• condition: excellent
• odometer: 44,000
• transmission: automatic
• title status: clean
• Runs and drives good

We got the car from an older couple who said they got it from the auction that told him it belong to the Carpenters, Richard and Karen, the singers. We are waiting for documentation from DMV in California. This is a California car.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited September 5, 2023 by 6T-FinSeeker
update status (see edit history)

[6T-FinSeeker]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[6T-FinSeeker]

 

 

[Crusty Trucker]

Is this car really painted pea green and red, or is it just my old computer screen? The upholstery is new and done in a non-original pattern, pleats in the wrong places.

 

Secondly, how many used Chryslers did the Carpenters own? This is the third "rumored to have been" theirs that has appeared on this forum since April, 2022. (see below).

 

Richard was born in 1946 and Karen in 1950. That would have made them  9 and 6 years old respectively in 1955. They started preforming together in 1965, but weren't recording stars until 1970. Karen died in 1983. It's difficult to imagine how famous folks would be attracted to, much less purchase, rather common and inexpensive (at that time, in the '70's) non-collector Chrysler hardtops. 

 

 

• Posted April 28, 2022 by Gary Ash

At one point in the distant past, Hertz had a program to rent older cars.  One time, on a business trip, I rented an 300H convertible from them.  It ran like a scalded cat in a straight line, wouldn’t corner at all.  Hertz told me it had been owned by Karen Carpenter originally - I’d love to believe that.  Those were the days!

[Xander Wildeisen]

The 56 tail light design really cleaned up the back of these mid 50’s Chryslers.

[plymouthcranbrook]

Well for me famous prior ownership has no meaning. Sitting my fat butt where Karen Carpenter did or did not put hers has no excitement here.

[f.f.jones]

Here are two references on the Carpenter's car collection(s). While there are Chryslers, no New Yorkers are listed:

 

https://www.richardandkarencarpenter.com/Auto-00_Index.htm

 

https://www.throttlextreme.com/mopar-heaven-richard-carpenters-exotic-car-collection/

 

 

 

[John_S_in_Penna]

11 hours ago, Crusty Trucker said:

Secondly, how many used Chryslers did the Carpenters own? This is the third "rumored to have been" theirs that has appeared on this forum since April, 2022. 

Richard Carpenter, as some people know, has been an

avid car collector, especially of Mopars.  I don't know him,

but surely some people on the forum here may.  They 

could verify his past ownership.

 

The car would likely have been owned by him (and not

with his late sister) long after its original era.

[KURTRUK]

"We are waiting for documentation from DMV in California."

 

I've never heard of the California DMV providing any records of past ownership, etc.  I don't believe they have any such records.

Edited August 13, 2023 by KURTRUK (see edit history)

[StillOutThere]

Having lived not many miles from the Carpenter collection in its first couple of decades, and visited on several occassions with assorted MoPar clubs on tour, the "Carpenter connection" on this sales promotion is right at about 100% bogus. And Gary Goers (he of the Goers reproduction parts company) was RC's restorer for the premier cars in the collection.. This New Yorker is way below Richard and way below Goers.
Richard Carpenter, by the way, in personal encounters is extremely personable and hospitable as well as knowledgable and appreciative of the cars and their history in his collection.

Regarding CA DMV records, two comments: When I left CA over 20 years ago they would publicly admit to allowing no record sharing. However, if legal inquiries were instituted for stolen cars or frauds or the like, they do in fact have many decades worth. The problem is, as you can well imagine, that database is only partially digitized due to the hundreds of millions of cars that have been registered in the "golden state". Earlier records are on paper and requrie many hours of hand searching by clerks to find. So inquiries of law, where a legal firm agrees to pay through their clients checkbook for searches, can be accommodated.

[JamesR]

There's another Mopar on ebay (at least as of yesterday) - a '56 Chrysler two door ht - that's also being sold as a car owned by the Carpenters. I thought this might be that car but it isn't.