300 or New Yorker

[kinglewy67]

Looking for opinions. I'm looking at 2 cars, both comparable in condition and price. One is a 1966 Chrysler 300 (big block), the other is a 1965 Chrysler New Yorker (440 big block). Which would be the better choice?

[Bob Kinker]

I'd prefer the 300.

<img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

[ted sweet]

Agreed

[NTX5467]

There are two ways to look at this deal. From the "collector value" orientation, the 1966 Chrysler 300 would win (with either the stock 383 4bbl or the optional 440 TNT). The 300 will always have the higher price values in any price guide you might look at, but it also has several unique body parts (i.e., tail lights) that are not shared with other Chryslers that year. Yet this would be one of those "You can't go wrong" deals, typically.

If you want something different, the '65 New Yorker (with the 340 horsepower 413 as standard power) would be the ticket. With their factory headlight covers and clear lens (colored light bulb) tail lights, it might make some of the import "tuner" types stop and take notice of a 40 year old car with something they might think that they invented on it! For the same price, the New Yorker could well be over-priced or much nicer than the 300 would be, it would seem.

Downsides to restoring the NY? Soft trim and seat fabrics, I would think, whereas the 300 would most probably be a vinyl that could be matched easier. ALSO be aware that Chrysler used a "pearl coat metallic" trim code for their interior vinyls and metallic effects for their cloth seat fabrics back then! Same for the vinyl top colors too! You don't realize that until you put them up against items that were not that way.

Personally, I like the '66 300 better, all things being equal. There were some mechanical items that came online in 1966 that the 1965s did not have, making the '66s more "modern" in the process with the '65s leaning more toward the '64 and earlier cars in these areas. Nothing wrong with either, just more interchangeability with the '66 mechanical parts and such.

As good as the 413 performed, the '66 440 that replaced it was better in most every respect. By observation, the 413s did not put out what they should have due to the small internal diameter of the log-style exhaust manifolds (not quite 2" internally) whereas the '66 manifolds were larger internally and flowed better. The '66 383 4bbl would also be a good performing vehicle (3.23 axle ratio standard w/2.76 being optional) and should have dual exhausts also. It might sound better that you have a 440 in it, but the 383 4bbl ran very good like it was.

One "stumbling block" that you might encounter if either car has drum brakes and 14" wheels is where to find suitable tires in the correct size. At last year's Mopar Nats, I found an interesting thing on a '66 Newport up there -- P225/75R-14 whitewall radials . . . which were Cooper Trendsetter SE. Having a '66 and '67 Chrysler with 14" wheels, this was a great find! If the car has disc brakes and 15" wheels, no problems, but the 14" radials in an 8.55x14 equivalent size were (I thought) pretty much a lost cause.

In searching the Cooper website, there they were, under "economy" tires. I later discovered that Cooper also makes some "private brand" tires in that same size too. I thought I might mention that so that you didn't feel you would have to upgrade to 15" tires/wheels as a necessity.

Just some thoughts,

NTX5467

[ted sweet]

hercules also makes a 225 75r 14 tire. i believe Cooper is the only other.

[NTX5467]

One of the "private line" Cooper tires is "El Dorado", from what my tire source told me when I told him of the Cooper tire.

NTX5467

[RShepherd]

This discussion made me think back to my parents' '66 New Yorker. It was a great car, but it was always very hard to start when warm/hot and the dealer was unable to improve it. It would often require 15-20 seconds of cranking to fire. Was this common in the 440? Our neighbors had a '63 Imperial and its 413 started almost immediately hot or cold.