Chrysler 300 ???

[trimmer]

I have had this 1955 Chrysler 300 at my home for well over twenty five years now. A customer wanted us to restore it but I reckon he has turned into some kind of crack head and we haven't heard anything from him for a very long time. My questions are what is the body code for these cars (A,B,C,or ?)?? Also what would y'all do with a car that the person brought to you and then neglected it for such a long time? Do y'all think this car should be completed?
In the first photo that beautiful red head with the dirty face is my wife of 38 years and my best helper. As you can see in that photo she is young, she will be 60 in December.
In the photo of the engine it has one of the carbs off being rebuilt and the one in the photo I already completed and reinstalled. I have heard these to be kinda rare but to tell the truth I have played mostly with GM & Ford stuff so my knowledge of these is not good. I should also add I do know a good bit about b-body Mopars from '68 - '74 as I have a small fleet of them go fast rides and I like them big time. Sorry for the quality of these pictures they are like me very old. lol
If y'all know anything about these please fill me in. Thanks...Bill

 

[Al K]

Wow,cool car! Possibly a "C" platform? Found a Wiki page on 300 Series cars;little mention of the "letter" nomenclature regardng the chassis.

Oh yeah...it's got a Hemi. Even a Wedgie like me can appreciate that.

 

[trimmer]

I do not know it to be a fact, but I have heard that a 1956 model would be a 300B and a '57 a 300C and so on. But I don't think the '55 had a letter applied to it. Yes it has a hemi !!

 

[Al K]

The Wiki blurb stated that they were called C-300;letter in front of the numerals,and it is referred to in 300 circles as a "300-A" as well,though there was no identification/emblems designating that.

Oh;you can also see where the influence for the 1964-67 "B" hardtop roofline came from.

 

[Stumper]

Seems like I remember that the 55 was referred to as the A300 while the subsiquent years picked up the letter as a suffix. Great car and definitely worthy of a nice restoration. I think after 25 years you can officially claim your right of ownership, although getting a title may prove to be difficult. Do you know where the person that owned it lives? You can send him a bill for 25 years of storage with a note saying that you will take the title in exchange

 

[trimmer]

Seems like I remember that the 55 was referred to as the A300 while the subsiquent years picked up the letter as a suffix. Great car and definitely worthy of a nice restoration. I think after 25 years you can officially claim your right of ownership, although getting a title may prove to be difficult. Do you know where the person that owned it lives? You can send him a bill for 25 years of storage with a note saying that you will take the title in exchange

One thing is in my state there are no titles on cars that are older than 1974 so the title is not a issue for me. Also i know for a fact it has not been registered in the entire time it has been here. Thanks...Bill

 

[WP29440SE]

2 door ....HEMI........ this car NEEDS to be saved

 

[Budnicks]

Chrysler 300 for 1955

The Book I have, Chrysler, Dodge & Plymouth MUSCLE, by Anthony Young In Chrysler history on page 13, it shows them, as just a Chrysler 300, in 1955 300hp @ 5200rpm, 2x4bbl 331 Hemi, 8.5:1 compression, Powerflite Trans., Power Brakes, Dual Exhaust 126" w/b, overall lth. 219", height 56" & special suspension for road hugging performance, THE CAR THAT SWEPT THE FIELD IN DAYTONA, Americas most powerful stock car, Daytona Flying mile 130mph, 1st & 2nd place at the 160 mile Grand National Stock Car Race, with very limited production #'s, all from a sales flier that was dated August 1955

 

[trimmer]

Thanks Bubnicks that is some cool information. I had always thought it was a 354 hemi, but I was 7 in '55 so today I learned a new thing. I like to learn new "thangs".

Before we took it apart it was a very attractive car. Lots of chrome. We still have every part of this thing somewhere in my storage area. Most likely at the very back and surely on the bottom of the pile.

 

[moparsteve636]

If it were mine I'd restore it to original! Try and get the title first.It would be a shame to restore it just for the crackhead to show up and claim it for his next fix!

 

[YY1]

Mechanic's lien!

Add up a reasonable fee for the storage, and file the paperwork.

Send a bill certified mail to the last known address of the owner.

Also send any required notices as per your state regulations/statutes.

They will likely not be able to afford 25 years of storage at, for example $50 a month, which would be $15,000, and if they don't respond in a set ammount of time, and you have proof of the lien statute and that you followed the law and copies of the postal receips, the mechanic's lien allows you to "dispose" of the property, or depending on your state laws, get a title or other proof of ownership in your name.

 

[Stumper]

The Book I have, Chrysler, Dodge & Plymouth MUSCLE, by Anthony Young In Chrysler history on page 13, it shows them, as just a Chrysler 300, in 1955 300hp @ 5200rpm, 2x4bbl 331 Hemi, 8.5:1 compression, Powerflite Trans., Power Brakes, Dual Exhaust 126" w/b, overall lth. 219", height 56" & special suspension for road hugging performance, THE CAR THAT SWEPT THE FIELD IN DAYTONA, Americas most powerful stock car, Daytona Flying mile 130mph, 1st & 2nd place at the 160 mile Grand National Stock Car Race, with very limited production #'s, all from a sales flier that was dated August 1955

Had to look it up, according to a book I have by Mike Mueller the 1955 300 was the C 300 not the A 300 as I remembered. I did recall it had a letter "prefix" as opposed to all the subsiquent suffix letter cars. They were commonly just called the 300s. The C was simply short for Chrysler.

 

[Pops1967GTX]

Save that car ...one of the ... most desirable of the Chrysler....The early age of performance cars .... always wanted this car.....

 

[Ron 73]

Great car, hope you do get the paper work to be able to put it back to a cool cruiser

 

[YY1]

Arguably the very first "muscle" car.

BTW- love the wife's "back in the day" hair!!

 

[MarPar]

oh mama!!! THAT is a sweet 300 rite there.

def restore that baby!!!

yy1 is 100% right. mechanic's lien the owner and legally take possession of it.

once you start the resto, these guys are THE source for older hemi's....

http://www.hothemiheads.com/

happy MoParing!!!!

 

[trimmer]

Arguably the very first "muscle" car.

BTW- love the wife's "back in the day" hair!!

That was her natural hair. I used to tease her about using those rusty coil springs from her head to raise the rear of my car (she is a good sport). It is still pretty much the same now. It is a little shorter and instead of turning grey or white it has turned to the color of honey kinda a cross between red and blonde. But do not make the mistake of calling her "Blondie" as you will instantly discover she is an Irish redheaded redneck and you will be corrected instantly. And that's no joke but it is fun to watch. lol

 

[Basket case]

25 years? Is the guy still alive? I'd get ownership to that car and save it. The 300s,New Yorkers and Imperials from those years are beautiful. Dad had a '55 New Yorker, then a black '56 Imperial. wish he woulda kept those.

 

[roadrunnerman]

i would do whatever it takes to keep that car.IMO,technecly i think it belongs to you now if the previous owner has not showed up to claim it or even ask about.But like was said before, do it the legal way.If it hasen't been licensed in 25 yrs your state probably doesn't even have a record of the title in their books.Call your state office where you license vehicles and ask them the procedure to get a title for that car in your name.BUT IT IS DEFINETLY WORTH SAVING!!!!!!!!! I agree with you that your wife is very attractive and i bet she is just like a fine wine that she just got better with age.

 

[furyfrank]

300

First of all the car was called the 300 all the years after had a letter until 65 it was the L. You have a very rare car, I would go on the web and find the chrysler 300 club website, you will find out how rare it is. When it came out it was called the magnificent beast, and no other car at the time could come anywhere near it. It sounds like the title is no problem and after all these years would be the least of my worries. I think if you check it out you will find out how rare and valuable it is.:headbang::hello2: