Re: [Chrysler300] C-300 designation

[kmaniak@xxxxxxx]

Rich:

 

I believe you are correct as to how the prefix C came to be for the 1955 Chrysler 300.

 

Here is how I understand the naming of these cars.

 

When Bob Rodger's team put together the first "full size high performance" Chrysler in 1955, they did not know what to call it.  The one distinctive feature that this car had that no other Chrysler in the line up had was the 300 horsepower engine.  So they decided to call it the "Chrysler 300".  In 1956, they developed a larger, more powerful engine for this car that produced 340 horsepower.  Since the 1955 model was named for its horsepower rating alone, the logical choice was to name the 1956 model the "Chrysler 340".  But this suggested model name did not lend continuity to the model designation.  So, to keep naming continuity between the model years, the team decided call the 1956 model the "Chrysler 300-B".  Then Chrysler continued this naming convention by changing the suffix letter each year in subsequent years.  Technically, the 1955 model is simply called "300".  It was collectors in later years that began to use the "C-300" designation for the 1955 model to distiguish the original letter series car from the non-letter 300's.  Chrysler never marketed the 1955 model as "C-300".

 

That is my "two cents" for what its worth.

 

Chris the KMANIAC

 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Rich Barber <c300@xxxxxxx>
To: 'Tony Rinaldi' <awrdoc@xxxxxxxxx>; crc <crc@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>; Chrysler300 <Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Cc: MRS954 <MRS954@xxxxxxx>; tonysru2 <tonysru2@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Sun, Mar 9, 2014 2:43 pm
Subject: [Chrysler300] C-300 designation

 

The cover of the 1955 Chrysler Service Manual lists the C-67 WINDSOR, C-68 NEW YORKER, C-69 IMPERIAL AND C-70 CROWN IMPERIAL. Page 1 of the manual lists these four models plus “and C-300 (Chrysler)”. The number “300” only appears on the hood and trunk medallions and the wheel covers of ‘55 and ’56 300’s, but every car guy recognized the 300 when they saw one. Chrysler Motors Corporation’s 1955-58 Passenger Car Parts List lists the various 300 models as: C68-300 for 1955, C72-300 in 1956, C76-300 in 1957 and LC3-S in 1958. Thus 1955-57 300’s were listed as subsets of New Yorkers and the 1958 300D had its own designation, “LC3-S”.

The Chrysler Corporation used the “C” prefix for its various Chrysler models for twenty three years, beginning with the C-1 or C1 in 1935—(the Airflow) and ending with the C76-300 in 1957. Chrysler produced many innovative models during those years. I believe the fact that Walter P. Chrysler’s and Briggs Cunningham’s last names both began with C is just a coincidence—as is the fact that “coupe” and “convertible” both begin with “C”. I don’t think Briggs’ C-1 was any more copying the 1935 Airflow than the 2009-11 Mercedes Benz C-300 was copying the fabulous 1955 Chrysler c300.

There is ample material to document the work with early Chrysler hemi’s by Briggs Cunningham (and many others) led Chrysler to use the racing success of the big Chryslers with hopped-up hemi’s as a very effective aid in marketing their entire line. Win on Sunday, sell on Monday! Do you think they were aware they just started the horsepower war?

When people start discussions as to whether the first Chrysler 300 was a letter car, I speculate that it should surprise no one that Chrysler did not anticipate the success of the Chrysler 300 marque—which survives to this day. And, that it would have taken a lot of prescience and guts to call the first 300 a Chrysler 300-A—in anticipation of a nearly 60-year run (with 7 and 19-year gaps). 1972-78 and 1980-1998 no Chrysler 300’s in their model line).

C300’ly,

Rich Barber (mesmerized for life by a 1955 C-300 in Des Moines in 1955)

Brentwood, CA (expecting the end of the monsoon season tonight with maybe 2” total in the last month)

From: Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Tony Rinaldi
Sent: Sunday, March 09, 2014 1:08 PM
To: awrdoc@xxxxxxxxx; crc@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx; Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Cc: MRS954@xxxxxxx; tonysru2@xxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [Chrysler300] Diamond Jubilee 300 Circus-History

Hi To All,

Re: Who first called Chrysler 300s "Beautiful Brutes":

Allpar.com quoted Uncle Tom McCahill

Tom McCahill again went enthusiastic about the performance. Utilizing several runs, he whipped the big car from 0 to 60 mph in an 7.8 seconds. On the highway, he made 140 miles an hour. He praised the handling due to the torsion bar set up, claiming that it "set into a groove better than a needle on a record." He effused that the 300 series were a collection of "beautiful brutes" suggesting that they were for "hairy chested drivers." He went on to describe the driving experience as about as "subtle as wearing velvet boxing gloves."

Re: What C-300 stood for?:

Thought the Chrysler catalogs called the 300 model C300? Please correct me if I am wrong.

Thanks,
Tony Rinaldi <" target=_blank>https://overview.mail.yahoo.com?.src="">;

Sent from Yahoo Mail for iPhone

_____

From: Tony Rinaldi <awrdoc@xxxxxxxxx>;
To: crc@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx <crc@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>; Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx <Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>;
Cc: MRS954@xxxxxxx <MRS954@xxxxxxx>; tonysru2@xxxxxxxxxxx <tonysru2@xxxxxxxxxxx>;
Subject: Re: [Chrysler300] Diamond Jubilee 300 Circus-History
Sent: Sun, Mar 9, 2014 7:25:11 PM

Hi,

Please look for a revision 4 update to be posted before sending any further suggestions.

Gil Cunningham posted the following suggestions that including a correction to the H colors:

A few things I noticed that should be corrected:

---Just my opinion, but I sure do not think the "C" in C300 stood for coupe! It had to stand for Chrysler, as in
Chrysler 300. Perhaps the theories as to its meaning should just be left out.
---The term Beautiful Brute was first used, as far as I know, in Bill Carroll's article in the August,September, and October issues of Road and Track.
---400HP 300Fs---fewer than 15 were made---probably more like 8, of which 4 still exist.
---The 400HP "Short" rams did not look "the same" as the long rams, but they did look similar.
---Colors are wrong for the 300H. The ones listed are 300G. H colors should be Festival Red, Oyster White, Formal Black, and Caramel
300ly, Gil

<" target=_blank>https://overview.mail.yahoo.com?.src="">;

Sent from Yahoo Mail for iPhone

_____

From: Fern <crc@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>;
To: Chrysler 300 Club <Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>; Tony Rinaldi <awrdoc@xxxxxxxxx>;
Cc: Mark Souder <MRS954@xxxxxxx>; Tony Bevacqua <tonysru2@xxxxxxxxxxx>;
Subject: Re: [Chrysler300] Diamond Jubilee 300 Circus-History
Sent: Sun, Mar 9, 2014 6:34:10 PM

I just noticed that the posting on the word document shows that the fourth color offered on the 300H was "mardi gras green"! Did we meant mardi gras red as there wasn't a green color offered on that model year? We only know of two 300H convertibles that came with special order paint. There was a burgundy special order paint 300H that was too far gone and the gentleman that found it, used all the medallion from it and install all on a 62 newport convertible and dropped in a cross ram 413 in it. I can't remember his name now but he had emailed me photos of that donor car as well as the newport with the cross ram. Anybody on here remember who the gentleman is?

Fern with silver/lilac 300H convertible.

----- Original Message -----

From: Tony Rinaldi

To: Chrysler 300 Club

Cc: Mark Souder ; Tony Bevacqua

Sent: Saturday, March 08, 2014 8:42 AM

Subject: [Chrysler300] Diamond Jubilee 300 Circus-History

Hi To All,

The effort that members contributed to the short histories for the Diamond Jubilee Big Top Tent car placards is in the process of being used to update the 300 Club Int’l website by Bob Merritt.

The table of facts and the descriptive text is undergoing one last review by the perspective letter year consultants.

Noel Hastalis has agreed t o complete a detailed spec sheet that will be used as a poster.

That leaves the full history of the Chrysler 300 from inception through today’s offering. This info will be printed on a 4 ft. tall poster.

Please help us by reviewing the text.

The Word document is posted at

<http://www.chrysler300club.com/rcm/GenerationsR2.html>; http://www.chrysler300club.com/rcm/GenerationsR2.html

Please download it, review it and edit away with any changes you feel will accurately portray the history of the 300 Marque.

Suggested changes can be e-mailed. OR the document is set up to tract changes (deletions will be strike thrus and additions will show up on the side.)

Make your suggested changes and add your initials to the document's name and e-mail it.

The description of the current offerings is weak. Not sure if there will be a model change by 2015?

Looking forward to your assistance & input.

Tony Rinaldi,

Mark Souders,

Tony Bevacqua

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

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