Chrysler 300E Convertible, 1959
Chrysler 300 Letter Series II (300E) Facelift
Chrysler 300 Letter Series II (300E) Facelift•
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Chassis No.: M591100082
Auction: Indy 2019
Auction date: May 19, 2019
Lot No.: S194
$100,000 | High bid
- Exterior: White
- Interior: Saddle
- Body: Convertible
- 1 of 140 produced
- 1 of 27 know to exist
- 413/380 HP V-8 engine
- 3-speed pushbutton automatic transmission
- Sure Grip differential
- Torsion-Aire suspension
- Power steering
- Power brakes
- Power windows
- Power 6-way swivel seats
- Remote left side mirror
- Day-Nite mirror
Now in the fifth year of “letter car” production, the 1959 Chrysler 300E was an established part of the luxury-automobile marketplace. The convertible example shown here is one of 140 produced, and of those, one of just 27 known to still exist today. Dramatically defined by its Virgil Exner-directed Forward Look styling, the 300E continued on where the legendary previous letter-series 300 had already taken the design, with the latest noteworthy advances made by Chrysler Engineering found throughout. The biggest change was the multi-carb 413 V-8 engine now under the hood.
Rated at 380 HP with 300E valve-cover decals, this just-released RB-design would be the basis for the legendary 440 displacements during the following decade. Behind this was the 3-speed pushbutton automatic transmission, and this car came equipped with a Sure Grip differential. The car rides on Torsion-Aire suspension up front and was given both power steering and power brakes as complementary handling equipment. The exterior is painted white with upswept rear fenders, a rear-quarter side spear featuring a red, white and blue 300E emblem, 300 denoted on the leading side of the hood, and the redesigned grille with blackout and thin-line horizontal ribbing.
The interior is in light saddle tan material with power windows, power six-way swivel seats with a center buddy seat, a remote left-side exterior mirror, the Day-Nite interior mirror centered above the dash, radio, and stylized door panels. Of course, wide whitewall tires and exclusive 300-logo full wheel covers were part of the packaging on these cars as well. The economic challenges facing the nation this model year was one reason why so few units were built, and though Forward Look vehicles overall have grown in the hobby, both restored and well-preserved examples from 1959 retain an exclusivity that has driven desire.
The 300E was the pinnacle of the 1950s releases, and many consider it one of the cleanest styling of the 300 letter series.
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