1963 Chrysler 300 Sport Series

Chrysler extended the reach of the popular Letter Car Series for 1962 by making the same performance specifications available on lower-trim line vehicles. The 'Letter Series' was introduced in 1955, equipped with a potent 331.1 cubic-inch Hemispherical engine with 300 horsepower, and offered at a steep price, guaranteeing its exclusivity. During its production lifespan, it continued to rank among the most expensive and most powerful vehicles on the market, with annual production rarely cresting two thousand units.

Chrysler dropped the intermediate Windsor model for 1962 - which itself filled the place in Chrysler's line previously occupied by the Saratoga just the year before, and added the 300 Sport Series, offered at a more affordable price range compared to the 'Letter Series,' but certainly adding confusion to the nameplate. The styling of the two-door hardtops and convertibles was identical to the 300H, except for the tires, hubcaps, and without the 'H' on the rear deck. The 300 Sport was also offered as a four-door sedan, something that was not found on the 300H. The 300 Sport was equipped with a 383 cubic-inch V8 with overhead valves, hydraulic valve lifters, a Carter two-barrel carburetor, and five main bearings, and delivered 305 horsepower at 4,600 RPM. The 413.3 CID V8 in the 300H produced 380 horsepower at 5,200 RPM.

The 1963 300 Sport was similar to the 1962 model year, offered as a hardtop coupe, hardtop sedan, sedan, and convertible. Prices increased by approximately $200, now listed at $3,430 for the hardtop coupe, $3,400 for the hardtop sedan, $3,765 for the sedan, and $3,790 for the convertible. The 383 CID V8 continued to deliver 305 hp and the wheelbase remained 122 inches, now used by all models (the 1962 New Yorker had a 126-inch wheelbase).

The big news for 1963 was the addition of the 300 Pace Setter Series, introduced later in the year to commemorate the use of a 300 as the Pace Car for the Indianapolis 500-mile race. They received special interiors with a small checkered flag placed below the front fender 300 emblem, a push-button transmission, and an oblong steering wheel as opposed to the round steering wheel used by other Sport 300s. The Pace Setter hardtop was priced at $3,770 and the convertible listed for $4,130. Chrysler built approximately 306 hardtops and 1,861 convertibles (possibly as few as 1,841 convertibles).

Thirty-three Chrysler 300 vehicles served actual track duty at the 1963 Indy 500 race. They were powered by a 413 cubic-inch Cross-Ram engine. Parnelli Jones won the race with his car, nicknamed 'Calhoun,' despite it spewing oil from a cracked overflow tank. He was awarded the 300 Pace Setter car that had been used for pacing, and the backup car was given to the museum at the track. The car given to Jones was later stolen and returned a few years later, although its drive train had been removed and was missing.

Standard equipment included an AM radio, a center console-mounted compass, a three-speed manual transmission with non-synchro first gear with floor shift controls, a manual three-piece telescoping antenna, a power top (on convertibles), and a clock. Among the available optional equipment included dual air conditioning, air conditioning with heater, power antenna, power brakes, power steering, power windows, tinted windshield, remote driver side mirror, rear window defogger, Custom Conditionaire heater, power bucket seat, power front bench seat, and Golden Tone radio.

The most popular body style was the hardtop sedan with 9,915 examples built, followed closely by 9,423 of the hardtop coupe. 1,625 were sedans and 1,535 were convertibles.

The production of the 'Letter Series' ended in 1965 with the 300L and the 'Non-letter' Series in 1971. The 1965 300 'non-letter' series received all-new sheet metal and in 1967, it received the 440.7 cubic-inch V8 with 350 hp that was found in the New Yorker. Concealed headlamps were introduced in 1968 and remained until 1971. Chrysler halted production of convertibles across the entire lineup in 1971, meaning the 1971 Chrysler 300 was not available as a convertible. The name was dropped in 1972, but returned in 1979, based on the Cordoba coupe, and offered as an option package with a traditional 'cross-hair' 300-style grille and unique emblems. The exterior was finished in Spinnaker White with a red leather interior and red pinstripes. It is believed that around 30 examples may have been painted Rallye Red. The name was intended to continue into 1981, but instead became the 'LS.'

by Daniel Vaughan | Apr 2021