1955 Chrysler 300

A brief history of the Chrysler 300 - With the development of its hemispherical head V8 engine, Chrysler had a top performer in the early 1950s. Chrysler engineers perfected the 331cu. in. "hemi" and proved its race worthiness in Europe at LeMans. Also in these years they hired a new stylist, Virgil Exner, who radically redesigned the entire Chrysler line and created what they called "The Forward Look" in 1955. His designs were simple, but strong - without much chrome on the sides. He created the illusion of fast, forward movement.

It was 1955 that the first Chrysler 300 (C-300) was offered. It had Exner's distinctive styling and the 331 hemi. It was called 300 because with the Carter 4 barrel carburetors, solid lifter camshaft, and a larger-than-usual exhaust, the engine generated 300 horsepower. It was the first modern American production engine to do so. The car had some other distinctive features: it had extra firm suspension, which allowed it to be lower and to corner far better than most cars; and it was very luxurious inside. Leather upholstery, PowerFlite transmission, well designed instrumentation, and high performance made the C-300 the "gentleman's fast car".

And fast it was. Tim Flock raced the C-300 at Daytona in 1955, winning both on the road course and the flying mile. The 1956 model, now designated the 300B, won both events that year as well. In fact, the 300s dominated NASCAR tracks in 1955 and 1956, taking the overall championship both years. Those triumphs created the legend. The 1957 300C did not compete in NASCAR track events, but with its 375HP hemi engine, again won the Daytona Beach flying mile, making the Chrysler 300 the fastest American car for the third straight year. Simple strong lines, excellent engineering, a high level of luxury, and outstanding performance made the "letter cars" the most desirable of the Chrysler line. They became known as "the Beautiful Brutes". Chrysler 300 Club

Photos by Randy Berg: 1955 Chrsyler 300 - AutoBooks Aerobooks Burbank