Photo: barnescoredrilling/eBay
While the Pontiac GTO is usually credited for starting the muscle car movement, the concept can be traced back to the 1949 Oldsmobile 88. Not powerful enough for a muscle car? Well, then, we have Chrysler to thank for giving us the first production V8 capable of 300 horsepower.
It happened in 1955 when the company unleashed the C-300. Although based on the New Yorker and aimed at the personal luxury car market, the C-300 was, in fact, a NASCAR racer offered to the public for homologation purposes. Powered by a unique version of Chrysler's 331-cubic-inch (5.4-liter) FirePower V8, it was America's first mass-produced 300-horsepower vehicle.
Chrysler didn't waste any time and upgraded the car for the 1956 model year. Now wearing a "300B" badge, the sporty hardtop got a larger V8, setting a new output record for production models at 355 horsepower. The 300 "letter series" soldiered on through 1965 with yearly updates.
With production ranging from 400 to 3,647 units depending on model year, all iterations of the 300 are considered rare today. Naturally, some are more desirable than others. The 1957 300C, for instance, is among the most sought-after, even though it's also one of the most common, with 2,402 examples sold.
The weathered example you see here is one of many 300Cs that ended up in long-term storage over the years. This one was parked in a shed back in the early 1970s, which means it spent about 50 years off the road. Now it's back into the light looking for a new owner, and it's surprisingly solid for a vehicle that has sat for a half-century.
Located in Woodinville, Washington, the 300C left the assembly line finished in Gauguin Red, one of only five colors available at the time. But one previous owner got tired of the hue and refinished the hardtop in metallic green sometime in the 1960s. The color resembles the factory Parade Green but only adorns the trunk lid now.
Sporting what appears to be primer on every other body panel, the 300C is mostly rust-free. There are issues here and there, but nothing that can't be fixed without having to source replacement parts. The interior doesn't look bad either, apart from some wear and tear on the seats and the expected cracks on the dashboard.
There's even better new under the hood, which hides a numbers-matching 392-cubic-inch (6.4-liter) FirePower V8 mill. Moreover, the engine runs, still sipping gasoline from the original tank. The three-speed TorqueFlite automatic is also original.
The owner claims the Chrysler is loaded with "every option except AC" and that everything still works, including the power features and the radio. That's downright fantastic, given the car's past!
So, how much does it cost to take this rare Mopar home? Well, the 300C is being auctioned off as we speak, and bidding has reached $6,984. The reserve is still in place with a little more than four days to go.
Chrysler didn't waste any time and upgraded the car for the 1956 model year. Now wearing a "300B" badge, the sporty hardtop got a larger V8, setting a new output record for production models at 355 horsepower. The 300 "letter series" soldiered on through 1965 with yearly updates.
With production ranging from 400 to 3,647 units depending on model year, all iterations of the 300 are considered rare today. Naturally, some are more desirable than others. The 1957 300C, for instance, is among the most sought-after, even though it's also one of the most common, with 2,402 examples sold.
The weathered example you see here is one of many 300Cs that ended up in long-term storage over the years. This one was parked in a shed back in the early 1970s, which means it spent about 50 years off the road. Now it's back into the light looking for a new owner, and it's surprisingly solid for a vehicle that has sat for a half-century.
Located in Woodinville, Washington, the 300C left the assembly line finished in Gauguin Red, one of only five colors available at the time. But one previous owner got tired of the hue and refinished the hardtop in metallic green sometime in the 1960s. The color resembles the factory Parade Green but only adorns the trunk lid now.
Sporting what appears to be primer on every other body panel, the 300C is mostly rust-free. There are issues here and there, but nothing that can't be fixed without having to source replacement parts. The interior doesn't look bad either, apart from some wear and tear on the seats and the expected cracks on the dashboard.
There's even better new under the hood, which hides a numbers-matching 392-cubic-inch (6.4-liter) FirePower V8 mill. Moreover, the engine runs, still sipping gasoline from the original tank. The three-speed TorqueFlite automatic is also original.
The owner claims the Chrysler is loaded with "every option except AC" and that everything still works, including the power features and the radio. That's downright fantastic, given the car's past!
So, how much does it cost to take this rare Mopar home? Well, the 300C is being auctioned off as we speak, and bidding has reached $6,984. The reserve is still in place with a little more than four days to go.
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