1957 Chrysler 300C Spent 50 Years in Storage, It's a Numbers-Matching Survivor

Chrysler was among the first to do it when it introduced the C-300 in 1955. A full-size luxury car powered by a 300-horsepower V8, the C-300 was advertised as "America's most powerful car." And with a 0-to-60 mph (97 kph) sprint of 9.8 seconds and a top speed of 130 mph (209 kph), it was impressively fast too.

The C-300 was almost immediately followed by similar cars like the Studebaker Golden Hawk (275 horsepower) and the Rambler Rebel (which was, in fact, quicker). But while the latter went into the history books after a short while, the 300 "letter series" remained in production for 11 years.

Come 2022 and the first iterations of the Chrysler 300 are rare and valuable collectors' items. The 300C is particularly famous thanks to its gorgeous exterior design and powerful V8 engine. Chrysler built 2,402 units in 1957, quite many compared to most of the models that followed, but notably fewer than that have survived to this day.

This white convertible is one of them. And unlike many of its siblings, which have been restored to Concours-ready condition, this drop-top is an all-original survivor that spent decades in storage. And it still looks fantastic, which is something you don't see every day.

The story goes that this Mopar was parked in a garage sometime in 1968 and kept in there until 2017. That's when Randy Guyer, a 300 "letter series" enthusiast, purchased it after the original owner passed away. That's a whopping 49 years off the road, which usually results in major rust issues and a stuck engine.

But amazingly enough, this 300C came out of the garage still in one piece, with only a few rust spots disturbing its still-gorgeous factory paint. And even though it needs a makeover, the numbers-matching V8 mill still runs. Would you also believe that the soft-top is still working and looks almost like new?

Like all 300Cs built in 1957, this drop-top rocks a 392-cubic-inch (6.4-liter) HEMI engine under the hood. The mill was rated at 375 horsepower in most cars, but Chrysler also built about 18 units with a 390-horsepower version of the mill. This one probably came with 375 horses on tap, but that's more than enough to hit 100 mph rather fast on the highway.

And remember when I said Chrysler built 2,402 cars in 1957? Well, because it's a convertible, this 300C is one of only 484 examples produced.

For an unrestored, 65-year-old car, this Chrysler 300C looks downright fantastic inside and out. Should it be restored? That's something only the owner can decide. What I do know is that Ryan is nuts about Chrysler "letter series" cars and that the 300C will be in good company. Hit the play button below to find out why.