Rare 1955 Chrysler C-300 Last on the Road 50 Years Ago Begs for Restoration

Sure, the two-door was long and heavy, but it was also powerful. The nameplate debuted with 300 horsepower in 1955 and in 1956 became the first American car to produce 355 horses. By 1957, the 300 was already available with 390 horsepower on tap, which was higher than most muscle cars of the 1960s.

Produced over five generations, the 300 "letter series" remained in showrooms for 11 years. Each model year version came with unique features and a different badge. Chrysler used the letters B to L alongside the "300" script but skipped on the 300I. There was no 300A either, as the very first model was called the C-300.

All 300s were produced in limited numbers, but some are rarer than others. While the 300C, 300K, and 300L saw daylight in more than 2,000 examples each, the 300E, 300H, and 300J were built in fewer than 700 units.

But needless to say, all of them are hard-to-find gems in 2022 since many examples were left to rot away in junkyards and barns.

Which brings me to the C-300 you see here. A first-year coupe that we rarely see at car shows, this rare Mopar is spending its retirement years in a massive junkyard that's packed with General Motors classics. It's been parked among Chevrolets and Buicks for about 10 years now, but it's been sitting for much longer than that.

According to the current owner, this C-300 hasn't been driven since the early to mid-1970s. That's almost 50 years off the road and a really sad fate for such a gorgeous and historically important classic. Making matters worse, it looks like it's been spending much of that time outside, fully exposed to the elements.

As a result, most of its original paint has been replaced by surface corrosion, while some body panels show significant rust. The floor panels have also rusted away, while the upholstery is in really bad shape.

But surprisingly enough, the coupe is still complete. Yes, it's missing quite a few pieces at first glance, but everything is (somewhat) safely stored inside the cabin, according to the owner.

More importantly, the C-300 still has its original, numbers-matching V8 engine under the hood. The first-gen 300 came with a 331-cubic-inch (5.4-liter) mill known as the FirePower.

Chrysler's first-generation HEMI engine, the FirePower debuted in 1951 and found its way into various Chrysler products.

But the C-300's was unique thanks to a dual four-barrel carburetor setup that gave it 300 horsepower to play with. By contrast, the two-barrel FirePower came with only 180 horses on tap.

The powerful V8, the race-spec camshaft setup, solid valve lifters, stiffer suspension, and the performance exhaust system enabled the C-300 to compete in the NASCAR series with only minor modifications, which basically made it a homologation special rather than a regular production model.

Sadly enough, this C-300 isn't going anywhere anytime soon. It's simply too rusty to become drivable again and I'm pretty sure that the old V8 is stuck and in need of a rebuild to fire up. All told, this Mopar needs a full-blown, six-figure restoration to shine again.

But since the owner already has a few hundred derelict classics on his hands, this C-300 is probably not a priority. So unless he's willing to sell to someone willing to put it back on its feet, this rare C-300 will probably rot away for good in this junkyard. Check it out in the video below because it might be the last time you see it in one piece.