1965 Chrysler 300 Series

"L" Series Letter Car Convertible

413 V8

Torquefllite Automatic Floor Shift in Console

Clear

Gas

1965 Chrysler 300 L “The Last Letter Car” Mint, Highly Original If you are reading this listing, you are either a Chrysler “Letter Car” enthusiast or someone attracted to the opulence of the mid-60s American luxury cars. The '65 Chrysler 300L is the last of the legendary "letter cars" several of which routinely sell for over $100k. Letter cars were the ultimate expression of Chrysler muscle and often were the most powerful cars of their respective years. They were produced in a very limited numbers and have become highly sought after by Mopar aficionados. Only 440 L Convertibles were ever built, so image how rare this one is. Admittedly by 1965 the L had lost some of the fierce power and the exaggerated fins of the earlier cars from the late 50's and early 60's, but many find the clean lines and generous proportions of the mid 60's luxury/muscle cars from Chrysler, Ford and GM to be equally attractive. I personally do. Don't for a minute think the L isn't a powerhouse; its 413 wedge is the same as before with a factory special cam and a single 4bbl carb, delivering 360 hp, enough to pack real punch. This car pins you in the seat, despite its ample size. The improved for '65 Torqueflite 3-speed automatic transmission puts down the power more smoothly and briskly than its predecessors. While we are on the subject, let's talk about the other major improvements to be found in the 1965 Chrysler 300L. Body structure became a unit design for the first time and galvanized sills and wheel houses offer corrosion protection. (There is no rust on this car anywhere, nor any visible signs of repair, even under the car.) Unit design created a much tighter and more rattle free ride and this was coupled with suspension improvements that included a new sway bar, vertically mounted shocks, larger control arms and newly designed ball joints. The famous Chrysler torsion bars were now mounted in rubber, the leaf springs were longer, and the steering improved... all to achieve greater ride comfort. It all worked, because the ride on this car is the first thing everyone notices and it is astoundingly smooth. Now, let’s talk more about this car in particular. It is a low mileage, highly original example with all its original sheet metal and floors. It was lovingly cared for by a long term, car-savvy owner and is in phenomenal condition. It wears excellent paint and is arrow straight, which is hard even when new on a slab-sided vehicle such as this one where the rear quarters are longer than some cars! The chrome is superb inside and out and the interior (all original) is equally excellent (no tears, worn spots, cracks, etc.) Everything works perfectly including all the power accessories (remote trunk, windows, etc.), lights, fender mounted directionals, etc. The top is also in excellent condition (no visible signs of wear or damage, clear rear window) and goes up and down as it should. There is a mint convertible top boot that matches the interior, and a fully factory lined trunk that is impeccable. The original jack is supplied, as are several promotional and information pieces of literature about the car. The engine compartment is also superb and original with all of its factory wiring intact and no stray wires or signs of tampering. The only non-original part of the car is a hidden AM/FM/CD/USB stereo hidden in the glove box, which is supplied in addition to the stock AM factory radio (in place). No visible modifications were made to the car whatsoever. Additionally, a Petronix pointless ignition was installed (also invisible) which eliminates adjusting points and delivers consistent starts and retains perfect timing. Mechanically, the car is flawless, with smooth power, excellent braking, and good handling (limited only by the original style bias-ply tires). I am tempted to change to radials, which would transform the handling, but the car is so original that I hesitate to change anything. Now for the options. The car is “loaded”, with many of the options being part of the L package. It is finished in its original Silver Mist Metallic and has a Spanish Red Metallic leather bucket seat interior with console and floor shifter. Power accessories include power steering, power brakes, power windows (a must on a drop top), and power remote trunk release. Other factory accessories ordered were dual outside mirrors, Astrophonic AM radio (in place plus the hidden unit), electric clock, floor mounted vacuum gauge, variable wipers with washer, matching safety seat belts, backup lights, fender turn signals, undercoating with hood insulator, tinted windshield, and more. All of the car has been carefully decoded from the data plate in the attached pictures and reflects the car exactly as shown, including the 413 and Torqueflite transmission. If you are a letter car collector, a Mopar enthusiast, or just looking for one of the coolest cruising convertibles around, you won’t see yourself coming and going in one of these… but everyone else will. It’s one of the highest thumbs-up-per mile cars I’ve ever owned. On Mar-27-14 at 06:42:44 PDT, seller added the following information: A wise 300 maven pointed out that 1965 was not the first year for unibody or unitized construction. So I should correct this to say this was the first year Chrysler used improved structure, galvanization for the sills, body and wheel housings to provide additional strength and rust resistance. This car was additionally undercoated, which together maintained its rust free condition. BTW, all the original floor patterns are still visible as attest to their originality. While some disparage the reduced power of the later letter cars, it should be pointed out that this car delivers sub-9 second zero-to-sixty times. which is faster than the original 300. Also, I failed to mention that the car is equipped with a Sure-grip limited slip differential with 3.23 gears. Its torsion bar suspension helped it out handle other luxury muscle cars of the period such as the Riveria, Starfire and Thunderbird. Someone else pointed out that Elwood Engel's style (the man behind the magnificent Lincoln Continental four-door cars of the 60's) produced the long, sleek look of the L and that it was considered in may ways more attractive than its letter predecessors. In fact, Special Interest Autos reported that the L is the most underrated of all the 300's. As a seasoned car collector, I feel these are absolute bargains at their current price, and will see significant growth in the not too distant future. Think about it: a genuine convertible 300 letter car in stunning original condition, in the most attractive color combination, loaded from the factory, documented correct, selling for the price of the run-of-the-mill 60's convertibles produced by the millions. Like its top, it value has nowhere to go but up. Finally, I failed to note that the 1965 Chrysler 300L, for its design, performance and mechanics, as well as that fact that it was the last of the letter breed, was voted by The Milestone Society, to be included in its list of milestone cars of the postwar era. On Mar-27-14 at 07:47:38 PDT, seller added the following information: Also forgot to mention that you can feel free to call me at 631 553 5300. Thanks for looking. Michael