[Chrysler300] 62 Chrysler 300's converted to 63 Dodge 880's

["Jim Pristelski" <ajp002@xxxxxxxxx>]

My father was a Chrysler/Plymouth dealer at this time.  At the end of the
model year, Chrysler Corp would make a bunch of cars which would be loaded
up with whatever options were left that would not apply to the following
year's cars.  It was their way of getting rid of the surplus inventory.  For
example, I remember a 1962 Sport 300 4dr HT that my dad got at the end of
the model year.  It was red with a leather interior, PW, PS, AC, etc,
including cruise control.  It came with an incredible list of options.
These cars were offered to the dealers at lower than normal prices.  As a
result, they sold out and none were left.

With something well over 1000 dealers across the US, and with the Sport 300
being a popular model in 1962, there is no way that Chrysler Corp was left
with some 500 unsold 300s at the end of the model year.  This is the first
time that I have heard of anything like that.  Even if they were selling
slowly, which was not the case, Chrysler Corp would have made the price
favorable enough that the dealers would have scrambled for them.

Perhaps what was meant was that since the 1963 Dodge 880 continued to have
the looks of the 1962 Chrysler, some several hundred body shells may have
been saved for the 1963 Dodge 880.  But built out Chrysler 300s did not have
their nameplates, trim etc removed to be replaced by Dodge nameplates, trim,
etc.  If they were builtout as Chryslers, they would have been sold to the
dealers at whatever price it took to move them out.

Jim in cold IL




---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Carlton Schroeder <schroe99@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Wed, Mar 5, 2008 at 5:26 PM
Subject: [Chrysler300] 62 Chrysler 300's converted to 63 Dodge 880's
To: Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

  In my attempts to track down some Wisconsin old car junk yards and Mopar
parts or car collectors I've been talking to some interesting people. I do
expect to have some sources available in a month or so for anyone
interested, although I've been told by a couple of yards that with scrap
metal at $200 per ton many cars that have been sitting for some time are
being scrapped.

Anyways, a car enthusiast I talked to today (Wayne Dettmering, Brokaw, WI)
told me that at the end of the 62 model year there were 500 excess or left
over 62 300's that were converted to 63 Dodge 880's. Maybe that was a
practice back then or maybe Wayne is wrong but his story sounded unusual and
was interesting to me. Maybe Gil or another Chrysler employeee would know if
this was true. Also I started to wonder how this might or might not be
reflected in a vehicle no.

Wayne has a 1950 Jeepster that he has had on display at the Auburn Chrysler
Museum and he said he also would try to visit our meet and bring his
Jeepster. Wayne also gave me a few junk yard leads I'm following up on.

300'ly

Carlton Schroeder
(lot's of cheeseheads crying in their beer with Farve retiring)

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