[Chrysler300] RE: AMAs, 355HP, Manual C300, et.al.

["Dan Elliott" <us@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Gil--

I am only postulating that Carl K.had more than one c300 with manual trans
because he had more than
one c300 on the track at several 1955 races between April and November.
Since the powerflite was a liability, it would have
made no sense to put Fonty and others behind the wheel in a powerflite car.
Assuming they used Dodge truck transmissions,
it may have been easier for Carl to convert the c300's himself to manual
trans rather than get them from Chrysler.  The rules changed
for 1956, and the manual trans needed to be a production option:
"Transmissions must be standard for make and model car used"

I agree on the 355 HP option.  Also, NASCAR approved the 355 HP option with
"93 CC" heads.  At some point NASCAR might have approved
the 4 bolt exhaust manifold, but I have no evidence of it. The rules stated
generally: "Standard exhaust manifold and header pipe for make
and model only.  No alterations or changes permitted from the engine block
to muffler take-off."  I wish I had focused more on this point
when I was at NASCAR archives, but they do charge a minimum of $25/hour to
do research, so I didn't want to take too much time.

I'm still hunting for that elusive picture from late in the 1956 season
showing the 355 Hood!

Dan

  -----Original Message-----
  From: Lettercars@xxxxxxx [mailto:Lettercars@xxxxxxx]
  Sent: Wednesday, May 07, 2008 9:23 AM
  To: us@xxxxxxxxxx; c300@xxxxxxx; Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
  Subject: AMAs, 355HP, Manual C300, et.al.


  Rich, Dan, and All:
  I will try not to belabor this topic. (Scared to!!)

  1.  My copy of the 1955 AMA Specs is also the 2-15-55.  I made a copy of
it while at Chrysler in the '70s
       and would have certainly tryed to get the latest issue.  Doesn't mean
I did, though.

  2.  The 355 300B utilized a higher compression HEAD.  The confidential
bulletin to the dealers is dated
       June 13, 1956, and states the new heads are 10 to1.  It also states
the heads are identified by part
       "1730369-1".  They are not interchangeable with the 9.0 1955 C300
heads.  They are to be used only with
       AGR-31 or colder plugs with ignition timing set from 0 degrees to 4
degrees BTDC "depending upon
       octane rating of fuel available".   Wonder if these had a PN riveted
on them as Owen surmised
       his 390HP "C" may have.  Likely we will never know.

  3.  Chrysler microfilm records show only ONE C300 being built with a
manual (code 1) Tranny.  That car
       (built in June) did go to Kiekhaefer, who apparently converted it to
a 300B for the next season!  How
       many other C300s were converted by owners to manual shift is
anybody's guess.

  4.  Regarding octane, Hemis (sphereical segment combustion chambers) are
more tolerant of lower
       octane because they don't "squish" the fuel-air mixture as unevenly
as other configurations.  I can
       only relate my personal experience of running my 300C in the sixties
on Sunoco 190 with no problems.
       Ran right well too.  The car had its heads milled also, as I was at
one time going to make  it into a
       390 HP version since I had one of the Isky cams used in the Daytona
Trials.  However, sanity prevailed
       and I bought a stock 300C cam from Chrysler and "did the right
thing".
  300ly, Gil Cunningham
  Tallahassee, FL





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