Re: [Chrysler300] The 1964 "Silver 300" Package

[Michael <mwl1967@xxxxxxx>]

Great writeup Chris! 

Mike Laiserin

kmaniak@xxxxxxx wrote:

>
>Greetings All:
>
>Having read a recent e-mail referencing the 1964 “Silver 300” package,
>I feel it is time to discuss this unique model and put to bed any myths
>or misconceptions.
> 
>Chrysler, like other car companies, will offer spring promotional
>options packages on cars as a marketing tool to clear their shelves of
>a back stock of accessory items that have collected on their parts
>shelves.  The “Silver 300” package was created in the spring of 1964
>for just that purpose.
>
>The 1964 “Silver 300's” owe there existence to a highly specialized,
>high priced, and subsequently low volume model called the New Yorker
>Salon, which was offer in 1963 and 1964 only.  This unique model was
>introduced in 1963 and could have been considered a "poor man's
>Imperial Le Baron".  This was a New Yorker that that had every power
>accessory in the Chrysler book as standard equipment.  There were even
>some items on this car that were not available on other lesser model
>Chryslers, including rear passenger reading lights, ashtrays with
>cigarette lighters, automatic parking brake release, a fold down center
>front armrest with a lockable console compartment, and a black vinyl
>canopy top with crown molding.  Also unique to the Salon was a paint
>color called "Embassy Gold" (code U), a color offered on other Chrysler
>lines, but not on the full size Chryslers in either 1963 or 1964. 
>Chrysler built less than 1,000 Salons in 1963 and 1,621 Salons in 1964
>according to my sources.
>
>The 1964 model year marked the end of the line of the full size
>Chrysler platform first introduced with the “Forward Look” in 1957. 
>Chrysler had to deplete and eliminate all inventories of body parts
>that would not fit the new full size body platform due to be introduced
>for the 1965 model year.  By mid-year of the 1964 model cycle, I think
>Chrysler realized that they had a large inventory of unused black vinyl
>canopy tops reserved solely for the New Yorker Salon.  Seeing that
>projected Salon sales would not match the inventory backlog of vinyl
>tops, Chrysler had to devise a way to package these tops on other
>vehicles.  This is how I believe they came up with the “Silver 300”
>package.
>
>The “Silver 300” package was offered on the 300 and 300-K two-door
>hardtops only with factory order code 329.  It consisted of the silver
>paint, a shade offered on Dodges and Plymouths, but not offered on the
>full size Chrysler until then.  It included, too, the black vinyl
>canopy top and molding used previously on the Salon only.  They offered
>only one interior color for the “Silver 300”, which was black.  The
>silver paint and vinyl top gave these special 300's a look similar to
>the New Yorker Salon, but for much less than the Salon's $6,000+ price
>tag.  Any option available on a 300 or 300-K was available on the
>Silver models.  Some were ordered with a heavy list of options and some
>had very little, if any.  Chrysler produced 2,152 “Silver 300's” and
>255 “Silver 300-K's” according to my sources.
>
>At first glance, it may appear that the silver cars are rare compared
>to the other cars produced that year.  Let me point out that only the
>silver color has exact production figures verified.  Based on a
>statistical calculation of remaining cars built, Chrysler most likely
>produced more silver colored 300's than they did any other specific
>color that year.  A genuine 1964 “Silver 300” will have the paint code
>"229".  The number 2 was used to identify the Silver Mist paint color. 
>In standard Chrysler paint code convention, the first digit identified
>body color and the second digit identified top color.  The third digit
>indicates the vinyl top and molding.  A similar paint code format was
>used on the New Yorker Salon.  Another code on the body plate unique to
>the “Silver 300” package is code Z5 of the second line.  I believe that
>Z5 indicates the factory installation of the canopy molding.  My 300-K
>hardtop with “Silver 300” package is coded Z5 and 229.  It is also
>coded A3, but that’s another story.  All other “Silver 300” package
>cars I have seen or verified for others are also coded Z5 and 229.  My
>gold Salon has paint code "UU9", with UU for "Embassy Gold" and "9" for
>the vinyl top, as well as code Z5.  One odd story reported by a long
>time member of the Chrysler 300 Club, Inc. was about a 300-K his family
>bought used years ago.  This 300-K had the factory black vinyl top, but
>was painted in "Royal Ruby" red.  The paint code was "RR9", indicating
>that the paint shade and vinyl top were consistent with the “Silver
>300” package with a different color choice.
>A question has come up recently as to whether Chrysler built a 300-K
>convertible in Silver Mist.  My answer would be that it was highly
>unlikely, but possible.  Any 300 or 300-K convertible, or for that
>matter, any 1964 Chrysler other than a 300 or 300-K with the “Silver
>300” package, painted Silver Mist and/or paint coded 22, 221, or 229,
>would be an extremely rare car indeed.
> 
>On this same topic I would like to mention that Chrysler Canada
>produced a New Yorker 2-door hardtop in 1964.  My sources indicate that
>only 300 of these New Yorker 2-door hardtops were produced.  A few
>years ago, I was contacted by a Canadian resident who had just acquired
>one such car from the estate of the original owner and he sent me
>pictures.  The Canadian New Yorker 2-door hardtop used the standard
>2-door hardtop body, equipped with the canopy vinyl top and roof
>molding, and the body side moldings used on the USA built Newport
>2-door hardtops.  This car was also equipped the same white leather
>interior used in the USA built 300/300-K hardtops, including console
>and floor shift automatic.  The only two differences with interior trim
>were the use of a New Yorker plate on the dashboard, and use of New
>Yorker trim plates on the door panels in place of the four-pointed 300
>star.
> 
>One thing I have noticed over the years is that some "misinformed"
>people may refer to the “Silver 300” package as the "Silver
>Anniversary" or the "Silver Special".  Let me take this opportunity to
>point out that the color silver represents a 25th anniversary and a
>"Silver Anniversary" Chrysler would only have been produced or marketed
>in 1949.  The 1964 model year was promoted in some advertisements as
>Chryslers 40th year.  Although this package can be considered “special”
>the package was not produced or advertised to promote any
>“anniversary”.  Use of these two terms to describe the “Silver 300”
>package should be avoided.
> 
>All of this information is based upon my personal research over the
>years.  Any additional information regarding this topic is welcome.
>
>Chris - the K MANIAC
>Concord, California
>
>
>[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

-- 
Sent from my Android phone with K-9 Mail. Please excuse my brevity.

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]



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