1964 Chrysler 300K convertible/a c-body?

[Jack E/NJ]

Hi all. New to the forum. Can't seem to get a definitive answer on this. For the purposes of windshield replacement, does anyone here know with a reasonable degree of certainty if a 1964 Chrysler 300K convertible could be classified as part of Chrysler's family of 1961-1964 C-BODY cars? Thanks!

Jack E/NJ

 

[commando1]

 

[mdh157]

It is my understanding it is a D Body..........check this out but IDK how correct it is:

Body Code Designations

 

[Jack E/NJ]

Thanks Commando1. The post-1964 years this official chart applies to is quite relevant to the issue here. Windshield mfrs & dealers seem to unofficially use this same C-BODY classification in describing what their windshields fit for pre-1965 Mopars. Specifically they ***claim*** their particular windshield will fit all 1961-1964 Chrysler C-BODY vehicles. The shop that has been trying to replace my damaged windshield is reluctant to accept these claims due to the fact that the official C-BODY classification didn't start till 1965. The shop understandably doesn't want to take a chance on absorbing the price & shipping costs involved for a windshield that doesn't fit.

Jack E/NJ

 

[Jack E/NJ]

And thank you mdh157 for confirming that this should indeed be of concern to my glass shop. 8^)

Jack E/NJ

 

[pomonamissel]

it is the last of the rear steering box , 65 started the forward type as the rest of the field . and the chart about said that 60-62 dart was b , that wrong 60-61 are full sized car , the 62 is the only b body dart , 63 they went to a body on the lancer / valiant platform . but what body class are 64's ? thought it was an early c body .

 

[pomonamissel]

that windshield is rag cars only , its short height was then the rest . check the nags # on the w/s itself w590 is what my glenn mitchell collision repair guide says , hope this helps you , thats a good looking one . mine was white/wht top /blk leather .

 

[pomonamissel]

oh ya nags , nation auto glass specifications . i think .

 

[Jack E/NJ]

Thanks Pomonamissel. The W590 number sounds familiar. Does DW590 mean anything? One of the windshield dealers claims he has the DW590 windshield. Jack E/NJ

 

[pomonamissel]

not sure what the d is about . could be a newer style listing .

 

[Jack E/NJ]

Yeah. He's one of the windshield dealers who claims the DW590 fits the 1961-1964 Chrysler C-BODY cars. Jack E/NJ

 

[pomonamissel]

well the h/t w/s nags # w604 , what he got on that ? h/t and rags are different .

 

[Jack E/NJ]

Nothing for w604 or dw604

 

[pomonamissel]

sorry my book start with 64 and up . could not tell you .

 

[pomonamissel]

just did some finger walking , here is what i found . forwardlook.net ; nags w590 1960 all full size cdpd (chrysler dodge plymouth desoto ) and 1961 full size rags only and 1962-1964 dodge 880 and chrysler rags only . now did this on nags dw590 ; dw590 1960-1964 dodge chryler c body dart : h/t , sd , convt , wagon . its worded differently but covers your model car . the world at your finger tips , lol .

 

[Jack E/NJ]

>>>now did this on nags dw590 ; dw590 1960-1964 dodge chryler c body dart : h/t , sd , convt , wagon . its worded differently but covers your model car . the world at your finger tips , lol .>>>

Thanks for the info pomonamissel. Now my next question. On a scale of 0% to 100%, what do you think is the probability that the DW590 windshield will actually fit a 1964 Xler 300K convertible? 8^) Jack E/NJ

 

[pomonamissel]

well i always use ppg glass or oem . and in its own wording its the application for it . jack e i would ask a round a bit more . does your car have a windshield in it for numbers . you could put a wanted ad here .

 

[Jack E/NJ]

>>>that windshield is rag cars only , its short height>>>

You mentioned this earlier. I'm not sure if you were referring specifically to the 300K convertible. But my shop also recently had concerns about this possibly. A friend who retired from SafeLite glass years ago also said it was a possibility. I'm not sure if the shop still has the windshield as it was totally ruined and likely removed in small pieces. A HAMB member did find this tinted glass part number 1954216 in the 1964 parts manual. Jack E/NJ

 

[pomonamissel]

that is the chrysler number i believe . and 64 300 or k or any chrysler 64 rags use the same windshield , and in my book there was only two types , and convt is separate from h/ts . just tint or not .

 

[Mr C]

It is my understanding it is a D Body..........check this out but IDK how correct it is:

Body Code Designations

That list is just plain bad.

First thing- D Bodies were full frame Imperials 65-66. Before that there was no body designations per-se. Chrysler went to Uni-body construction in 1960, so this 300 is a full-size unibody car.

Pre 65 Chrysler Corp did not use the body designation codes as loved by the Muscle car drones. The Body designations started getting improperly applied to pre 65 cars by the Muscle car rags when they wrote about the Max Wedge cars and called them B bodies. When Exner unveiled the "shrunken" cars- they were not popular. Unfortunately the Muscle car rag damage was done and the Drones have applied that incorrect line of thought to everything Mopar ever since...and it really doesn't apply to Exner or KT Keller era Mopars beyond broad car line categorization.

Cars could be roughly divided into groupings based on wheelbase, and therefore size- anologous to the later body designations but it's really apples and oranges as just about everything body wise is quite different. Pre 65 Mopars can best be described as follows:

106 inch Short wheelbase "compact cars"- A's- Lancer, Valiant
115 inch Mid-size-B's- Really typified by the "shrunken" Exner 62 Fury/ Polara
126 inch wheelbase Full Size-C's- DeSoto Adventurer/ Chrysler line
129 inch wheelbase full frame Full size-D's- Imperials

Jack E/NJ- Your mechanic is right to be leery about the claims on that windshield for the reasons above.