Cat’s Out Of The Bag, ‘65 300L Manual Trans, A/C and More

mind telling us how you managed to secure the car, since I'm sure many people knew of it.
 
Great car!

(edited)

So - you even have the correct unsilenced no snorkel air cleaner.

What's the issue with the carb? It should be an AFB (can't tell from the photos on my phone). If it were a 66 440 with man trans the carb number would 4130S. I don't know what it is for a 65.



Looks like (can't tell for sure looking at the pics on my phone), that it's missing the rad shroud too. AC cars had a rad shroud.
Rebuilding the carb was just a thought because of how long this car has been sitting. I haven’t checked the numbers of the carburetor yet. It looks corroded and a lot of crud on the outside according to my quick assessment.

There isn’t a radiator shroud that came with the 300. I’ll be checking into that.

Thanks for clearing up the air filter housing, along with the other members.
 
mind telling us how you managed to secure the car, since I'm sure many people knew of it.
I’m not sure how many remember this silver 4-speed. Any extra information is welcome, even in a PM. I researched a little and didn’t see anything but I knew kind of where it went. Here’s how I meet Don R.


A few years ago I started a conversation that was a short tribute to Don Rook and a Hurst 300 story. Search him to see the full conversation.

Here is a section of an article I wrote for my old car club newsletter. The above 300 “The Cat” is pictured in the article.

Feb 10, 2019#10

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haywire 440

Here is an article that I wrote about Don and I. Were we friends? He Sure made it seem that way. My wife, bless her heart, even passed his test by, after he made her sit in a car, knowing the transmission was activated with a push of a button. She won him over. Don was really impressed when he learned we drove through a river to get to his and Kathy’s place. That way was the short cut. My wife and I have remained in contact with Kathy. Don’s Superbird was featured in an English car magazine and that magazine also featured topless models, as if the American Automobiles weren’t enough. We knew more about Don in the hours we spent there than probably what We know about our own family, lol.
To us he was a Real great guy.

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Don Rook, Wow, Don Rook! I grew up in Levittown, PA north of Philadelphia. Somewhere in the mid to late Sixties, I found his business card in the street in front of my house. Don Rook, dealing in Packards and parts, in Levittown! Fast forward to the late Seventies and my friend and I are at Carlisle and there are 2 guys with a pair of Max Wedge exhaust manifolds. I wanted them but I didn’t have the money with me. I called after the show and they still had them. They were in Upper Bucks County so the next weekend I ran up and got them. I was probably driving my ’65 Crown Coupe. They were Don Rook’s sons! And Don was there! And he gave me a tour of the HUGE building in the back yard! MOPAR HEAVEN! 300s and 300s and all the other MOPAR stuff! Then he moved to Arkansas, Oh Boo Hoo!

As a side bar to all this, it was before I knew of my Max. I was going to build a clone or Max Wedge the Crown Coupe! My Max has fender well headers and did not come with the manifolds in the trunk. As the Rooks were “local” to me I don’t doubt that I have Max’s original manifolds!
 
Congratulations on your 300L!
Very well equipped vehicle, I wish I had a 4 speed gearbox too. The NN-1 suits the "Car" really well. My 300L was originally WW-1, now also NN-1 but with white interior and automatic.

Your carburetor should be the AFB-3859S. Maybe it will help you when ordering an overhaul kit...

Have fun with the "Cat" !!!

Greetings
Joerg
 
Don Rook, Wow, Don Rook! I grew up in Levittown, PA north of Philadelphia. Somewhere in the mid to late Sixties, I found his business card in the street in front of my house. Don Rook, dealing in Packards and parts, in Levittown! Fast forward to the late Seventies and my friend and I are at Carlisle and there are 2 guys with a pair of Max Wedge exhaust manifolds. I wanted them but I didn’t have the money with me. I called after the show and they still had them. They were in Upper Bucks County so the next weekend I ran up and got them. I was probably driving my ’65 Crown Coupe. They were Don Rook’s sons! And Don was there! And he gave me a tour of the HUGE building in the back yard! MOPAR HEAVEN! 300s and 300s and all the other MOPAR stuff! Then he moved to Arkansas, Oh Boo Hoo!

As a side bar to all this, it was before I knew of my Max. I was going to build a clone or Max Wedge the Crown Coupe! My Max has fender well headers and did not come with the manifolds in the trunk. As the Rooks were “local” to me I don’t doubt that I have Max’s original manifolds!
It truly is a small world, thanks for adding your story about meeting Don and his sons. It certainly sounds like Don was trying to corner the market on the Chrysler Letter Cars, LOL.

I see your black Plymouth in the picture, is that a ‘64 Belvedere?
Are the exhaust manifolds you bought from Don’s son’s on that car presently? Sharp looking car!
 
Congratulations on your 300L!
Very well equipped vehicle, I wish I had a 4 speed gearbox too. The NN-1 suits the "Car" really well. My 300L was originally WW-1, now also NN-1 but with white interior and automatic.

Your carburetor should be the AFB-3859S. Maybe it will help you when ordering an overhaul kit...

Have fun with the "Cat" !!!

Greetings
Joerg
Greetings Joerg,

Our vehicles could be twins, both wearing the silver paint. The paint is original with patina and when time allows some delicate wet sanding and buffing hopefully bring a shine back to the NN1 hue.

I do like white interior colors too. The A/C will help cool the Cat’s black interior once it’s operational. Obviously the engine needs a good look over first. Second chore brakes.

Having the carburetor number is handy indeed, thank you.

I kind of wish the power antenna was added as an option. Does your have the power antenna on yours Joerg? The classic racing mag wheels jazz up your car. I like the ‘66 300 sporty wheels covers that came with this 4-speed.
Cheers!
 
@haywire 440 Max is a '63 Sport Fury. One of 234. Like the 300L it's the only one at the cars and coffees. At the Carlisle shows he's normally 1 of 2 there amongst the clones. My best friend is a retired Porsche mechanic and he went to work at the dealer that was in Rosemont, PA in the old Derham Body building. Max was slumbering on the fourth floor with the ghosts of custom Mopars past. I went to work there as parts manager and made the deal for the car on my first day there I think! As much as I was a C Body and Y Body guy I had Gen 1 B Bodies and I knew Max was a "real" car. But it took the local expert, when he came to look at the car, to show me the engine code on the data plate.
The manifolds are still on the shelf. Fenderwell headers are so much cooler!
 
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The 300L is awesome, love it!

On a side note I remember seeing the max wedge SF at Carlisle a few years back. It was very unusual & I took pics, looked to be an original paint survivor, neat car!
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Greetings Joerg,

Our vehicles could be twins, both wearing the silver paint. The paint is original with patina and when time allows some delicate wet sanding and buffing hopefully bring a shine back to the NN1 hue.

I do like white interior colors too. The A/C will help cool the Cat’s black interior once it’s operational. Obviously the engine needs a good look over first. Second chore brakes.

Having the carburetor number is handy indeed, thank you.

I kind of wish the power antenna was added as an option. Does your have the power antenna on yours Joerg? The classic racing mag wheels jazz up your car. I like the ‘66 300 sporty wheels covers that came with this 4-speed.
Cheers!
To answer your question, no also no power antenna.
Ron, the first owener of my car changed some parts on the car. He worked as a mechanic at Marshak Motos, Van Nuys/Ca. So he added an AM/FM radio, cruise control, side markers and an A/C (he told me he forgot the cross on the order).
Some months ago I changed the wheels. The pre owner here in Germany put Torque Thrust D with whitewalls on it. They were good to me for almost ten years, but Ron had Roadwheels on it, and they are also my favorit. As I got the chance to buy a set here in Germany, I could not resist ;)

That's how the car looks now...
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Mine is kinda a twin also, it received a cheapo black paintjob many years ago prior to me but was originally NN1. (oh, and it's an automatic)
Here is a pic from around the time I bought it. It's mostly rust-free but with a semi-ratty interior.

Over 16 years later, it looks mostly like this today. I'm not much for restoration, but I do preservation like nobody's business.
The white face in the garage is still being preserved quite nicely too.

Now - any updates on yours, @haywire 440?

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Mine is kinda a twin also, it received a cheapo black paintjob many years ago prior to me but was originally NN1. (oh, and it's an automatic)
Here is a pic from around the time I bought it. It's mostly rust-free but with a semi-ratty interior.

Over 16 years later, it looks mostly like this today. I'm not much for restoration, but I do preservation like nobody's business.
The white face in the garage is still being preserved quite nicely too.

Now - any updates on yours, @haywire 440?

View attachment 574801

@fury fan Thanks for posting my new to me NN1 300. I had been meaning to include it there. A lot of folks like choosing their own gear manually.

Don Rook, in his collection, had a pair of ‘67 300 Convertibles I believe that was the year. One had ever option available except one and the other convertible had no options. The no option 300 had manual 3 on the tree, no power steering and no power brake. Could anyone here fathom that huge beast?

No updates yet on the “Cat”. After moving a household and several garageholds to a great place in Arkansas a lot of time is spent organizing everything.

I’ve been meeting some good automotive connections here.
I’m looking forward to dedicated time on this original 4-speed Brute.
 
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