Rare Rides: The 1970 Chrysler 300 Hurst

[PcWilliams]

If this has already been posted feel free to delete.

https://www.streetmusclemag.com/news/rare-rides-the-1970-chrysler-300-hurst/

 

[C Body Bob]

I like these.

 

[Trace 300 Hurst]

Thanks for posting. I hadn't heard of this recent article yet. No new info, mostly Interweb regurgitation and the "under dash A/C" is totally misleading, but outstanding pics.

However, I've heard that people who own these things are snobs.....

 

[CBODY67]

There's a massive amount of information on that website and it's companion publications' websites!

Nice article and nice car . . . . but one without factory a/c? Non-tilt steering column? Plus the F70x15 tires, rather than H70x15s? I can understand the Sanden a/c compressor, but the under-dash a/c? Makes me think the pictured car is a "tribute".

Thanks for posting,
CBODY67

 

[Trace 300 Hurst]

Nice article and nice car . . . . but one without factory a/c? Non-tilt steering column? Plus the F70x15 tires, rather than H70x15s? I can understand the Sanden a/c compressor, but the under-dash a/c? Makes me think the pictured car is a "tribute".

I think the unobtainable hood and trunk...and probably the Imperial interior...makes it VERY difficult to make a tribute car. Not impossible, but it would be easier and cheaper to buy a weak example and restore it.

As for the Sanden/Underdash, I'm pretty sure it was originally a non-AC car (as per the radiator inlet hose opposite of mine, no heater control valve or AC lines on the fenderwell and a few other things). The cool breezes comes from a good modern aftermarket kit, well installed. That's an understandable mod, tribute or original.

 

[CBODY67]

My point is that the 300-Hurst cars were all, as I understand it, fully loaded, except the 5 or so cars that were built w/o power windows. Which is where they allegedly discovered that the window cranks would hit the Imperial seats with the doors closed. That information is from a road test that CAR LIFE magazine did on a 300-Hurst, back then.

So, seeing one with a non-tilt column and under-dash a/c make me wonder about the particular car's real origin. Granted, the hood and rear deck lid are unique to the 300-Hursts, as is the Imperial interior. Tribute, Clone, or otherwise, seeing the data plate might be needed.

CBODY67

 

[Trace 300 Hurst]

But the biggest mystery? Some say 502 made, but I've always heard 485 plus the Linda car.

Seriously? I mean how did they misplace 17 of these monsters? Did somebody forget to count 'em? If so, how do they know the exact number of 69 RRs, (84,420, broken down by verts, coupes and hardtops...and engines and transmissions). Or the 43,404 RRs sold in 1970....I guess the counting-guy was busy with the Birds and missed the Hursts.

 

[Trace 300 Hurst]

So, seeing one with a non-tilt column and under-dash a/c make me wonder about the particular car's real origin. Granted, the hood and rear deck lid are unique to the 300-Hursts, as is the Imperial interior. Tribute, Clone, or otherwise, seeing the data plate might be needed.

I'd heard a rumor about the window crank issue a long time ago, you're the first to ever mention it since then, so it must be true! I'm power windows and seat, AC, but non-tilt, no clock. I think the tilt is pretty rare. Rarer still is the console option. I'm also the "non-chrome tips" option. Fortunately.

 

[BIGBARNEYCARS]

Thanks for posting. I hadn't heard of this recent article yet. No new info, mostly Interweb regurgitation and the "under dash A/C" is totally misleading, but outstanding pics.

However, I've heard that people who own these things are snobs.....

Ah mental mis-read 'cuz you haven't met 'um Trace, Jer

 

[Trace 300 Hurst]

Ah mental mis-read 'cuz you haven't met 'um Trace, Jer

Huh? It's an inside joke. Please see this thread, post #7. I meant to say "smug".

New article and perspective on ‘70 300/H-Hurst

 

[Trace 300 Hurst]

I can understand the Sanden a/c compressor, but the under-dash a/c? Makes me think the pictured car is a "tribute". CBODY67

Also, why clone a car that nobody knows what it is in the first damn place? I hear it all the time, even at car shows where you think somebody would know: "What is it?" "Is it a custom car?" "Never seen one."

It's all kinda funny.

 

[cm23uoc]

That's a legit Hurst AFAik, must be the one who was owned by a member here.
If that's the one it was a dealer installed AC from 1970

For Sale - 1970 Chrysler 300 Hurst Rotesserie Restored

I'd say from an educated guess that around 50 % of These cars were not loaded apart from the Special Hurst ingredients, only a few without AC though, almost all but 2-3 early ones had power Windows due to said interference with the seats.

My fully documented unrestored numbers matching car is one of the low optioned ones as well: no tilt/telescope/rim blow option, no clock, Basic Radio, column shift (as most of them came with), no cornering lights to Name a few.

The 485 number is an official Chrysler number stated in a document from the late 70s that can be found on the Mopar Fuselage Styled Full Size Cars Website and is generally taken as the actual number even though some argue that there is a way too high survival rate if that's true. I think around 2000 there were still 50 percent of These cars known to exist if not all in running or restorable condition.

 

[dart4forte]

My point is that the 300-Hurst cars were all, as I understand it, fully loaded, except the 5 or so cars that were built w/o power windows. Which is where they allegedly discovered that the window cranks would hit the Imperial seats with the doors closed. That information is from a road test that CAR LIFE magazine did on a 300-Hurst, back then.

So, seeing one with a non-tilt column and under-dash a/c make me wonder about the particular car's real origin. Granted, the hood and rear deck lid are unique to the 300-Hursts, as is the Imperial interior. Tribute, Clone, or otherwise, seeing the data plate might be needed.

CBODY67

This particular car looks like it was ordered without AC. Underdash units looks like it’s an aftermarket setup such as Classic Air. It also has a Sanden pump.

 

[Trace 300 Hurst]

The 485 number is an official Chrysler number stated in a document from the late 70s that can be found on the Mopar Fuselage Styled Full Size Cars Website and is generally taken as the actual number even though some argue that there is a way too high survival rate if that's true. I think around 2000 there were still 50 percent of These cars known to exist if not all in running or restorable condition.

I just heard from another member that it was a "dealer air" car, but the wrong (driver's side) radiator hose makes me wonder what the compressor setup was back then. No room for a 2V with that hose on the driver's side, and I doubt there were tidy Sanden units back then. Anybody know what dealer installed system looked like, like say on a regular Fury or Polara or Newport?

As for the "way too high survival rate" argument, I can't statistically accept that 17 additional cars would appreciably skew the survival rate. My reasoning is that the H cars that didn't rust away by around 1979 (by then my parent's 71 Fury Grand Coupe had already become Swiss cheese rusty, fading paint, peeling top, cracked dash) were put away due to high gas prices, high original cost, AND because of their appearance. And probably because of low miles on most of the survivors, because that's why they survived in the first place--they weren't daily drivers. And the former owner of my car believed that there were only about 50 roadworthy cars by 2016. So that's HIS statistics!

Anyway, very interesting discussion.

 

[commando1]

Finkleman is an auto enthusiast that submits short articles to publications/websites as an independent contributer.
Other than his enthusiasm, he has no other qualifications.
To earn another fifty bucks, he picks an interesting vehicle and regurgitates a summary of basic Google searches. He doesn't even have a flair for interesting writing.
Nice gig if you think about.

 

[Trace 300 Hurst]

Finkleman is an auto enthusiast that submits short articles to publications/websites as an independent contributer.
Other than his enthusiasm, he has no other qualifications.
To earn another fifty bucks, he picks an interesting vehicle and regurgitates a summary of basic Google searches. He doesn't even have a flair for interesting writing.
Nice gig if you think about.

One-hundred-and-one percent agreement. I thought the exact same thing as I read it, which is why I mentioned "No new info, mostly Interweb regurgitation...." I guess that's fine, but it's the perpetuation of bad info that rankles me, and it's done for all sorts of collector cars. Even the vaunted Mopar rags get facts wrong from time to time, although some of the writers really know their stuff.

 

[cm23uoc]

I didn't even read the article. As far as the Hurst production numbers are concerned I meant to say some People don't believe in either the 485 nor the 500 number as there are so many left. The 300 Club Intl. Register that published the known VINs of the then known cars around the year 2000 which I refered to with a survival rate of about 50 % IIRC, certainly quite some in basket case condition included.

 

[Trace 300 Hurst]

I didn't even read the article. As far as the Hurst production numbers are concerned I meant to say some People don't believe in either the 485 nor the 500 number as there are so many left. The 300 Club Intl. Register that published the known VINs of the then known cars around the year 2000 which I refered to with a survival rate of about 50 % IIRC, certainly quite some in basket case condition included.

Yeah, I would believe that about half didn't go to the crusher for the reasons I mentioned, even tho 25% of those 250 cars might have been basket cases or near to it. And whether 485 or 500....doesn't really matter. But what I'd really like to know is the number than can start and run and go to a local show with some decency of appearance. That might be the 50 cars that my PO claims that the 300 Club estimates in his signboard about the car: Those cars "on the road". Who knows?

 

[dart4forte]

I just heard from another member that it was a "dealer air" car, but the wrong (driver's side) radiator hose makes me wonder what the compressor setup was back then. No room for a 2V with that hose on the driver's side, and I doubt there were tidy Sanden units back then. Anybody know what dealer installed system looked like, like say on a regular Fury or Polara or Newport?

As for the "way too high survival rate" argument, I can't statistically accept that 17 additional cars would appreciably skew the survival rate. My reasoning is that the H cars that didn't rust away by around 1979 (by then my parent's 71 Fury Grand Coupe had already become Swiss cheese rusty, fading paint, peeling top, cracked dash) were put away due to high gas prices, high original cost, AND because of their appearance. And probably because of low miles on most of the survivors, because that's why they survived in the first place--they weren't daily drivers. And the former owner of my car believed that there were only about 50 roadworthy cars by 2016. So that's HIS statistics!

Anyway, very interesting discussion.

I would bet Jay Leno knows. He happens to own one.

 

[Trace 300 Hurst]

I would bet Jay Leno knows. He happens to own one.

Ehhhh, doubtful....he don't know nuttin' about cars.