Chrysler 300 Letter Series - 1979 300

1979 300

For the 1979 model year Chrysler produced a limited edition (5,500 built) 300 based on its Cordoba platform. The appearance changes to the Cordoba were the following: a cross-hair grill with a '300' emblem in the middle, front fender gills, special 7" x 15" road wheels (also with a 300 emblem in the center cap) and wide white-lettered Goodyear radial tires. Almost all the cars were Spinnaker White (though a few were built to special order and painted rallye red), with a red interior. The interiors were Corinthian red leather, a console shift automatic transmission, and a rallye instrument cluster with a tachometer. The cars were outfitted with a strong (for the era) 195 hp, 360 cu in (5.9 litre) V8, a 3.23 axle ratio, and an extra stiff suspension set-up. It received positive reviews from the automotive press for its handling and respectable (again, for the day) acceleration. Unfortunately it came along just as the economic recession of 1979-81 set in, and many were still on the dealers lots into 1980. They are now garnering interest in the collector circles, and clean low mileage cars are beginning to fetch significant dollars. This was the first 300 that was not a true hardtop; the Cordoba body had frameless door glass but featured a thick "B" post formed by a window built into the wide "C" pillar.