Chrysler was on a roll in the design department under the direction of Virgil Exner. He was responsible for many striking automotive shapes of the 1950s and 1960s, and one of his well-known designs was that of the Newport.
The Pick of the Day is a 1961 Chrysler Newport listed for sale on ClassicCars.com by a private seller in Belfair, Washington. (Click the link to view the listing)
“This is a stunning and unique ’61 Chrysler Newport with the rare factory A/C option,” the listing begins. It is a Southern California rust-free and accident-free car. It was treated to a professional paint job plus new upholstery about six years ago.”
The Newport name dates back to 1940 when Chrysler used it on the Newport Phaeton for two model years. It was a unique car for a few reasons but some of the most noteworthy were its lack of a roof system or weather protection, its hideaway headlights, and its dual windshields. Through the 1950s, Newport was used as a sub-model for vehicles like the Windsor, New Yorker, and Saratoga. Finally, in 1961, the Newport became a standalone model.
There’s a lot to love about this Newport. It came as a well-optioned car with power steering, power brakes, a clock, and an AM radio – not to mention that rare air conditioning. The seller states that the car spent about 15 years in a museum. Even the original owner’s manual remains in the plastic wrapper.
Although the peak tailfin era for American cars was the late 1950s, the Newport had prominent fins in 1961. They were toned down shortly thereafter in 1962 and completely gone by 1963. The 1961 and 1962 model years also had unique offset headlights. One of my favorite design elements of the Newport is found in the interior: The “AstraDome” instrument cluster was a futuristic glass dome that extended toward the steering wheel and contained the gauges in a stacked three-dimensional arrangement.
Power comes from a 361cid Firebolt V8 mated to a PowerFlite push-button three-speed automatic transmission. The seller states that the engine is quiet with no smoke, no knocks, and a rebuilt carburetor. Accompanying the car is a folder of receipts and paperwork back to when the car was new.
“You can literally fly in and drive this beauty home – just make sure you add a couple of days to the trip since people will want to ask questions and take pictures. It’s really an attention-getter. I wouldn’t hesitate to drive this anywhere in the country,” the seller states.
The asking price is $25,000 or best offer for this Newport. To view this listing on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day.
This is a very nicely written article about a special car thank you, Carmine Ricca
My Uncle had one of these..I definitely found it fascinating..Nice car..