1957 Chrysler 300C Convertible
Only 484 convertibles were produced for 1957, making this the rarest body style of one of the most performance-focused American cars of the 1950s.
Virgil Exner’s Forward Look was pushed further for 1957 (wider front end, more assertive tailfins) than in prior years, and the fins weren’t merely decorative: Chrysler engineers demonstrated they measurably improved high-speed stability in testing.
The 392 cubic inch Hemi V-8 came standard with dual four-barrel carburetors, solid lifters, and 9.25:1 compression, producing 375 horsepower (up from 355 in the 300B).
Brake cooling ducts sat below the headlights, and a carefully tuned Torsion-Aire front suspension with performance-calibrated rear leaf springs contributed to handling that stood apart from most American contemporaries.
The 300C averaged 134 mph in NASCAR’s Flying Mile at Daytona Beach, and a specially prepared example reached 145.7 mph at Chrysler’s Chelsea Proving Grounds.
Motor Trend named it Car of the Year for 1957. It was also among the most expensive American production cars that year, a price that bought genuine engineering rather than mere luxury appointments.
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