The Chrysler 300L is a rare entry in a car show—the convertible version is an even less likely entry because they only made 440 of them back in 1965.
This ’65 300L convertible was at a small show, so it stood out like a neon sign in the Gobi Desert because this was the last year of designated letter cars at Chrysler.
Jerry Sutherland
That was significant, because the 300 emblem in the grille lit up to tell the world you weren’t driving a Windsor model—even at night.
Ken Rice is the proud new owner of this classic C-body Mopar. Ken said he was “looking for letter cars and this one came up” – he made an immediate command decision when he saw the 17-inch rubber band wheels on his 300L.
He replaced them faster than a coach replaces a quarterback after six interceptions in the first half of a game. The current 15-inch replacement wheels are placeholders until Ken finds some Magnums to give it a more period-correct look. They’ll still be 15-inch instead of the factory 14”.
Ken said the original Spanish Red Flower paint was redone over the years, but the interior is still original. The Chrysler was a Florida car, so it wasn’t obliterated by winter weather fluctuations—Ken said a professional detailing brought the interior back to showroom condition.
The only real problems with the Chrysler 300L were found under the hood because all the rubber was missing. Ken found some replacement rubber, so now the big Mopar looks a lot more complete in the engine compartment.
The 300L’s 413 big block put out 360 horsepower–thanks to some letter-car specific engine tweaks, the letter car picked up about 20 more horses.
Ken’s 300L wasn’t overly optioned so it came from the factory without upper-end options like power windows or air conditioning. The original buyer probably liked the big block 413 more than power windows.
Ken is not the kind of guy who buys trailer queens, so this car doesn’t sit around during car show season. He loves to drive old iron and this 300L is the perfect summer car. He said the roof stays down all summer unless it’s early in the season and the wind chill exceeds the fun factor.
The Chrysler is the perfect road machine because it’s big and it has the power to run on any freeway. The car is rock solid—Ken describes it as “like sitting on your couch”, yet it still has great road feel. He also said the car rode a lot better after he dumped the rubber-band tires.
The key to any car and owner story is how much fun you have behind the wheel—not how much time the car spends inside a bubble-like garage. Rare cars like a 300L are an asset at any show and Ken is happy to explain it to all onlookers.
Most people have no idea they only built 440 Chrysler 300L convertibles in ’65—they only see a cool old convertible. Once they do learn about its history, they’re even more impressed that Ken is a drive-to-the-show guy.
That’s how it should always be in the car hobby.
Jerry Sutherland
By: Jerry Sutherland
Jerry Sutherland is a veteran automotive writer with a primary focus on the collector car hobby. His work has been published in many outlets and publications, including the National Post, Calgary Herald, Edmonton Journal, Ottawa Citizen, Montreal Gazette, Saskatoon StarPhoenix, Regina Leader-Post, Vancouver Sun and The Truth About Cars. He is also a regular contributor to Auto Roundup Publications.
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