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1955 Chrysler C-300
The first Chrysler 300 was a large two-door hardtop built around a clear performance brief. Chrysler paired a 331-cubic-inch FirePower Hemi with two Carter four-barrel carburetors, mechanical lifters, a performance camshaft, dual exhaust, firmer suspension, and power brakes. The resulting 300-hp rating supplied the car's name.
Power normally passed through the two-speed PowerFlite automatic to a 3.54 rear axle. The Chrysler 300 Club specification matrix also records an extremely limited three-speed manual path, but that rare configuration requires car-specific records rather than a floor shifter or later conversion.
The C-300 mixed parts with purpose: a New Yorker-based hardtop body, restrained Windsor side and rear-quarter trim, twin Imperial egg-crate grilles, and a tan leather cabin. Chrysler offered Platinum, Black, and Tango Red as the standard exterior colors. Club microfiche research also records a handful of special-order colors, which must be tied to an individual body tag.
Chrysler built 1,725 C-300 hardtops at a $4,109 base price. On track, Carl Kiekhaefer's 300s helped Tim Flock win the 1955 NASCAR championship and gave the model a competition record that matched its showroom specification.
Authentication begins with a 3N55 vehicle number on the left door hinge post, a 3NE55 engine number behind the water pump, and a C68-300 body tag on the firewall. Those numbers must agree with paint, trim, dates, drivetrain, chassis hardware, and paperwork. Grilles, badges, or a dual-quad 331 are supporting details, not proof by themselves.