Story
1962 Chrysler 300H
The 1962 300H was the eighth Chrysler 300 letter car and the first without the fins that had marked the series since 1956. It moved to a shorter 122-inch-wheelbase body, gained a stronger standard 413, and kept the letter-car combination of high performance and four-place grand-touring trim.
The letter car and the 300 Sport
Chrysler also introduced a lower-priced non-letter 300 Sport for 1962. The cars can look remarkably similar, and 300 trim or wheel covers are not enough to establish letter-car identity. A 300H claim begins with the 8423 serial pattern, supporting body and production records, and the correct drivetrain. Style 842 was the hardtop and style 845 the convertible.
Two bodies and 558 cars
Published Chrysler 300 Club records report 435 hardtops and 123 convertibles, for 558 cars. Both bodies used the shorter unit body, but their structure, top equipment, weight, price, restoration details, and market observations remain configuration-specific.
380 or 405 horsepower
The standard mechanical-lifter 413 used two Carter AFB four-barrels in line and was rated at 380 gross horsepower and 450 lb-ft. The optional 405-hp engine raised compression to 11.0:1, used a more aggressive camshaft and short-ram induction, and produced 473 lb-ft. Club history reports that most or all 405-hp installations may have been dealer completed, so engine hardware alone does not settle how or when a car received it.
TorqueFlite, manual, and rear axle
The new aluminum-case A-727 TorqueFlite was standard and retained instrument-panel push buttons. A heavy-duty three-speed manual was optional but incompatible with factory air conditioning. The standard axle ratio was 2.93, while Sure-Grip and other gearing appeared by configuration. Transmission cases, controls, clutch hardware, axle tags, ratios, dates, and records must agree.
Chassis, paint, and cabin
The 300H retained torsion-bar independent front suspension, a seven-leaf-spring live rear axle, and power-assisted 12-inch drums. Formal Black, Festival Red, Oyster White, and Carmel were the four catalog colors. Inside were four caramel-tan leather bucket seats, a full console, power windows, and the final AstraDome instrument cluster. The front seats no longer swiveled and used manual adjustment.
Authentication boundaries
Identity starts with the serial and body records, then expands to the whole car. The S41 engine stamp, induction, carburetors, internals, transmission, axle, suspension, brakes, paint, H-specific deck marking, wheel covers, upholstery, instruments, and ownership history should reconcile. Reproduction letter-car trim on a 300 Sport, later dual-quad hardware, a manual conversion, or current paint and upholstery cannot prove original delivery.
Price and market context
The hardtop listed for $5,090 and the convertible for $5,461 before delivery and options. Dated guide and auction records span different bodies, conditions, equipment, and restorations. They show historical market context rather than a current appraisal or proof of another car's configuration.