Story
1979 Chrysler 300
Chrysler brought the 300 name back for one model year as a tightly defined performance and appearance package on the Cordoba coupe. The result paired the personal-luxury body with the strongest available passenger-car 360, firmer chassis equipment, model-specific trim, and a red leather cabin. It was not a continuation of the regular Cordoba option range and it was not a new letter car.
The A74 package
Chrysler's January 1979 product bulletin identified package A74 for the SS22 Cordoba. The factory brochure specified Spinnaker White, a 300 crosshair grille, fender louvers, body-colored sport mirrors and bumper protection, red-white-blue tape stripes, quarter-window and taillamp identification, and 15-inch aluminum road wheels. The standard red cabin used leather buckets, a console, tachometer, leather-wrapped steering wheel, engine-turned panels, and 300 identification.
Powertrain and chassis
Every A74 car used the E58 360-cubic-inch four-barrel V8 with dual exhaust, rated at 195 SAE net horsepower and 280 lb-ft. A heavy-duty three-speed TorqueFlite and nominal 3.2 rear axle completed the required power team; Sure-Grip was optional. Torsion-bar front suspension and rear leaf springs came from the Cordoba platform, while A74 added heavy-duty shocks, a rear anti-roll bar, and firm-feel power steering. Power front discs and 10 x 2.75-inch rear drums were standard platform equipment.
Roofs, color, and regional claims
Period handbook excerpts report optional T-bar and power metal sunroof cars but do not establish separate production counts. The U.S. A74 brochure excludes other paint, trim, stripes, wheels, engines, vinyl roofs, and several overlapping packages. Reports of red Canadian cars are tied to a separate A84 decor-package discussion and are not treated here as ordinary A74 color availability without factory records.
Production, price, and proof
A 1989 handbook excerpt reports 4,292 cars, including 477 for Canada and 3,815 for the United States. Other marque references report 3,811 or 4,429, so the differences remain visible rather than being forced into a false single ledger. J.D. Power reports an $8,034 original MSRP, while a club table lists $6,306; only the former is retained as pricing data and the conflict remains noted. Authentication starts with an SS22 VIN and A74 evidence, then reconciles the E58 drivetrain, axle, handling hardware, EW1 finish, red cabin, exterior details, component dates, invoice, broadcast sheet, and ownership history.