1961 Chrysler Newport

This 1961 Chrysler Newport convertible was acquired by the seller in 1994 from JC Auto Restoration of Lynnwood, Washington. The car is powered by a 361ci V8 paired with a push-button three-speed automatic transmission and is finished in black over white vinyl upholstery. Features include a power-operated white soft top, canted quad headlights, finned quarter panels, power drum brakes, power steering, steel 15″ wheels, wheel covers, Mopar electronic ignition, and a push-button AM radio. A tune-up performed in preparation for the sale involved replacing the distributor cap, ignition coil, and spark plugs and wires. This Newport convertible is now offered at no reserve with a clean Texas title in the name of the seller’s spouse. The car is finished in black with a power-operated white convertible top. Styling cues include quad stacked headlights set on a slant, a trapezoidal grille, a ribbed trunk lid, and full-length body-side moldings, the lines of which culminate in tail fins at the rear. Both chrome bumpers wrap around the car’s corners, as do the front signals and taillight assemblies. Dual side mirrors are attached to the fender tops, and the driver-side mirror is remote adjustable. Close-up photos depicting paint bubbles on the hood can be viewed in the gallery below. Body-color 15″ steel wheels wearing later-model Chrysler “Disc Brake” hubcaps are mounted with 235/75 American Classic whitewall tires that were sourced from Coker Tire in November 2020. Braking is provided by power-assisted four-wheel drums for which the booster was rebuilt in 2020, and a refresh of the suspension that same year included replacing all four shocks. Trimmed in white vinyl with a black dash pad and carpeting, the interior features bench seats, a dash-mounted rearview mirror, a heater/defroster, front-seat lap belts, a push-button AM radio, and an electric clock. The steering wheel has translucent acrylic sections and fronts an AstraDome instrument cluster containing a 120-mph speedometer and gauges for fuel level, coolant temperature, oil pressure, and amperage. The five-digit odometer shows 67k miles, an estimated 20k of which were added under the ownership of the seller, who notes that the speedometer cable has been disconnected. True mileage is unknown. The 361ci B-series V8 was factory rated at 265 horsepower and is equipped with a Carter BBD two-barrel carburetor, Mopar electronic ignition, and cast-iron exhaust manifolds flowing into a single-pipe exhaust system. Service in preparation for the sale included replacing the distributor cap, ignition coil, and spark plugs and wires. Power is sent to the rear wheels through a push-button TorqueFlite three-speed automatic transmission. Decoding the trim tag reveals that the car is a Chrysler Newport convertible (815) that left the factory with Formal Black monotone paint (BB1), a white convertible top (Q2), and white vinyl upholstery (807).