1965 Chrysler 300 - Four Gears And Four Doors

Just as beauty is in the eye of the beholder, defining a rare find can also be somewhat ambiguous. Technically, a rare find is any car that is considered rare due to low production numbers, but rare finds are not limited to these cars exclusively. We know of many enthusiasts who are happy to find a certain "not-so-rare" car to purchase simply because they have a sentimental attachment to the type of car. Strange and unique options will also help a highly produced model of car attain "rare" status by differentiating the specific car from others of its type.

This month's Rare Find, sent in by Rodney Hargis of Wartburg, Tennessee, is just that kind of rare find. While a '65 Chrysler 300 four-door isn't the rarest of cars, this car's specific options make it rarer than many more desirable collector cars.

Like many car manufacturers back in the mid-'60s, Chrysler churned out thousands of mass-produced automobiles with equipment and options designed to appeal to the masses. Since automatic transmissions were reliable and convenient, most of Chrysler's cars, especially luxury models, came so equipped. Unlike today, however, many car purchasers back in the '60s wanted a car that was unique and were willing to wait while Chrysler built it for them. These specially ordered cars have since become some of the most uniquely optioned cars ever built, making them desirable to collect. While we aren't sure of the exact history of this '65 Chrysler 300, its four doors, 413 four-barrel engine, four-speed transmission, and console-mounted tachometer have us pretty confident that this is an example of a specially ordered car.

Though always looking for new projects to work on, Rodney actually found this car by coincidence while looking for some parts for his Ramcharger. Seeing Rodney working on his truck, the local UPS driver told him where he could find another similar truck for parts. Following the driver's lead, he went to the house and found the truck, but nobody was home. Several weeks later, Rodney's sister (a nurse at a local care center) told him of a gentleman in her care that was speaking to a visiting son about getting rid of some cars, including a Ramcharger. Putting two and two together, Rodney figured out this was the owner of the Ramcharger that the UPS driver told him about and arranged to take a look at the truck.

Upon arriving at the man's house, Rodney noticed several Mopars, including the Ramcharger, a Dodge truck, and a Dodge van, but the most unique vehicle was the '65 300 seen here. Seeing the 300's strange options, he decided to make an offer not only for the Ramcharger, but for all the vehicles on the man's lot. When the gentleman accepted his offer, Rodney's only problem was how to get all the vehicles home! After several trips with a trailer, he got to closely inspect the Chrysler 300 and its strange options.

While we don't know the original owner's motive for ordering the car this way, this has to be one of the most uniquely optioned '65 Chrysler 300s we've seen. The car is a four-door hardtop model, with front bucket seats, a console, and a 413 four-barrel engine. Even stranger, however, is the fact that the console houses a four-speed shifter and a tachometer! Other options include power brakes and steering, but no factory air conditioning. While more than 100 '65 300s came equipped with four-speed manual transmissions, production numbers don't differentiate between two- and four-door models. We feel, however, this car could easily be one of less than 50 and is truly unique, and we thank Rodney for sharing his Rare Find with us.

Have you just found a Rare Find? Do you want us to show it off for you in the pages of Mopar Muscle magazine? Send all the pertinent information, along with a couple images of your find, and we'll make you famous. Send your Rare Finds to mopar.muscle@sorc.com, or snail mail your info to Mopar Muscle magazine, Rare Finds, 9036 Brittany Way, Tampa, FL 33619.