Nick's 1960 Chrysler 300F Page

300F Information

Since 1955, with the introduction of the first Chrysler 300, the letter-series cars from Chrysler were the most powerful and some of the most exclusive vehicles produced by an American car company. The 1960 Chrysler 300F was a rare car when new, only 964 hardtops and 248 convertibles produced that year. Most came with a 375 horsepower 413 cubic inch V8 equipped with two Carter AFB 4 barrel carburetors mounted on long intake manifolds that extended over the valve covers. There was also an optional 400 horsepower engine which had intake manifolds with different runner specifications. Either engine was an impressive site sure to wow any onlooker when the hood was raised. The Torqueflite 3-speed automatic transmission was standard, with a few cars being equipped with a French 4-speed transmission. 1960 was also the first year for Chrysler's unibody construction. This gave the car an impressive feel of solidness along with a quieter ride. The 300F continued the series' winning ways by capturing the first six places at Daytona in the Flying Mile competition, with a top speed of nearly 145 mph.

For 1960, Chrysler transformed the interior of the 300 into something very special. Standard were four luxurious leather covered bucket seats with swiveling front seats for easy access. A center console stretched from front to back and included large armrests and storage compartments. A tachometer was placed at the forward end of this console and controls for the power windows were also placed on the console for easy access.

Click on image for a larger view.
The instrument panel was unlike anything ever seen on a production vehicle. Called the "Astra-dome", the panel had a 3D effect with the large semi-circular 150 mph speedometer in the rear and a full compliment of gauges placed on a small inner dome in front. The entire unit was covered with a clear plastic dome. Switches for various accessories were placed around the lower edge of the pod giving the whole system a very "Buck Rogers" kind of feel. Lighting was electroluminescent (EL), which eliminated the use of conventional bulbs. This lighting system allowed the individual letters, numbers and pointers to light up with a soft glow. Click here for Chrysler's press release materials announcing EL lighting.

Car Facts

Production 2-Door Hardtop - 964
2-Door Convertible - 248

Base Price 2-Door Hardtop - $5,411
2-Door Convertible - $5,841

Dimensions Wheelbase - 126 Inches
Overall Length - 219.6 Inches
Overall Width - 79.5 Inches
Height - 55.3 Inches (55.7 Inches For Convertible)
Track Front - 61.2 Inches
Track Rear - 60.0 Inches

Fuel Tank Capacity 23 Gallons

Standard Axle Ratio 3.31:1

Weight 2-Door Hardtop - 4270 pounds
2-Door Convertible - 4310 pounds

Standard Engine 413 Cubic Inch V8
Dual Carter AFB 4-bbl Carburetors
375 bhp @ 5000 RPM
495 ft. lbs.@ 2800 RPM
3-Speed Torqueflite Automatic Transmission

Optional Engine 413 Cubic Inch V8
Dual Carter AFB 4-bbl Carburetors
400 bhp @ 5200 RPM
465 ft. lbs.@ 3600 RPM
4-Speed Pont-a-Mousson Manual Transmission