It was basic the forward look again, by 65 Chrysler manage to drag themselves out of the hole, but their cars would begun to loose their beautiful looks again.
I not fond of the two-door roofline on the 67-68 models. A neighbor owns a 1967 Dodge Monaco 500 two-door hardtop in pristine condition. It belonged to his Grandfather and has an original 27,000 miles on the odometer. Also, he owns a 1965 Chrysler 300L with the sloping roofline used on Plymouth, Dodge, and Chrysler 300 which is so attractive. My favorite of his collector cars is a 1957 DeSoto Fireflite Convertible, a stunning beauty. His daily driver is a beautiful Velvet Red 2024 Chrysler 300C with the supercharged 6.2L Hemi.
My Uncle, who was a mechanic since the thirties, chose a '65 Newport sedan, as his first brand new car. I was 14 at the time, and stayed home with him ( they were visiting for a week) while everyone went to Sunday Church service. He asked if I wanted to go for a ride in the country, and I agreed as thats all I wanted to do on Sundays then. As we approached the dark blue beauty, my uncle handed me the keys, and said I could drive. Now, my previous driving experience was just driving up and down a lane between fields, on my buddies family's farm, in his grandfather's model A. This was something I had not imagined could happen, as my dad was very strict about not letting me behind the wheel, before I had a learner's permit. I explained to my uncle that my dad wouldn't allow it, but my uncle had taught his kids to drive ( they were a half generation older than me), and said we didnt have to tell him. So there we were, driving along in the country, in a new Chrysler, and there were no incidents. Cant remember how much later I told my dad about it. My uncle drove that car till 1980, when he bought a year old Caprice Classic from a customer that didn't like it, which he drove until he was too old to drive anymore. Still can't believe I got that chance to drive a new Chrysler before I had a license to even drive my dad's '63 Rambler, which he wouldn't let me drive, even just in our yard. Would love to have a 65-66 Newport or 300 2 door hardtop, with a 413.
I didn't earn my first car until I was 19. After graduating in '79, I bought it from a high school friend's father for $200 in 1980. A '65 New Yorker: creme body, black vinyl C-pillar, black leather inside, with as much chrome inside as outside it seemed. This car, with that 413 and torqueflite, was one of the most reliable cars I ever owned. It just kept going trouble-free. Soon as I got it, I had dual exhaust installed. That car was quick. Thank you for doing this video!
In my view, 1965 was peak styling for all US models. Take a look at the lineup for any brand, especially Chevy, Ford, Pontiac, Chrysler and Cadillac. They're all terrific.
I remember the introduction of the 1962 Plymouth well, my father, who was a devout Plymouth owner took one look at it and ran across town to the Oldsmobile dealership and purchased a new Olds Starfire, I had just gotten my drivers license, thanks dad.
For most car designers, the body-side section on a '65 New Yorker is really hard to beat in terms of expert surface development. I'm not a big Chrysler man but you gotta give credit where credit's due. Amazingly tasteful considering where Chrysler products were just a few years earlier. ✨👌
You have now covered the two favorite cars that my dad had, a '65 New Yorker six window sedan and a '68 Ford LTD. I thought that the '65 Chrysler was such an improvement over its predecessors. I thought that it was Lincolnesque (Elwood Engle). Thank you for the memories! My dad purchased the Chrysler at Alleys Chrys NM er Plymouth in King sport, TN in October, 1964. I loved the white taillight lenses with red bulbs as well as the covered headlights. The light beige photo is identical to his. Three years later, reverse went out on the transmission at over 90k miles. He traded it in on a '68 Ltd.
I've always thought that the 1965 Chrysler New Yorker looks almost as if it were styled by Mies van der Rohe, in the International School of architecture. Really handsome cars.
I remember when our neighbour down the street happily traded in his '63 Plymouth for a '65! Even as a 5-year-old, I found the newer design less "shouty" in its styling. It was a relief to see the '65s. My Dad bought a '66 Plymouth soon afterward, too.
i love this gen of Chrysler, super good looking, and good performers....i've driven a few. beautiful details...love the interplay of concave and convex on the body profile. gorgeous dashboard. lots of metal. high quality machines, esp in light of the steep drop in quality in the subsequent fuselage years.
Another great video. Those Chryslers by Engel were mid century modern masterpieces of restraint and elegance. The '65 New Yorker with those glass covered headlights and clear taillights is just about perfect ❤🇺🇲👍
Chrysler reached its zenith with the full size 1965-68 models, and the Dodge and Plymouth cars of that era were pretty sweet as well. The 1969 restyle, though interesting in its way, really didn’t improve upon the earlier models. The 1974 C-bodies, which more or less were 1965 Chryslers underneath, were somewhat nicer than the fuselage models, but by then Chrysler’s build quality and reliability were iffy to say the least. My fist car was a turquoise ‘68 New Yorker hardtop 4-door with power everything and a 440 under the hood. Man, even in the mid-1980s it was a head-turner!
That face on look of the '65 shows all the details of the bright work. I owned a '67 Newport coupe, green/white top. Very nice to drive. We were building some real nice cars.
Great script and reading, expressive, conversational, not pushy and full of information. I think I was in 7th or 8th grade when my friends dad got one of these and it was one of the earliest vehicles to make an impression on me... and the sound of the engine and ride were something to behold... and the parents were some kind of lead-foots as well so great entertainment!
I have had a 4d hardtop for almost 40 years that was acquired from the 1st owner. Those tail lights have 3 different versions. No1, on the earliest cars, such as my car has, are two bulbs on each side w/a clear lense. No 2 has one bulb per side I had and a clear lense. No 3 has one bulb with a red lense. The red filters on clear lenses look like the bottom half of those plastic containers that some of older people may remember that held rings, toys, etc. dispensed from gumball machines except that they are red glass. Those clear lenses have vertical mylar strips that peel (even on NOS in the box). Also, the plastic is prone to crazing from sunlight. There are several differences in those cars from early to late models. As for the missing transmission buttons, they were a last-minute change according to a retired Chrysler employee I knew that wrote technical manuals. That dash was touted in trade publications as the largest cast metal dashboard at the time. If you ever get your head under a '65 dash, there are multiple mounting positions for all controls and accessory switches including lights and wipers also. All with cast and threaded mounts ready to be punched/drilled out. The controls in that area are wired to be lit. Up on the dash, the wiper and headlamps are unlit. There is plenty of space in that area in front and behind for push buttons.
Clear lenses Spring of '64 till December '64 assembly time frame I believe. Uncle Joe ordered his in September, and we picked it up in earl October. Gold with gold brocade interior, and the gorgeous clear tail lights. I wish I could have them both back!
I remember my aunt bought a white one of these and as a little kid I remember just loving the clear rear lights and the covers over the front lights. She didnt know what the blue light on the dash meant. She had been blinding people for months!
I own a 67 NYer sedan. One of the best riding cars I’ve ever owned. Love the looks, the style, the comfort, the bench seat, the power steering, etc. It’s an all around beautiful ride.
I’ve always preferred the look of the six widow version. The ‘65 Chrysler looks huge, why it’s as big as whale - about to set sail as in the B52’s “Love Shack”, which used a ‘65 300 convertible in the music video. The long hood, short deck 1962 Plymouth has grown on me over the years, although I can’t say that about the Dodge.
Sitting on my desk as I watched this is a 1/18 die cast model of the Chrysler Turbine Car, one of my favorite Engel designs. I was infatuated with this car as a kid. Yes, Mr. Engel had a keen eye for elegance, and I’ve always admired his work.
When I was a young boy I remember my best friend’s Mother picking him up after school in their brand new 4 door Chrysler New Yorker and his Mother offered me a ride home in it. I thought it was such a beautiful car and so big inside. But then again I was a little kid and a lot of cars back then seemed really big to me except for my uncles 1962 Volkswagen Beetle.
I bought one when it was 15. My first car. 4 Dr hard top. 6 pwr windows, factory buckets and console. Pwr seats vac operated Pwr trunk, translucent tail lights. It was a tank in the teal blue
That must have included power vent windows, which were usually an additional charge. Even Cadillacs and Lincolns were often sold with crank vent windows. My '68 Fleetwood had front and rear power vent windows; I believe it was the last American car with 4 vent windows, though rear vents made a brief comeback on the 1978 GM A/G body cars and the first year of Chrysler's K-cars. I've read that there were a even a few early production Citations with rear vent windows.
Thank you for brining all of these cars from an era where there was styling. I am hoping that some design students will be seeing your videos and perhaps influence them to bring back design.
Had a 66 New Yorker as a daily about 20 years ago. Great car - this brought back fond memories. The quality was better than I expected and the bench seat was comfortable. Changing the rear spark plug on the drivers side was a memorable knuckle skinning event.
In 1969 a friend's dad replaced his dark green 1963 Bonneville with a silver blue 1965 six window New Yorker. I remember being wowed by it at the time.
Adam you mentioned the fact that the 65 Chryslers had no more push button transmission. I was told years ago by a retired Avis car rental executive that push button Mopars were not popular in the rental car fleets. Apparently people were confused and couldn’t operate them… true story. 🥴. Love the video. 1965-66 C body Mopars are my all time favs.
Pushbuttons were notorious for runaway accidents, with people hitting the wrong button. For 1965, DOT required a PRNDL layout (which forced Rolls Royce to switch to the THM-400 for its U.S. sales). But I don't think DOT ever explicitly prohibited pushbuttons. Nonetheless, the writing must have been on the wall and the fear of liability was probably enough to make the pushbutton designs unwelcome.
@pcno2832 : Several of my friends drove Mopars with push-button transmissions in the late 80's as first cars. We kinda liked them for their oddball factor and I don't remember any of them having accidents because of the push-button tranny probably because our parents had taught us well about the pros and cons about them. Some model years they did not have a "park" button which required setting the parking brake when stopped. That version was the least liked by my friends. The only other complaint my friends had with them is they were not ideal for racing. The coolest push-butron trans car any of my friends had was a 1962 New Yorker with a 413 4bbl. We all thought it was cool as heck because it was still in mint condition with only around 20k miles when he got it from his grandfather. The interior was super nice also. One negative thing I've noticed on push-button cars that haven't been driven in years is that the buttons cease to move because the cables rust quickly and seize requiring complex and expensive repair/ replacement of the cables. The only guy I know who replaced the cables and push- button mechanism said it was not a very enjoyable job.
I think a lot of customers said they would prefer a traditional gear lever over the buttons. A gear selector lever is much easier to go between forward and reverse. You can do that maneuver without looking at the gear selector. You can't really do that with the push button selector. You have to actually look at it whenever you are choosing a gear in order to select the correct button to push. I think overall, customers who lived with it in everyday driving decided that it was just a gimmick that wasn't as easy to use as a traditional lever.
We had a '66 Newport when I was a kid and it was the best car my dad ever owned. He kept it for 20 years and it ran flawlessly. It had a 383 and it was very quiet and smooth running. He sold it to his brother-in-law who was a Chevy guy, but he had told my dad that he wanted first dibbs when he decided to sell it because he just loved that car even though it was a Mopar.
The '65 - '68 Chryslers are handsomely elegant machines. My Aunt BeBe drove a gold '65 New Yorker. I remember the glass covered headlights, airy interior, sound of the Torque Flight shifting and the Air-Temp sticker. Hers had the exterior "earmuff" black vinyl pads on the C pillars. She traded it for a new dark green '69 New Yorker. At times I've looked at Chryslers from this era and thought that their roofs looked a bit too tall. I recall reading that prior to '57, a design mandate at Chrysler was that a man should be able to wear his hat comfortably inside their cars. Then again some models, depending on the roof design, especially four doors, wear it well. 16:45
Best automobile I ever owned, 65 4 door HT. That beauty didn’t know a curve or hill existed. Going across Nevada you simply set the cruise at 80 and enjoy the ride.
My first car...1965 New Yorker, from my parents. Awesome car or course. It was 2 door oddly with all details 300L but with New Yorker badging. Good times in Canada.
My father was the PROUD owner of a 1967 Newport. A beautiful car on a budget! Always purchased Plymouth and Dodge and this was truly a great family car and a beauty!
I noticed that the cool horizontal lines running across the headlamp rectangle were spaced to mimic the horizontal lines of the grill. Kind of a neat thing.
I love the 1965-68 Chryslers, and I prefer the 6-window style over the 4-window. I never did like the 1963-64 Chryslers. When I was a kid my grandparents had a `66 Newport, which they had gotten new. It got wrecked in the late 70s, I forget exactly what year. 12:40 - those "cup holders" in the glove box door - My 1972 Buick Skylark had the same thing. My other favorite range of years for Chrysler is 1974-78. One more memory: My parents had a 1967 Imperial Sedan, which of course was the same body style. They had it for 9 years and they always said it was the best car they ever owned.
A friend of mine had a 62 Polara Convertible, here in Australia. It was rescued from a wrecking yard in California. He did a spectacular restoration on it and it was a truly beautiful car, when finished. I think Exner was trying to make the Chrysler Corp cars completely unique from the rest of the industry. He certainly succeeded on that front. They just weren't popular, but then, most things that are different from the norm are not popular! I believe the U.S. government forced Chrysler to abandon the push button auto selector and adopt the shift lever style to standardise the shifter style so drivers would not become confused when changing from one vehicle to another. A portent of things tp come ...
Often overlooked feature of the 65 full size Chrysler, Dodge and Plymouth was re-heat on A/C equipped cars. Cooled, dehumidified air from the evaporator could be run through the heater core to give you warm dry air in the car. Great for cool, humid weather when the windows tended to fog up. GM had re-heat beginning in the '61 senior cars. Parents had a 65 New Yorker coupe that was a great car.
Thanks for all your videos-they are all so informative and interesting. My first two collector cars were a 1965 Newport Town Sedan I bought from a retired Delta pilot and a 1966 300 2dr Hardtop. Both were white and were absolutely lovely cars.
The '65 Chrysler New Yorker has a special memory for me. I owned an all original hard top sedan back in 2000. My aunt worked for Chrysler for 40 years, and when she retired in '65 , she tagged a '65 Coupe while working on the assembly line and took possession of it. Every time you pull in her driveway, the first thing you notice were those beautiful clear taillights. Thanks for that drive down memory lane. No pun intended. 😊
Adam talks about sealed beam headlights at 7:28. Yet, we see the bulb says H4, or the European standard with internal bulbs.... [The current owner probably upgraded to H4's. I had them on my Porsche 928S2, and I wish the Boeing 767 I fly for a living had those lights....]
- I noticed those Hella H4's lights there as well. Definitely fitted by a subsequent owner as an upgrade since all US sold 1965 cars would have had glass, non-halogen, sealed beam type headlights fitted. As Adam mentioned, that would continue up until the 1983 model year, when the Lincoln Mk VII became the first US made car to use a composite headlight with a separate replaceable bulb since the late 1930's. On US cars, headlights had sealed beams since a law mandating them came into effect for the 1940 model year. What should have been done back in the day was to harmonize US automotive lighting laws with those of the ECE, the World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations. With automotive lighting that began in 1958. The US was never a signature there and is why now you a wide variety of bulb types being used as well as widely varying headlight beam patterns and levels of glare, especially with LED bulbs becoming commonplace. ECE rules have strict specs intended to keep both of those within a set range. Due to the differences between US DOT and ECE rules, the headlights used on European made cars (Jaguar, LR/Range Rover, Porsche, Audi, BMW, Mercedes, etc.) sold in the US market are in most cases different from what would be fitted to the same model when it is sold in an EU or RoW (Rest of World) country.
@@AB-pl1ko Great write up, but it was not until 1985 that non-sealed beam headlights were approved for all cars in the United States. The '84 Mk VII was the first to have these, though this was a special approval. The '83 was not a MkVII, it was a MkVI and had hidden headlights. True about foreign cars having better lights, though it was quite easy to get the H4 European lights and retrofit them. My '85 928S2 was a gray market import that had them from the factory, and though it was "federalized", the only real changes were to the doors, which were exchanged for American model doors. The H4's were removed, but the first owner put them right back in because they were so utterly superior.
And I always loved those slender chrome gear selector, turn signal, and tilt column, stalks in mid '60s Chryslers, Dodges, and Plymouths! A really clean look which to me exudes more style/flair while using less material, than other manufacturers' versions.
I’ve had my 65 Newport for 33 years. Very modified engine and transmission. But the interior is original. I do have the clear taillights. I was told that the clear tail lights were discontinued via either state of California or federal regulations that January 1, 1965. All vehicles produced in the United States had to have red tail light lenses. I did find a pair of these lights in a number eight condition on eBay. Too bad there’s no way for me to post a picture. It’s a stunning vehicle. There’s never another one at a car show.
Easy there, big fella. I had a 62 Dodge Dart just like the blue one that you pictured, but in rose beige. Well, actually, after six months, I gave to my Mother and bought a chocolate brown, 65 Ambassador because I was embarrassed to be seen in a pink, horse-faced Dodge. My Mother liked it though!
That's funny because while watching this video I thought, "Those Chryslers were beautiful, but they were also absurdly large. You could get an Ambassador for thousands less, and actually fit into a parking spot." Sure the Ambassador was not _quite_ at the level of a New Yorker, but they could still be very well-equipped.
65 Chryslers were not considered extremely large when they were new. Different times. You are right about Ambassador, though. Unfortunately, it was not what most people wanted at the time. @@Johnny_Socko
I love love love the '65 ' 68 Chrysler New Yorkers for their tall greenhouses! Also, the 4-door NON 6-Window New Yorkers had vinyl c-pillars, bot not the roof itself!
Thanks Adam for this post,and the history behind the design! This was my first and favorite vehicle as it was handed down from my grandfather,to my father,then from myself to my younger brother. We all have fond memories of this car. I currently own the 4 door hardtop version the same as my original that I found about 10 years ago on E Bay, and enjoy taking to shows etc. It has the split front bench, a/c p/w and all still works . The other item I thinks look rich is stainless trim along the lower rocker which holds up amazingly. In my opinion the one year only glass lens over headlights still looks great 👍 Keep up the great posts !
I was told that a federal madate required a standard shift pattern for automatic transmissions, and thats why Chrysler quit with the push button trans. 🤷♂️
It’s my understanding that the feds mandated the end of the pushbutton transmissions. My ‘65 Newport still has a pushbutton compatible 727 that’s shifted by cables, but it’s been adapted to the new column shifter. One year setup only.
Great videos. Always look forward to your content. I thought I was very well informed about almost all 60’s and 70’s models but I am always so impressed with the variety and detail of the information in your videos. I really like the historical design photos. I learn something almost every time. The 65 Chrysler is a beautiful vehicle. My pet peeve is the owners who put wide whites on mid 60’s and later cars. WW ‘s were gone by this time and owners devotion to nostalgia is not period correct for these cars. Keep up the great work.
Went with my dad to the Chrysler dealer to see the new 1965 New Yorker. I loved it but couldn't convince him to give up his beloved Oldmobiles. I loved the glass-covered headlights. Eventually bought a '66 98 (ugh) and he never liked it. Neither did my Mom! 😂
This is a great video! I have long regarded the 1965 (and similar 1966) Chryslers as among the most beautiful cars of the era. A few years back, I admired a black '66 Newport Town Sedan parked on a local street, and thought it was supremely elegant. The car had the disk brake option, giving it 15-inch wheels and very classy wheel covers. (I was not a big fan of the Chrysler 2-door hardtop rooflines, including the Newport and 300 style with a C-pillar that was narrower at the base than at the top.) . . . In 1965, my father bought a new Buick Wildcat coupe, and one of his co-workers bought a new Chrysler Newport sedan. Dad had numerous opportunities to drive the Chrysler on longer trips, and his one recurring complaint was that the Chrysler exhibited much more road noise than the Buick. . . . In my small town, the local dealership sold Buick - GMC - Chrysler - Plymouth - Imperial during this time. The dealership owner told Dad: "Once you have owned the Buick, you will never be happy with the Chrysler."
the 65 and 68 New Yorkers are some of my favorite designs. I owned a 1966 Town & Country wagon (with a 440) that is very similar to this 1965 New Yorker in many ways. I miss that wagon, so if anyone has a 66 T&C wagon that they want to sell... :)
My absolute fav is the 4door Hardtop Chrysler NewYorker loved the c pillar with the Chrysler script and 2 lions as well. The back glass was wide and had a beautiful curve to it and how the back of the looked was beautiful. Esp how the bumper and panels curved.
I still believe the fuselage cars (‘69 - 73) were Chrysler’s best looking. However, if they’d had the build quality of the ‘65 - ‘68s, they’d be perfect! 😆
My grandparents always bought Chrysler. They first bought a Buick and were disappointed that upon cranking it had a hard time starting. That's when the crank was up in front near the bumper. They switched to Chrysler and bought New Yorkers or similar ever since that early period. Their last two cars were a 1963 New Yorker and a 1966 New Yorker. I thought they were pretty ugly with the old-fashioned high windows. However, was told that since an early period, Chrysler had higher windows because of people who wore hats! The weird sides of the car (reminding me of the contours of a guardrail) beginning from 1965 and so on, were so ungainly that they were off-putting to me. Although, the inside of these vehicles had a more "finished" complexion interior than most other cars and this made them quite remarkable.
These were great automobiles. My parents had a 66 four door hardtop. Spanish gold with a black interior. My mom loved that car. It was one of the cars I learned to drive in and never had a problem with it.
Thanks Adam. A truly iconic design, with an especially dashing convertible. I always found these models beautiful, mysterious and fascinating somehow -- as if coming into being for other reasons as the run of the mill Fords and GMs. Iconic.
65-68 were some of Chrysler's prettiest years
Agreed!
I concur.. The 1969 "fuselage" bodies were rather unattractive.
It was basic the forward look again, by 65 Chrysler manage to drag themselves out of the hole, but their cars would begun to loose their beautiful looks again.
66-67 Chargers. 👍
I not fond of the two-door roofline on the 67-68 models. A neighbor owns a 1967 Dodge Monaco 500 two-door hardtop in pristine condition. It belonged to his Grandfather and has an original 27,000 miles on the odometer. Also, he owns a 1965 Chrysler 300L with the sloping roofline used on Plymouth, Dodge, and Chrysler 300 which is so attractive. My favorite of his collector cars is a 1957 DeSoto Fireflite Convertible, a stunning beauty. His daily driver is a beautiful Velvet Red 2024 Chrysler 300C with the supercharged 6.2L Hemi.
Chrysler’s slogan for 1965 was: The most beautiful Chrysler ever built. I think they were right. Such lovely lines.
The '65 and later Chryslers sold well. A decade later sales dropped by half and bankruptcy looked like a threat.
My Uncle, who was a mechanic since the thirties, chose a '65 Newport sedan, as his first brand new car. I was 14 at the time, and stayed home with him ( they were visiting for a week) while everyone went to Sunday Church service. He asked if I wanted to go for a ride in the country, and I agreed as thats all I wanted to do on Sundays then. As we approached the dark blue beauty, my uncle handed me the keys, and said I could drive. Now, my previous driving experience was just driving up and down a lane between fields, on my buddies family's farm, in his grandfather's model A. This was something I had not imagined could happen, as my dad was very strict about not letting me behind the wheel, before I had a learner's permit. I explained to my uncle that my dad wouldn't allow it, but my uncle had taught his kids to drive ( they were a half generation older than me), and said we didnt have to tell him. So there we were, driving along in the country, in a new Chrysler, and there were no incidents. Cant remember how much later I told my dad about it. My uncle drove that car till 1980, when he bought a year old Caprice Classic from a customer that didn't like it, which he drove until he was too old to drive anymore. Still can't believe I got that chance to drive a new Chrysler before I had a license to even drive my dad's '63 Rambler, which he wouldn't let me drive, even just in our yard. Would love to have a 65-66 Newport or 300 2 door hardtop, with a 413.
I didn't earn my first car until I was 19. After graduating in '79, I bought it from a high school friend's father for $200 in 1980. A '65 New Yorker: creme body, black vinyl C-pillar, black leather inside, with as much chrome inside as outside it seemed. This car, with that 413 and torqueflite, was one of the most reliable cars I ever owned. It just kept going trouble-free. Soon as I got it, I had dual exhaust installed. That car was quick. Thank you for doing this video!
In my view, 1965 was peak styling for all US models. Take a look at the lineup for any brand, especially Chevy, Ford, Pontiac, Chrysler and Cadillac. They're all terrific.
'65 to '68 Chryslers have always been some of my favorites.
Wow that 1965 New Yorker is beautiful!
My grandfather and dad worked in supervision at Jefferson Assembly. When my grandfather retired Chrysler gave him a 1965 Newport as a retirement gift.
I remember the introduction of the 1962 Plymouth well, my father, who was a devout Plymouth owner took one look at it and ran across town to the Oldsmobile dealership and purchased
a new Olds Starfire, I had just gotten my drivers license, thanks dad.
I like the mid sixties chryslers. They have a classy, muted flair that draws the eye to the details. Lovely dash on the new Yorker too.
For most car designers, the body-side section on a '65 New Yorker is really hard to beat in terms of expert surface development. I'm not a big Chrysler man but you gotta give credit where credit's due. Amazingly tasteful considering where Chrysler products were just a few years earlier. ✨👌
You have now covered the two favorite cars that my dad had, a '65 New Yorker six window sedan and a '68 Ford LTD. I thought that the '65 Chrysler was such an improvement over its predecessors. I thought that it was Lincolnesque (Elwood Engle). Thank you for the memories! My dad purchased the Chrysler at Alleys Chrys NM er Plymouth in King sport, TN in October, 1964. I loved the white taillight lenses with red bulbs as well as the covered headlights. The light beige photo is identical to his. Three years later, reverse went out on the transmission at over 90k miles. He traded it in on a '68 Ltd.
Great looking cars. Loved the Chrysler Town and Country wagons of this era. I remember seeing the 'airtemp' stickers in the rear most windows.
I had a '65 300L. A great car, that I mistakenly let go not realizing just what it was.
My parents had a 1965 Chrysler New Yorker station wagon. It really was a beautiful car!
1965-70 were amazing years for Chrysler Corporation styling.
The 1965 Chrysler six window as well as the 63 and 64 Buick and Old sedans were very stately and handsome .
'63 Electra 225, oh yeah.
The '65 Chrysler is my favourite '60s Chrysler. I still have a few of the red glass bulb covers from a junked clear tail light car!
I’ve never seen the 6 window town sedan before. Very classy! Especially in dark colors
Years ago, I had a 65 Newport Town Sedan same color as this New Yorker.
I've always thought that the 1965 Chrysler New Yorker looks almost as if it were styled by Mies van der Rohe, in the International School of architecture. Really handsome cars.
I remember when our neighbour down the street happily traded in his '63 Plymouth for a '65! Even as a 5-year-old, I found the newer design less "shouty" in its styling. It was a relief to see the '65s. My Dad bought a '66 Plymouth soon afterward, too.
In the late 90’s, a friend of mine had a burgundy 65 just like that one.
Cool ride indeed !!
i love this gen of Chrysler, super good looking, and good performers....i've driven a few. beautiful details...love the interplay of concave and convex on the body profile. gorgeous dashboard. lots of metal. high quality machines, esp in light of the steep drop in quality in the subsequent fuselage years.
Another great video. Those Chryslers by Engel were mid century modern masterpieces of restraint and elegance. The '65 New Yorker with those glass covered headlights and clear taillights is just about perfect ❤🇺🇲👍
As a child my favorite par of my dad's 65 New Yorker was the interior door handles. The 413 had a very distinctive sound as well.
Chrysler reached its zenith with the full size 1965-68 models, and the Dodge and Plymouth cars of that era were pretty sweet as well. The 1969 restyle, though interesting in its way, really didn’t improve upon the earlier models. The 1974 C-bodies, which more or less were 1965 Chryslers underneath, were somewhat nicer than the fuselage models, but by then Chrysler’s build quality and reliability were iffy to say the least. My fist car was a turquoise ‘68 New Yorker hardtop 4-door with power everything and a 440 under the hood. Man, even in the mid-1980s it was a head-turner!
This is a beautiful car. Chryslers of that era were sculpturally handsome, comfortable, smooth and quiet.
That face on look of the '65 shows all the details of the bright work. I owned a '67 Newport coupe, green/white top. Very nice to drive. We were building some real nice cars.
Thank you for the best classic car items I've ever seen on TH-cam!
That design was gorgeous. I am glad that it helped their sales double from the previous year.
Adam, I have always thought of the New Yorker as the rich man's Newport. 😉
Funny!
@@RareClassicCars Sure, it is easy for you to laugh at the poor. 🤣
That center pillar Exner clay model would have been as successful as "The Homer" from the Simpsons.
😂
You’re right about the six window, I always thought it was very graceful and handsome
We had a 65 Fury 3 with a 318
when I was a kid. What a wonderful car!! I'd love to find one today
My Dad had one too, what a great car. Ours was a metallic navy blue 4 door hardtop. It was his favorite car and the family agreed as well!
The first C body
@@timothykeith1367I thought C-bodies started in 61 when they quit using full frames? Besides Imperials*
That 6-window New Yorker may well be the handsomest Chrysler ever. It reminds me of some Volvos from decades yet to come. Anybody else see that?
Great script and reading, expressive, conversational, not pushy and full of information. I think I was in 7th or 8th grade when my friends dad got one of these and it was one of the earliest vehicles to make an impression on me... and the sound of the engine and ride were something to behold... and the parents were some kind of lead-foots as well so great entertainment!
These made wonderful convertibles as well.
My Dream car is a 4 door hardtop 1965 Chrysler New Yorker. Thank you for doing this car video!
I have had a 4d hardtop for almost 40 years that was acquired from the 1st owner. Those tail lights have 3 different versions. No1, on the earliest cars, such as my car has, are two bulbs on each side w/a clear lense. No 2 has one bulb per side I had and a clear lense. No 3 has one bulb with a red lense. The red filters on clear lenses look like the bottom half of those plastic containers that some of older people may remember that held rings, toys, etc. dispensed from gumball machines except that they are red glass. Those clear lenses have vertical mylar strips that peel (even on NOS in the box). Also, the plastic is prone to crazing from sunlight. There are several differences in those cars from early to late models. As for the missing transmission buttons, they were a last-minute change according to a retired Chrysler employee I knew that wrote technical manuals. That dash was touted in trade publications as the largest cast metal dashboard at the time. If you ever get your head under a '65 dash, there are multiple mounting positions for all controls and accessory switches including lights and wipers also. All with cast and threaded mounts ready to be punched/drilled out. The controls in that area are wired to be lit. Up on the dash, the wiper and headlamps are unlit. There is plenty of space in that area in front and behind for push buttons.
Clear lenses Spring of '64 till December '64 assembly time frame I believe.
Uncle Joe ordered his in September, and we picked it up in earl October. Gold with gold brocade interior, and the gorgeous clear tail lights.
I wish I could have them both back!
65 was a huge improvement of the 62-64 models. But the 69-73 models were by far styling masterpieces.
I remember my aunt bought a white one of these and as a little kid I remember just loving the clear rear lights and the covers over the front lights.
She didnt know what the blue light on the dash meant. She had been blinding people for months!
I own a 67 NYer sedan. One of the best riding cars I’ve ever owned. Love the looks, the style, the comfort, the bench seat, the power steering, etc. It’s an all around beautiful ride.
My dad had a 67 NYer HT. I grew up in that car. Mine is a sedan. I’ll get a HT eventually, but I’m keeping the sedan too.
I’ve always preferred the look of the six widow version. The ‘65 Chrysler looks huge, why it’s as big as whale - about to set sail as in the B52’s “Love Shack”, which used a ‘65 300 convertible in the music video.
The long hood, short deck 1962 Plymouth has grown on me over the years, although I can’t say that about the Dodge.
Sitting on my desk as I watched this is a 1/18 die cast model of the Chrysler Turbine Car, one of my favorite Engel designs. I was infatuated with this car as a kid. Yes, Mr. Engel had a keen eye for elegance, and I’ve always admired his work.
When I was a young boy I remember my best friend’s Mother picking him up after school in their brand new 4 door Chrysler New Yorker and his Mother offered me a ride home in it. I thought it was such a beautiful car and so big inside. But then again I was a little kid and a lot of cars back then seemed really big to me except for my uncles 1962 Volkswagen Beetle.
My dad had a 1965 Chrysler New Yorker! Bought it brand new.
I bought one when it was 15. My first car. 4 Dr hard top. 6 pwr windows, factory buckets and console. Pwr seats vac operated Pwr trunk, translucent tail lights. It was a tank in the teal blue
That must have included power vent windows, which were usually an additional charge. Even Cadillacs and Lincolns were often sold with crank vent windows. My '68 Fleetwood had front and rear power vent windows; I believe it was the last American car with 4 vent windows, though rear vents made a brief comeback on the 1978 GM A/G body cars and the first year of Chrysler's K-cars. I've read that there were a even a few early production Citations with rear vent windows.
@@pcno2832 they were power vent windows. No AC though. A Back in the day buddy had a 64, same Idea
@@pcno2832 1978 GM A bodies had rear vent windows because the main rear windows weren't at all functional.
Thank you for brining all of these cars from an era where there was styling. I am hoping that some design students will be seeing your videos and perhaps influence them to bring back design.
Had a 66 New Yorker as a daily about 20 years ago. Great car - this brought back fond memories. The quality was better than I expected and the bench seat was comfortable. Changing the rear spark plug on the drivers side was a memorable knuckle skinning event.
In 1969 a friend's dad replaced his dark green 1963 Bonneville with a silver blue 1965 six window New Yorker. I remember being wowed by it at the time.
Adam you mentioned the fact that the 65 Chryslers had no more push button transmission. I was told years ago by a retired Avis car rental executive that push button Mopars were not popular in the rental car fleets. Apparently people were confused and couldn’t operate them… true story. 🥴. Love the video. 1965-66 C body Mopars are my all time favs.
Pushbuttons were notorious for runaway accidents, with people hitting the wrong button. For 1965, DOT required a PRNDL layout (which forced Rolls Royce to switch to the THM-400 for its U.S. sales). But I don't think DOT ever explicitly prohibited pushbuttons. Nonetheless, the writing must have been on the wall and the fear of liability was probably enough to make the pushbutton designs unwelcome.
@@pcno2832 Makes total sense. Thanks for clarifying.
@pcno2832 : Several of my friends drove Mopars with push-button transmissions in the late 80's as first cars. We kinda liked them for their oddball factor and I don't remember any of them having accidents because of the push-button tranny probably because our parents had taught us well about the pros and cons about them. Some model years they did not have a "park" button which required setting the parking brake when stopped. That version was the least liked by my friends. The only other complaint my friends had with them is they were not ideal for racing. The coolest push-butron trans car any of my friends had was a 1962 New Yorker with a 413 4bbl. We all thought it was cool as heck because it was still in mint condition with only around 20k miles when he got it from his grandfather. The interior was super nice also. One negative thing I've noticed on push-button cars that haven't been driven in years is that the buttons cease to move because the cables rust quickly and seize requiring complex and expensive repair/ replacement of the cables. The only guy I know who replaced the cables and push- button mechanism said it was not a very enjoyable job.
I think a lot of customers said they would prefer a traditional gear lever over the buttons. A gear selector lever is much easier to go between forward and reverse. You can do that maneuver without looking at the gear selector. You can't really do that with the push button selector. You have to actually look at it whenever you are choosing a gear in order to select the correct button to push. I think overall, customers who lived with it in everyday driving decided that it was just a gimmick that wasn't as easy to use as a traditional lever.
If you cant read you shouldnt be on the road ,no matter what transmission youve got dont blame the car,blame the dumb arse drivers
My Aunt and Uncle had one of these. I thought it was beautiful at the time and still do.
What a visual improvement from the 1964 New Yorker!
We had a '66 Newport when I was a kid and it was the best car my dad ever owned. He kept it for 20 years and it ran flawlessly. It had a 383 and it was very quiet and smooth running. He sold it to his brother-in-law who was a Chevy guy, but he had told my dad that he wanted first dibbs when he decided to sell it because he just loved that car even though it was a Mopar.
The '65 - '68 Chryslers are handsomely elegant machines. My Aunt BeBe drove a gold '65 New Yorker. I remember the glass covered headlights, airy interior, sound of the Torque Flight shifting and the Air-Temp sticker. Hers had the exterior "earmuff" black vinyl pads on the C pillars. She traded it for a new dark green '69 New Yorker.
At times I've looked at Chryslers from this era and thought that their roofs looked a bit too tall. I recall reading that prior to '57, a design mandate at Chrysler was that a man should be able to wear his hat comfortably inside their cars. Then again some models, depending on the roof design, especially four doors, wear it well. 16:45
Always liked the '65s. Our neighbor had one when I was little. A beautiful car.
I love that ‘65 six window Town Sedan!! Great looking vehicle!!
Best automobile I ever owned, 65 4 door HT. That beauty didn’t know a curve or hill existed. Going across Nevada you simply set the cruise at 80 and enjoy the ride.
My first car...1965 New Yorker, from my parents. Awesome car or course. It was 2 door oddly with all details 300L but with New Yorker badging. Good times in Canada.
Dodge of this era also had a six window four-door sedan, very very handsome.
Good one Adam, wasn't in love with MOPAR until the 70's so this story and model was new to me..Thanks!
My father was the PROUD owner of a 1967 Newport. A beautiful car on a budget! Always purchased Plymouth and Dodge and this was truly a great family car and a beauty!
I noticed that the cool horizontal lines running across the headlamp rectangle were spaced to mimic the horizontal lines of the grill. Kind of a neat thing.
At the time this came out, we were still driving our 1956 Chrysler Windsor wagon, but we could at least dream big.
I love the 1965-68 Chryslers, and I prefer the 6-window style over the 4-window. I never did like the 1963-64 Chryslers. When I was a kid my grandparents had a `66 Newport, which they had gotten new. It got wrecked in the late 70s, I forget exactly what year. 12:40 - those "cup holders" in the glove box door - My 1972 Buick Skylark had the same thing. My other favorite range of years for Chrysler is 1974-78.
One more memory: My parents had a 1967 Imperial Sedan, which of course was the same body style. They had it for 9 years and they always said it was the best car they ever owned.
That "astro=dome" looks freaking awesome! That rear quatre shot was one classy looking car. That coming from a GM guy.
A friend of mine had a 62 Polara Convertible, here in Australia. It was rescued from a wrecking yard in California. He did a spectacular restoration on it and it was a truly beautiful car, when finished. I think Exner was trying to make the Chrysler Corp cars completely unique from the rest of the industry. He certainly succeeded on that front. They just weren't popular, but then, most things that are different from the norm are not popular! I believe the U.S. government forced Chrysler to abandon the push button auto selector and adopt the shift lever style to standardise the shifter style so drivers would not become confused when changing from one vehicle to another. A portent of things tp come ...
Continued to be amazed at your knowledge. Thank you.
Often overlooked feature of the 65 full size Chrysler, Dodge and Plymouth was re-heat on A/C equipped cars. Cooled, dehumidified air from the evaporator could be run through the heater core to give you warm dry air in the car. Great for cool, humid weather when the windows tended to fog up. GM had re-heat beginning in the '61 senior cars. Parents had a 65 New Yorker coupe that was a great car.
Thanks for all your videos-they are all so informative and interesting. My first two collector cars were a 1965 Newport Town Sedan I bought from a retired Delta pilot and a 1966 300 2dr Hardtop. Both were white and were absolutely lovely cars.
Very nice video. Love these old Chryslers.
Greetings from Cincinnati Ohio✌️
Thank you so much for explaining the tail light situation. Been curious about these and eager to learn. What a distinctive design.
The '65 Chrysler New Yorker has a special memory for me. I owned an all original hard top sedan back in 2000. My aunt worked for Chrysler for 40 years, and when she retired in '65 , she tagged a '65 Coupe while working on the assembly line and took possession of it. Every time you pull in her driveway, the first thing you notice were those beautiful clear taillights. Thanks for that drive down memory lane. No pun intended. 😊
Adam talks about sealed beam headlights at 7:28. Yet, we see the bulb says H4, or the European standard with internal bulbs....
[The current owner probably upgraded to H4's. I had them on my Porsche 928S2, and I wish the Boeing 767 I fly for a living had those lights....]
- I noticed those Hella H4's lights there as well. Definitely fitted by a subsequent owner as an upgrade since all US sold 1965 cars would have had glass, non-halogen, sealed beam type headlights fitted. As Adam mentioned, that would continue up until the 1983 model year, when the Lincoln Mk VII became the first US made car to use a composite headlight with a separate replaceable bulb since the late 1930's. On US cars, headlights had sealed beams since a law mandating them came into effect for the 1940 model year.
What should have been done back in the day was to harmonize US automotive lighting laws with those of the ECE, the World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations. With automotive lighting that began in 1958. The US was never a signature there and is why now you a wide variety of bulb types being used as well as widely varying headlight beam patterns and levels of glare, especially with LED bulbs becoming commonplace. ECE rules have strict specs intended to keep both of those within a set range.
Due to the differences between US DOT and ECE rules, the headlights used on European made cars (Jaguar, LR/Range Rover, Porsche, Audi, BMW, Mercedes, etc.) sold in the US market are in most cases different from what would be fitted to the same model when it is sold in an EU or RoW (Rest of World) country.
@@AB-pl1ko Great write up, but it was not until 1985 that non-sealed beam headlights were approved for all cars in the United States. The '84 Mk VII was the first to have these, though this was a special approval. The '83 was not a MkVII, it was a MkVI and had hidden headlights.
True about foreign cars having better lights, though it was quite easy to get the H4 European lights and retrofit them. My '85 928S2 was a gray market import that had them from the factory, and though it was "federalized", the only real changes were to the doors, which were exchanged for American model doors. The H4's were removed, but the first owner put them right back in because they were so utterly superior.
And I always loved those slender chrome gear selector, turn signal, and tilt column, stalks in mid '60s Chryslers, Dodges, and Plymouths!
A really clean look which to me exudes more style/flair while using less material, than other manufacturers' versions.
Our wealthy neighbors had a new 65 town and country wagon. I was in awe riding in that cool car
I’ve had my 65 Newport for 33 years. Very modified engine and transmission. But the interior is original. I do have the clear taillights. I was told that the clear tail lights were discontinued via either state of California or federal regulations that January 1, 1965. All vehicles produced in the United States had to have red tail light lenses. I did find a pair of these lights in a number eight condition on eBay.
Too bad there’s no way for me to post a picture. It’s a stunning vehicle. There’s never another one at a car show.
Easy there, big fella. I had a 62 Dodge Dart just like the blue one that you pictured, but in rose beige.
Well, actually, after six months, I gave to my Mother and bought a chocolate brown, 65 Ambassador because I was embarrassed to be seen in a pink, horse-faced Dodge. My Mother liked it though!
That's funny because while watching this video I thought, "Those Chryslers were beautiful, but they were also absurdly large. You could get an Ambassador for thousands less, and actually fit into a parking spot."
Sure the Ambassador was not _quite_ at the level of a New Yorker, but they could still be very well-equipped.
65 Chryslers were not considered extremely large when they were new. Different times. You are right about Ambassador, though. Unfortunately, it was not what most people wanted at the time. @@Johnny_Socko
The things to know before the season starts. Thanks Adam.
I love love love the '65 ' 68 Chrysler New Yorkers for their tall greenhouses! Also, the 4-door NON 6-Window New Yorkers had vinyl c-pillars, bot not the roof itself!
Thanks Adam for this post,and the history behind the design! This was my first and favorite vehicle as it was handed down from my grandfather,to my father,then from myself to my younger brother. We all have fond memories of this car. I currently own the 4 door hardtop version the same as my original that I found about 10 years ago on E Bay, and enjoy taking to shows etc. It has the split front bench, a/c p/w and all still works . The other item I thinks look rich is stainless trim along the lower rocker which holds up amazingly. In my opinion the one year only glass lens over headlights still looks great 👍 Keep up the great posts !
I was told that a federal madate required a standard shift pattern for automatic transmissions, and thats why Chrysler quit with the push button trans. 🤷♂️
My grandmother had one. She was strictly a Chrysler person. She'd let me use it if I wanted to impress a first date.
That's the granny we all wanted!
It’s my understanding that the feds mandated the end of the pushbutton transmissions. My ‘65 Newport still has a pushbutton compatible 727 that’s shifted by cables, but it’s been adapted to the new column shifter. One year setup only.
Great videos. Always look forward to your content. I thought I was very well informed about almost all 60’s and 70’s models but I am always so impressed with the variety and detail of the information in your videos. I really like the historical design photos. I learn something almost every time. The 65 Chrysler is a beautiful vehicle. My pet peeve is the owners who put wide whites on mid 60’s and later cars. WW ‘s were gone by this time and owners devotion to nostalgia is not period correct for these cars. Keep up the great work.
Seems like Exner got increasingly bizarre with styling proposals as the years went on.. Very weird early proposals there.
Went with my dad to the Chrysler dealer to see the new 1965 New Yorker. I loved it but couldn't convince him to give up his beloved Oldmobiles. I loved the glass-covered headlights. Eventually bought a '66 98 (ugh) and he never liked it. Neither did my Mom! 😂
This is a great video! I have long regarded the 1965 (and similar 1966) Chryslers as among the most beautiful cars of the era. A few years back, I admired a black '66 Newport Town Sedan parked on a local street, and thought it was supremely elegant. The car had the disk brake option, giving it 15-inch wheels and very classy wheel covers. (I was not a big fan of the Chrysler 2-door hardtop rooflines, including the Newport and 300 style with a C-pillar that was narrower at the base than at the top.) . . . In 1965, my father bought a new Buick Wildcat coupe, and one of his co-workers bought a new Chrysler Newport sedan. Dad had numerous opportunities to drive the Chrysler on longer trips, and his one recurring complaint was that the Chrysler exhibited much more road noise than the Buick. . . . In my small town, the local dealership sold Buick - GMC - Chrysler - Plymouth - Imperial during this time. The dealership owner told Dad: "Once you have owned the Buick, you will never be happy with the Chrysler."
My favourites are the 1962 through 64 Plymouth Fury and Belvedere, the 1965 Chrysler Newport and 300. I also love the 1960-62 Plymouth Valiant.
the 65 and 68 New Yorkers are some of my favorite designs. I owned a 1966 Town & Country wagon (with a 440) that is very similar to this 1965 New Yorker in many ways. I miss that wagon, so if anyone has a 66 T&C wagon that they want to sell... :)
I drove a '66 Newport from 82 to 89: a cool, fun, practicle, reliable, inexpensive car.
practical
@@georgewetzel4380 The tree dots on display beside your comment allow you to edit it.
@@rightlanehog3151thank you
My uncle had one of those cars with the glass over the headlights when I was a kid.
My absolute fav is the 4door Hardtop Chrysler NewYorker loved the c pillar with the Chrysler script and 2 lions as well. The back glass was wide and had a beautiful curve to it and how the back of the looked was beautiful. Esp how the bumper and panels curved.
I still believe the fuselage cars (‘69 - 73) were Chrysler’s best looking. However, if they’d had the build quality of the ‘65 - ‘68s, they’d be perfect! 😆
My favorites. Thanx again Adam!
My grandparents always bought Chrysler. They first bought a Buick and were disappointed that upon cranking it had a hard time starting. That's when the crank was up in front near the bumper. They switched to Chrysler and bought New Yorkers or similar ever since that early period. Their last two cars were a 1963 New Yorker and a 1966 New Yorker. I thought they were pretty ugly with the old-fashioned high windows. However, was told that since an early period, Chrysler had higher windows because of people who wore hats! The weird sides of the car (reminding me of the contours of a guardrail) beginning from 1965 and so on, were so ungainly that they were off-putting to me. Although, the inside of these vehicles had a more "finished" complexion interior than most other cars and this made them quite remarkable.
1966 Chrysler 300 - beautiful styling-looked gorgeous in yellow.
These were great automobiles. My parents had a 66 four door hardtop. Spanish gold with a black interior. My mom loved that car. It was one of the cars I learned to drive in and never had a problem with it.
Thanks Adam. A truly iconic design, with an especially dashing convertible. I always found these models beautiful, mysterious and fascinating somehow -- as if coming into being for other reasons as the run of the mill Fords and GMs. Iconic.
Excellent & informative! ❤