When you started a Chrysler product, the starter motor had a very distinct whine to it. This was true for years. You certainly could tell the difference in it & a GM or Ford engine starting.
They finally decided they needed the engine needed to spin faster. When EPA started to require less pollution the new lean settings made the vehicles much harder to start at the speed the reduction starter would spin them..!!
In my opinion all of these fuselage body Chrysler products had a long body appearance. Even the Fury seemed longer than it actually was. But none of them were bad looking.
I had the 73 Gran Fury. The exact same car as this. Mine had the tow package with the ginormous plastic four barrel carb. You could sail up next to a Camaro doing 80 on the freeway and floor it. Before the Camaro owner could remember that their sports car could only do 100, on a cool day once a year, you were well over 120 and praying for a gas station to appear. And that was with a smogged 440.
I had a triple green four door hardtop ‘73 New Yorker very similar to this one shown. With window cranks. It was the only C body I’ve ever owned where I had to move my butt to the dead center of the front seat to reach the passenger side window crank. I’m 6’6”. Drink that in for a sec.
When I was 17 (53 now) my dad ad found a cherry 73 new yorker 4dour hardtop. What a real treat, even as 17 yo, I loved the car. It had THE coldest AC I’d ever felt. The shifter would let a hissing sound as you shifted into D, maybe vacuum operated? The pillarless and frameless windows were neat. Really fine old Chrysler. Thanks for sharing.
I watch many videos like this frankly looking for mistakes! There are all kinds of YTers that 'think' they know something about the era or the brand, that frankly have no clue. This video is not that. Well done!!!
@@rafaelfiallo4123 Meh. He didn't get anything wrong. That was my point. As for it 'missing' things, it's just a 13 minute TH-cam video. Not a mini-series.
What a great car for a two or three month road trip. At rest stops one could sleep on the front seat, another sleep on the back seat and two in the trunk. Thanks to Adam for posting.....
That's exactly what I did with my 73 Newport, when on road trips chasing steam engines, in 1992-93. I camped out in the back seat in a Cabela's camo sleeping bag that was rated to -25° F, cos I figured out that motels every night would cost as much as all the film I'd burn on the whole trip (most motels were about $50 back then). I could only afford either the film, or the motels, and I figured if I spent the money on motels and then couldn't buy any film, that nullified the purpose of the trip. Turns out, a 73 Chrysler is also a nice motel. Gotta tell ya, I've spent the night in buildings that weren't as good.
This is a car I remember... all too well. In early 1974, May I think, I was riding with my Aunt Doris to the grocery store to get milk, maybe 1 mile round trip. The car was bought brand new * because Uncle Red did anything & everything to please my Aunt* it was triple white & looked like an iceberg on silver wheels. On the way back, smoke started barreling from the hood & we pulled over (about 2 blocks from my Aunt & Uncle's house, in a upper class neighborhood). Well of course the car was on fire & the neighbors called the fire dept & police first, THEN called Uncle Red. Uncle Red was a wealthy insurance salesman & was VERY well known & our family had "connections" everywhere, 1 of which was a cousin in the Chrysler head office. Well... Uncle Red was a VERY soft spoken & gentle man & after making sure Aunt Doris & I were okay, he went into his home office & called Chrysler, it's the ONLY time I ever heard him angry with his voice raised. He told Chrysler he was going to sue... this was on a Friday. On Sunday morning before church, a man from Chrysler hand delivered a check for $100,000. Monday morning, Uncle Red bought Aunt Doris a brand new gold Oldsmobile 98 Regency, a car I received after Uncle Red passed away in 1992. Also btw, that 1973 Chrysler New Yorker had less than 1000 miles when it burst into flames.
@Eric Ruud I don't think the cause was ever discovered. But I believe the carb had leaked because the same thing happened in my brother Mike's 1970 Chevelle SS 396, although in that case, it only destroyed the engine. Mike replaced the 396 with a 350 police motor & we went to Aunt Doris's funeral in October, then our Dad's funeral in December in that Chevelle, so of course, I'll NEVER forget that car. But after Mike sold the Chevelle to 1 of his friends, in the dead of winter, his friend spun the Chevelle & wrapped it around a power pole, backwards. 😞
That sounds scary. I remember having to use a neighbor's phone a couple of block from home when the wiring fried up on my mother's '69 Beetle, and a couple of cars that had fuel leaks that made them too dangerous to drive, but never had a car actually catch fire. I do remember a neighbor's pickup truck bursting into flames and backing away from it in case the fuel tank went up; it was a little like being near a ticking time bomb.
My wife's family had one of these late 70s. It was a Broughm 4 door hardtop. There was 2 dimmer switches on the floor but pushing the extra one made the radio search for the next station
Fuselage is the BEST style, imo ! Sleek, smooth, but not so rounded that they are generically indistinguishable like many 90s cars. Can't wait for this style to come back, as it surely will!
Spark Plug Changing Pro Tip: Jack her up and remove the front wheels, then lift the fender well liner. Use two feet of extensions on your 3/8 drive to go straight in at the plugs. This also makes it WAY easier to put the new ones in without dropping and breaking them, as you can actually see where they're supposed to go, instead of fumbling around in Braille. Plus, you don't need skin grafts on your knuckles. My mechanic pal showed me that in 1986, when I put a tune-up in my 73 Newport Custom Coupe at his garage. After my experience with my dad's 72 Newport in 1983, it was like pulling the sword out of the stone. You know what's weird? A 66 Newport is way easier to change plugs from the top. I put Bosch Platinums in mine in the street in front of my building in Chicago in 1998, and there was plenty of room. Not as much as in my 65 GMC with the 327, but twice as much as the 73's. And a 383 is just as fat as a 400.
Chrysler was in some ways ahead of the game and it is not until now we are seeing and understanding things. That car changed a lot over the years. It got interesting after that. Thank you as always Adam.
The fuselage cars came too little too late to the game. But that didn't mean they weren't great cars. However, the environment was changing very quickly when they debuted, and Chryco had no choice but to abandon them for products that better suited market needs. They were in the precipitous of their financial woes... But the fuselage era produced beautiful vehicles, that imo were kind of like "good at everything, but great at nothing" which made them very versatile.
Back in 1976, my best friend(RIP Mark 1958-1997) had a Charger with a 440 Magnum. Yes all chocked up at this time , but that car still had sweet useable power! Smoke the posi-traction diff tires from a standing start.👊🏼 Of course Mark had the engine (re)built twice in the time he owned it. Never enough horse power for my buddy. Love and miss you my friend.❤
A great-looking vehicle, very clean and elegant. And maybe, Adam, the placing of the seat belt buckle next to the metal seat trim was deliberate. Maybe they figured that the constant clanging would get people to buckle up to keep from going crazy!😊
Beautiful car. Excellent color combination. Seen many repeat imperials in derbys. They are absolute tanks. Thank you for sharing another excellent video
The upholstery on those seats looks like some hybrid silk/neoprene material, adding to an overall very inviting and warm interior. It probably sounds like an oxymoron but the faux wood grain on the door panels and the handle on there is beautifully done.
Silk and neoprene!? Hilarious. It was actually like rayon, synthetic for sure, but not at all uncomfortable. It was impossible to wear out. Stuff was thick.
I went to check one of these out recently. It wasn't in a good shape as advertised, so I passed. But damn these are much bigger 'in person' than people realize. HUGE.
I had a 1968 New Yorker, mine has the disk brake package. The car had the HP 440, 375 horses power and 273 rear-end. I remover the Holly 4160 and replaced it with a Carter AVS and got much better gas mileage and better performance. This was a very fast car. At 55 mph the engine turned 1700 rpm and could top out close to 150 mph thanks to the 273 rear end.
My folks bought one of these in the summer of 1973, right after the first "gas crisis" - sticker price: around $9000; they bought it for $5000. An awesome car!
My grandma had a '73 New Yorker and rarely drove it for 20 years., It was cherry red with white vinyl top and beige interior, *EXACTLY* the same make, model, and year as this car. It was a ton of fun when she let me drive it around the city when I was 16-17 years old. Very powerful and majestic old driving machine.
The trick to changing the plugs on a big block fuselage era C-body is to remove the front wheels, unbolt the inner fenders (easy job on a non-rusty car), and reach in from the side to do it. Makes it much easier.
What a nice clean example in a very flattering color. Of the crop of '73 cars, I'd say the front end is not too bad -- better certainly that the Lincoln or the concurrent GM B and C bodies. I enjoyed this feature very much.
You nailed it. So many of the ‘73 models’ bumpers looked exactly like what they were… ugly add-ons with little or no relationship to the bodywork designs. I think the bumper and front fascia on the New Yorker in this video does an excellent job of appearing well-blended and “intentional” versus being an afterthought.
I had a 1977 Chrysler Cordoba with the 400 CI engine. I ended up removing the front tires to change the spark plugs. The splash shields were rubber and held in with clips. Very easy to change.
Back when I was in high school I so very much wanted my dad to buy a ‘73 New Yorker Broughm. He even brought home one to show my mother. However, he ultimately decided on a Newport. I thought both were handsome cars, although the doors seemed small compared to the overall body. But they did open very wide. The interior room was amazing. My best friend’s father had a 71 Cadillac at that time. When he first sat in the back of our lowly Newport, you could see he was crestfallen with how much room was in the backseat compared to his dad’s Caddy. (My dad did later get a ‘77 New Yorker Brougham, used. That was a really sweet car. Maybe do a episode on those some day?)
My dad had new 68 Newport which I used for drivers test ,,then a 75 Newport Black,,,with dark red interior and Scottish plaid seat inserts had a 400 in it prettiest you ever seen
That door design you speak of may well have been on purpose. As these cars were wider than today's SUVs, a shorter door that could open wider would have been helpful in parking lots...
I liked the front end styling of the New Yorker for 1973. It looks more regal to me than the loop bumpers of 71 & 72. That Cranberry red color in those photos was just beautiful. I would want the full size 2 door coupe model though.
There was a humor book in the 80s called "Real Men Don't Eat Quiche". A quote from the book: "So what do Real Men drive? It's simple: Chryslers: Massive, hulking, gas-guzzling Chryslers. With four-barrel carburetors, automatic transmissions and five million cubic inches under the hood." 😆
Another excellent episode! * Imperials from 1957 through 1966 were the most-highly-prized for demolition derbies (even including convertibles and limousines!), until they got banned. This was because the box frame extended forward of the radiator. The way to kill an opponent's car was to crush the radiator, causing cooling fluid to drain, killing the car when it overheated. A guy told me "I used to go through one car per derby. When I switched to Imperials, I went through one car per season!" * I can NOT find any corroboration, but I once read that mid-sixties Lincoln 4-door convertibles had suspended counterweights at each corner of the car, to counterbalance the squirmy unit-body's twists while on the road. * I had a '70 New Yorker 4-door with the 440-four-barrel engine. SCARY car. So smooth and powerful. I'd be under the impression that I was going 40mph, only to look down and see that I was going eighty on surface streets! Yes, it was a big boat with a customized license plate saying "19FT YOT". We called it "The Pontoonmobile".
Yeah we had a relative back in those days that use to get one new every 2 years super fully equipped well he made very good money he was a Locomotive Engineer for the Soo Line R.R.
I have a metallic blue one of these with a white vinyl roof a d beautiful brocade interior. The rear tail lights are excellent. Better than my 71 Imperial but the front styling is a little too Chevrolet for my liking. Still, a cool car.
For me this car was (and is) one of the most beautiful car that I’ve ever seen. And the 440… an INDESTRUCTIBLE engine indeed. Thank you Adam to bring us (at last) another Chrysler beauty. Kind regards from Mallorca, Spain 👍
Couldn’t agree more with the elegant and brutish beauty - what a total shame you can’t buy this type of car new now ! One of the best engines/ transmissions ever - kind regards from Nottingham 🇬🇧 😎
Those 440s had some nasty sharp thin curved metal over the plugs, invisible from top of engine. We found it easier to change plugs from underneath, and we ALWAYS removed those heat shields over the plugs to save severed fingers. Those engines were so smooth and powerful even in those heavy cars.
Jived this car and the powertrain was unbreakable. All three were deteriorating in metal and interior quality at this time but Chrysler’s powertrains were tanks for decades.
thanks for the trip down memory lane! I got my driver license in a 72 Newport, not New Yorker, but in that same wonderful color! so many similarities! great car. my folks drove it for 13 years, even pulling a travel trailer.
Fine looking then and still is now... Also I really like the bumper above and below the headlamps and tailights styling that was seen in the early 70s .before the 5mph bumpers came along
Brings back a lot of memories. My friend's dad had a '73 Newport. I remember it being a really nice car to get shuttled to hockey practice in. Very comfortable and plenty of room. I could get geared up at home.
In high school a fried had a 73 New Yorker, we took it on a trip and got 10mpg. The trunk was so massive it held a 15hp outboard meter and a bicycle, plus a lot of other gear.
My next-door neighbor had a 1973 CNY Brougham. It was gold on gold fabric interior. What a difference upgrading to a Brougham! The pattern of the fabric was an elegant swirl that looked like roses. On the outside, there was a protective molding, running the full length of the car. The design was the same as that of the interior seating. I cannot believe how cheap the regular CNY interior shown looks. No comparison with the Brougham. Also, I could swear his accelerator was a full pedal. Regardless, the speedometer was cool with the marker at the top, dropping down from left to right. The driver saw no marker until the needle first dropped down once moving. Nothing was crammed close together, that's for sure. The driver had no time to look for the HVAC controls and drive in traffic at the same time. Adam, as you mentioned, the car was much taller than its peers on the freeway. No worries with others looking into your business, more the other way around. As for the 440 engine, this vehicle was hauled out twice a week by my friend's mom. One day buying groceries, and the other beauty shop. When my friend got his license, he used this car until they found one for him. The first time he used it, he was accelerating on the on-ramp. Not being used to the size of the car, he buried the accelerator to the floor. The massive hood lurched upwards, and blackish brown smoke poured from the rear exhaust, along with high-pitched squealing. Then a thrashing gnawing sounds as if a vacuum cleaner had sucked up a towel or rug. Every idiot light on the dashboard lit up, along with light grey smoke coming up from the front. He was able to maneuver this behemoth to the side of the freeway. The acceleration caused all the belts to squeal, then snapped. They ripped the insulation away from the hood and dragged them into the radiator blade. Once he found the emergency flashers, he turned them on. I sat in shock, processing what had just happened, as he yelled every 4 letter word known. 😳
Nothing Was ridiculous about The Style And Shape Of The Chrysler Vehicle Every Car Of It's Time Had It Own Style And Distinction Automaker Maybe They Should Look Back And Take Notes 😊
Thanks Adam. You covered the 73 New Yorker very well. My family all drove Chryslers from the 30s to the early 70s. They all seemed to be very reliable and had a lot of interesting engineering features that became industry standards. And of course the Highland Park Hummingbird is a great childhood memory. We used to have a vacation home in the Sierras, the high elevation and cold thin air really made for hard starting. I always thought their chokes were very finicky. They took forever to start and until they warmed up would spew out tons of thick black smoke. I was pretty young then and hadn't started working on cars yet so I never knew what the fix was for those. They all did it. I later switched to Fords and it didn't matter were they were, they always started right up. But I do miss that Chrysler starter sound.
Would like to see one on the Newports. Mid + 70's with that big sweep towards the lower back end. Just a gorgeous sweep while they were still large enough to carry it.
Friend of mine would occasionally drive his dads mid to late 70's New Yorker. It rode like a dream from what I can remember. We were new drivers and thought we were on top of the world when we went cruising.
I remember helping my dad change plugs in our ‘73 NY Brougham. Dad on top and me underneath tag teaming the job. Thanks for prodding that memory. Ours was a gold color and your interior picture of the Brougham interior brought serious flashback!
Love my 69Newport 2door 383dual exhaust. I am the second owner 81000miles on it to me nothing beets the nice smooth ride. Ive owned it since 1999. Plus I love the way the 2dr hardtops look like they have a factory chopped roof.
I know I've said it before, but I have to wonder if anyone who purchased the '73 full size tanks like these New Yorkers regretted their decision when the OPEC oil embargo hit us. But thank you, Adam, for getting me to appreciate that smooth, high-sided, curved fuselage styling on those massive full-size Chryslers, because I grew up thinking it just defined those cars that old people seemed to prefer (as Dad said, because those older people liked a lot of sheet metal around them!).
That air conditioning compressor you mentioned ,Chrysler used the (York ) while the fords at the time were using (Tecumseh ).i remember ford used the GM Frigidaire for some time.I may be wrong but i do remember the early 70s when Ford and GM had some deal whith name MAGIC TAILGATE ford allowed GM too use when GM had the stowed away tailgate that completely folded down under the bumper. Well enough of me waffling LOL, great video.
Beautiful car. I had a 1973 Newport Custom, it was Aztec Gold with black vinyl top and gold interior. It was absolutely beautiful. And the ride was Regal and as smooth as glass. I remember riding over railroad tracks and the car seemed to just crawl over them with hardly any notice. I wish I had another one.
Very stately and attractive...always liked the looks of these. I had a slightly later car, a 75 Imperial, but very similar. The only thing I didn't like was the horrifically cheap dashboards in these cars...esp on the 74-75 cars...and coming from the recent past of the pre-67 cars which had beautiful high quality dashboards. The seats in this one are beautiful
Agreed re dashboards. Pre-‘67 Chrysler dashboards were jewel like. What I recall of my dad’s ‘77 New Yorker is that the fake wood surround which housed the odometer actually seemed to sag! (And that wood trim was so fake by then,) However the car was a dream to drive.
My favorite land yachts of all time are the fuselage cars, and this one is a VERY nice example. Love that red! Ultimately, my favorites are the 69 300s and Imperials. The 73s front end reminds me of a Caprice, but is still very handsome and stately. Great video Adam, thanks for posting!
I just sold my ‘69 300 four yrs ago, it was a great looking, riding, and actually a fast car. Owned it for 25 yrs and still miss driving it. I’ve always like the fuseys, my dad had a 1971 and then a 1973 that he would take the family on trips, plenty of room for five people and trunk space to put all that luggage into. I took my drivers test in the ‘73, most kids used the smallest car they could find, I drove a land yacht! 🙂
Ah the auto temp evil servo!!! I saw this first on a 77 300D Mercedes. I didn't know what it was, but I did know something with that many coolant hoses, vacuum lines, and wires couldn't be up to anything innocent.
They had AutoTemp I and AutoTemp II, the first unit was a nightmare to repair, the second design was not that much better. The best a/c system was just the manual on/off with a slide for how much cooling was needed
My recollection of these cars was that they were fabulous for road trips. Very comfortable, lots of luggage room and leg room. Adam is correct, they handled well compared to other large cars of the era.
Regarding the ride and handling balance, if you upgrade the shock absorbers to modern twin tube gas charged shocks and add a set of Michelin tires it will greatly improve the ride quality. Gas changed twin tube shocks most accurately deliver the type of ride need for an easy riding cruiser without floating. Twin tubes allow for soft tuning at low speeds and low impact but firm up with harsh impacts. Performance cars use mono tube shocks which are always firm. Modern luxury vehicles have electronically controlled shocks and springs which perform more advanced techniques.
Always like the fuselage styling on the C body Chrysler cars. The most difficult spark plug to change is the one underneath the heat riser on the passenger side.
I always enjoy your informative video presentations. 1:02 Respectfully I'll disagree our host's opinion on the visual appearance of the front end on this land yacht, as I think it is very impressive and attractive.
I bought a ‘72 NewPort from my bosses Dad who was giving up driving. The car ran like a Swiss watch. 440cu in. I miss hearing the Chrysler Starters whine. Whether in a Dart or a Boat you knew when someone was starting a Chrysler vehicle.
Nice to see this gave you some decent rear passenger leg room. I find it odd that so many big cars from that era are pretty tight back there. One would think the designers could have spared a few inches from the trunk or even stretch the cabin forward slightly to increase the space.
Owned a 73 Newport with the 400 with a ridiculous highway axle ratio. At 100 kmh(62mph) when you kicked down to pass it would go right to 1st gear for a second(65mph) and if you kept your foot in it , it would hit 3rd at 100mph. Speaking of rear leg room, my older brother at 6'7" had head and knee room with front seat all the way back, I'm 6'2" and younger bro 6'4". It would give about 8 miles to 4 liters city and 15 or 16 miles at 70 mph(110kph) with cruise engaged. It was the best road car ever, Drove Calgary to Vancouver (1000 miles) with 7 people and nobody complained about crowding and when you split gas with that many people it was pretty cheap(this was when it was about $0.40/liter, now about $1.50). The only complaint was a leaky rear main seal. Wish I had fixed it instead of scrapping it, it had 170 000 miles and it was smooth and quiet and huge. I did have a scary incident once, driving in the winter with cruise engaged and it started to lose traction so it kept getting on and off the throttle and there I was fishtailing down the road at about 55 before I slammed the brakes and got out of my drift. Cheers Adam.
Lucky my Dad's '50 & '52 New Yorkers had plenty of back seat room as stood up in those back seats (looking out the side window) behind my Dad as my four older sisters got to sit on the backseat on 800 mile trips. Thank God Dad bought a '56 9 Passenger Mercury Station Wagon in the Fall of '55 as could finally sit down, haha!
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When you started a Chrysler product, the starter motor had a very distinct whine to it. This was true for years. You certainly could tell the difference in it & a GM or Ford engine starting.
They finally decided they needed the engine needed to spin faster. When EPA started to require less pollution the new lean settings made the vehicles much harder to start at the speed the reduction starter would spin them..!!
Those planetary gear-reduction starters were so distinctive sounding!
Miss the sound differences between manufactures.
In my opinion all of these fuselage body Chrysler products had a long body appearance. Even the Fury seemed longer than it actually was. But none of them were bad looking.
The Highland Park Hummingbird
I had the 73 Gran Fury. The exact same car as this. Mine had the tow package with the ginormous plastic four barrel carb. You could sail up next to a Camaro doing 80 on the freeway and floor it. Before the Camaro owner could remember that their sports car could only do 100, on a cool day once a year, you were well over 120 and praying for a gas station to appear. And that was with a smogged 440.
Why I love driving the Chrysler product full and mid size cars. Nothing comparable could match them in handling.
I had a triple green four door hardtop ‘73 New Yorker very similar to this one shown. With window cranks. It was the only C body I’ve ever owned where I had to move my butt to the dead center of the front seat to reach the passenger side window crank. I’m 6’6”. Drink that in for a sec.
I used to think these boats were hideous, but now i find them absolutely beautiful.
When I was 17 (53 now) my dad ad found a cherry 73 new yorker 4dour hardtop. What a real treat, even as 17 yo, I loved the car. It had THE coldest AC I’d ever felt. The shifter would let a hissing sound as you shifted into D, maybe vacuum operated? The pillarless and frameless windows were neat. Really fine old Chrysler. Thanks for sharing.
We had one of these when gasoline went from .30 to .48. It got 8 mpg. Sometimes 12 on the highway.
Beautiful example of a great Chrysler product from my youth
I watch many videos like this frankly looking for mistakes! There are all kinds of YTers that 'think' they know something about the era or the brand, that frankly have no clue. This video is not that. Well done!!!
Welcome to the right place.
He missed a few things here and there but he's pretty good.
@@rafaelfiallo4123 Meh. He didn't get anything wrong. That was my point.
As for it 'missing' things, it's just a 13 minute TH-cam video. Not a mini-series.
@@davidfoley8329 I wasn't referring to this video directly there are other misses I've found in other videos.
Loved those Chrysler "Your Next Car" series of commercials with the voiceover by actor David Wayne.
What a great car for a two or three month road trip. At rest stops one could sleep on the front seat, another sleep on the back seat and two in the trunk. Thanks to Adam for posting.....
So very true Mike!
@@THROTTLEPOWER Years back my friend would borrow his grandfather's 59 or 60 Cadillac to sneak 3 or 4 of us in the drive-in theater, fun times.
That's exactly what I did with my 73 Newport, when on road trips chasing steam engines, in 1992-93. I camped out in the back seat in a Cabela's camo sleeping bag that was rated to -25° F, cos I figured out that motels every night would cost as much as all the film I'd burn on the whole trip (most motels were about $50 back then). I could only afford either the film, or the motels, and I figured if I spent the money on motels and then couldn't buy any film, that nullified the purpose of the trip. Turns out, a 73 Chrysler is also a nice motel. Gotta tell ya, I've spent the night in buildings that weren't as good.
@@jetsons101 👍👍🙂 Those were the good ol days Mike!
@@emilyadams3228 🙂👍
This is a car I remember... all too well.
In early 1974, May I think, I was riding with my Aunt Doris to the grocery store to get milk, maybe 1 mile round trip. The car was bought brand new * because Uncle Red did anything & everything to please my Aunt*
it was triple white & looked like an iceberg on silver wheels.
On the way back, smoke started barreling from the hood & we pulled over (about 2 blocks from my Aunt & Uncle's house, in a upper class neighborhood).
Well of course the car was on fire & the neighbors called the fire dept & police first, THEN called Uncle Red.
Uncle Red was a wealthy insurance salesman & was VERY well known & our family had "connections" everywhere, 1 of which was a cousin in the Chrysler head office.
Well... Uncle Red was a VERY soft spoken & gentle man & after making sure Aunt Doris & I were okay,
he went into his home office & called Chrysler, it's the ONLY time I ever heard him angry with his voice raised.
He told Chrysler he was going to sue... this was on a Friday.
On Sunday morning before church, a man from Chrysler hand delivered a check for $100,000.
Monday morning, Uncle Red bought Aunt Doris a brand new gold Oldsmobile 98 Regency, a car I received after Uncle Red passed away in 1992.
Also btw, that 1973 Chrysler New Yorker had less than 1000 miles when it burst into flames.
Awesome story!
@@klwthe3rd TYVM 🙂
@Eric Ruud I don't think the cause was ever discovered. But I believe the carb had leaked because the same thing happened in my brother Mike's 1970 Chevelle SS 396, although in that case, it only destroyed the engine. Mike replaced the 396 with a 350 police motor & we went to Aunt Doris's funeral in October, then our Dad's funeral in December in that Chevelle, so of course, I'll NEVER forget that car. But after Mike sold the Chevelle to 1 of his friends, in the dead of winter, his friend spun the Chevelle & wrapped it around a power pole, backwards. 😞
what a great story !!!
That sounds scary. I remember having to use a neighbor's phone a couple of block from home when the wiring fried up on my mother's '69 Beetle, and a couple of cars that had fuel leaks that made them too dangerous to drive, but never had a car actually catch fire. I do remember a neighbor's pickup truck bursting into flames and backing away from it in case the fuel tank went up; it was a little like being near a ticking time bomb.
My wife's family had one of these late 70s. It was a Broughm 4 door hardtop. There was 2 dimmer switches on the floor but pushing the extra one made the radio search for the next station
Very beautiful auto. The 1969 to 1973 fuselage bodystyle were the best.
Fuselage is the BEST style, imo !
Sleek, smooth, but not so rounded that they are generically
indistinguishable like many 90s cars.
Can't wait for this style to come back, as it surely will!
Spark Plug Changing Pro Tip:
Jack her up and remove the front wheels, then lift the fender well liner. Use two feet of extensions on your 3/8 drive to go straight in at the plugs. This also makes it WAY easier to put the new ones in without dropping and breaking them, as you can actually see where they're supposed to go, instead of fumbling around in Braille. Plus, you don't need skin grafts on your knuckles.
My mechanic pal showed me that in 1986, when I put a tune-up in my 73 Newport Custom Coupe at his garage. After my experience with my dad's 72 Newport in 1983, it was like pulling the sword out of the stone.
You know what's weird? A 66 Newport is way easier to change plugs from the top. I put Bosch Platinums in mine in the street in front of my building in Chicago in 1998, and there was plenty of room. Not as much as in my 65 GMC with the 327, but twice as much as the 73's. And a 383 is just as fat as a 400.
I agree re the ‘66. My ‘66 Newport (first car) was a breeze to work on.
Chrysler was in some ways ahead of the game and it is not until now we are seeing and understanding things. That car changed a lot over the years. It got interesting after that. Thank you as always Adam.
The fuselage cars came too little too late to the game. But that didn't mean they weren't great cars. However, the environment was changing very quickly when they debuted, and Chryco had no choice but to abandon them for products that better suited market needs. They were in the precipitous of their financial woes...
But the fuselage era produced beautiful vehicles, that imo were kind of like "good at everything, but great at nothing" which made them very versatile.
Back in 1976, my best friend(RIP Mark 1958-1997) had a Charger with a 440 Magnum. Yes all chocked up at this time , but that car still had
sweet useable power! Smoke the posi-traction diff tires from a standing start.👊🏼 Of course Mark had the engine (re)built twice in the time
he owned it. Never enough horse power for my buddy. Love and miss you my friend.❤
What an absolute beauty. One of my all time favourites. My aunt had this exact model back in the day. Greetings from England.
You know when you're banned from demolition derby you have a big safe boat. Good video thanks.
I like those big bad Chryslers with the big bad 440 tonnes of effortless torque.
Nothing goes down the road like a full size Chrysler.
A great-looking vehicle, very clean and elegant. And maybe, Adam, the placing of the seat belt buckle next to the metal seat trim was deliberate. Maybe they figured that the constant clanging would get people to buckle up to keep from going crazy!😊
And look out when the sun shines on the chrome buckle..scorch city!
I kinda doubt it.
@@davidpancerev9658 That's what I was thinking!
The 70s New Yorkers are my favorite Chryslers ever
Beautiful car. Excellent color combination. Seen many repeat imperials in derbys. They are absolute tanks. Thank you for sharing another excellent video
The upholstery on those seats looks like some hybrid silk/neoprene material, adding to an overall very inviting and warm interior. It probably sounds like an oxymoron but the faux wood grain on the door panels and the handle on there is beautifully done.
Silk and neoprene!? Hilarious. It was actually like rayon, synthetic for sure, but not at all uncomfortable. It was impossible to wear out. Stuff was thick.
I went to check one of these out recently. It wasn't in a good shape as advertised, so I passed. But damn these are much bigger 'in person' than people realize. HUGE.
THATS WHAT SHE SAID
Love the big Chryco C-bodies! Dad had a 1969 300 coupe 440 back in the day. I think that one was the best looking one of them all.
I had a 1968 New Yorker, mine has the disk brake package. The car had the HP 440, 375 horses power and 273 rear-end. I remover the Holly 4160 and replaced it with a Carter AVS and got much better gas mileage and better performance. This was a very fast car. At 55 mph the engine turned 1700 rpm and could top out close to 150 mph thanks to the 273 rear end.
My folks bought one of these in the summer of 1973, right after the first "gas crisis" - sticker price: around $9000; they bought it for $5000. An awesome car!
My grandma had a '73 New Yorker and rarely drove it for 20 years., It was cherry red with white vinyl top and beige interior, *EXACTLY* the same make, model, and year as this car. It was a ton of fun when she let me drive it around the city when I was 16-17 years old. Very powerful and majestic old driving machine.
The trick to changing the plugs on a big block fuselage era C-body is to remove the front wheels, unbolt the inner fenders (easy job on a non-rusty car), and reach in from the side to do it. Makes it much easier.
What a nice clean example in a very flattering color. Of the crop of '73 cars, I'd say the front end is not too bad -- better certainly that the Lincoln or the concurrent GM B and C bodies. I enjoyed this feature very much.
You nailed it. So many of the ‘73 models’ bumpers looked exactly like what they were… ugly add-ons with little or no relationship to the bodywork designs. I think the bumper and front fascia on the New Yorker in this video does an excellent job of appearing well-blended and “intentional” versus being an afterthought.
I had a 1977 Chrysler Cordoba with the 400 CI engine. I ended up removing the front tires to change the spark plugs. The splash shields were rubber and held in with clips. Very easy to change.
Back when I was in high school I so very much wanted my dad to buy a ‘73 New Yorker Broughm. He even brought home one to show my mother. However, he ultimately decided on a Newport. I thought both were handsome cars, although the doors seemed small compared to the overall body. But they did open very wide. The interior room was amazing. My best friend’s father had a 71 Cadillac at that time. When he first sat in the back of our lowly Newport, you could see he was crestfallen with how much room was in the backseat compared to his dad’s Caddy. (My dad did later get a ‘77 New Yorker Brougham, used. That was a really sweet car. Maybe do a episode on those some day?)
In 73' when I was in HS my father had a 69' Olds 98. I wanted him to get a 73' 98. I thought they looked so elegant.
My dad had new 68 Newport which I used for drivers test ,,then a 75 Newport Black,,,with dark red interior and Scottish plaid seat inserts had a 400 in it prettiest you ever seen
That door design you speak of may well have been on purpose. As these cars were wider than today's SUVs, a shorter door that could open wider would have been helpful in parking lots...
I liked the front end styling of the New Yorker for 1973. It looks more regal to me than the loop bumpers of 71 & 72. That Cranberry red color in those photos was just beautiful. I would want the full size 2 door coupe model though.
What a nice Chrysler New Yorker.
Thanks for these videos down memory lane . Seeing these old cars always brings back random memories .
I bought my 1973 New Yorker Brougham in 2008, but foolishly sold it in 2015. Fortunately, I was able to buy it back in 2018.
There was a humor book in the 80s called "Real Men Don't Eat Quiche". A quote from the book: "So what do Real Men drive? It's simple: Chryslers: Massive, hulking, gas-guzzling Chryslers. With four-barrel carburetors, automatic transmissions and five million cubic inches under the hood." 😆
@Eric Ruud yup, real men drove Chryslers, not Pinto’s
I think the 73 was the best looking year for the fuselage styling on the Chrysler. On Imperial, I think 69 was the best. I've owned 2 of those.
Agreed
Another excellent episode!
* Imperials from 1957 through 1966 were the most-highly-prized for demolition derbies (even including convertibles and limousines!), until they got banned. This was because the box frame extended forward of the radiator. The way to kill an opponent's car was to crush the radiator, causing cooling fluid to drain, killing the car when it overheated. A guy told me "I used to go through one car per derby. When I switched to Imperials, I went through one car per season!"
* I can NOT find any corroboration, but I once read that mid-sixties Lincoln 4-door convertibles had suspended counterweights at each corner of the car, to counterbalance the squirmy unit-body's twists while on the road.
* I had a '70 New Yorker 4-door with the 440-four-barrel engine. SCARY car. So smooth and powerful. I'd be under the impression that I was going 40mph, only to look down and see that I was going eighty on surface streets! Yes, it was a big boat with a customized license plate saying "19FT YOT". We called it "The Pontoonmobile".
You are correct about the 60's Lincoln 4 door convertibles. I have a '63 and it has the counterweights in the front fenders ahead of the wheels.
Yeah we had a relative back in those days that use to get one new every 2 years super fully equipped well he made very good money he was a Locomotive Engineer for the Soo Line R.R.
I have a metallic blue one of these with a white vinyl roof a d beautiful brocade interior. The rear tail lights are excellent. Better than my 71 Imperial but the front styling is a little too Chevrolet for my liking. Still, a cool car.
I always liked this year of Chrysler. Very sharp.
Its more than beautiful. This car has a styling that makes me want to run to a dealership and say "TAKE MY MONEY!"
For me this car was (and is) one of the most beautiful car that I’ve ever seen.
And the 440… an INDESTRUCTIBLE engine indeed.
Thank you Adam to bring us (at last) another Chrysler beauty.
Kind regards from Mallorca, Spain 👍
Couldn’t agree more with the elegant and brutish beauty - what a total shame you can’t buy this type of car new now ! One of the best engines/ transmissions ever - kind regards from Nottingham 🇬🇧 😎
Those 440s had some nasty sharp thin curved metal over the plugs, invisible from top of engine. We found it easier to change plugs from underneath, and we ALWAYS removed those heat shields over the plugs to save severed fingers. Those engines were so smooth and powerful even in those heavy cars.
What a cool interior
Jived this car and the powertrain was unbreakable. All three were deteriorating in metal and interior quality at this time but Chrysler’s powertrains were tanks for decades.
Adam, We are still looking forward to a feature on the poor man's Chrysler known as the Newport. 😁
And the Newport Custom!. A higher level of poverty😝
thanks for the trip down memory lane! I got my driver license in a 72 Newport, not New Yorker, but in that same wonderful color! so many similarities! great car. my folks drove it for 13 years, even pulling a travel trailer.
Got my license in 73 in an Olds 98,67 model that also pulled a trailer. A real " floater boater" if ever there was one!
Love the cars from this era!
These cars are really nice and have aged well.
Fine looking then and still is now... Also I really like the bumper above and below the headlamps and tailights styling that was seen in the early 70s .before the 5mph bumpers came along
Brings back a lot of memories. My friend's dad had a '73 Newport. I remember it being a really nice car to get shuttled to hockey practice in. Very comfortable and plenty of room. I could get geared up at home.
In high school a fried had a 73 New Yorker, we took it on a trip and got 10mpg. The trunk was so massive it held a 15hp outboard meter and a bicycle, plus a lot of other gear.
I recognize a Speed-O-Stat aftermarket cruise control unit. I installed hundreds of those things and still have some hardware bits left over.
Another wonderful video Adam.
I always loved those fuselage Chryslers and Imperials. So depressing what we are offered now.
th-cam.com/video/sEgFsAQF0RU/w-d-xo.html This is the '78...much nicer style and better integrated bumpers
What a beast! Thank you for the information. Always good.
My next-door neighbor had a 1973 CNY Brougham. It was gold on gold fabric interior. What a difference upgrading to a Brougham! The pattern of the fabric was an elegant swirl that looked like roses. On the outside, there was a protective molding, running the full length of the car. The design was the same as that of the interior seating. I cannot believe how cheap the regular CNY interior shown looks. No comparison with the Brougham. Also, I could swear his accelerator was a full pedal. Regardless, the speedometer was cool with the marker at the top, dropping down from left to right. The driver saw no marker until the needle first dropped down once moving. Nothing was crammed close together, that's for sure. The driver had no time to look for the HVAC controls and drive in traffic at the same time. Adam, as you mentioned, the car was much taller than its peers on the freeway. No worries with others looking into your business, more the other way around. As for the 440 engine, this vehicle was hauled out twice a week by my friend's mom. One day buying groceries, and the other beauty shop. When my friend got his license, he used this car until they found one for him. The first time he used it, he was accelerating on the on-ramp. Not being used to the size of the car, he buried the accelerator to the floor. The massive hood lurched upwards, and blackish brown smoke poured from the rear exhaust, along with high-pitched squealing. Then a thrashing gnawing sounds as if a vacuum cleaner had sucked up a towel or rug. Every idiot light on the dashboard lit up, along with light grey smoke coming up from the front. He was able to maneuver this behemoth to the side of the freeway. The acceleration caused all the belts to squeal, then snapped. They ripped the insulation away from the hood and dragged them into the radiator blade. Once he found the emergency flashers, he turned them on. I sat in shock, processing what had just happened, as he yelled every 4 letter word known. 😳
Cool story Bro. 👍
Nothing Was ridiculous about The Style And Shape Of The Chrysler Vehicle Every Car Of It's Time Had It Own Style And Distinction Automaker Maybe They Should Look Back And Take Notes 😊
My Uncle Harvey had one of these. When he showed up, he showed up. Big Man, Big Car, Big Personality. R.I.P. Uncle.
It was one of those cars that showed you have arrived,,, and arrived,,, and arrived
Thanks Adam. You covered the 73 New Yorker very well. My family all drove Chryslers from the 30s to the early 70s. They all seemed to be very reliable and had a lot of interesting engineering features that became industry standards. And of course the Highland Park Hummingbird is a great childhood memory. We used to have a vacation home in the Sierras, the high elevation and cold thin air really made for hard starting. I always thought their chokes were very finicky. They took forever to start and until they warmed up would spew out tons of thick black smoke. I was pretty young then and hadn't started working on cars yet so I never knew what the fix was for those. They all did it. I later switched to Fords and it didn't matter were they were, they always started right up. But I do miss that Chrysler starter sound.
those bumper guards also made those cars longer than cadillac and lincoln
Would like to see one on the Newports. Mid + 70's with that big sweep towards the lower back end. Just a gorgeous sweep while they were still large enough to carry it.
Yup, and the last time we saw that sort of thing.
Very pretty - like the color..
I had a blue 1973 New Yorker Brougham
Friend of mine would occasionally drive his dads mid to late 70's New Yorker. It rode like a dream from what I can remember. We were new drivers and thought we were on top of the world when we went cruising.
I remember helping my dad change plugs in our ‘73 NY Brougham. Dad on top and me underneath tag teaming the job. Thanks for prodding that memory. Ours was a gold color and your interior picture of the Brougham interior brought serious flashback!
Love my 69Newport 2door 383dual exhaust. I am the second owner 81000miles on it to me nothing beets the nice smooth ride. Ive owned it since 1999. Plus I love the way the 2dr hardtops look like they have a factory chopped roof.
Electronic ignition was an improvement by itself. Comfort and roominess was there by a long shot.
I know I've said it before, but I have to wonder if anyone who purchased the '73 full size tanks like these New Yorkers regretted their decision when the OPEC oil embargo hit us. But thank you, Adam, for getting me to appreciate that smooth, high-sided, curved fuselage styling on those massive full-size Chryslers, because I grew up thinking it just defined those cars that old people seemed to prefer (as Dad said, because those older people liked a lot of sheet metal around them!).
We had in 1976 a 1972 one of these. Great great car. Built like a tank and extremely large in size. We loved it.
Those cars are HUGE
My mom was 5’ 2” and drove one of these cars for years!
In 1965 I put together a model of a 65' Imperial Crown. I still think its the prettiest luxury car for that year.
That air conditioning compressor you mentioned ,Chrysler used the (York ) while the fords at the time were using (Tecumseh ).i remember ford used the GM Frigidaire for some time.I may be wrong but i do remember the early 70s when Ford and GM had some deal whith name MAGIC TAILGATE ford allowed GM too use when GM had the stowed away tailgate that completely folded down under the bumper. Well enough of me waffling LOL, great video.
Beautiful car.
I had a 1973 Newport Custom, it was Aztec Gold with black vinyl top and gold interior. It was absolutely beautiful.
And the ride was Regal and as smooth as glass.
I remember riding over railroad tracks and the car seemed to just crawl over them with hardly any notice.
I wish I had another one.
The fuselage era cars are my favorite full size Mopars. Not a bad looker among them.
Very stately and attractive...always liked the looks of these. I had a slightly later car, a 75 Imperial, but very similar. The only thing I didn't like was the horrifically cheap dashboards in these cars...esp on the 74-75 cars...and coming from the recent past of the pre-67 cars which had beautiful high quality dashboards. The seats in this one are beautiful
Agreed re dashboards. Pre-‘67 Chrysler dashboards were jewel like. What I recall of my dad’s ‘77 New Yorker is that the fake wood surround which housed the odometer actually seemed to sag! (And that wood trim was so fake by then,) However the car was a dream to drive.
My favorite land yachts of all time are the fuselage cars, and this one is a VERY nice example. Love that red! Ultimately, my favorites are the 69 300s and Imperials. The 73s front end reminds me of a Caprice, but is still very handsome and stately.
Great video Adam, thanks for posting!
I just sold my ‘69 300 four yrs ago, it was a great looking, riding, and actually a fast car. Owned it for 25 yrs and still miss driving it. I’ve always like the fuseys, my dad had a 1971 and then a 1973 that he would take the family on trips, plenty of room for five people and trunk space to put all that luggage into. I took my drivers test in the ‘73, most kids used the smallest car they could find, I drove a land yacht! 🙂
Thank you for highlighting the Fuselage styling. Always loved these Chryslers. 👍
Awesome vehicle..would pass everything but a gas station like my daddy used to say.😊😊
Ah the auto temp evil servo!!! I saw this first on a 77 300D Mercedes. I didn't know what it was, but I did know something with that many coolant hoses, vacuum lines, and wires couldn't be up to anything innocent.
They had AutoTemp I and AutoTemp II, the first unit was a nightmare to repair, the second design was not that much better. The best a/c system was just the manual on/off with a slide for how much cooling was needed
The inside of your garage is wild.
Fond memories of one just like that ramming in a wall at the hotel I worked at. The front end was dented but the wall was way worst.
My recollection of these cars was that they were fabulous for road trips. Very comfortable, lots of luggage room and leg room. Adam is correct, they handled well compared to other large cars of the era.
Once again, an authoritative and excellent presentation! How do you do it?
Such a fantastic vehicle! Would love to have this!
Regarding the ride and handling balance, if you upgrade the shock absorbers to modern twin tube gas charged shocks and add a set of Michelin tires it will greatly improve the ride quality. Gas changed twin tube shocks most accurately deliver the type of ride need for an easy riding cruiser without floating. Twin tubes allow for soft tuning at low speeds and low impact but firm up with harsh impacts. Performance cars use mono tube shocks which are always firm. Modern luxury vehicles have electronically controlled shocks and springs which perform more advanced techniques.
My father had a 1968 green New Yorker, and like this model was a Sherman tank without the gun!! Same 440 4bbl carb
Wow, that 72 was the exact color combo we had back in the 80’s. Got it from my grandpa when they downsized to a Cordoba.
Always like the fuselage styling on the C body Chrysler cars. The most difficult spark plug to change is the one underneath the heat riser on the passenger side.
I always enjoy your informative video presentations.
1:02 Respectfully I'll disagree our host's opinion on the visual appearance of the front end on this land yacht, as I think it is very impressive and attractive.
No issue. Different strokes for different folks!
Very classy looking
I bought a ‘72 NewPort from my bosses Dad who was giving up driving. The car ran like a Swiss watch. 440cu in. I miss hearing the Chrysler Starters whine. Whether in a Dart or a Boat you knew when someone was starting a Chrysler vehicle.
Nice to see this gave you some decent rear passenger leg room. I find it odd that so many big cars from that era are pretty tight back there. One would think the designers could have spared a few inches from the trunk or even stretch the cabin forward slightly to increase the space.
Very very beautiful car!
Owned a 73 Newport with the 400 with a ridiculous highway axle ratio. At 100 kmh(62mph) when you kicked down to pass it would go right to 1st gear for a second(65mph) and if you kept your foot in it , it would hit 3rd at 100mph. Speaking of rear leg room, my older brother at 6'7" had head and knee room with front seat all the way back, I'm 6'2" and younger bro 6'4". It would give about 8 miles to 4 liters city and 15 or 16 miles at 70 mph(110kph) with cruise engaged. It was the best road car ever, Drove Calgary to Vancouver (1000 miles) with 7 people and nobody complained about crowding and when you split gas with that many people it was pretty cheap(this was when it was about $0.40/liter, now about $1.50). The only complaint was a leaky rear main seal. Wish I had fixed it instead of scrapping it, it had 170 000 miles and it was smooth and quiet and huge. I did have a scary incident once, driving in the winter with cruise engaged and it started to lose traction so it kept getting on and off the throttle and there I was fishtailing down the road at about 55 before I slammed the brakes and got out of my drift. Cheers Adam.
Love those old cars. I don't care if the turning radius was the state of Wisconsin.
Lucky my Dad's '50 & '52 New Yorkers had plenty of back seat room as stood up in those back seats (looking out the side window) behind my Dad as my four older sisters got to sit on the backseat on 800 mile trips. Thank God Dad bought a '56 9 Passenger Mercury Station Wagon in the Fall of '55 as could finally sit down, haha!
And the extra-cool upside-down speedo!!!