sories and luxury accoutrements came standard. An uprated 413 was also available, but it raises the price and isn’t really necessary, as the 383 moves the car briskly at freeway speeds. Some body parts and chrome trim are unique to the 300 model and may be difficult to locate if you’re restoring a rough car from scratch. Chrysler was well noted for solid engineering dur- ing this era, and this is a car that does everything well. If Don Draper drove a Chrysler instead of a Caddy, he’d be at the wheel of a 300 convertible.
1964–69 FORD GALAXIE 500 / 500XL
Like the full-size Chevrolets of the same era, the big Fords are ap- proachable, plentiful and relatively affordable. We recommend begin- ning your search with Galaxie 500s equipped with any of the available small- and big-block V-8s. These are large, heavy cars, and the base six- cylinder is merely adequate when saddled with an automatic trans- mission, power steering and air conditioning. The Galaxie 500 was the top trim level offered through most of these years, with the XL adding sport and luxury features above that. The 289- and 390-cubic- inch V-8s are the most common powertrains; you likely won't find a good 406, 427 or 428 performance model in our price range. The full-size Ford was restyled for 1964, then again for ’65, with ’66 and ’67 being similar, then all-new again for 1968 and largely carrying over for 1969. Trim levels and model names evolved throughout the years. They all have plenty of room, are quiet
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and ride well. Buy the one you like best, and you’ll be set for classic 1960s top-down, hassle-free motoring.
1965–67 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL
Lincoln’s luxury convertible strategy differed from that of Cadillac and Chrysler in at least one major way — all Continental convertibles of this era were four-doors, while the other brands only built two-door drop tops. The best examples of the ground- breaking and beautiful convertible Contis of 1961–63 are already too expensive. The ’65 represented a substantive update of the earlier cars, yet retains much of their charm, while all Continentals were restyled — and grew about four inches in length — for 1966. That look carried over largely unchanged to 1967. While ’65s
used a 320-horsepower, 430-cubic- inch V-8, the only powertrain offered, or needed, for 1966–67 was Lincoln’s mighty 462-cubic-inch V-8, which packed a mountain-moving 485 ft-lb of torque. Pre-’65 Continental convertibles are well known for a lack of structural rigidity, although this im- proved somewhat over the years. Be- ing Lincolns, most came fully loaded, although you might now and again find one with a cloth or nylon brocade interior instead of leather.
Avoid any car that has suffered more than very minor body damage, as the chassis is difficult to get straight after having been bent, and it’s equally challenging to get the tops and doors to line up and seal tight if the car’s been tweaked. The basics of these cars are solid and robust, but owners
1966–67 AMC Ambassador Number Produced: 3,058
Original Price: $2,968–$3,143 1965–70 Cadillac DeVille
Number Produced: 106,242 Original Price: $5,555–$6,068 Current Price: $8,000–$44,000
Current Price: $4,600– $23,000 (1966)
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