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Identifying the First-Gen Ford MustangThe Pumped Up 1970 Chrysler Hurst 300
The 1970 Chrysler Hurst 300 is a massive full-size muscle car and a low-production collectable that packs both style and power alike.
Super-Sized Muscle Car
We typically talk about muscle cars as being mid-sized offerings. The pony car distinction further delineates the more “compact” varieties. But the muscle car’s origins date back further than the GTO and Mustang to full-size cars Oldsmobile Rocket 88 and Chrysler C-300 of the 1950s. So, while the Chrysler Hurst 300 of 1970 might appear out of place among its contemporary muscle cars, there was plenty of historical president for an oversized coupe with an oversized motor.
The 1970 Chrysler Hurst 300 was indeed a big car with a 124-inch wheelbase and stretching 224.7-inches in total (that 8 ½ feet!). It tipped the scales at 4,400 lbs. To motivate all that mass, the Hurst 300 came equipped with a 440 “TNT” V8 making 375 horsepower and 480 lb.-ft. of torque paired with a three-speed Torqueflite automatic transmission.
The Hurst 300 was a special limited production high-performance version of the regular production Chrysler 300. Just 485 cars were built for the single 1970 model year. One promotional car was built as a convertible while all the rest were coupes. As I hinted above, such limited-run performance versions of the 300 had a long history.
Chrysler 300 “Letter Cars”
In fact, the Chrysler 300 began as what automotive historians refer to as the 300 “letter cars” or “letter series” beginning with the C-300 (later designated as the 300A) in 1955. That car ran a 331 cu-.in. FirePower “Hemi” V8 making 300 horsepower, hence the 300 moniker. Both the 1955 and subsequent 1956 version, the 300B, featured the same styling as the contemporaneous Chrysler Imperial. The 300B upped the ante with the introduction of the larger and more powerful 354 cu.-in. FirePower V8 (340 or 355hp). This version saw major success on the NASCAR circuit.
The Chrysler 300 “letter cars” continued through 1965 and the letter L, skipping the letter I. The Chrysler 300, with no letters or performance focus attached, debuted for the 1962 model year. The 300 “letter series” cars feature some of Chrysler’s more striking designs from the 1950s and early ‘60s, done under the direction of design head Virgil Exner. (For more of Exner’s audacious designs, click here.)
The Hurst 300 Features
The 1970 Chrysler Hurst 300 did not offer as many performance upgrades over the regular 300 as you might guess. An upgraded suspension added a front sway bar along with disc brakes. The aforementioned TorqueFlite automatic oddly did not come with Hurst’s signature shifter. The car’s interior was borrowed wholesale from the Chrysler Imperial, replete with Saddle Brown leather throughout.
Even without the shifter, Hurst gave the cars a unique flourish. The finished Chrysler 300s were shipped to Hurst for modification. There the car’s hood was replaced with a new fiberglass hood featuring a non-functioning hood scoop and recessed twist locks, the latter hardware borrowed directly from Oldsmobile. The rear deck, spoiler, and rear fender caps were also done in fiberglass as well. Hurst also gave the cars their unique look with the application of gold and brown decals.
The 1970 Chrysler Hurst 300, like the “letter series” 300s of years prior, was a limited run affair as just 485 were built and priced at $5,939 (roughly $47,000 today). Their rarity, especially in good condition, makes the Hurst 300 prized among collectors while their niche nature as giants among muscle cars keep prices reasonable at around $50,000.
