Drive Or Restore? 1964 Chrysler New Yorker
In 1963, Chrysler did a major restyle of its lineup, making only minor updates to the 1964 models. These minor changes included a new grille, headlight surrounds, and taillights, but overall it makes this big New Yorker really standout. This 4 door sedan example is said to be a great runner and can be found here on eBay in Ringgold, Georgia. The 4 door sedan was actually the best selling New Yorker model that year, selling 15,443 units, but it’s easy to see why!
The paint appears to be mostly original but will need repainting if you want a show quality look. Of course, you could wait to paint it and start driving it right away. It will get a lot of attention as is and then once winter rolls back around, you could send it off to the paint shop to be brightened up. The body is very straight and solid with minimal rust, so it shouldn’t take much to prep it. New whitewall tires were recently installed, so that’s one less thing to worry about while you focus on making a nice driver.
The interior is showing its age in the front seat. It is torn, stained, and most likely the fabric is about rotted. However, the back seat still appears to be in good condition. This car features factory optioned tinted glass, air conditioning, power seats, power brakes, power steering, AM radio, and more. Install new seat foam and seat cover up front and this wouldn’t be a bad place to spend some time.
The engine is a 413 cubic inch V-8 and runs great. This car features a 3-speed TorqueFlite automatic transmission which shifts great with the push of a button. It has a rebuilt carburetor, new brake shoes front and rear, new master cylinder, new brake hoses, and new wheel cylinders. The original window sticker, Certicard, and owners manual are included. Mileage is listed as 23,175, but my guess is that it’s rolled over. This is one of those cars you could drive as it is, completely restore, or make updates as your budget will allow. So, which route would you go with this New Yorker?
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Comments
I’d drive this while restoring it. Cleaned up a bit it would be quite the sight in a normal parking lot these days, and restored it would be nice enough to rent out for formal occasions.
Wash it. Drive it. Done. Every penny you’d invest in restoring beyond general maintenance would be money lost.
If you want one of these cars or something similar, it’s not a waste. It’s only money lost if your first thought is getting six figures on eBay or being a TV star in Scottsdale.
Well Tim, just to be clear my point was it’s really just a driver as it sits. To go “above and beyond” anything other than general maintenance to make it operable with the least amount of investment, would be money wasted as it has next to zero collectability. It’d be a fun car to cruise around in if nothing else for the simple novelty of the odd styling. Anyone with any level of common sense or an I.Q. greater than 86 would immidietly realize this particular car wouldn’t present the big money flip nor a highlight real on a major car auction. I’m sorry if that makes you feel excluded. Lol
shure if this was a 1964 cadillac you guys would be frothing at the mouth over it! who cares if you can’t flip it for profit!I buy cars like this because I want to own them and enjoy driving them! I don’t give a dam what other people think let them drive there import crap this with a little work could be a great car!
Ok Jerry!!!!! Lol
Nice solid original car. With it’s window sticker, too. Has to be painted to stop the devil rust. The rest can be done when and if funds are available. Rare to find cars in this original shape and so far, a buy at the current bid.
I think it depends on how solid it is. If everything is solid, there’s no rust holes anywhere in the floorboards, anywhere on the body of the car. Everything works like it should, it runs and drives safely, then all I would think it would need is to be cleaned up, new tires, a tune-up, and a safe driver.
Tennessee plates and Ringgold is almost in Chattanooga. Pretty clear that this is a flip (I have nothing against flippers). Car looks to be reasonable if truly in running condition. Starting bid and maybe up to $4K, if the undercarriage is clean. The buy-it-now price is a fantasy for an ordinary worn 4 door sedan. I like Chryslers, but the 64s were not my favorite. Prefer the 62s myself. On the other hand, those older folks amongst us may recall Tom McCahill of Mechanics Illustrated. He loved the big Chryslers as road cars. Torqueflite trannys and torsion bar suspensions were his thing.
That Tennessee plate expired in 1991. Bradley County is Cleveland TN, northeast of Chattanooga. Not far from Ringgold. Indications are this car has been off the road for a LONG time. It does look like they have done quite a bit of work to get it roadworthy again.
I have the 1963 version of this car; have had it for 27 years. These are very well built, long-lasting cars; 60 mph and the 413 is just loafing a little faster than idle speed. Not many people saved these and the New Yorkers are hard to find now. The 413 will go 200,000 miles without major repairs. This one has had long, bad, outdoor storage and is a bit over-priced but still a wonderful, high-quality car.
I must echo Pete’s comments. These are very sturdy, well built cars. I owned a ’64 300 4 dr HT with a 383 2bbl for 16 years and enjoyed it immensely. I purchased it from the second Marietta, Georgia owner in 1986.
One difference between ’63 and ’64 is that the closed cars had a larger rear window in ’64. Interestingly, the front and rear bumpers of the ’63’s and the rear bumper of the ’64’s are all the same. The ’64’s had a unique front bumper that dipped below the grille. This car has an incorrect front bumper. Too, New Yorkers had white wheel cover centers with the outer painted section color matched to the color of the car. The RF cover on this car is from a Newport.