The Hemi-Motivated 1957 Chrysler 300C Is A Powerfully Good Value

For nearly 70 years, Chrysler’s Letter Cars have represented a high point of American automotive design with their muscular V-8 engines, taut handling, luxurious interiors, and head-turning styling. Of these, the hemi-powered 1957 300C two-door hardtop and convertible remain in high demand. That’s evident in their book values, even if auction results tell a different tale.

Chrysler electrified the automotive marketplace in 1955 with its race-proven, 300-hp V-8-powered C-300 and followed that with the 355-hp 300B. For 1957, Highland Park would introduce America’s most powerful eight-cylinder engine since the supercharged Duesenberg SJ: the twin-four-barrel-carbureted FirePower 392-cu.in. hemi V-8 under the hood of the new 300C made 375 hp in standard form or 390 in competition tune. The new TorsionAire front suspension brought fine road manners, while the car’s bold “Forward Look” styling with quad headlamps and sweeping tailfins made both body styles real head turners. While this model sold better than its predecessors, it was still expensive and exclusive: 1,767 of the $4,235 ($46,275 in today’s dollars) hardtops were sold, along with 484 of the $4,390 ($47,970) convertibles.

1957 Chrysler 300C grille detail

Photo: Stellantis

Rob Kern, 1957 300C advisor for the Chrysler 300 Club International (chrysler300club.com), tells us this model and the similar 1958 300D are among the most-sought Letter Cars due to their innovations and styling. “This was very significant, being the first convertible and introducing features that went away after the 300D,” he explains. “The values of top-condition 300C coupes are in the range of $85,000 to $90,000, while convertibles–even those needing total restoration–can command much more. While prices spiked between 2005 and 2015, they now seem to have stabilized. Of course, this depends on how special a car is and if it has an award-winning restoration, because body rust, parts availability, and finding specialist help are challenging. The 300C still represents a pretty good value for what it is, and this model is popular with younger members new to the club.”

1957 Chrysler 300C – Rocker and Taillight Detail

Photo: Stellantis

The Classic Car Price Guide under the Resources tab on Hemmings.com turns up 17 ads from the past three years; the average asking price in those ads was $71,605.88, with $28,950 at the low end and $195,000 at the high. Those numbers largely correlate with traditional value guides covering the marketplace of these 300Cs; J.D. Power now suggests a hardtop should retail between $17,700 and $76,500, and a convertible can command between $39,900 and $119,800.

Turning to auctions, 10 hardtops have sold in the past five years with prices ranging between $18,700 and $63,000; the latter traded hands through Hemmings Auctions in March 2022. According to classic.com, the hardtop has an average sale value of $45,622, and is considered a rising Classic Market Benchmark at $45,602. The lower-production convertible is also considered a rising Classic Market Benchmark (at $123,229), with an average sale figure of $101,267. Just three soft-tops have sold since 2019: an unrestored example brought $47,300 in 2022, while two restored cars brought $86,000 and $170,500 in 2020 and 2023.

Value Trend, 1957 Chrysler 300C (2024)