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From: alumcan
Email: [email protected]
(304) 296-1954
Date: July 26, 2001
Hope someone takes you up on your shipping deal there. As far as 300's have 'matching numbers', some do and some don't. I take it that you know allready where the motor number is on the early Hemis? The first 4 digits ('57) stamped on the block Should be 3N57xxxxxx. Reguardless of what the numbers say, if any of those blocks are stamped with 3N57, they ARE genuine 300 blocks. The valve covers are different between 'regular' 392's and 300 392's There are little 'dimples' or raised humps between the spark plug holes. They are for clearing the adjustable rockers, 300 ONLY. If these 300's you are looking at has all of these features, it's likely a orginal 300 motor. The '58 number is LC4. As far as options, power windows, there should be a power seat go along with that. How many buttons are on the raido? 5 or 7? 7 button is the signal seek, or wonder bar. Posi rear was a option, plus a gear change. If I remember right there were 3 or 4 different gear ratios. Rear window defogger, plus rear seat speaker. If any of these cars has both, there will be THREE speaker grills on the rear shelf. Look in the trunk over the rear end hump and see if there is a blower motor and some hose, plus a speaker. How many outside mirrors? Right was a option. Brakes and steering were standard. Tinted glass, with or without air conditioning. Tinted/shaded rear glass. Lets see, 15" wire wheels were a DEALER option. Two headlights or four? Two lights are rare! I can't think right now of any more options, I don't have a list in front of me. As far as value, all there (including hubcaps) NO RUST, frame or body, check the frame from right in front of the rear wheels back, for rust. The 300's, I know the 58's did, left the factory with the rocker seam unfilled with lead or brass. Straight down from the back edge of the door is that little unfinshed seam. If it has been filled in, likely the rockers have been replaced. It's hard to say. In '89 I only gave $800. for a running 300-D. The body/frame was almost totaly shot. It had a little over 200,000 miles on it, but it sure ran good! The numbers matched on that car. Yet I know of another 300-D with under 40,000 miles that the numbers DON'T match. How do interiors fair down there. Do they burn up like out west? Or do they last like back here? If it's not running, and needing everything fixed or repalced, ten grand is a little high. If you can take the car and drive it across your country and the body and interior isn't shot, and everything works, but might need the bumpers plated and painted, and just the front seat covered to make Dave's Forward Look calendar, ten grand might NOT be too bad. There is a 300-D listed out in Washington state for six grand, and has a couple of pick-up loads of parts thrown in. I can't remember if it runs or not. Around 1990, I know a guy that stumbled into a GOOD DEAL! He gave only $2,800-or $3,000 for a gorgous (western)'57 300, but the orginal motor/trans was gone. I think the car had close to a 150,000 miles on it. This car was nice enough, (well taken cared for) to show, untill you raised the hood. Regular 392 single four. It would boild down to JUST HOW BAD do you WANT a '57? What would YOU be willing to pay? ALL 300's are RARE! That's about all the information I can give you. I'm NOT a self proclaimed expert on these cars, as some people want you to think that they are. Good Luck. Maybe you could take some pictures of these 300's and post them, like you did your DeSoto.
