One of Only 522: A 1959 Chrysler 300E Coupe Heads to Market

Chrysler’s famed “Letter Series” has long stood as a high-water mark for American grand touring, and few examples capture that reputation quite like the 1959 300E. This particular hardtop coupe, now offered through Panther Road Classics in Edmonds, Washington, is one of just 522 coupe bodies built that year, making it a genuinely scarce piece of late-Fifties Mopar history.

What sets the 300E apart from its flashier contemporaries is its restraint. While other 1959 domestics leaned into heavy chrome and sweeping ornamentation, the Chrysler kept its flanks clean, marked only by a small round 300 badge and matching wheel cover centers. That disciplined look, paired with Virgil Exner’s finned “Forward Look” styling, is precisely what earned these cars their “Banker’s Hot Rod” nickname. This example wears a lustrous Radiant Red finish that appears to have been applied during a quality restoration, with the chrome, glass and trim all presenting well. Records show it left the factory on May 5, 1959, and it has remained with the same owner since 1988, accompanied by build and restoration receipts, manuals, service paperwork and even handwritten notes chronicling its history.

Inside, the cabin leans toward understated luxury rather than showboat glamour. Tan leather upholstery is in strong condition, and the front seats feature Chrysler’s adjustable swivel function. The padded dashboard, full instrumentation (including a 150-mph speedometer) and two-tone steering wheel have all held up nicely. Constant-Control power steering was part of the package, and the electric clock is reportedly still functional.

Under the hood sits Chrysler’s 413-cubic-inch Golden Lion wedge-head V8, the engine that replaced the celebrated Hemi for 1959. Fed by twin four-barrel carburetors, it was rated at roughly 380 horsepower when new and mated to a pushbutton three-speed TorqueFlite automatic. Marketing positioned the 300E as “America’s Most Powerful Car,” and at the time it had little domestic competition in that regard.

Total 1959 300E production reached 627 units across both body styles, and the seller estimates only around 118 survive today, though that figure is difficult to verify. Well-restored Fifties Letter Cars routinely command six-figure sums, and this one carries an asking price of $98,500. For collectors who value overlooked performance and genuine rarity over sheer visual drama, it represents a compelling proposition.