This 1962 promotional film covers the history and purpose of the Chrysler 300 “Letter Series” and introduces the new features of the latest model, the Model H. The footage mostly looks at different Chrysler 300 models breaking speed records on racetracks and driving down winding country roads to show their speed and durability. There is also extensive footage of all sides as well as the interior of the latest Model H. Part of the reason that this film was made is that, before 1962, there had never been a reason to clarify the Chrysler 300 as a letter series – the Chrysler 300 name plate had applied to only one possible car. But in 1962, in an effort to bolster sales by capitalizing on the well-known 300 name, Chrysler dropped the mid-range Windsor series, and replaced it with a sportier model called the “300” which sold well. The 300-H shared the shorter wheelbase body of the “300” and Newport and was virtually indistinguishable from the new “300.” The 300-H ended up as a failure with only 558 autos built – the lowest 300 production to that date.
0:10 Different picture shots of race cars, 0:20 race car drives on a curved race track, 0:35 Narrator is filmed talking with different displays in the background, 2:11 Chrysler 300 driving along same curved race track, 2:20 Close up shots of front, engine, and back of Chrysler 300, 2:43 Chrysler 300 driving along a beach breaking speed records, 3:03 Several newspaper articles with records set up by the Chrysler 300, 3:42 Close up shots of new Chrysler 300C of front, tires, emblem, and back, 4:18 comparison between Model E and F, 5:04 Narrator shown talking again, 5:40 New Model H shown driving off on the circular racetrack with different views of the car, 6:44 Model H drives through deep puddle, 7:15 Close up of the tire of the Model H while driving, 7:22 0-100 test with the speedometer of the Model H shown, 7:36 Model H drives up a steep incline, 8:09 Red Model H setting a record at a drag competition, 8:25 thousands of people sitting in a stadium watching cars race, 8:52 Narrator sits inside the Model H and explains the important features of the interior, 9:50 narrator opens the engine hood and it switches to an animation of how the engine works and what its specialties are, 11:13 Model H begins driving down a road with a view from the driver’s seat and from the rear of the car, 12:43 Narrator begins talking, 14:06 Man photographs his wife together with a Model H, 14:14 Man driving the Model H on a winding country road with several different angles of the car, 15:44 Closing Credits
The Chrysler 300 “letter series” were a series of high performance luxury cars built between 1955-1965. “The 300 Idea” refers to the engine of the car, which featured 300 horsepower.
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This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD and 2k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com
