RE: [Chrysler300] 1955 AMA Specs (Last update?)

["Dan Elliott" <us@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Rich, I certainly believe that the AMA specs would have been updated for the
1955 300 at least once, to add the three speed manual transmission used in
NASCAR starting about April 1.  Then there would have been a NASCAR bulletin
approving the use of the manual trans.  I just returned from NASCAR
archives,
 they don't have alot of that info publically available, so one needs to go
to private
sources.

On a slightly different question, it would be interested to know if the 355
HP heads
had any markings on them that are different than the 340 heads.  My guess is
"NO", but one never can tell.  The part numbers were different of course,
but
no 300B ever came down the assembly line with 355 HP heads because the last
300B was built and shipped before Chrysler dealers were notified that the
optional
heads were available.  An unanswered question is whether the 355 HP heads
were
used in NASCAR, to date no photos have appeared showing a car in actual
competition
with 355HP painted on the hood, a NASCAR requirement after it approved the
use
of the heads.  Photos at ElkHart Lake in August, and Darlington in September
both
show cars with 340HP.  Carl K. could have snuck them in, unless he won with
the
subsequent teardown, so I'm assuming he didn't.  He did sneak in higher
octane gas,
which may have been his thinking with the 355 HP heads.  But perhaps by the
time
they were approved by NASCAR in mid June, someone had gotten onto his trick
with the gas, and he couldn't use it anymore.  He certainly didn't want any
disqualifications,
because Buck Baker was behind Herb Thomas during mid season, until the
infamous
crash at the Shelby fairgrounds.  So if the 355HP heads were used at all,
perhaps it
was after mid September, 1956.

Dan Elliott

  -----Original Message-----
  From: Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]On
Behalf Of Rich Barber
  Sent: Tuesday, May 06, 2008 12:10 AM
  To: Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
  Subject: [Chrysler300] 1955 AMA Specs (Last update?)


  I have been able to obtain a copy of the 1955 AMA Chrysler specs with the
  2-15-55 updated sheets that added the 1955 Chrysler C-300 on that date. I
  find it interesting to note the similarities and differences in the
Windsor,
  New Yorker and C-300. Imperials are not included. I think they were
  considered to be a separate brand at that time.

  I had been asking about exhaust and tail pipe diameters and find they are
  the same for the '55 NY and C-300. 2" exhaust and 1.8" tailpipe. It is not
  clear as to whether these are OD or ID, but I guess muffler shop guys
would
  know. I plan to go with 2" and 1-3/4" if those are the standard nominal
  sizes.

  I would appreciate hearing from anyone that has another set of 1955
Chrysler
  AMA specs as to whether their set shows any further changes were made to
the
  specs after 2-15-55 during the year. I believe the idle speed of the C-300
  was changed if nothing else.

  Twelve pages of the 1956 AMA specs were published in the most recent Brute
  Force magazine and contained modifications into mid-April, 1956, primarily
  to add the 355 HP engine with 10.0:1 heads. 1956 exhaust pipes for the
  "B's" are shown as 2.25" std, 3.0" optional-probably for the 355's.
"300-B"
  tailpipes had swollen to 2" in 1956. With the NY tailpipe now spec'd at
  1-3/4".

  I recall seeing a photo of the trunk of a '55 or '56 Kiekhaefer car that
had
  the tail pipes running across the top of the trunk floor and out the rear
  panel below the trunk lid. Those tail pipes looked huge--3" or 4" and the
  routing avoided the problem of minimal clearance between the rear axle and
  frame and the likelihood of the tail pipe getting damaged or collapsed
  during the race and restricting flow. Probably a NASCAR rule allowed this
  as it would also minimize broken off pieces of tailpipes on the track.

  The standard 354 hemi 300-B engine had 340 HP with 9.0:1 heads. The NY
also
  had the 9.0:1 heads and 280 HP at 600 fewer RPM and a single 4-barrel.
86.5
  octane gasoline was specified for all 1956 engines, as compared to 85
  (Motor) octane fuel for all engines in 1955. Anyone know whether that was
  regular or premium "Ethyl" fuel at that time? I think it was regular as I
  remember working in a Clark station that sold only one grade of gas-Clark
  Super 100 and it was lower octane than major brand "Ethyl", but worked
well
  in most cars of the mid-late '50's.

  C-300'ly,
  Rich Barber
  Brentwood, CA
  1955 Chrysler C-300 (218.6"L x 60.1"H x 79.1"W, 43'-9" turning
  diameter-curb-curb)



  


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]


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