Re: [Chrysler300] 300G manual trans promo GARBAGE

[Andy Mikonis <r41hp@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Well, you can't blame a guy for some creative
marketing.  Shill bidding is another story.  This
$160K scenario seems a little dubious.

I'd agree the 375hp/3-speed 300G is one of those "rare
but not desireable" autos.  I've been looking over
300G road tests this morning and the 3-speed is
universally panned from a driveability standpoint,
mostly due to the long throw from first to second, and
the non-synchro first gear, which some said was
especially problematic with the G engine's
characteristics.

On the other hand, I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss
this transmission itself for a sheer performance
application, i.e. a 400-hp 300G at Daytona.  Granted
this is a COMPLETELY DIFFERENT animal than the car we
were talking about, but let's look at the trans, it's
the same.  It was a new transmission for '61 and
called and considered a "heavy-duty" unit.  I've
personally never heard any reliability reports on this
trans, which I believe is the A745.  It was standard
on Newports and Windsors, but it appears all 300G's
got a larger clutch - same size a the 4-speed F's.

Performance in the Flying Mile?  Both transmissions
are 1:1 in top gear so there's no advantage there. 
Indeed, Bud Faubel's 400hp/3-speed 300G outran
Zeigler's 300F/4-speed's record run from the year
before 145.9 vs. 144.9 mph, but was DQ'ed because a
trim strip came off.  Zeigler's 300G won the class in
'61 at 143.0, but didn't break the 300F's record.

Okay, so, the long 1-2 upshift is going to kill the G
in the Standing Start Mile, right?  Well,
actually, Ken Fermoyle wrote in Popular Science that
he thought the Pont-A-Mousson's first gear was "too
low," and that when shifting in to the widely-spaced
second gear "engine revolutions drop off
substantially."  Second and third are rather close
together in the Pont-A-Mousson, and the A745's second
is right in between.  What happened on the sand? 
Looks like Fauble's 300G won the class in '61 at 90.7
mph, besting Brewster Shaw's 300F's second-place
finish in 1960 at 88.2 mph. Huh.

Andy Mikonis
(Love debating this stuff.  Maybe the "all-american"
400hp 300G is the true "Holy Grail" of letter cars! 
Ha ha, just yankin' your chain, Wayne.  But I do
think people would look at G's a little differently if
that Flying Mile record stood.)


--- Wayne Graefen <wgraefen@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> The Feb. '07 issue of Hemmings Classic Car has a
> plug in its p. 100 Auction News about a 3 speed
> manual trans 300G hardtop coming up at World Wide
> Group's Houston auction next May.  I have to assume
> that this article is a press release from
> www.thewwg.com auction company.
> 
> I went to their website to send them a comment on
> the overwhelming falsehood with which they are
> promoting this car.   On their site, the car is
> presented as "Mopar's Holy Grail!".   There are NO
> email links in WWG's web site and no phone numbers
> for the company.  There are links to forms and
> nothing else.  They give no way of contacting them
> other than to consign your car or purchase a $50
> catalog!
> 
> In the Hemmings car/auction promo, it says that the
> car was "virtual bid" to $160,000 while not even
> present at their Hilton Head, SC, auction in early
> November and that "you can throw your value guide
> out the window for this one".
> 
> This is totally ridiculous.  It is shameless.  This
> is auction company shenanigans at their worst and
> severely damages the hobby when believed and acted
> upon.
> 
> A stick 300G is absolutely no big deal.  Granted
> they only built 14 but because no one wanted them. 
> A stick G has a standard 375HP engine.  The manual
> trans was grossly inadequate for the HP and torque
> of that engine and probable to break.  The only
> thing desirable about the particular car promoted is
> that it is red, if you like red, and I wonder
> whether even that documents as original.  A lot of
> cars get painted non-authentic "Resale Red" to
> attract attention at auctions.
> 
> I would hope that every reader of this post
> understands there is a great deal of shill bidding
> that goes on at auctions.  Bids with no real money
> behind them.  Phony bids.  Bids placed by people who
> work for the auction companies in MANY cases.  I've
> watched many auctions in person and I would estimate
> 40-50 percent of the bids taken by the auctioneer
> are completely false and are used strictly to pump
> up the price until it meets reserve so the car can
> sell or to pump it up to the level the auctioneer
> feels the car deserves to sell at.  Phone bidding is
> the most obvious questionable practice!  Or shill
> bids are placed by friends of the seller or the
> seller himself!  Most states allow and protect the
> use of shill bidding under law!
> 
> Yes, I could look up the company's phone number and
> try talking to them.  They have negated their
> integrity in print.  I'd rather inform you of the
> problems with this auction company and car so that
> you can tell your friends and this car can miss its
> reserve by $100,000 or more with a suitable bid for
> what the car truly is - just another G among many.
> 
> Be an informed buyer at any place and any time that
> you make an offer or bid on a car.  To not do so can
> have dire financial consequences.
> 
> Wayne Graefen
> (Owner of a documented 300F Special with 400HP and
> Pont-a-Mousson full synchro 4speed manual trans that
> truly is rare (1 of 9) and is truly considered by
> many to be "the holy grail" among Chrysler 300
> Letter Car collectors)
> 
> Sent to the Chrysler 300 Club Intl and ForwardLook
> email lists and a few friends
> 
> [Non-text portions of this message have been
> removed]
> 
> 


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