1963 · Chrysler · United States
Untangling a Composite Quarter-Mile
Hardtop-only and trimmed exclusively in Claret Red leather, the 300J carried a 390 hp short-ram 413 as its only engine; 400 were built, the smallest letter-car run.
United States · researched through 2026-09-22
The 300J, series TC3-M, dropped the convertible entirely and was offered only as a two-door hardtop, with a single engine: a 413 on 15-inch short-ram cross-ram induction, two Carter AFB four-barrels, mechanical lifters, and 9.6:1 compression, rated 390 hp at 4,800 rpm and 485 lb-ft at 3,600 rpm. A heavy-duty pushbutton TorqueFlite was standard, with a three-speed manual optional; the Chrysler 300 Club records only seven cars built with that manual. The club also calls the 300J the last letter car with a 150-mph speedometer and standard leather, and the last one completed under Virgil Exner as styling chief.1,2,3
Production totaled 400 hardtops, agreed on by the club, Over-Drive's fact sheet, and the club's own separate production-and-survivor registry, with no convertible built at all for the year. The 300J's own interior came in a single choice, Claret Red leather, with leather-and-vinyl bucket seats carrying four-way power adjustment and a tunnel console housing a mechanical-drive tachometer.2,1,4,5
A production quarter-mile figure attributed to the car in secondary club sources turned out, on inspection of the original magazines, to combine two separate tests: the club's letter history cites 15.8 seconds at 89 mph, which Motor Trend's own April 1963 test confirms directly, while the club's model page instead gives 15.4 seconds at 97 mph, a figure that splices Car and Driver's 15.4-second time, printed with no trap speed, together with Car Life's separate 97 mph trap speed from its own, slower 16.5-second run; this record shows all three magazine results separately rather than repeating either composite figure. Overall width is likewise disputed, between Over-Drive's and Car Life's shared 79.0 in and the club model page's 76.2 in.2,3,6,7,5,1
Motor Trend's test car, equipped with air conditioning, power windows, radio, and Sure-Grip, ran the quarter-mile in 15.8 seconds at 89 mph and 0-60 mph in 8.0 seconds, with an observed top speed of 118 mph. Car and Driver's own car, at a 4,560-lb test weight, matched that 8.0-second 0-60 time but printed a faster 15.4-second quarter-mile without a trap speed. Car Life's test car, heaviest of the three at 4,730 lb, ran a slower 7.9-second 0-60 and 16.5-second quarter-mile at 97 mph, but recorded the highest measured top speed of the three tests at 130 mph at 5,200 rpm; the spread across all three tests tracks each car's differing test weight and equipment rather than pointing to any documented mechanical difference between them.6,7,5
Factory prices ran $5,260 in a compiled production table against $5,184 as printed by Motor Trend and $5,177 by Car Life, three figures this record shows without resolving which basis each publication used. One further claim was found but not tabulated: the 1963 Chrysler fact sheet mentions special-order 426 engines rated 373, 415, and 425 hp, but this record could not confirm from the summary consulted whether those 426 options actually applied to the 300J specifically rather than to other 1963 Chryslers, so the claim is carried as an unpublished lead pending a page-by-page read of the factory high-performance AMA supplement, alongside a separate 300J service supplement that was likewise not read page by page in this pass and might settle the same question.8,6,5
Fact sheet · 1963 · United States
The numbers
1963 Chrysler 300J — Hardtop-only and trimmed exclusively in Claret Red leather, the 300J carried a 390 hp short-ram 413 as its only engine; 400 were built, the smallest letter-car run.
Coverage: Partial — researched sections are shown; missing ones are not yet sourced. Researched through 2026-09-22.
Every figure is labeled with how sure we are. Reported means a manufacturer, registry, or reference figure we cite but have not reconciled against factory records ourselves. Disputed means credible sources disagree and both are shown. Rows are separately scoped; don't add them together unless the note says they make up a total.
Key facts
Production
| What was counted | Count | Basis | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chrysler 300J, two-door hardtop2,1 300J · 2-door hardtop · 413 short-ram 2x4-bbl (390 hp) · not stated Only body and only engine; the row is the total. | 400 | built, model-year | Reported |
| What was counted | Count | Basis | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chrysler 300J, three-speed manual2,3 300J · 2-door hardtop · 413 short-ram 2x4-bbl (390 hp) · 3-speed manual · not stated | 7 | built, model-year | Reported |
| What was counted | Count | Basis | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chrysler 300J, all bodies4 300J · not stated Confirms the hardtop row (400, the only body style); the club's separate 'Letter Car Production Dates' table gives the same 400 for the 'J'. | 400 | built, model-year | Reported |
The manual row is a subset of the hardtop total.
Over-Drive's 1963 production table prints the same 400 (body 842, series TC2-M) within 125,604 Chryslers, and separately lists non-letter 300 Pace Car hardtops (306) and convertibles (2), which are not letter cars.
Prices when new
| Model | Price | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Factory price, 300J two-door hardtop8 | $5,260 | 'Factory Price' column of a compiled production table (basis not further stated), 1963 model year |
| Basic price, 300J hardtop6,7 | $5,184 | basic price as printed by Motor Trend (Car and Driver prints the same figure as price as tested), 1963-04 |
| List price, 300J hardtop5 | $5,177 | list price as printed by Car Life, 1963-05 |
| Price as tested, Motor Trend 300J (air conditioning, power windows, Sure-Grip, radio, power antenna, tinted glass)6 | $6,134.80 | price as tested, plus tax and license, 1963-04 |
| Price as tested, Car Life 300J5 | $5,805 | price as tested, as printed, 1963-05 |
Prices are the nominal dollars of the day, not adjusted for inflation.
Engines
| Engine | Factory rating | Availability | Built |
|---|---|---|---|
| 413 wedge V8, short-ram cross-ram, 390 hp1 413 cu in · 2 x 4-barrel on 15 in cross-ram manifold (Carter AFB 3505S) | 390 hp @ 4,800, 485 lb-ft @ 3,600 (manufacturer published (basis not stated)) | standard (only engine) | Not yet sourced |
Ratings are the manufacturer's advertised figures under the standard shown (SAE gross before 1972, SAE net after). They are not dyno results, and gross and net ratings can't be compared directly.
Transmissions
| Transmission | Availability | Built |
|---|---|---|
| Heavy-duty TorqueFlite three-speed automatic, pushbutton (2.45 / 1.45 / 1.00)1,2 | standard | Not yet sourced |
| Heavy-duty three-speed manual (2.17 / 1.43 / 1.00)1 | optional | 72 Reported |
Options and packages
| Code | Option | Price | Installed |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Air conditioning5,6 | — | Not yet sourced |
|
Radio (with rear shelf speaker)5,6 | — | Not yet sourced |
|
Power antenna5 | — | Not yet sourced |
|
Remote-control outside mirror5 | — | Not yet sourced |
|
Tinted glass (windshield)5,6 | — | Not yet sourced |
|
Sure-Grip limited-slip differential5,6 | — | Not yet sourced |
|
Power windows6 | — | Not yet sourced |
Paint
| Code | Color | Built |
|---|---|---|
BB-1 |
Formal Black1,9 | Not yet sourced |
TT-1 |
Claret Red1,9 | Not yet sourced |
WW-1 |
Oyster White1,9 | Not yet sourced |
MM-1 |
Alabaster1,9 | Not yet sourced |
NN-1 |
Madison Grey metallic1,9 | Not yet sourced |
Color names are the factory's. We don't show color swatches, because a screen color is no guide for a restoration.
Interiors
| Code | Trim | Built |
|---|---|---|
|
Claret Red leather (only interior choice)1 | Not yet sourced |
|
Leather-and-vinyl bucket seats with 4-way power adjustment; tunnel console with mechanical-drive tachometer; square steering wheel5,7 | Not yet sourced |
|
Painted interior: upper instrument panel and windshield, side and rear-window moldings Autumn Red metallic gloss (Ditzler 71284); air outlets and lower windshield molding Mohawk Red metallic semi-gloss; radio grille, cluster and push-button covers Burgundy Red metallic semi-gloss (71280); lower cowl side panels Autumn Red metallic semi-gloss (71282)9 | Not yet sourced |
Specifications
| Measure | Value | Applies to |
|---|---|---|
| Wheelbase1,3 | 122 in | hardtop |
| Overall length1,3 | 215.5 in | hardtop |
| Overall width1 | 79 in | hardtop |
| Overall height1 | 55.6 in | hardtop |
| Tread, front / rear1 | 61.0 / 59.7 in | hardtop |
| Tires1 | 7.60 x 15 Blue Streak | hardtop |
| Rear axle ratio1 | 3.23:1 standard; optional 2.93, 3.15, 3.58, 3.73 (3.91 also with manual) | as listed |
| Curb weight5 | 4,420 lb | hardtop as tested by Car Life (Motor Trend prints 4,412; Car and Driver 4,235 with full tank) |
| Brakes6,7 | 11 in x 3 in drums front and rear, power assisted, 287.2 sq in effective lining (414.7 sq in swept) | 300J (manufacturer data reproduced by Motor Trend and Car and Driver) |
| Steering5,6 | Power rack and sector standard, 19.2:1 overall, 3.5 turns; turning circle 43.1 ft | 300J |
Period road tests
| Test | Car tested | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Motor Trend, 1963-046Standing quarter mile | 300J two-door hardtop, 413 390 hp, TorqueFlite, 3.23 Sure-Grip; air conditioning, power windows, radio, power antenna, tinted glass; 2,952 miles at startTwo aboard; Riverside track; also printed: 0-30 3.2 s, 0-45 5.2 s, 0-60 8.0 s; observed top speed 118 mph; stopping from 60 mph 142 ft | 15.8 s at 89 mph |
| Motor Trend, 1963-0460-60 mph | 300J hardtop, 390 hp, TorqueFlite, 3.23Two aboard | 8 s |
| Car and Driver, 1963-0470-60 mph | 300J hardtop, 390 hp, TorqueFlite, 3.23; test weight 4,560 lbAlso printed: 0-30 3.5 s, 0-90 16.0 s, standing quarter mile 15.4 s (no trap speed); top speed 118 mph estimated; 8-18 mpg | 8 s |
| Car Life, 1963-055Standing quarter mile | 300J two-door hardtop, 390 hp, TorqueFlite, 3.23; test weight 4,730 lbLADS strip, Long Beach, California; also printed: 0-30 3.8, 0-40 4.9, 0-50 6.4, 0-60 7.9, 0-70 9.5, 0-80 11.3, 0-100 17.6 s; top speed 130 mph at 5,200; 11-14 mpg | 16.5 s at 97 mph |
A road test result belongs to the one car that was tested, with its engine, gearing, tires, and conditions. It is not a figure for every car of the year.
Identification
- Series
- Series TC3-M; a club decoding table lists the 300J under serial model digit 4 for 1963.1,10
Where the sources disagree
Period quarter-mile figure attributed to the 300J
Resolved in part on 2026-09-23: Motor Trend, April 1963, p. 51 prints 15.8 s at 89 mph for its test car, confirming the club history's attribution, and that test is now in the performance table. The club model page's 15.4 s / 97 mph combines Car and Driver's 15.4 s (no trap speed; April 1963) with Car Life's 97 mph trap speed (16.5 s; May 1963); both magazine results are shown separately.
Identification
Read a 1963 Chrysler VIN
The VIN decoder runs in your browser and never sends the VIN anywhere. How the factory numbered this year's cars:
Same model year
Also in 1963
- Buick Riviera Buick's first Riviera, a four-seat personal-luxury hardtop limited to 40,000 cars, with a 401 Nailhead standard and a 340-hp 425 added in December 1962.
- Buick Wildcat The Wildcat became its own series, adding a convertible and four-door hardtop; 35,725 built.
- Chevrolet Chevy II and Nova First Nova Super Sport year in the source production table. Enthusiast-compiled production: 372,626 cars; Super Sport 42,432.
- Chevrolet Impala SS Super Sport (RPO Z03) peaks toward the 1960s high: 153,271 built, plus the Z11 427 drag package.
- Dodge Dart 330/440, Polara and Max Wedge The Max Wedge grew to 426 cu in, rated at 415 or 425 hp, and a Ramchargers Dodge driven by Herman Moser won Stock at the 1963 NHRA Nationals; Ramcharger production remains unsourced.
- Ford Fairlane Hardtops and wagons joined the Fairlane line; reference-site counts give 28,268 bucket-seat Fairlane 500 Sport Coupes, beside 97,444 Fairlanes and 246,443 Fairlane 500s.
- Ford Falcon Sprint The mid-year 1963 1/2 Sprint put the Fairlane's 164 hp 260 V8 into the compact Falcon for the first time, as a hardtop and a convertible.
- Ford Galaxie The 406 opened the year and was replaced mid-year by the 427, in Q-code (410 hp, one four-barrel) and R-code (425 hp, two four-barrels) form, while a fastback Sports Hardtop was offered in the Galaxie 500 and 500 XL series.
- Ford Thunderbird The Sports Roadster's second and last year: only 455 were built.
- Mercury Marauder and S-55 The S-55 line grew to four bodies, and the mid-year fastback Marauder hardtop arrived with 390, 406 and 427 V8s available.
- Oldsmobile Starfire A squared-off roof with a concave rear window; production fell 38 percent to 25,890.
- Plymouth Savoy, Fury and Max Wedge The Super Stock engine grew to 426 cu in at 415 or 425 hp, a Stage II revision followed, and Chrysler's own four-speed arrived in May 1963; Super Stock production remains unsourced.
- Pontiac Catalina 2+2 and Super Duty Three Super Duty 421 ratings up to 410 hp, then GM's racing withdrawal ended them early in the model year.
- Pontiac Grand Prix Production more than doubled to 72,959 at an unchanged price.
- Pontiac Tempest and LeMans A V8 for the Tempest, and about a dozen Super Duty Tempests built for racing before Pontiac's January 1963 withdrawal.
- Studebaker Avanti Studebaker's fiberglass four-seat coupe went on sale with a 289 V8 and an optional $210 Paxton supercharger. It was billed on the strength of a 1962 run of Bonneville records, and 3,834 were built as 1963 models.
- Studebaker Hawk The GT Hawk could now be ordered with the Avanti's R1 and supercharged R2 engines, and a spring 1963 package created the Super Hawk. Old Cars Weekly counts 396 R1 cars among 4,009 domestic GT Hawks.
- Studebaker Lark and Super Lark Studebaker offered the Avanti's R1 and supercharged R2 engines in the compact Lark and added a Super Lark package in April. No source read gives an R2 Lark count; the estimates run from about 200 to a few hundred.