A Custom 1959 Chrysler 300 with a Touch of Pro-Touring for Good Measure
When it comes to classic cars, the time to pass the torch draws nigh. Old school car culture is at a transition point and bringing new fans into the fold is the fountain of youth for our hobby. Which brings us to this 1959 Chrysler 300 that went to pro touring finishing school.
Owner Randy Kohltfarber wanted to build a modern custom based on a late-’50s Chrysler 300. This Mopar era was known as the Forward Look and was the brainchild of stylist Virgil Exner. With huge fins and low beltlines, the cars made offerings from other Detroit companies seem dowdy and old. These models were exclusive when new and are rare today. Randy eventually found a ’59 Chrysler 300 E on eBay with the goal of reimagining it with modern Chrysler SRT design cues. Sacrilegious you say? Keep reading.
Randy called Tony Arme from American Legends Hotrods and Muscle Cars and the metamorphosis began. “The car had been hit hard in the rear quarter,” Tony says. “The finned fender was replaced, and the floor and trunk were severely damaged. Although the car was repaired and intact, it was far from an unmolested example.”
Thus began the long list of metal mods, which included a 1.5-inch wedge-chopped top, flush glass, deleted chrome trim, Corvette C6 door actuators, extended rocker panels, modified front and rear bumpers, and one-off 3D-printed taillights and turn signal lights. The team established a titanium and bronze theme, with James Evans spraying the custom-mixed BASF paint complemented by satin trim.
The car rides on a custom Roadster Shop FastTrack chassis with air springs, cantilevered rear shocks, Wilwood disc brakes, and aggressive 19- and 20-inch Avant Garde wheels with carbon fiber hoops and Cerekoted centers. Under the hood is a blown 6.2-liter Hellcat Hemi V8 producing 1000hp, backed by a Bowler-prepped Tremec six-speed transmission.
The modern metamorphosis continues inside, with leather upholstery stitched in a modern style over original swivel seats, 3D-printed door and side panels, and carbon fiber accents. Custom Dakota Digital gauges fill the dash, with a Sparc Industries wheel topping the tilt column and Vintage Air providing climate control.
Some folks don’t like messing with the status quo, but we can attest that this custom build is impeccable, and pictures don’t do it justice. Rumor has it a kid was overheard saying “Oooh look – a Batmobile!” when he saw this modified Chrysler 300 at a recent show. At that very moment, a new car lover was born. More importantly, Forward Look Chryslers and our hobby now blaze brightly in front of a new audience. We say “viva la difference” and thanks to Randy and Tony for mixing up our sometimes-hidebound hobby with an injection of passion and vitality. Plus, it scored the Goodguys Finalist position for their “Top 12” award program for Custom Rod of the Year during their Spring Nationals event in Scottsdale.
Photos by Damon Lee
