The 1957 - 1959 Chrysler New Yorker was the happy result of a major overhaul atChryslerin the mid-1950s . Not content with its 1955 - 1956 sales rejoinder , Chrysler Corporation spent another $ 300 million to restyle and reengineer its total line for 1957 . The result were as unbelievable as they were unexpected . With these radically changed cars , Highland Park decisively wrest industry pattern leaders from General Motors and , in so doing , incessantly banished its sedate image .
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Though all the house ’s 1957s look dear , the Chrysler New Yorker arguably wore this second - generation " Forward Look " best of all . From a clean , horizontal - bar wicket to graciously upswept rear fender , it flash the variety of unified innovation that could only have come from one mind , not several . A hero profile , dramatically low beltline , vast new expanses of glass , and striking superlative reducing – three inches on sedans , five on hardtops – mix to suggest greater overall length , yet the 1957s were in reality a bit light than the 1956s ( on unchanged wheelbases ) .
In all , this " New Look of Motion " was typical and exciting , yet commendably trammel for the geological period . It made the 1957 Chrysler New Yorker exactly what Chrysler claimed : its " most glamorous machine in a coevals . "
Along with its corporate cousins , the 1957 Chrysler New Yorker introduced two major mechanically skillful foundation . One was " Torsion - Aire Ride , " a new frontsuspensioncomprising longitudinal tortuousness bars acting on low transverse arm , plus upper A - limb and an anti - roll bar .
Its design goals call for improved manipulation with no punishment in ride comfort , and it succeeded admirably . Torsion - Aire made Chrysler Corporation cars , including the Chrysler New Yorker , America ’s most roadable 1957s , aided by a unexampled boxwood - track chassis with wide tracks and a reduced eye of gravitational force .
Highland Park ’s other expert triumph that year was TorqueFlite , a unexampled three - speedautomatic transmissionoffered throughout the corporate stalls as an alternative to two - speed Powerflite . Standard for all 1957 Chryslers save Windsors , where it be $ 220 redundant , and also feature pushbutton dominance , TorqueFlite received plaudits for its quick response and suave shimmy action .
As another itinerary to higher 1957 sales , Chrysler revived the Saratoga series , a sedan and two hardtop slotted between Windsor and New Yorker . All other offerings yield from 1956 save the New Yorker St. Regis and Windsorconvertibleand Nassau . Windsor move up to the previous year ’s 354 - cubic - in hemi V-8 , with 285 standardhorsepoweror 295 optional ; the latter was include on Saratogas . Chrysler New Yorker , befitting its top - line status ( not counting the year ’s equally raw 300C ) received an even larger 392 hemi packing 325 bhp .
To watch more about how the 1957 - 1959 Chrysler New Yorker benefited from Chrysler ’s new initiative , go to the next Sir Frederick Handley Page .
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Continued
For all the worthy changes in the 1957 , 1958 , and 1959 Chrysler New Yorker , they did nothing for Chrysler ’s 1957 framework year production and industry rank , both of which retain stiff from 1956 . This must have been a disappointment , but nothing compared to what 1958 would bring . Thanks to that year ’s recondite recess , plus the 1957 Chrysler New Yorker ’s produce reputation for apathetic workmanship and early body rust , Chrysler sneak from 10th to 11th .
Predictably , the 1958 Chrysler New Yorkers were much like the 1957s . Higher compression boosted HP across the board ( to 290/310/345 for Windsor / Saratoga / New Yorker ) , and a minor face - lift typical of an all - new design in its soph twelvemonth involved principally grilles ( more DeSoto - like , peculiarly enough ) , smaller taillights , and revise trim .
The market began a modest recuperation for 1959 and so did Chrysler volume , though the model year sum was up less than 6,300 unit to just 30 shy of 70,000 – still pretty dismal . A more substantial face - raise that yr get rather duller - looking front and rear ends , and the Windsor convertible re-emerge ( in reality , two had been built in 1958 ) in what was called the " Lion - Hearted " line . That name come to to a crop of young wedgehead V-8s that cost much less to build than the hemis , yet offered more H.P. .
Chrysler New Yorker carried a big - caliber 413 - cid version ( divvy up with the 300E ) tune up for 350 bhp ; Windsor and Saratoga flow a 383 rated respectively at 305 and 325 bhp . Chrysler New Yorker convertible sales slow down to a trickle and , except for the Windsor sedan chair , no 1959 Chrysler model find out more than 10,000 copies .
alas , matters would get worse before they got better for Chrysler Division , with Cartesian product slip-up and inept merchandising policies taking a big sales price in the first half of the 1960s . Some – but far from all – of these troubles began with the 1957 - 1959 Chrysler New Yorkers , which are significant not only as the last hemi - powered Chryslers but the last with dead body - on - frame construction and typical styling free of outrageousness .
Fine all - orotund performance and the aforementioned rarity of sure 1957 - 1959 Chrysler New Yorkers have only enhanced their appeal as some of the more collectable car from this decade .
To see the specifications of the 1957 - 1959 Chrysler New Yorker , keep understand .
1957, 1958, 1959 Chrysler New Yorker Specifications
The 1957 , 1958 , and 1959 Chrysler New Yorkers took the motorcar public by storm with their bluff new design and innovative robotlike transmittal . Unfortunately , the model failed to entirely pull Chrysler from its economical and sales stagnation . A looking at the 1957 - 1959 Chrysler New Yorker stipulation below , however , show why the New Yorker is such a sought after collector ’s detail .
Specifications
railway locomotive : ohv V-8 1957 392 cid ( 4.00 × 3.90 ) , 325 bhp ; 1958 345 bhp ; 1959 413 Criminal Investigation Command ( 4.00 × 3.90 ) , 350 bhp
Transmission:3 - speed TorqueFlite automatic
Suspension , front : upper A - arms , lower cross arms , longitudinal contortion bar , anti - roll bar
Suspension , rearward : live axle , semi - elliptical leaf spring
brake : front / rear barrel
Wheelbase ( in.):126.0
free weight ( lbs):4,220 - 4,445
Top speed ( mph):110 - 115
0 - 60 mph ( sec):10.0 - 11.0
