I found this heavily patina’d 1961 Chrysler New Yorker on the north side of Denver in unincorporated Adams County. Despite Chrysler offering four distinct models that year, this appears to be the first 1961 Chrysler we’ve found “curbside.” (I should note there is a Car Show posting for a very nice New Yorker wagon).
It’s appropriate I found this Top Line Chrysler in the unincorporated area between Denver proper and the suburbs, as this model year lies between two notable Chrysler model years.
In 1961, the New Yorker nameplate represented the top Chrysler offering (Imperial remained a standalone product line), using the new Chrysler unibody platform introduced in 1960. This pillared four door represents the best selling 1961 New Yorker body style. To differentiate this year from the previous year, Chrysler added slanted headlights, while the rear fins carried over with little change. It’s also differentiated as the second year of the unibody, so no firsts here.
Here’s a better look at the rear. The bumpers and tail light assemblies were new for ’61, but mounted to carryover sheet metal. This body continued for one more year, but the 1962 model arrived with the fins shaved off. As most of us know, these 1962 models were lovingly referred to a “plucked chicken.” Our car? no poultry reference to be had.
Despite the patina, this appears to be a running and driving classic. While today’s gas prices make it an expensive proposition, the New Yorker offers roughly the same fuel economy as a modern 3/4 ton pickup with much lower acquisition costs, so why not?
The bright sunlight and dirty side glass conspired to reduce image clarity, but this New Yorker interior offered Chrysler’s famous push button transmission, along with the AstraDome gauge assembly with “electroluminescent” lighting. Daniel Stern recently posted an article on Chrysler Ergonomic design, with several excellent dashboard photos from this era, linked here: Daniel’s article
Since this is an early sixties car, there’s lots of visual elements designed to stand out and catch the eye. I didn’t realize Chrysler was using these paddle style door handles back in ’61. I imagine they were the first of the big three to try this approach. Popular in the seventies and eighties, recessed door handles have now mostly faded away.
This Lion emblem could represent another example of ’60’s styling excess, but it turns out Chrysler chose “Golden Lion,” to refer to some early big block V-8s, so the icon indicates the New Yorker is so equipped. I imagine it has the 413 cubic inch variety, although a 383 may be present.
Although not a three point Dodge Fratzog, these trim pieces use similar design elements. Chrysler built this car the same year I came off the production line and by the time I was paying attention, these repetitive chrome gee-gaws represented an earlier era of little interest.
The “toilet seat” trunk lids on many early sixties Chryslers did catch my attention, and I found them a bit laughable. This example lacks that styling affectation, going instead with the vertical strakes that later appeared on the hoods of the Crossfire, Sebring and Aspen SUV.
As a side note, the license plate reads “1960.” The state of Colorado allows classic car owners to mount “Year of Manufacturer” plates on cars over thirty years old. If I were to guess, I’d say this car was built in the Fall of ’60 and the State issued the title or plate based on the production date. Since a current collector’s plate was lying on the dashboard, it appears the car is registered and drivable.
I was pleased to find this solid example of 1961 technology, but these cars are not in my wheelhouse. I’m sure many folks will share their thoughts in the comments. What do you think of this neither first nor fowl offering?
Also for those interested I’ve includes a link to the ’61 New Yorker (wagon) Curbside Classic article:
1961 was the year I became “Car Aware”. I always disliked the rear end of the ’61…. the ’60 had much prettier tail lights. I thought (even at 8 years old) the chrome backup lamps in the ends of the fins looked stupid, and the wraparound tail lights lower on the body were dumb.
Yes I too agree ! I grew with a 61 wagon & 61 carried the 60 boomerang tail lites over what a beautiful & stylish car & the last year for that trans as wen I bought the trans filter it was different 62 & up lived on for many years ! you can’t find or afford one of these HT wagons any more ! sad
This is one of those cars, that to me anyway, doesn’t look too bad until you start to look at some of the details in isolation. That chrome strip that starts at the headlight then slides under the side window line, for example. And yes, the ” double dose ” of tail lights. I also used to think canted headlights were kind of…interesting (?), here they just look distracting. Still, when new, this was a fairly good looking car
It’s great to see any car of this age at the curb, and, whatever you think about the exterior styling, just imagine yourself behind the Buck Rogers dashboard. Like some other dashes of the period, it would make you feel like a million bucks!
I prefer the ’62 “plucked chicken”. The rear design is much cleaner. My grandfather had a ’61 New Yorker when I was little and I was fascinated by the Astradome instrument cluster. I still think it’s one of the coolest instrument clusters ever.
A quarter century ago, I lived for several years near a Curbside Classic 1961 Newport sedan. While there were elements I liked, I found it hard to find the car attractive. The 1962 Chrysler was really no better. Both the ’61 and ’62 seem like the aimless rehashes of the 1960 that they are. Sales stayed level through these years, but were propped up by a 10% decrease in the cost of a base Chrysler when the Newport was introduced in 1961.
I rather like the 1960 version, the unibody brought with it a nice refresh over 1959, and the car was competitive in a year of wild styling in the industry. By 1961, the major overhauls at GM and Ford left this car in the dust, even if it was among the fastest on a track.
The 1960 New Yorker…..
There was a white ’61 Newport driving around my town when I was in my late teens/early 20s. Looked like this. Stunning car!
I personally prefer the canted-headlight ’61 over the “mischievous grin” of the ’60.
The fins make the car–the ’62 without the fins is a big nothing.
The Electro-Luminescent dash looks pretty when lit–but it’s hard or impossible to fix if/when it breaks.
Amazing to see an unrestored car of this vintage still being used as a daily driver. Shame about the rust around the headlights. Looks like a difficult repair.
Ever the contrarian, I prefer either the 60 or the 62, with this one coming in 3rd of the three. There was really very little to distinguish the New Yorker in these years, beyond grille texture and a couple of trim pieces. I never understood the lack of fully trimmed door uppers on the sedans, especially on these high-end models.
These fins that start in the front doors only looked really good on the 2 doors – possibly helped by all 2 doors being hardtops. Again, the 4 door sedan comes in last for me, after the 2 doors/wagons and the relatively rare 4 door hardtops.
BTW, those little vertical bars on the rear quarter was a New Yorker thing for many years, I believe going back to the 56. And I think Chrysler started hyping the lions in ads/emblems with the 59 models.
The ’60 gave you full chrome door window frames and a nice New Yorker badge on the fender, more points in its favor.
Wonder how many folk saw the ’61 and wished they’d bought a few months earlier? 🙂
You’d think the ’58-60 Lincoln and ’59 Buick would have warned them away from canted headlights. Was the ’63 Pontiac the first to have vertical ones?
I have always admired the canted headlights Chrysler models
A 1961 Chrysler 4 door sedan, equipped with the 383 V8 engine, Torqueflite automatic transmission and factory air conditioning would be the ultimate “Grocery Getter”/drive in the rain car for me.
Dad, a WWII vet, bought his first car (’50 Chevy) when he graduated from college in ’51. He bought his first new car, a ’57 Plymouth, once he got semi-established. In ’61 we moved out to the burbs, which was actually pretty rural at the time. My little brother (SURPRISE) came along in ’63, so it was time for dad to add a 2nd car. He bought a ’61 Chrysler Newport, which he drove, leaving the Plymouth for my mom at home. The Plymouth was replaced in ’66 with a new Ford Ranch Wagon, and the Chrysler made it to 1970 when it was replaced by a Ford Torino. That was the time I was first becoming fully cognizant of my automotive lust so I don’t recall the reliability of our Plymouth and Chrysler, but they both made it through 7-9 New England salted road winters so props to them.
I do remember how cool the IP was on the Chrysler, and that both cars had push button transmissions….
I’m moving to Denver. And I’m not buying pickup
I had a 61 powder blue had a 360 or 361 it was a great car bought it in California took to Oregon had no problems with it all the mopars I’ve had the same dependable I have three dodge trucks various years and engine sizes and one 71 charger they are dependable as dodge engineered them to be you can’t go wrong
Had a 61 with 360 or 361 the mopars I’ve had are good running vehicles
A very ugly duckling only a mother could love. The years between 1958-62 seem to me to be peak years for such designs by all.
My grandfather had a 1961 New Yorker when I was very young, powder blue with a red interior. My brother and I drained the battery by playing with the power drivers seat while the car was parked in the garage, which is about all I can remember of this car while in motion.
Familial associations aside, I agree with others who prefer the simpler 1960 grille and headlights.
The New Yorker replaced a 1960 Oldsmobile 98 which my grandparents never really liked as a replacement for a 1959 Olds totaled in an accident. I am willing to bet very few others made the switch from an Olds or Buick to a Chrysler in 1961, by which time Exner’s fins seemed very dated in comparison to the relatively clean-lined GM products.
In my freshman year auto shop class in college, we were broken down into teams of 2, each assigned to tear apart a B&S lawn mower engine and rebuild it. If it didn’t run afterward, we couldn’t get a passing grade. Ours was easy to get working again, after one small glitch I don’t recall. When it came time to buy a lawn mower of my own, I went electric. Never looked back.
The mother of a high school friend had a 1961 Newport four-door hardtop in white. It was acquired in low mileage, like-new condition from the original owner around Fall 1966. I thought it was still a very stylish, contemporary-looking car. The Newport had a very sleek, light appearance for such a large car and photos do not do it justice. The lady was a nurse and drove the Chrysler 100 miles a day roundtrip to her hospital. She loved the smooth ride, good power, and roominess (the family had nine kids, not that they could all ride together but the Newport could hold a lot of them). I didn’t care for odd back-up lights in the tail fins, taillights in the bumper arrangement – much prefer the boomerang taillights of the previous year, but otherwise liked the car a lot.
What a great find! These era Mopars are certainly the rolling definition of overwrought, but that very quality makes them really hard for me not to love.
I agree with the 60 Chrysler love above. The front end is certainly attractive and if you’re going to have fins on a car, those do quite nicely. The canted headlights on the 61 seem strange at first, but once I noticed that the cant of the headlights matches the cant of the fins, I can’t unsee it and I love it. On the 62, the headlights without the matching fins looks naked to me. Like somebody plucked the plumage. Haven’t I heard that idea somewhere…
I suggest that the early 1960’s Lincoln models were the “reference standard” for being “overwrought”.
I have a ’61 new yorker hearse/ambulance with the original Golden lion 413 wedge.
My Uncle has a 1961 Dodge Pioneer, it’s styling is very similar to the New Yorker, it has the same dash layout and pushbutton transmission. The only difference is there are no strakes in the trunk lid and the tailfins on his car are rounded off in the back and the chrome trim follows the belt line of the car.
My father had a 1961 Windsor convertible. Black with white interior. Had a 383, Beautiful car. Someone told me no such car was built,. That it had to be a New Yorker, but I know it was a Windsor.
Meanwhile, over on Hemmings Auctions….https://www.hemmings.com/auction/1962-chrysler-other-257554
Some folks moved in , up the street, about 1974ish. They’re daily driver was a “61 New Yorker”.
Was a 4 dr hardtop/white out/red in.
They kept it on the road until about 1982 as I recall.
Think a late “70’s Cordoba”.
Sorry! hit post too quick.
A late”70’s Cordoba” replaced the “61 New Yorker” in about 1982.
I like this car a lot .
Very eye catching .
I wonder if it will be saved or slowly deteriorate until scrap .
-Nate
It was my first car. It had 28,000 miles on it in 1966, and I bought it for $825. It was a rolling pot-party, with a pioneer 8 track. Back seat was like a couch. I banged it around a bit. It did 114MPH before it started to shake. A hell of a car. The rear-end had a tendency to slide laterally around wide left turns. I was 17 and loved that car to death.