Before the era of the muscle car, Americans seeking power, speed, and horsepower in their automobiles looked no further than the Chrysler Letter Series.

A Chrysler 300 series automobile might not register today in the average person’s mind as the epitome of a mid-century American sports car. But true classic auto fans know the “Letter Series” well. Although the passage of time has whittled down their number, the few thousand that remain are highly coveted by collectors.

If you’re a diehard Letter Series fan, or simply curious about these classic vehicles, Savoy Automobile Museum in Cartersville, Georgia has a treat for you. This summer the museum has the privilege of exhibiting five cars from Chrysler’s, famed Letter Series.

On the other hand, if you’re still wondering what’s so special about these cars, it all begins with the 1955 Chrysler C-300. To appreciate how impactful this car became, you must consider the era that birthed it. It was Post-World War II America, a time of massive economic and social change spurred on by millions of returning soldiers. Many of these GIs brought home an acquired enthusiasm for European roadsters like the MG or the Triumph.

As the 1950s economy boomed, Americans began demanding more from their automobiles besides reliable transportation. They desired speed, power, and a new level of convenience powered by technology. But they also wanted their cars to say something, about their own style and status.

Detroit heard and delivered. The Chevrolet Corvette and the Ford Thunderbird roared off assembly lines boasting greater horsepower, eliciting an avid response from the public.

Chrysler took notice. Their engineers took to designing a two-door coupe with what at the time seemed an impossible aim—a luxury sports car that could breach 300 HP. With an eye to creating a vehicle worthy of the NASCAR circuits, the result was the 1955 C-300. Sport cars are traditionally 2-seaters. Chrysler took the best of the Corvette and the Thunderbird and made it into a Full-size car.

The C-300 (so named to promote its horsepower rating) became the most powerful mass-produced American car up to that time thanks to a 300-HP FirePower Hemi V-8 engine under the hood. To round out the package, the C-300 also came standard with solid lifters and a racing cam.

But it wasn’t just raw power that made the C-300 a hit—it had a look that equally excited buyers. Although many of its design features were borrowed from other Chrysler models (like its stylish twin- grille front taken from the 1955 Imperial), renowned car designer Virgil Exner and his team combined them into a simple but elegant appearance that would become classic.

The next year, the 1956 300B hit the market looking much the same as its predecessor, but with a more powerful FirePower V8 engine that could reach 355 HP. NASCAR teams like Carl Kiekhaefer’s won several races with the 300B, driving them with few modifications.

With each succeeding year, the “300” moniker remained, while the letter designation clicked up (hence the nickname, “Letter Series”). 1957 brought the 300C, 1958 the 300D, and so on until the 1965 300L. Their exteriors changed with automotive fashion, the engines became more powerful, but topped out with the 300D model at 380 HP, the 2-door coupe framework remained.

In later years, though, many began to feel the series had lost some of its earlier mystique. For the 1966 model year, designers put forth two proposals to help bring the series back to its roots, but both were rejected.

There would be no 1966 300M. Although Chrysler later produced the Hurst 300 in 1970, it didn’t match the prestige of the earlier 300s. For most auto historians, the Letter Series ends with the 300L.

All told, Chrysler produced only 16,981 Letter Series cars during their ten-year run. Their rarity, along with their high performance and styling, have made them among the most valuable collectibles of the mid-century performance car era.

That’s why Savoy is excited to exhibit five of these exceptional vehicles, four on loan from the McCandless Collection and one, a 1957 300C, from the Hallowell Collection. In addition to the 300C, visitors can see a 1955 C-300 (first in the series) VIN# 1, a 1958 300D, a 1960 300F, and a 1961 300G.

The Chrysler Letter Cars exhibition runs from May 5 to August 30, 2026, at Savoy Automobile Museum in Cartersville, Georgia, just off I-75 between Chattanooga and Atlanta. To plan your visit or purchase admission tickets, visit us at SavoyMuseum.org.