# Uncovering Harry Truman's last Chrysler **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussion\ **Tags:** chrysler\ **Created:** [June 14, 2025, 12:37pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/uncovering-harry-trumans-last-chrysler/200663 "2025-06-14T12:37:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2025, 12:37pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/uncovering-harry-trumans-last-chrysler/200663/1 "2025-06-14T12:37:10Z")
It’s a 1972 Newport, with less than 19k on the odometer. > **[4.7K views · 189 reactions | The Truman garage is open for the...](https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1AaKyirwiy/)** > > The Truman garage is open for the season! > > Inside the garage is the last car purchased by the Trumans. It’s a 1972 Chrysler Newport with just under... ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2025, 12:43pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/uncovering-harry-trumans-last-chrysler/200663/2 "2025-06-14T12:43:16Z")
Uhg… it’s green. 1972 Chysler green… I hate green cars. Lots of my high school friends drove hand me down green cars because that was what their parents or grandparents bought. Mine included although it was a blue-green color. ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2025, 1:15pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/uncovering-harry-trumans-last-chrysler/200663/3 "2025-06-14T13:15:42Z")
> [@Mustangman](#): > > it’s green. 1972 Chysler green… I think that’s the same shade of green that most of the Mavericks seemed to be painted. But, I’ve seen worse shades of green, as well as really nice shades of green. If my NX hadn’t been available in the Atomic Silver color, I would have bought one in Nori Green. ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/d/3/d33381d8f2de4c6a04f8a56768158c992fda087f.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2025, 1:17pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/uncovering-harry-trumans-last-chrysler/200663/4 "2025-06-14T13:17:58Z")
I handed down a dark green 1998 Buick Regal to my daughters. While they weren’t happy about driving an Old Man Sedan, it was a car and they didn’t complain much. A friend of my middle daughter got a new BMW 3-series convertible from her mother as a gift. Shortly after that someone keyed it on the high school parking lot. Mom took the car back and gave the daughter something far less controversial. Yes, mom was a medical doctor and could afford it. ---
**Author:** ![oldtimer-11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e79b87/32.png) [@oldtimer-11](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oldtimer-11)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2025, 3:27pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/uncovering-harry-trumans-last-chrysler/200663/5 "2025-06-14T15:27:45Z")
I guess you were not a Harry Gant fan. My father and uncle both had green 53 Hudsons, I thought it was their best color/ Of course I lusted afyer a 55 Studebaker Speedster in lemon and lime when I was in high school. ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2025, 4:01pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/uncovering-harry-trumans-last-chrysler/200663/6 "2025-06-14T16:01:07Z")
> [@oldtimer-11](#): > > I lusted afyer a 55 Studebaker Speedster in lemon and lime when I was in high school. Yes! ![](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/a/e/ae5141c0adc8750061bf0fe8c3b392837d0890ed.gif) ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2025, 1:04am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/uncovering-harry-trumans-last-chrysler/200663/7 "2025-06-15T01:04:39Z")
I never had a hand me down car. But our 61 merc was metallic green that I drove a lot. My friends dad owned the ford/merc garage. The car the kids were given to use in 65 was a 53 ford. We’d get a ride downtown in it. Everything worked except for the heater. Made his kids work fjor everything. Nothing free. ---
**Author:** ![RandomTroll](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/randomtroll/32/12184_2.png) [@RandomTroll](https://community.cartalk.com/u/RandomTroll)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2025, 3:44am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/uncovering-harry-trumans-last-chrysler/200663/8 "2025-06-15T03:44:38Z")
At the end of his second term Harry and Bess got into their DeSoto and he drove (she didn’t drive) back to Missouri - no Secret Service. They ate at diners. Harry liked cottage cheese. ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2025, 12:18pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/uncovering-harry-trumans-last-chrysler/200663/9 "2025-06-15T12:18:05Z")
> [@oldtimer-11](#): > > guess you were not a Harry Gant > fan. I was Harry’s fan… but not a Skoal Bandit fan, color or product. Harry was a class act with serious skills! ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2025, 1:10pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/uncovering-harry-trumans-last-chrysler/200663/10 "2025-06-15T13:10:36Z")
I recommend this book. While it’s definitely not great literature, this detailing of Harry & Bess’s cross-county drive in their new '53 Chrysler New Yorker is entertaining and informative: > **[Harry Truman's Excellent Adventure: The True Story of a Great American Road...](https://www.publishersweekly.com/9781556527777)** > > Public radio reporter Algeo (Last Team Standing > ) brings the 1950s into focus with a fascinating reconstruction of Harry and Bes... In the articles of the day, Harry spoke about the “amazing” advanced features on his new car, and joked that he would have to educate himself about how to work them. I’m not quite sure what those “advanced” features were, but it’s interesting to note that he seemed to look forward to using them, rather than cursing and dreading anything that was new and different. **Edited to add** … I dug-out my copy of the book, and it is somewhat short on details regarding the car, except to say that it listed for ~$4k, and that it had a 331 c.i. Hemi, 2-speed Powerflite, chrome wire wheels, PS & PB, and that it was painted black with a tan velour interior. Harry said, “It’s got so many gadgets that I’ll have to go to engineering school to handle it”. Luckily for him, Chrysler sent one of their engineers to Missouri to instruct him. ---
**Author:** ![VOLVO-V70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VOLVO-V70)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2025, 1:23pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/uncovering-harry-trumans-last-chrysler/200663/11 "2025-06-15T13:23:49Z")
Me had to Google Harry Gant. ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2025, 2:45pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/uncovering-harry-trumans-last-chrysler/200663/12 "2025-06-15T14:45:17Z")
Here’s a couple more new fangled features: AM Radio Dash Clock Pull door handles ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2025, 2:54pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/uncovering-harry-trumans-last-chrysler/200663/13 "2025-06-15T14:54:35Z")
OMG, look at those needless new features! _Real_ men would just hum a tune, and look at their pocket watch instead of using those _sissy features_. 😏 And, who needs door handles? Just one more thing to break! ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2025, 6:04pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/uncovering-harry-trumans-last-chrysler/200663/14 "2025-06-15T18:04:45Z")
I’ve been cross country a few times so I’ve already started my book. The pages are all numbered. (Sheesh, stupid computer changed pages to ladies. Why would anyone number ladies?). Gotta go. ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2025, 6:42pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/uncovering-harry-trumans-last-chrysler/200663/15 "2025-06-15T18:42:03Z")
Did you make one of those trips with John Waters? He wrote a book about it too. 😄 ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2025, 7:00pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/uncovering-harry-trumans-last-chrysler/200663/16 "2025-06-15T19:00:23Z")
> [@jtsanders](#): > > Did you make one of those trips with John Waters? He wrote a book about it too So did Hunter S. Thompson! ---
**Author:** ![Purebred](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/purebred/32/46796_2.png) [@Purebred](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Purebred)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2025, 12:21pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/uncovering-harry-trumans-last-chrysler/200663/17 "2025-06-16T12:21:11Z")
> [@bing](#): > > Why would anyone number ladies? Easier than remembering their names? ie— wife number one, wife number two like The Lincoln Lawyer. ---
**Author:** ![RandomTroll](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/randomtroll/32/12184_2.png) [@RandomTroll](https://community.cartalk.com/u/RandomTroll)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2025, 8:19am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/uncovering-harry-trumans-last-chrysler/200663/18 "2025-06-17T08:19:54Z")
> [@VDCdriver](#): > > it listed for ~$4k $4K in 1953!! Thanks for correcting the car. ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2025, 12:34pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/uncovering-harry-trumans-last-chrysler/200663/19 "2025-06-17T12:34:22Z")
That’s a little over $48,000 today. A Toyota Crown XLE is similar and its MSRP starts at $41,440. The top trip Platinum starts at $54,990. That seems equivalent to me. ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2025, 12:59pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/uncovering-harry-trumans-last-chrysler/200663/20 "2025-06-17T12:59:09Z")
> [@jtsanders](#): > > That seems equivalent to me. +1 Yes, it does seem to be roughly equivalent, but when you factor-in all of the additional equipment and technology on modern cars, they seem like a bargain in comparison with a '53 New Yorker. I really liked the Chryslers of the '50s, but even a modern econobox is safer than cars of that era, in every way–including handling. And, in addition to being far, far more economical, some of them are even faster than that old Hemi.\*\*\*\*\* On a totally-different note, it’s interesting to see what Harry kept in stock for distinguished guests at the Truman Library, where he was in attendance every day. Because he was a Bourbon guy, he ordered two cases of Heaven Hill Bourbon, and for those who didn’t want to be served Bourbon, he ordered two cases of Gordon’s Gin. ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/a/c/acf59b88857e1f3251c54556cd1745ec0bb6de7d.jpeg) \*\*\*\*\* I just checked, and the 0-60 time for a '53 New Yorker was 14.6 seconds–which was fast for its day. But a “base” 2025 Hyundai Elantra does zero-60 in only 8.4 seconds. [Next page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/uncovering-harry-trumans-last-chrysler/200663.md?page=2)