A 1955 Chrysler New Yorker automobile owned by Harry Truman is up for sale.
A 1955 Chrysler New Yorker with presidential pedigree is currently for sale. According to the seller, Classic Auto Mall, the black sedan was driven daily by Harry S. Truman after he left office.
First spotted by Car and Driver, this New Yorker was the first year of the "forward look" design language that redefined Chrysler styling and was considered very influential at the time. The seller claims that the car has been fully restored inside and out, and the black and chrome exterior and tan leather and upholstery certainly look fresh in the photos.
However, the seller notes that the car is not in running condition. Despite being "fully restored," the numbers-matching 331 cubic-inch Hemi V-8 cranks but does not run, according to the listing. When running, it drives the rear wheels via a two-speed Power Flight automatic transmission.
Truman was a loyal Chrysler customer; according to Car and Driver, shortly after Truman retired in 1953, he and his wife Beth left on a 19-day road trip in another Chrysler New Yorker. Truman's last car was also a Chrysler. The 1972 Newport, which Truman purchased about six months before his death, is still in existence in the garage of Truman's Missouri home, which is now a museum.
While this is certainly no ordinary New Yorker, the asking price of $83,500 is still a big leap compared to the prices at which similar non-presidential cars are usually sold. For example, Car and Driver notes that a non-running 1955 New Yorker two-door hardtop sold for just $7,700 at Bring a Trailer in 2020.
From Ronald Reagan's Subaru Brat to Joe Biden's Chevrolet Corvette, the private car preferences of past U.S. presidents are diverse. But since these cars are more likely to end up in a museum than in a showroom, perhaps the rarity of this opportunity will convince someone to pay a premium price for a Truman-owned Chrysler.