Bill Watson's Chronological History of Chrysler Corporation
Part VI: 1964-1971, the Muscle Car Era

Segments: 1864 - 1911 * 1912 - 1919 * 1920 - 1939 * 1940 - 1949 * 1950 - 1963 * 1964 - 1971 * Main History Page

Chrysler History, Part 7

April - Plymouth Barracuda introduced, a couple of weeks before the Ford Mustang, leading many to say that "pony cars" should really be called "fish cars."
50 Chrysler Turbine cars built, bodies by Ghia, for extensive tests by average motorists.
Philip N. Buckminster named general manager of Chrysler-Plymouth Divison.
June - Chrysler Corporation purchases 30% of voting stock and 50% non-voting stock of the Rootes Group (UK), builders of Hillman, Sunbeam, Singer, Humber cars and Karrier and Commer trucks.
November - California Motor Vehicle Pollution Control Board approves its first U.S.-developed exhaust control system - the system engineered by Chrysler Corporation
Simca ceases production of Simce Vedette (nee Ford Vedette) and ships all tooling, including ex-Ford flathead V-8, to Chrysler in Brazil. Production begins in Brazil using old Vedette tooling, and the flathead Ford V8 carries on for a few more years.
Forms Chrysler Credit Corporation
Show car - Dodge Charger

New "C" body for 1965 as Fury and Polara move up into standard size bodies.
Old "B" bodies become Plymouth Belvedere and Dodge Coronet.
Sterling, MI, stamping plant completed.
New aluminum die casting plant completed in Kokomo, IN
New foundry and expansion for second car line at Plymouth plant on Lynch Road
Last Crown Imperial Ghia limousine built.
Acquires outboard engine business of West-Bend Co., Hartford, WI. and Lone Star Boat Co., Plano, TX., which becomes Chrysler Boat Corporation.
December - Simca Automobiles S.A. becomes Societe des Autos Simca.
Show car - Plymouth XP-VIP, Dodge Charger II
14 millionth Plymouth
10 millionth Dodge car
Illustration: 1965 Chrysler New Yorker

See our fully detailed 1966 page - with racing, the Street Hemi, and more
February 1 - Chrysler Corporation takes over marketing of Rootes and Simca products
February - Exchanges 25% interest in Simca Industries for Fiat's 8% interest in Societe des Autos Simca.
Belvidere, IL, assembly plant opens
April - Dodge Charger introduced.
May - Chrysler Corporation now controls 45% of voting stock of the Rootes Group and 77% of total equity.
K.T. Keller dies.
Show cars : Chrysler 300-X
15 millionth Plymouth
4 millionth Chrysler

Glenn E. White named general manager of Chrysler-Plymouth Division
Robert J. McCurry named general manager of Dodge Division.
Virgil E. Boyd named president of Chrysler Corporation
Lynn A Townsend named chairman of the board.
June - Purchases Redisco Inc. from American Motors Corporation and merges it with Chrysler Credit Corporation to form Chrysler Financial Corporation.
October - Acquires 77% control of Barreiros Diesel S.A. (Spain)
Now controls 92% interest in Chrysler do Brasil S.A.
Show cars - Plymouth Barracuda Formula SX, Dodge Deora
11 millionth Dodge car

March - Acquires auto business of King-Seeley Division of King-Seeley Thermos Co. for $28,000,000, and forms Introl Division.
August - Forms Chrysler Plastic Products Co., producing sheet vinyl and fabrics for automobiles and other applications.
Chrylser Corporation becomes the world’s fifth largest industrial corporation
Signs agreement with Nissan Diesel Motors Company, Tokyo, Japan, to distribute Chrysler-Nissan diesel engines in North and South America.
Show cars - Dodge Charger III, Dodge Daroo Dart
16 millionth Plymouth
Click here for information on Plymouths of 1968.

May - Chrysler Corporation enters into joint agreement with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd.
Show cars - Plymouth Duster I, Dodge Custom Swinger 340
17 millionth Plymouth
12 millionth Dodge car
Heavy duty trucks of 1969 • Motor homes and campers

Dodge Challenger introduced - shares "E" body with Plymouth Barracuda
Plymouth Valiant Duster introduced
Richard K. Brown named general manager of Chrysler-Plymouth Division
John J. Riccardo named president of Chrysler Corporation.
Chrysler Corporation now owned 73% of the equity capital of the Rootes Group, which on July 1st becomes Chrysler United Kingdom Ltd.
Societe des Autos Simca becomes Chrysler France SA
Byron C. Foy dies.
Show cars : Cordoba de Oro, Cencept 70-X, Dodge Diamante
18 millionth Plymouth
13 millionth Dodge car
5 millionth Chrysler

July - Los Angeles assembly plant closed.
Dodge imports Colt, built by Mitsubishi in Japan, beginning with 1971 models.
Plymouth imports Cricket, built by Chrysler United Kingdom, beginning with 1971 models.
Chrysler Corporation purchases 15% interest in Mitsubishi Motors Corporation of Japan, starting a relationship that would not end until DaimlerChrysler tried, unsuccessfully, to acquire Mitsubishi.
Dodge Dart Demon introduced, based on Plymouth Valiant Duster.
Plymouth Valiant Scamp introduced, based on Dodge Dart Swinger.
Dodge Coronet two door models dropped, replaced by Dodge Charger models.
The post of general manager of Chrysler-Plymouth and Dodge Divisions vacant.

Segments: 1864 - 1911 * 1912 - 1919 * 1920 - 1939 * 1940 - 1949 * 1950 - 1963 * 1964 - 1971 * Main History Page