Wayne Graefen's 300F SPECIAL
Article and pictures by Wayne Graefen.

300F Special Gran Turismo, VIN 8403-141452



It was in the spring of 1992, after five years of ownership of Chrysler 300 Letter Cars that I decided it would be a worthwhile long term pursuit to track down some of the rumor stories about missing 300Fs equipped with the 400hp motor and Pont-a-Mousson 4-speed transmission package. There just might be another to be pulled out of a shed somewhere. I had met Merle Wolfer at my first 300 club meeting in Portland, OR, where his and Ken Diehl (partners) black F Special had been displayed. Whenever someone has a rare vehicle, they are always beset with stories of where another might be found. I gave Merle a call and was surprised to learn that Ken and he had decided just two days earlier to sell their car. I sent up a deposit check and two weeks later flew up to see the current condition of the car. A 26K mile 300C convertible I owned had received a very generous offer a year earlier and the offer was raised, allowing me to pay for the Wolfer/Diehl 300 F Special. Thus my expected long-term search for a 4-speed F took one phone call to find and one call to finance.

The car as purchased was largely original. The sellers had plated the bumpers and procured some mint hubcaps but the paint was aged and the motor compartment just short of filthy. Front and rear suspension was in disrepair and perhaps most disturbing, a chipped gear tooth could be felt in that obscure transmission. It was decided to take the rust free body down to bare metal and take out some road warrior dents that had occurred during its original ownership as a construction magnate's mobile office complete with two-way radio and aerial drilled through the center of the roof. The mostly original interior would be retained and the motor compartment thoroughly detailed. But first, the cluster gear lost two teeth just backing up in my driveway. It took six months and countless phone calls, letters and pleadings before, on the same day, one fellow decided to sell me a cluster gear, and another a spare transmission from their Facel Vega spares.

The car was sent to Bob Schmidt's shop in Phoenix, AZ, for the light restoration and to answer so many questions, body work and paint on the perfectly rust free body was performed by perfectionist Dick Adam, also of Phoenix. The day the car came out of the shop it captured Best of Show with the Chrysler 300 Club, Inc.

This car was special ordered by Andrew Drumm, Jr., owner of Silver State Construction Company, Fallon, Nevada. He was a friend of famed car collector, Bill Harrah, who owned Herrmann & Wilson Chrysler - Plymouth in Reno, NV. Andy and his grandson, Mitch, took delivery of the car on 5/19/60. The chief of the 300F Special team (the "Gran Turismo Project") was Chrysler engineer, Mike Kollins who specifically remembers Mr. Drumm's order and the requirement that this be the only 300F Spl GT with factory air conditioning. Mitch Drumm recalls driving in the car back to Fallon, and that as delivered, the car had a set of Goodyear "Stock Car Special" (NASCAR racing equipment) Blue Streak tires on 15" wheels. I received these wheels and three of the original tires upon my purchase.

Andy Drumm, original owner of the car, is a major factor in the history of Nevada highways and the area of Fallon, Nevada. There are numerous anecdotes about him; several involving this car. One story involves how the car came to be built. Chrysler had already stopped the Gran Turismo Project after having the six fastest cars on the beach at Daytona Speed Weeks in 1960. No further Specials were to be built. However there had been an earlier corporate press release mentioning availability of the package. Andy Drumm's attorney threatened to sue Chrysler if they would not honor his order and Chrysler, it is said, replied that because he had been such a good customer, and because they could not take liability for selling such a prototype, they would give him the car. Andy went on to purchase many other Chrysler products until his death in 1970.

There are two other continually asked questions about the car. First is whether everything under the hood is authentic and original to which the answer is 100% with the exception of an Optima dry cell battery and replacement, non-silicone spark plug wires. All else is totally correct to factory specification and equipment. Secondly viewers ask if that 150 mph speedometer is necessary to which I respond that I have not exceeded 130 mph with the car, however one of the other 300F Spl GTs registered 167 mph on Chrysler's test track.

The 1960 Chrysler 300F Special Gran Turismo model is the pinnacle of all Chrysler Letter Car history. Though most 300 production years included performance options for competition, there is no other 300 that approaches the F Special GT. It is the quintessence of the legend.

Wayne Graefen

ANDY GRANATELLI likes it !

DANNY EAMES at the wheel !

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