1962 Chrysler 300 in Sweden
by Ivan Regös



This is the story of my adventure to track down the original owner of my 62 Chrysler. I bought the car in 2000 here in Sweden. I had been looking for a "G" but when I found this I was stuck. While my car it is not a H, it is "A Letter Package Car". It has the 413 with two four-barrel Carters, swaybar, and as I was told the Torqueflite transmission is special for the letter cars. This car has that also. It is well optioned with red leather interior, 6-way power seats, power windows, the MirrorMatic rear view mirror, and the Chrysler Golden Touch Radio with 7 buttons.


The car was sold new in Switzerland 1962 to a dentist Mr. Rudolf Rickli. Here is a photo of him.

Because the original Swiss title for the car had been in the glove box all the time, I had mail conversations with Mr. Rickli in 2000-2003. After 2003 there were no more answers from him.

Here are photos of the title.
A few months ago we were on holiday in Switzerland and I thought it would be nice to find the place were the car spent its first 13 years. To our great joy we found it.


You see me at the house when I just rang the bell.
A lady looked out and asked what I wanted. In my hands I had a photo of the car and the title. When she saw that, she opened the door and invited us for coffee.
She told us that she was a nurse from Austria and came to the Rickli family in the 1970s. She took care of Mrs. Rickli who was not well. In the 1980s Mrs. Rickli died and this lady then married the dentist. He died in 2004, which explains why there were no answers to my letters.

The Rickli family always drove American cars. The last car he ordered arrived one week after his death. It was not a Chrysler but a Cadillac. Anyway the lady kept the car for a few years and because she thought it took to much petrol she sold it and bought a PT Cruiser.
Look at the registration number on the PT and compare it with the one on the title from 1962. It is the same. In Switzerland the registration number follows the owner.

I am very glad we were able to make all the connections to the original owner.

If you would like to know more about the car and the old car hobby in Sweden, please read on. Here also are some pictures of the car.

We have lots of old American cars here in Sweden, perhaps the most old American cars in the world, after you in the USA. The reason is that in the fifties many youngsters bought old American cars and drove around in the evening "Cruising". And from that the hobby emerged and still is here. The difference now is that the cars are in much better state. And with the internet the whole world is open for us to buy and have contact. So it is a large hobby here and in the summers there meetings all over the country.

Many clubs, almost every make has its own club, not only American cars but also European. So we are lucky the hobby is so strong, and cars older than 30 years pay no taxes. We have special insurance for old cars very cheap. You can see in the membership roster that the club has many members. The second owner of the car here in Sweden was Tommy Jerstrom, he is a club member. When he found a "H" convertible he sold this car to friend. This friend died a few months later and I bought the car from his sister. It was stored in a dry place for over five years, but was in good shape and I love this car.
Sincerely
Ivan Regös

All photos click to enlarge

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