Not exactly a dime a dozen, but the number of Chrysler cars with tricked-out big-block engines is actually steadily growing. And why not? Virgil Exner, the mastermind behind The Forward Look design program, was the one who gave these cars their extravagant appearance. Now, it’s enthusiasts like Johan Karlsson who continue on this path.
A 1957 Chrysler New Yorker with a supercharged HEMI® engine? What a magical concept! But Karlsson isn’t the brain behind it.
“Stefan Fredriksson in Vänersborg in southern Sweden, a good friend of mine, bought the car back in 2000. He was the one who came up with the concept and started the project. I didn’t buy the car until 2018,” Karlsson says.
Yes, Karlsson had known about the car for some years. Eventually, he couldn’t hold back and asked if it was for sale. And it was.
“I got the Chrysler for a good price because I know what it costs to assemble a car like this. Why did Fredriksson sell it? I actually haven’t asked. Maybe he worked on it for too long and got tired of it?” Karlsson says.
When the car arrived at his garage, the body was assembled, and the engine and drivetrain were installed. The fun part was left … finishing the project. Karlsson installed the trim and the electrical and exhaust systems. Put in the interior. Then it was time to turn the key and take it for a spin, enjoying a creation whose journey began twenty years ago. What a feeling.
“Why a ’57 Chrysler with a supercharger? Because you rarely see cars of that age like this today. It’s likely because these cars are starting to be worth quite a bit of money. They were more common back when they were cheaper. I especially remember when I was young, living in Tumba, south of Stockholm. There was a light-blue ’61 DeSoto rolling by with a tunnel ram intake and stacks poking through the hood. The roof was white, the car had wire wheels, and it was slightly jacked up in the rear. That was the style in the ’80s,” Karlsson says with a laugh.
Trends come and go, and some are coming back now, he then nods.
“Yes, now Arne Nilsson (*) has finished his track-racing DeSoto. Then there’s that white DeSoto you photographed recently. And let’s not forget Per-Arne ‘Pojte’ Johansson’s ’58 Impala with a supercharger, even though it’s not a Mopar®. People like these model years when they come with a bit more engine,” Karlsson says.
Speaking of engines, Karlsson’s New Yorker has quite the powerhouse: a 392 HEMI engine bored to 404 cubic inches. The twin brothers at Vargöns Mekaniska in the southwestern part of Sweden, well-known engine builders, built and tuned the V8.
“There’s quite a bit done to the HEMI. Custom pistons give an 11.5:1 compression ratio, making the engine responsive even without the supercharger. The heads are ported and have stainless steel valves. The engine is built for E85, and I have dual Holley fuel pumps at the gas tank to feed the engine as needed. The supercharger is a Weiand 6-71 with an 11 percent underdrive,” Karlsson says.
“Worth noting is that the Weiand has two lobes per rotor compared to BDS, which has three. But… there’s plenty of power for this car anyway,” Karlsson says.
Behind the HEMI engine is a General Motors component: a TH400 with a manual valve body, using parts from JW Performance Transmissions. A trimmed bellhousing covers the 10-inch converter with a stall speed of 3,800 rpm.
The rear drivetrain setup is mostly from Strange Engineering, including the driveshaft and the components in the Dana 60 axle, like the axles and limited-slip differential.
The next step is to install Caltracs to stabilize the rear suspension.
All the gauges, such as for oil, fuel and boost pressure, RPM, speed and engine temperature, are from Autometer. The steering wheel was restored by Magnus Stade at Gittan’s Wheels, a Swedish company well-known even abroad for its excellent restorations of steering wheels from classic cars.
“He’s very skilled. Casts new plastic and re-chromes horn rings. Stade does a lot of work for Americans, restoring both Chrysler and Pontiac steering wheels. There was a Grant wheel in the Chrysler when I bought it, but I didn’t want to keep that. The original wheel is so much nicer,” Karlsson says.
We wrap up our chat about the beautiful New Yorker by discussing its exterior. Yes, the paint is supposed to be black metallic with coarse flakes, though it seems to have a greenish tint in certain lights and settings. The area between the side trim and the roof is a lighter shade, leaning toward gray.
The wheels? Weld Draglites. 8.5 x 15 inches in the back and 6 x 15 inches in the front. They fit like a glove, if you ask me. Which, of course, is a bit amusing since Weld Draglites come from an entirely different era than the New Yorker. They were first manufactured in 1979. At the same time, it was during that era that finned cars with superchargers first became popular, at least in Sweden. So the blend of old and slightly less old is pretty timeless these days.
(*Arne Nilsson is a well-known Swedish car restorer from Torsby who, over the years, has swiftly restored a number of Mopar cars from the 1960s.)
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