When I looked at the order guide at
www.hamtramck-historical last night, on this issue, the noted Newport Spring Special 2-dr interior is the normal Newport interior, just the different colors. In the 1968 model year, 300s could be cloth/vinyl bench seat interior as a "credit option" from buckets with the buddy seat. BUT although the seat frames might have been the same, the 300 had its own unique pattern style to differentiate it from Newports. Including different fabric weaves.
Unfortunately, the 1968 model year items did not include the Dealership Letter which would have announced the Spring Special models, their unique items/features, costs, and ordering codes.
When the 1968 Spr Spec cars were announced, I was a sophomore in High School and very interested in cars and particularly NEW cars. It was "bad enough" to put "station wagon style" woodgrain on a convertible, but that interior color choice amplified my "What were they thinking??" orientation several notches, back then. Plus, IF I had been a Chrysler dealer back then, I might have ordered ONE, two at the most, of that particular car. Some customers will always want "something different" and THAT Chrysler fit that bill.
As to cross-availability of different model interiors, my 1967 CE23 has factory buckets in it. The seats are the exact same pattern as the vinyl 300 buckets and rear seat, BUT with Newport dash trim and door/side panel trim. Only the seats match the 300 trim. Buckets in a Newport are somewhat unusual, as buckets are expected, to me, in a 300, buddy seat in the middle or not. As the 300 was the "sporty/performance" model, to me, they should all have buckets and console (with floor shifter). That the Newport could have buckets (with or without the floor console) is an upgrade in status, to me.
I was always under the impression the woodgrain Spr Spec option was only on Newports. Are the 300s mentioned in the "fine print" of the sales brochures? It seem unusual to put a lower-level Newport interior (of any type) into a higher-level 300 (to me and other buyers), all things considered for how things were back then.
Just some thoughts,
CBODY67
