1958
The Chrysler Letter Car for 1958 was the 300D with styling very similar to
the previous year. Under the hood a standard 392 Hemi received five additional
ponies and was now rated at 380; it breathed through dual Carter WCFB 4-barrel
carburetors. Electronic Fuel
Injection (Bendix Electrojector) now fed the
optional 390 horse engine and marked the first use of a computer in a Chrysler
product but it proved very unreliable. Most if not all EFI-equipped 300Ds
were recalled and converted to normal carburetion. 1958 would be the last
year the early Hemi engine would power a Chrysler product.
Dodge had already moved into the era of Chrysler modern engines that would
see the company throughout the next two decades. The D-500 was now a 361 cubic-inch
305 horsepower V8 with wedge-shaped combustion chambers. It would be the first
in a long line of performance engines in what was known as the "B" engine
family. One step up was the Super D-500, a 361 rated at 333 horsepower with
Electronic Fuel Injection. In 1958, Dodges were a significant part of the California
Highway patrol fleet.
The 1958 Plymouth Fury was powered by a 4-barrel version of the Poly V8 which
was now up to 318 cubic inches and 250 horsepower. A "Dual Fury" option
was offered that featured a 350 cubic-inch B-engine with dual Carter WCFB 4-barrel
carbs and a 305 horsepower rating. An optional Bendix Electronic Fuel
Injection system was offered but it too proved so troublesome that all EFI cars were
converted to Dual Fury configuration. Buckskin Beige was still the only color
choice for the Fury 2-door hardtop.
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