Vehicle Description
Few cars scream horsepower better than the mid-60s Mopars. Taking a
full-sized hardtop like this 1966 Plymouth Fury III and dropping a
strong V8 under the hood makes for entertaining performance, and
the industrial-strength look and blacked-out paint treatment leave
no question that this is a car built for speed.
We're not quite sure what to call the color, because it's a little
gold, a little green, a little taupe. Whatever you call it, it
looks pretty tough. Of course, the blacked-out trim and matching
top (which is textured paint, not vinyl) give it a two-tone look
that's very effective, and for a car that's meant to go fast, this
one certainly has an intimidating look. The paint is in fair shape,
showing a soft shine that comes from time, and if you're used to
seeing over-done modern paints, this one is a welcome contrast. The
Fury was in the middle of the lineup, and wears the cool
cantilevered roof line that defined Chrysler styling in the '60s,
so it has a familial resemblance but stands out in a crowd. Tidy
panel gaps, cool trim that accentuates the cove along the sides of
the body, and, of course, the stacked headlights all give this car
a very dramatic look that whispers performance without being too
overt about it. There's not much chrome left, with most of it being
satin black, and we have to say that it really works well here.
The green and black vinyl interior is all business, and with a
bench seat you know the original buyer's priorities were
horsepower, not style. The seat covers are obviously new, with
diamond-tufted inserts on the seating surfaces and recent carpets
on the floors. The door panels might just be original, and they're
in good condition, along with the dash pad that shows no signs of
distress. A full array of factory gauges flank a cool rectangular
speedometer pod and this car sports functional factory A/C, which
was rather rare in 1966. The rear bench is in excellent condition,
and again uses diamond stitching for some extra style points, and
the gargantuan trunk is fitted with a correct mat and full-sized
spare.
The 318 cubic inch "Poly Head" V8 makes the kind of fat torque that
makes even a big car like this feel fast. It starts easily and
idles with a healthy lope that suggests horsepower, not luxury, and
it's very cleanly detailed. There's bright red paint on the block
itself, which is topped by a set of properly labeled valve covers
and a matching air cleaner. A rebuilt Stromberg 2-barrel carburetor
handles intake duties, there's an upgraded mechanical lifter
camshaft inside, and there's a rumbling Flowmaster exhaust system
with tips under the rear bumper. You know it's built for combat
with a big aluminum radiator up front, new Bilstein shocks, and a
front disc brake conversion. The transmission is a bulletproof 727
TorqueFlite 3-speed automatic feeding an 8.75-inch rear end, so the
driveline is a known quantity that's ready to play. It's quite tidy
underneath, and the stance is perfect with just a bit of rake.
Classic Torque Thrust wheels wearing 215/75/15 blackwall radials
complete the vintage performance look.
We love these cars and this one nails the attitude and performance
of Mopar in the '60s perfectly. Call today!