Awesome older repaint in colors that stand out. If it’s not for you, that’s OK, but if you skip this car, you’re missing one of the best-driving vintage Mopars we’ve ever had and a car that loves to be driven. Perfect it ain’t, but if you want high style and low stress, this Fury totally nails it.
I don’t know when it was painted or by whom, but it was a long time ago and it looks pretty authentic. Glancing around the Chrysler color charts, you’ll see that it’s probably close to 1959 Chrysler Persian Pink—it’s not pink, it’s not orange, and it’s not really even salmon, it’s somewhere in-between and it works. The point is that it’s not a show car but that the work was extremely well done, as we can find no traces of whatever this car was originally (the fender tag says code W Ermine White) so it seems like it has always looked like this. Thanks to living most of its life in Arizona, there’s good, straight bodywork underneath with no signs of incompetent workmanship or critical rust repairs, and the gaps are quite good so it hasn’t been wrecked. There are certainly signs of use all over the place, but a big part of this car’s appeal is the ability to simply get in, enjoy, and not worry about it. Everyone seems to think they want a perfect car that people are afraid to touch, but in practice, you’ll find that it’s incredibly liberating to own and drive a cool car that doesn’t cause you any stress at all. That’s why cars like this are my favorites—high style, low stress.
The interior has obviously been redone as well, but it works rather well with the bodywork. Again, it was done a while ago, so it’s not perfect, but there are no splits or tears and the support structure underneath is firm enough for all day comfort. Newer carpets are in excellent shape and replicate the original stuff and custom door panels were created to look original but match the new color scheme. The instrument panel is original, and all the gauges are fully operational, including the giant speedometer—only the clock is offline. And yes, it does have a pushbutton Torqueflite, which not only endears it to onlookers but pretty much makes it theft-proof—good luck figuring out how to put it in gear if you’re not already familiar! The original AM radio is still in the dash, but you won’t need it, since there’s a modern AM/FM/iPod/USB head unit cleverly hidden in the glove box and pumping through the original center-mounted speaker. Sounds good, looks stock. There’s also a brand-new black vinyl power convertible top, and the entire mechanism and motor has been overhauled, so it works properly and stows easily under a matching black boot. There’s also a cavernous trunk with black carpets, what appear to be original cardboard side panels, and a full-sized spare tire with original jack assembly.
The powerplant is a recently rebuilt 318 cubic inch V8, which was the standard engine in the Fury. It runs superbly, starting easily, idling smoothly, and just going about its business without any fussiness whatsoever. The Edelbrock carburetor and intake manifold certainly help with a little extra horsepower, as does the dual exhaust system, which uses stock-style mufflers to keep things quiet when you’re cruising. Bright red engine enamel, chrome valve covers and a matching air cleaner dress things up a bit, and you’ll be pleased to see both power steering and power brakes, making this a car anyone can drive and enjoy. The wiring is recent, and most of the hardware is 100% stock, so it’s durable, reliable, and economical to maintain.
Underneath, the original TorqueFlite 3-speed automatic transmission shifts cleanly and the pushbutton setup works 100% correctly with no issues—even the back-up lights work! Out back there are relaxed 3.23 gears so it’s good on the highway and pulls down something around 20 MPG if you’re not hammering it. The front suspension and steering have been recently rebuilt with new ball joints, tie rods, radius arms, and fresh shocks, so it tracks straight and rides smoothly. The exhaust system is recent and the floors are in good shape, although it has obviously not been restored. However, you can see that it spent its life someplace other than in the rust belt. It’s sitting on 14-inch Cragar mags, which have a cool old-school look and a set of 215/75/14 blackwall radials to fill the fenders.
If you’ve read this far, then you’re the kind of person who is visionary enough to see past what everyone else likes. We’ve sold more than 600 cars at Harwood Motors, and I can count on two hands those I have liked and enjoyed more than this cool Plymouth Fury. It’s also relatively rare, with only 1516 being built in 1962. Low stress, high style. It’s the only way to fly!
For more details and photos, please visit www.HarwoodMotors.com
