Vehicle Description
1965 Plymouth Belvedere- HEMI A990 Tribute- "Rotisserie"
Restoration
In late 1964, as the new 1965 cars began to roll off the assembly
line, Chrysler's Detroit Lynch Road Assembly Plant became a hotbed
of performance. A special A990 version of the Race Hemi was
available in either the new Dodge Coronet or Plymouth Belvedere.
The engine retained the 12.5:1 compression ratio and 425hp output
rating from its introduction the year before, but it benefitted
from several internal improvements, including a redesigned
solid-lifter cam, aluminum cylinder heads, and a magnesium intake
manifold. The bodies receiving these engines had thin-gauge steel
components and lightweight Corning glass in the doors,
rear-quarters, and backlight. To qualify for the NHRA's Super Stock
classes, 100 units of each had to be built. Lynch Road turned out
101 Dodges and 102 Plymouths. (From HotRod.com)
The cars - future legends that included the Chevy Impala Z-11, Ford
Fairlane Thunderbolt, Pontiac Catalina Super Duty and Hemi-powered
Dodge, and Plymouth A990 sedans - were built in small numbers,
fitted with specialized racing equipment and stripped of creature
comforts. They were part of a pitched battle for stoplight
supremacy - but they were almost never advertised to the general
public. They were intended to deliver their message on asphalt, not
in newsprint. And though they were perfectly road legal - muffler,
turn signals, and such - they were never intended for daily
commutes. A sticker inside the glove compartment of Chrysler's
limited-edition A990 models made that clear: "This model is
intended for use in supervised acceleration trials and is not
intended for highway or general passenger car use." (From Hagerty
Media)
This beautiful "era-correct" Ruby Red HEMI Mopar muscle car was
built as a tribute to the Ultra Rare Factory NHRA Race versions of
the Hemi Belvederes assembled for the 1965 model year. It's powered
by an era-correct 472 cubic inch HEMI with a dual quad cross ram,
4-speed transmission and a 4.10 rear gear. There is no back seat,
no armrest or outside mirrors, and only one windshield wiper. Our
seller owned and campaigned an original version of this car in the
'60s with the NHRA. He purchased this Belvedere close to 10 years
ago. A complete "rotisserie" restoration has been completed and it
has been driven less than 700 miles since. Our seller states that
it runs and drives "excellent". As a professional builder and
mechanic, you can count on this one as having been well sorted, and
ready for ANY show event, nostalgic race event, or simply one of
the most FUN collectible vehicles you've owned.
It can be yours for $69,700.
1965 Hemi Information:
10.25 compression, 1/4 inch stroke 472 CID
New Mopar Aluminum heads
Block is World Performance
Rode-Manley
Crank-Balanced SCAT
Diamond Pistons
Crane Cams - Hydraulic Cam
Hemi Rockers
Diamond Elkins stage II Manifold
Trans is 18 Spline 4 Spd
McLeod Clutch, Pressure Plate, Flywheel
Brakes are SSB Stainless Disc
Powder Coated Dana 60
4:10 Richmond with Spicer sure grip
33 Spline Mopar axles
Rich Aquino purchased the original 1965 Belvedere A990 in 1965 from
Henderson Chrysler in St Clair Shores Michigan. He drove the car
named Whiplash in drag races throughout the United States from
1965-1967. He was sponsored by Chrysler Motors but in 1967 Chrysler
stopped sponsoring drag cars. At that point he was a family man
with two children and once the sponsorship ended, he couldnt afford
to keep racing because of the cost. Rich always wanted to keep his
car and keep racing, but family responsibilities came first. His
racing dreams and passion for the Hemi continued as throughout his
adult life. He restored and modified a 1966 Valiant and a 1972
Oldsmobile still seeking speed and muscle.
