Vehicle Description
1966 Plymouth Belvedere II Coupe
In 1963, the muscle car wars were raging and engine power was
everything. In January of that year, the Beach Boys recorded "Shut
Down" - a song about a drag race between a 1962 Super Stock 413
Dodge Max Wedge and a 1963 fuel-injected Corvette Stingray, and
that pretty much summed up the action on American streets and
strips for the era. Drag racing was the hot competition, and every
American automaker wanted to win NHRA titles in the factory stock
classes. No expense was too high to put muscle on the strip. That
commitment led to some legendary low-production factory-built
racing cars. The nameplate "belvedere" is Italian for "beautiful
sight" or "fair view". Chrysler also had the Belvedere Assembly
Plant in Belvedere, Illinois which began production in 1965.
Starting out life as a mild mannered 361ciV8, this Belvedere has
had a healthy engine upgrade to a 440ci V8, a 4bbl carb, A727
Torqueflite trans, a snappy red respray, along with some other
goodies thrown in for good measure and pure tire burning
excitement. A redone interior and I've taken the way back machine
to 1965. Peabody!!! Peabody?!
Exterior
A 12 year old respray and clear coating is on straight steel panels
with nicely minded gaps all around. Chrome and trim work is all
good and a chrome and white painted spear runs the gamut on the
sides and presents itself at the belt line, and does a beautiful
job of breaking up the red painted steel slabs. A pristine front
grille flanked by single headlights on either side and a P L Y M O
U T H badge is resting on the front of the hood. Take a close look
at the side of this car as that B pillar is standing still but
looking a lot like its moving forward as it forms a V from the rear
glass and back window. Square tail lights are on the back along
with another re chromed bumper and there is enough room in the
trunk to rent out as a 1 bedroom apartment! 15-inch Cragar wide 5
spoke wheels are on all 4 corners and looking racy as well.
Interior
Nearly perfect black vinyl door panels greet us with a swing of
either door. This black panel is surrounded by the body matching
exterior red steel. Within this is a metal armrest with a black
vinyl padded topper, a new modern pull out lever door actuator not
oft seen, and a window crank. Inside more black vinyl for the
bolstered split front bench and full rear bench. These have tweed
gray/black broadcloth slightly tucked and rolled inserts and are
bordered by some black piping. The dash and all other panels are
original to this machine. It presents as a V shaped aluminum panel
with a black insert for the rectangular design instrument cluster
temp control sliders. The original steering wheel is fronting this
dash and has been covered in punched leather with leather binding
to hold it all on. An aftermarket tachometer hangs off the driver's
left side of the column and an AM push button radio is in the
center, along with a mass of buttons and pulls lined up on the
lower dash, bordered on the bottom by a chromed trimming stretching
from door to door. Above is a nice and tight black headliner nearly
perfect, and below is clean black carpeting.
Drivetrain
A lift of the hood and I'm in motor head heaven! (I'm hearing the
angels going AHHHHHHHHHHHHH). Here I see to my wandering eyes is a
large fully appointed 440ci V8, (circa 1966-72), fire breather. It
has orange block and valve coverings, a cast intake manifold, and
on top a 4bbl carburetor. An A727 Torqueflite 3-speed automatic
tranny is on back and power goes rearward to spin the rear axle
which weighs in at 8-3/4 inches. Look closely and try to find a
fault or spec of rust on this engine or bay and its corresponding
parts within. Just a beautiful presentation.
Undercarriage
Bottoms up as they say and here we see rust free steel all
undercoated and painted black with no road dirt showing up and very
structurally sound. Independent torsion bar front suspension and
leaf springs on back along with power disc braking upfront, and
power drums on back. Like new Dynomax dual exhaust are there for
the exhale and making some noise..in a good way.
Drive-Ability
My cohort and I fought tooth and nail to drive this one and turns
out we spent the better part of an hour going over this car and
driving it. It played well with nice acceleration, quick bias free
braking and good handling. All functions were working as they
should save for the left turn signal not self-canceling and the
interior presents as nearly showroom clean clean clean with no dust
even present. Id say a great detail job, but this car came in like
this so it is loved fer sur!
A beautifully performed restoration with some massive power under
the hood in the form of a beefed 440ci V8. A really nice interior
looking just like the original would have looked, and in snappy
vinyl and tweed broadcloth A not oft seen example gracing our
Hallowed Halls here at Classic Auto Mall ripe for the picking. Some
early muscle but the only thing giving it away are the
Cragars...until you start it up. YIKES!
RH23F61107206
R-Belvedere/Satellite
H-High Price Class
23-2 Door Hardtop
F-361ci V8 2bbl
6-1966
1-Lynch Rd, MI Assy Plant
107206-Sequential Unit Number
FENDER TAG
AB51-361ci V8
C5-Automatic
R1-2 Watt AM Radio
SO NUMBER 90902093-September 9th Build
BDY RH23-Belvedere II 2 Door Hardtop
TRM H4Y-Citron Vinyl
PNT ZZ1Z-Citron Gold Metallic
Classic Auto Mall is a 336,000-square foot classic and special
interest automobile showroom, featuring over 650 vehicles for sale
with showroom space for up to 1,000 vehicles. Also, a 400 vehicle
barn find collection is on display.
This vehicle is located in our showroom in Morgantown,
Pennsylvania, conveniently located just 1-hour west of Philadelphia
on the I-76 Pennsylvania Turnpike. The website is
www.classicautomall.com and our phone number is (888) 227-0914.
Please contact us anytime for more information or to come see the
vehicle in person.
