Estate Sale: 1960 Plymouth Fury Convertible
In the mid-1950s over at Chrysler, Virgil Exner initiated a new direction for automotive styling with his “Forward Look”. Bristling with jet-age features both in and out, the Forward Look influenced design for years to come. Here on eBay is an epitome of the era, a 1960 Plymouth Fury convertible, bid to $30,099 and available for pickup from Edgewater, Maryland. At that price, the reserve is not yet met. This car has a charming backstory: the owner had a Fury when he graduated from college in 1960, but he sold it to make room for family. Aiming to recover his dream, he sought another in 1983 – and purchased the car you see here. His Fury provided many adventures in a multi-state area and was shown enthusiastically. The owner passed away just before entering – for what would have been the 38th time – the Rockville Antique Car Show in Maryland.
The Fury is a sub-series of the Belvedere, positioned as the top-shelf choice. The Savoy is the economy option, looking very similar but with a restricted engine and trim palette. The Fury benefits from the largest displacement engines on the menu: this one is Chrysler’s 318 cu. in. V8 mated to a two-barrel carburetor, making about 220 hp. The transmission is the push-button three-speed TorqueFlite, with controls to the left of the steering wheel. This unit was repaired last month. Power steering and power brakes (so notable that the brake pedal was labeled) round out the mechanicals. The car is said to run and drive well.
The space-age interior matches the exterior, with the flattened oval steering wheel infused with glitter at top and bottom, and that funky “mated spoon” feature in the center. Peeking out from beneath the dash by the passenger is a 45 rpm record player installed back in the day. The seat fabric makes me wonder how we arrived at today’s choices of black, black, or black. The outside mirrors are controlled from the cabin; the seller notes that the driver’s side needs repair. The door panels, punctuated by several shapes and colors, could use TLC.
The “eyelash” over the headlights carries around the wheel arch. Other styling cues include the wraparound bumper with a center section that emulates in reverse the rolled center edge of the hood; the trim traveling down the top edge of the fender right over those rear “stabilizers”; and the delicate grille with the “Forward Look” badge. The car comes with Plymouth catalogs, a paint chip chart, a dealer price guide, and countless related bits. While the big dollars want the 361 cu. in. “Golden Commando” cross-ram cars, these smaller-motored convertibles can pull a few tens of thousands. The market says this car should be getting mighty close to its reserve; any guesses as to where the bidding will end?
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Comments
Great write up Michelle! And a very touching one from the family describing the car and their dad’s fondness and love for it. Someone is going to truly enjoy this outstanding Plymouth!
I’ve seen this car in person in Rockville,MD. A DEFINITE head turner!
When do you ever see these?
For me, too much is never enough! Loved Exners fabulous finned fantasies for Chrysler. This was the last one for Plymouth. 61 lost the fins. First saw a 60 Fury convert (in red) in a parade shortly after introduction! Remember the big secret introductions with paper covering showroom windows? 🏆 ❤. Took my breath away, as apparently with the owner. Out of my reach, but someone is going to get an OTT eye catcher. Interior looks like it needs some TLC, but still a great catch for a Forward Looker! 😉
I really like this Plymouth. I can imagine buying this and putting it in my garage, then taking my wife to the garage to see it.
At that point I’ll have both Rage and Fury out there!
And people want to know why I’m single!🤣
Why buy the cow, if you’re getting the milk for free. I get it
I don’t think that space shuttle would fit in my garage. It really is over the top in size and styling. A fun to look at car but quite the beast. Definitely a car for the excesses of the 50s.
But this beast is a BEAUTY! 🏆 FINTASTIC!
It’s a car only real men would buy and appreciate.
That would be a cool ride to take on a Route 66 trip. Would be the talk of every small town you’d pass through! Especially the upcoming 100th anniversary of the Route, 2026. If I had the $$, I’d make a move.
Speaking of that, I’ve never understood why “Route 66” became the novelty and American cult of highways, granted it holds a lot of intriguing history in the automotive world. The old Lincoln highway/US 30 came along years before, and ran coast to coast. Guess I missed something along the way, maybe some old timer will enlighten me lol
I have often wondered that. Yeah there are some neato things on it but as you said, there are dozens of old highways that offer just as much or more. Many more cooler junkyards on the Lincoln one. My old stomping ground.
We had this exact car, same colors. No record player & our steering wheel was boringly round. Ripped my knee open (needed stitches) as a young kid on the plastic/chrome insert on interior door pull.
I easily remember caressing the fins of this car.
NORMA, this is a descendant of Mr.Gillis car! Of course nothing could compare to your Isotta Frascini as the GREATEST Automotive STAR 🌟 of them ALL! But it does take FINS to the MAX! 😉
Ward Cleaver would love this!
Recently saw an episode where Fred Rutherford drove the Cleavers and his family to a Lake in his car, a 60 Plymouth Fury convertible.
I’m sure Ward was jealous.
30 years ago, a local salvage yard closed and had a big auction. Lots of 50s-60s cars, including a 60 Plymouth convertible in sea green and white. It needed a full restoration but had a lot of potential. All the trim was intact. Sold for $25!
There were a number of deals like that all day long and 12 year old me was literally kicking my dad, saying “why can’t we buy some of these and put them away somewhere!?” The only stuff that brought strong money were the tri-five and 60’s Chevy convertibles, and a few 50’s Fords with 312 engines.
Fast forward to today and I’ve become a car hoarder LOL.
Parents passed up a used 59 DeSoto ADVENTURER and later last 61 (black) DeSoto in our town, in spite of me begging. In summer of 62, they traded our 55 DeSoto for a 61 Plymouth Belvedere! 🤮 One of the ugliest cars ever! At least it was not a SAAB 😉 story!
I was going through my deceased mom’s things that she saved through the years. She kept old news papers dating back to the 30’s to the 80’s+, I would look through the automotive ads. I’m crying now, thinking if I could only go back in time and buy up all the muscle and classic cars at the ridiculously low asking prices! Where is H. G. Wells when you need him?
yep…..30 years ago we crushed out our yard of 40’s 50’s and 60’s – 2 miles west of where Kennedy was shot.
Beautiful car, much more tasteful than the estranged 61s. But too many $ for a plain ole 2barrel 318, this car needs some “go” with the “show”
Wowwy! Just Wowwy!
Would love to own this, I’m a convertible guy!
But alas….
The Fury started out as a Belvedere sub-series, but in 1959 it became a series of its own. Also, there was no restriction on powertrains for the Savoy. It was available with anything from a slant six to the cross-ram 361.
I’m not certain the original (’56-’58) Fury was a Belvedere sub series as I’ve only seen Wikipedia describe it as such and Plymouth didn’t market it as a Belvedere (even though it did use the Belvedere 2dr HT body). Period road tests just call it a Fury. I see the ’56-’58s more as a standalone, limited-production high-performance model like the early DeSoto Adventurer and letter-series Chrysler 300. Wikipedia calls the 300 a “New Yorker sub-series” but again I’ve never seen that description elsewhere.
I owned a 1960 Plymouth Fury 4dr sedan for 27 years that cost me $175!
My how times change…..
Unfortunately those days are Gone With the Wind!
You do realize, that movie is no longer politically correct. Lol
and a new place to call home….the garage!
Not to be picky, OK I will be, but for almost forty two grand the current bid, I would expect things like that driver’s side door panel to not look all gnarly. And the corner of the convertible top looks chewed up too. How hard would it to replace that top? That has to be factored in. The body and paint look great though. JMO.
Agreed, and how about that nasty tweak in the passenger side of that front bumper. There’s plenty to do to upgrade the condition of this beauty, not saying it wouldn’t be worth the effort, but for that money it should have slightly less needs.
The current high bidder is probably thinking that an Exner-era Fury doesn’t come around too often because these succumbed too easily to rust. Even with a 318 I see this one approaching $50k when all is said and done. Fins and grins!
This car is calling me, but I don’t happen to have $50K to spend right now. Actually, any old Plymouth convertible attracts me, as I’ve had so many of them it just seems normal for me to buy it when I see one for sale. I’ve had a 51,56,61,62,and a 64 Plymouth convertible. My first car was the 51 convertible and I guess that got me started off in that direction, as you seem to always remember your first car. The EBay story on this car says it was purchased from a Minnesota junk yard in 1986, “gleaming and in like new condition”. It would be interesting to know why it was in a junk yard and how much he had to pay for it. It will probably lead an easy life from here on out.
This will go across the pond for sure with that record player playing….
Too many cars so little time space and money.
When I was young , 21-22, the secretary in the office I worked in and her husband had a similar car. Under the hood was a monstrous v-8 with 2 four barrels on long tube intake runners. It had the same interior except the front seat swiveled when getting out. It just rumbled and shook at idle. What a wonderful car it was.
Peter Gunn!!!
The first year of the unibody platform. I bought a red convertible that had been sitting likely since Nixon was president. Floors were sketchy, doors opened and closed nicely. The top was still there shrunk up and hard as a brick. As I pulled the car up onto the rollback I noticed one of the moldings pop off the rocker panel. Well the ship broke and the only thing holding it together was the drive shaft and one door did let loose. I have the trunk wheel and the steering wheel as a suvenear. The car did part nicely and saved a few others. I love the looks of the 60 Plymouth. This one is a nice survivor not often seen as rust and a few mechanical gremlins killed most.