Older Restoration: 1959 Plymouth Sport Fury
Chrysler was riding high in 1955, breaking its own historical sales records. Unfortunately, Plymouth’s doddering image kept it lagging the pack. To goose the brand, Plymouth introduced the limited-production Fury in 1956 as a sub-model of the Belvedere. The Fury was available only in cream or beige colors with gold anodized trim. Its fancy dress was attractive enough, but a near-record run at Daytona Beach sealed the deal: the Fury became the halo car that Plymouth needed, boosting sales across the whole division. To capitalize on the surge, Plymouth used the Fury name ever more liberally, until finally, in 1959, it needed a new way to differentiate its top model. The Sport Fury became the top-shelf offering. This two-door 1959 Sport Fury hardtop received a full restoration two decades ago and it still looks fresh enough for local shows. The new owner can drive it home from Broomfield, Colorado.
The first Fury came with a 303 cu. in. V8, producing about 240 hp – good enough to lure a more performance-oriented customer to Plymouth showrooms. By 1959, the Sport Fury’s base engine was a 318 V8, breathing through a two-barrel carburetor, registering 230 hp. This engine was rebuilt, along with the car’s suspension and brakes. The entire fuel system was replaced, from the lines to the tank. The steering has been refurbished. A dual exhaust and three-speed Torqueflite pushbutton transmission round out the mechanicals. The seller says the car runs and drives well.
These swanky swivel seats were standard on the Sport Fury. This entire interior has been reupholstered including the door panels, though the seller notes that the seat foam should be replaced. The sill plate is showing its age, as is the clear resin steering wheel. The dash clock is said to be new old stock, installed during the restoration, and the driver’s side mirror is remotely adjustable. Plymouth’s restyle for ’59 eliminated the rounded instrument cluster, replacing it with a linear “jet age” control center bedecked with pushbuttons.
Virgil Exner was overtaking sensibility as he drew ever larger fins, ever more elaborate bumpers, proliferating headlights – hooded by eyelids – and gimmicky details like faux spare wheels embossed into trunk panels (aka the “toilet lid”). But today collectors prize the exuberance of Exner’s late ’50s cars as artifacts of the age, for these were not just cars of a certain style, they were emblems of American enthusiasm and optimism. This particular Sport Fury can be found here on eBay, currently bid to $15,100. A buy-it-now price is set at $32,000. A quick scan of sales results shows that asking prices at dealers and private owners are high across the board versus actual transactions. This very comparable ’59 recently sold for $27,250. Meanwhile, this dealer is seeking $34k for this hardtop in Aqua Mist. What price would tempt you to put this Sport Fury into your garage?
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Comments
Oh, so close to the inevitable “Christine” comments and that’s okay, ’58 and ’59 were pretty similar, for the layperson anyway. I just remember these cars with the headlights falling out, or gone altogether, or duct taped to the bumper. As a lad,( 1960?)I seem to remember my uncle having one before the Pontiacs. We were told not to sit by the back doors, as they would pop open on big bumps. Trunk too, they had very poor build quality. Why? The unbelievable demand for cars then, practically required unethical methods of assembly, like slamming a 2×4 in the doors, and they just came down the line too fast. It affected all the car makers.
I happened to always like the “Forward-Look”, and those swivel seats were available across the board. My dads partners ’59 DeSoto had those. Again, I don’t care for the black, I don’t ever recall seeing black cars like this, color was in, and Chrysler had so many beautiful colors. To me, black wasn’t one of them. Regardless of what you think of the styling( or color), Chrysler must have had some top notch engineers then. They were remarkable cars.
Belvedere and Savoy’s where also used in Christine if memory serves with out googling it,also the story says Christine is a 57
Christine was a `58, and a four door in the book, a two door in the film.
Four door Fury’s did not see production until `59.
In the film some Belvedere and Savoy two door hardtops were used, but with the Fury/Belvedere side trim added.
Chrysler, Dodge, Plymouth had great mechanical engineering back then, but terrible design, and body fit and finish. I personally didn’t think they started to look good until 1967 through 1972.
Mom had a ‘58 in the 60’s. Yellow, hideous, scary.
Evidently traded it for
A ‘64 Galaxie 500. Such a cool car.
@Rw
Christine was a 1958 Plymouth Fury.
The ’57 Plymouth taillights were vertical running up the fin with round backup lights at the bottom. The ’58 Plymouth had the round taillights where the ’57 had the backup lights. The ’58 backup lights were moved to the bumper under the license plate. The ’59 were horizontal under the fin and ’60 went vertices again running up the fin.
Yup…we had a ’59 Plymouth wagon in ’59 and ‘.60 until the Old Man traded it in on a ’61 Chevy 4 door stripper in black! The Plymouth wagon was a grey…almost gun metal grey. Funny the things you remember from being a kid. The wagon followed a ’54 Merc. In a time when folks were brand loyal, for whatever reason the Old Man jumped around. Kind of strange for such a conservative fellow :)
Eggshell White was the only color available on `56 Fury’s.
`57 was Sand Dune White and `58 was Buckskin Beige.
`58 & `59 were not pretty similar, `57 & `58 were similar.
`59 was a one year body style with completely new front and rear sheet metal.
Sculpted front fenders over the headlights, raised center line on the hood, and new tail fins with the tail lights moved beneath them, not in them.
New reversed front bumper and lower valance.
Those antennas remind me of eyebrows on a cat…they serve a purpose, but look awkward.
Once again Michelle, a wonderful article with fun facts and a great lead-in. The links to show perspective and variety are a nice touch. Thanks for all of your due diligence and thoughtful writing.
I’m in agreement with you Big Fun. But compliments don’t get the bills paid. Gratuities do =)). I’m drawn to this car for 2 reasons. It’s one of my bucket list cars I haven’t owned yet and it’s black my favorite color on a car and very tempting to pursue.
Thank you so much, Big_Fun, love to write for all you guys.
Thanks Michelle, even at 92 learn so much more about our fine American iron, This Plymouth is well worth the price.
“aka the “toilet lid”……first time I’ve heard that tag having owned a 1959……black isn’t the prefered so I guess we’ll see…..most likely a sell will take it across the pond…..they love the late 50’s Mopars over there….
BF: “To capitalize on the surge, Plymouth used the Fury name ever more liberally, until finally, in 1959, it needed a new way to differentiate its top model.”
They didn’t use the Fury name “more liberally” until 1959 when Fury became a full line series. Until then the name was only on the limited-production high performance 2-door hardtops of ’56-’58.
BF: “Virgil Exner was overtaking sensibility as he drew ever larger fins, ever more elaborate bumpers, proliferating headlights – hooded by eyelids – and gimmicky details like faux spare wheels embossed into trunk panels (aka the “toilet lid”).”
Exner hadn’t gone off the rails just yet but would shortly. Even so the move to 4 headlights wasn’t his doing and eyelids could be found on other makes. The faux spare gets a lot of grief today but at the time buyers paid extra for them and the concept was used on Continental Marks and Engel Imperials. The “rear sport deck” of these Sport Furys just adds to their ’50s appeal, IMO.
Someone got a great buy. Alot less than the buy it now price.
Can you imagine owning a vintage VW Beetle and any conversation about the car being dominated by Herbie The Love Bug “experts?” That’s how it is to own a 57-59 and sometimes even a 60 Forward Look Plymouth. I have owned three 59 Sport Fury’s and one 58 Fury. I owned the 58 for thirty years. I highly disagree with the poor build quality stories. My cars were as well built as any of the Ford and GM products I’ve owned of that era. I refuse to mention the name of that stupid Stephen king movie but I will say it was the worst thing to ever happen to Forward look plymouths.
exactly !!
The sale you mentioned on BF was to Tyler Hoover, aka, Hoovie’s Garage on YouTube.
He is currently doing some videos on the car, and it is turning out to be one of his better buys.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5XHHt38fPU
My dad was the part time police in the little central NY town I grew up in during the mid sixties. For some reason he decided to buy a 57 Plymouth with a 6 cylinder push button automatic as a police car ( the town didn’t supply the car in those days). After every young kid in town blew his doors in because it was so slow he traded it in for a 1960 Pontiac with a 389.