99% Complete: 1959 Plymouth Sport Fury
After covering this 1967 Plymouth Fury VIP earlier in the week, and reading all of the comments, I thought it would be interesting to compare it to a Fury from eight years prior. The condition is hardly the same and the car, itself, is a completely different animal as well. I don’t have a lot to work with here as the listing is light and the images few but let’s take a gander at a 1959 Plymouth Sport Fury convertible. It’s located in Bayview, California and is available, here on craigslist for $33,000(?). We have Gunter K to thank for this tip!
The first thing that I noticed about the listing is the statement, “I have the original motor 361 CU/IN. that has been stroked to a 426 cu. in. with a roller top end and polished and ported heads. Very steerable horsepower. Missing the transmission“. And then, following up, there’s no image included – not cool. There were two 361 CI V8 engines available in ’59, a standard 260HP version and a jazzed-up “Golden Commando” that slung out 305 HP – don’t know which we’re involved with here. This I do know, it would take some serious stroking to get a 361 up to 426 CIs. Assuming you keep the 361’s bore at a stock 4.12 inches, you’d have to stretch the crank from a stock 3.38 inches out to 3.99 to equal a total displacement of 426 CIs. Doable, I guess, the seller claims so, but I’d be inclined to check with some of our Mopar engine experts on that engineering feasibility. The automatic transmission could have been a PowerFlite or a TorqueFlite, depending upon which version of the 361 motor was originally ensconced in the engine room.
There are no images of the interior so I can’t tell you anything about that other than the back seat has sprouted a radiator but the seller does mention that there is a “new interior kit ( seat covers and door panels including the panels on each side of the rear seat) done to original by SMS interiors“. As for the body, barring that folding convertible top, shows to be in dry, solid condition, there is no sign of rust-through or crash damage, and the extensive Sport Fury trim is all still attached. Not only that, the “could be” original wheel covers adorn all four corners and there’s even the obligatory toilet seat affixed to the trunk lid! The seller concludes with, “Very solid car, with very little rust on the bottom of the quarters. Solid floors and trunk pan, solid over the headlights. All original copper paint except for the left front fender which was changed out“.
OK, so this Fury doesn’t look much like its eight-year successor, but which cars produced in ’59 did? (Maybe the VW Bug but even those weren’t exact). This is an intriguing project, the seller assures us that this Plymouth is 99% complete. But the missing details and images of the engine, the likely star of the show here, are a complete fail. And then there’s the little matter of the $33K ask. What is it with Plymouth Furys and pricing?
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Comments
I’m digging the cooling system that flows through the trunk area.
Rear engine prototype, hence the $33,000. If not for the asking price I might have reviewed the ad.
Now this would be a fine restoration project.
Yeah, but not at this price point.
You keep a knocked but you can’t come in…Walk Away! It’s Christine’s sister !!!
Husband ” I put it up for sale like you wanted. What else can I do?”
If only this had been a 1960 Plymouth Fury….
Peter Gunn drives one! Love that show!
In a Fury of optimism, the seller decided that 33K was just the right price.
memories, my 59 sport fury rag top was my favorite car of all time, wish I had the place and money for this one, would make it factory.
There are way, way too many “whatabouts” with this `59. And for $33K, I’d put it towards one a bit more complete. I’m not buying the 361-to-a-426 build either. AND NO TRANSMISSION? Sorry, I’d keep shoppin’.
Looks solid but at 33k I can’t see it good luck to the seller barry
He’s going to need Arnie Cunningham (Christine) to get that thing restored.
maybe it was a bust typing finger?
$3000 ….. maybe.
Run!! Run!! Don’t look back!! It’s daughter of Christine!!
The “could be” original wheelcovers mentioned are actually “could NOT be” original as they’re from either a Chrysler 300 or an Imperial from that period.
Not a 305 HP 395 Golden Commando 361 CID engine, as the hubcaps were different for the 305 HP engine. 5995 1959 Sport Fury convertibles were built. The likelihood the SMS interior kit has the correct seat covers is ZERO. Sport Fury stock drum brakes were miserably undersized as well as practically useless. Parts for early model Torqueflites are just not around and, if around, not at all cheap these days. My Father owned a white/red interior 305HP 59 SFC 8/12/64-11/4/72 and put 71870 miles on it per his records. IMHO this particular one is not worth much and, if bravely taken on, best to transplant a complete 64 drivetrain with say a 413, aluminum case TF to preserve the pushbutton shifter, 8 3/4 rear axle that can accommodate a disk brake upgrade. Nonetheless, my Father liked it, let me drive it lots, a great and fast vehicle that suffered from poor build quality. If I won the lottery, I would jump on this one and dump untold $$$ to re-live my youth. Heh heh
People have gone craze-balls.
Like a long long time ago. But, for whatever it’s worth, they’re not getting anywhere near these prices that are posted for this “field find” crap.’
Dylan McCool on YouTube recently revived a 58 model Fury using components including disc brakes from some mid 70’s full size Mopars. Cool car, but I don’t see $33k unless it was turn key ready to drive.
Another subscriber to the Junk and Scrap Dealers retail price guide. This Fury would have to be in “Showroom” condition to be worth close to that price. The real “Fury” would be the unlucky buyers wife’s reaction to buying this piece.