The first limited edition, high-performance Plymouth Fury was introduced in 1956 and was basically a junior version of the Chrysler 300. The original 1956 model was available only in off-white with a gold-anodized body-side sweepspear. Like all Chrysler cars, the 1956 Fury was styled with a Space Age look and had tail fins.
Designer Virgil Exner was responsible for Chrysler Corp. styling, known as the “Forward Look” and the “Million Dollar Look.” Exner’s influence on Plymouth incorporated classic design themes with modern jet-aircraft looks, making the cars unique, dramatic and distinct from other cars. Fins appeared on 1957-1960 Plymouths, Dodges, De Sotos, Chryslers and Imperials. These cars also had torsion bar front suspension and TorqueFlite automatic transmission.
In 1960, the Sport Fury was the top-of-the-line model in Plymouth’s lineup. It featured a futuristic “aero” steering wheel. Swiveling bucket seats were optional. This “Car of the Week” is powered by a 305 horsepower, 361 cubic-inch V8 mated to a three-speed TorqueFlite push-button automatic transmission. It has four-wheel power-assisted drum brakes, power steering, a power top, front wheel-well opening stainless steel splash guards and wide whitewall tires on chrome wire wheels. It is one of only 7,080 convertibles built for 1960.
Standard equipment on the 1960 Plymouth Fury convertible included an oil filter, turn signals, sun visors, a front seat armrest, a cigarette lighter, an electric clock, stone shields, back-up lights, a glove box lock and five 8 x 14 tires.
In 1960, the styling of the Plymouth Sport Fury was not everyone’s cup of tea, but in the modern collector car world cars like this one are extremely rare and highly valued for their historical significance. In 2008, a comparable Sport Fury Convertible was offered for sale at the Gooding & Company Auction held in Pebble Beach, Calif. It sold for $115,500. That’s a far cry from this model’s original price of $2,967.
Statistically the 1960 Sport Fury had a 118-inch wheelbase and overall length of 209.4 inches. It was a big car with large tires, which usually had whitewalls to set off the styling to its best advantage. The “Golden Commando 395” V8 under the hood carried a decal that made it sound more powerful than it actually was. The “385” referred to the engine’s torque rating, rather than its horsepower. But with its Carter Type AFB-2969-S four-barrel carburetor, the big Plymouth ragtop could still get up and go.
This restored 43,000-mile car is owned by The Automobile Gallery (www.theautomobilegallery.org) of Green Bay, WI and is part of its 75-car collection.
Article courtesy Speedville.
