Jerome Solberg just uploaded a large number of his finds to the Cohort; lot’s of great stuff. What really caught my attention was two pairs of big old Mopar coupes; we’ll take a look at the first pair today.They’re some years apart, but there’s plenty of similarities, especially under the skin: C-Body Mopars both, one with vertical headlights, the other canted.
How about a closer look?
The lead car is a ’67 Plymouth Sport Fury. I can’t quite make out the engine call-out on the front fender, but I’m guessing its for a Commando V8, which would be the 383.
The Chrysler looks to be a ’61 Windsor. The Fury has 3″ less wheelbase (119″ vs. 122″), but the familial connection is all-too obvious.
I’ll take the Chrysler, even if it is a bit ragged,
I have not checked production figures, but I would bet that in the early 60s, sedans outnumbered the 2 door hardtops something like 10 to 1 for Chrysler models that were not in the 300 line, and that was an era when 2 door cars were really popular. Chrysler buyers tended to be pretty conservative people.
I prefer either the 60 or the 62, but I would adopt this 61 under the right circumstances. Of course a 67 Fury would make a heckuva consolation prize. 🙂
Hello JP. I have production figures for the 1961 Chryslers. Newport: 4 dr. sedan 34,370; 2 Dr. Hardtop 9,405; 4 dr. Hardtop 7,789; Convertible 2,135; 6 pass. Town & Country 1,832; 9 pass. Town & Country 1,571 (Total 57,102). Windsor: 4 dr. Sedan 10,239; 2 dr. Hardtop 2,941; 4 dr. Hardtop 4,156 (Total 17,336). New Yorker: 4 dr. Sedan 9,984; 2 dr. Hardtop 2,541; 4 dr. Hardtop 5,862; Convertible 576; 6 pass.Town & Country 676; 9 pass.Town & Country 760 (Total 20,399). 300G: 2 dr. Hardtop 1,280; Convertible 337 (Total 1,617). Total 1961 Chrysler 96,454
I think the lead car is actually a ’68… the rear is more square instead of angled.
Wouldn’t the coupe roofline be different and the little round sidelights be visible on a ’68? I guess the wheels make it look like a giant Hot Wheels car and throw off my perspective a little LOL.
It’s a ’67 Sport Fury. The new roofline you mentioned was a one year design change for ’68 and the first year for the federally mandated side marker lights. The Chrysler is a ’61 Windsor, the last year for that model name and the last Chrysler with fins.
The ’69’s had a complete new body style. I own a ’70 Sport Fury GT … the first year of the hidden headlights and the ignition mounted on the column.
It is a 68 that has had the side markers removed, the picture I attached is of a 67.
Lead car is a 67 I owned a 1971 Plymouth sports fury GT 440 1 of 375 made sold it back in 1990 the guy who bought it from me still has it
It’s a ’68, we had a ’67, the last 12″ of the rear are more angled on the ’67, as mentioned above.
On first view, with the small screen of a cell phone,
the Plymouth in the top photo looked like a ’63 Gran Prix,
my favorite year.
No fair!
I thought the Gran Prix was special!
The ’63 Grand Prix was special; that’s why both Ford and Mopar tried so hard to copy it in the 1965-67 time frame!
Then Ford did it again, copying the ’66 GP with the ’69 Mercury Marauder.
Chrysler (specifically, Plymouth) was still in full Pontiac mode for 1967, having already begun in earnest with the new 1965 C-body.
It wasn’t until 1969 when they decided to try something a bit different with the fuselage cars, although it still could said they were trying to ape the last model cycle Pontiacs, maybe just not quite as blatantly.
Sadly, that didn’t pan-out. Besides styling that really didn’t take-off, there was the typical Chrysler quality drop that came with each new model change.
The weird thing about Chrysler using Pontiac styling for the Plymouth division is that Dodge was much more closely aligned with Pontiac’s demographic. OTOH, seems like Chrysler was aiming a GM division higher with Dodge full-size styling in the sixites, seeming to go more with an Oldsmobile look for the fratzog company.
The Plymouths grill looks like a 68 with the body colored lower panel although the lack of side marker lamps would indicate a 67. Too bad there is no rear view.
I love a ’63 Pontiac Grand Prix myself. Always wanted one.
That 1961 Chrysler, from that viewpoint, and from that distance, makes it looks like it has batwings and is ready to take flight. Adam West could have made that car fly, as the Caped Crusader.
The Fury above, looks a little bit square, like its distant relative the Dodge Coronet, but I’d certainly go for a ride in it. The Dodge Polara had a nicer style to it, with more angles and slopes out back.
In the first picture, both cars are glorious, especially the Fury. But from the side with hideous those resto-mod wheels, the excitement of the original styling disappears. It’s really difficult being a purist – those wheels should be arrested.