Chrysler products have always been rare sights on Dutch streets, yet Cohort contributor Corey Behrens recently came across not one, but two. The first is a well-preserved 1969 Plymouth Fury III, another reminder that large American full-size cars managed to carve out a tiny but fascinating niche in the Netherlands. The second, a 1989 Dodge Mini Ram Cargo Van, likely represents a different chapter in Chrysler’s history—its 1980s-1990s push to establish a modest foothold in the European market. Either one would be an uncommon curbside find today, whether in the Netherlands or elsewhere, so let’s take a closer look.
Well-preserved full-size American classics in Europe have turned up on Curbside Classic before, and fuselage-era Chryslers seem to enjoy an especially loyal following. And why wouldn’t they? Then as now, these speak to individuals who want something different. In that sense, it’s hard to top a fuselage-era full-size coupe as a personal statement, isn’t it? I mean, they aren’t even common in the US of A nowadays (or since the 1980s, really).
I haven’t been able to track down whether this was a later import or originally sold in the Old Continent. Whatever the case, it’s living a good life.
The side view is a good way to show that these American 2-door hardtops were a lot of car for the money. It’s also no mere Fury, but a III, which for 1969 was pretty high in Plymouth’s pecking order, just below the Sport Fury and the short-lived VIP. Looking at its stance, I would also think this one carries one of the big-block engines. What could be in there? A 383 or 440?
(Update: It entered the Netherlands in 2001 and it’s got a 383.)
While fuselage-era Pentastars have become awfully thin on the ground, I’m pretty sure their early FWD minivans have fared even worse, particularly cargo ones. After all, when is the last time you saw one of these?
It looks great. I suspect this sold in the Netherlands back when new, but even if not, it’s clear it got a fan that’s kept it looking good with only minor custom touches. The thick exhaust pipe also suggests it’s been souped up. The biggest engine that could originally be found in these was a Mitsubishi-sourced 3L V6 (with 136HP in the US). Now, what could be in there today? Or is it there just to enhance the V6’s sound?
(Update: It’s got just a 2.5 liter four-cylinder)
Related CC reading:
1969 Plymouth Fury III Convertible — The Penultimate Open Air Big Plymouth
1989 Dodge Caravan C/V – With Rare Fiberglass Split Doors
Some great Corey finds, as per usual! The van got its first registration in the Netherlands alright, that was in September 1989. It’s powered by Chrysler’s 2.5 liter four-cylinder Trenton engine (in this case, also running on LPG).
The Fury is powered by a 383 (6,276 cc says its vehicle registration).
Thanks for solving the engine question. If it had been a little newer (91-95) it would have probably had a VM Motori 2.5 liter four cylinder diesel. These were very popular in European market Chrysler products including the XJ Cherokee.
Yes, the VM Motori 2.5 liter four-cylinder and 3.0 liter V6 diesels were widely used in Mopar vehicles once offered on the European market.
Our local house painter had a panel van like in the article, a green one (it must have been a diesel). It got stolen, IIRC, his next panel van was a (bigger) Hyundai H100 which served him well for a long time.
I wonder how the 1969 Fury would have look if they menaged to keep the stackhead headlights the Fury have from 1965 to 1968? Very cool Fury although I have a soft spot for the 1970 and 1971 models due to the loop bumper and the hidden headlights available for the Sport Fury. ^_^;
The stacked headlights would have really transformed this thing. I know everybody ran away from the fad as fast as they ran to it but maybe Plymouth should have held on a few years more.
It would be interesting to see a photoshopped picture of a 1969 Fury (coupe, sedan, wagon) with the stacked headlights to see how it might look with the stackhead headlights.
I did a quick attempt with Google Flow AI to imagine with the picture showed on Curbside Classic to see how the 1969 Plymouth Fury would have look with stacked headlights.
Great job Stephane, but I prefer the angry glare of the side by side version, the stacked look says mid 60s to me.
And like you I prefer the 1970 model, the 70 Sport Fury is one my favourites.
Thanks for making this!
I realize they’d probably have a more integrated solution with the grille, but overall stacked headlights don’t work with the fuselage body contour. Or with a loop bumper, which the designers wanted for ’69 Plymouths and Dodges but the Division and/or corporate bosses shot them down. Same reason Pontiac ditched the trend they’d begun.
I also prefer the ’70-’71 cars. My Dad’s first company car was a ’70 Fury III four-door hardtop in a teal color, with a black cloth interior and no vinyl roof. Our first car with AC. We also had a brace of wagons in the Sherwood Green Metallic of our feature car, a ’68 Sport Suburban, followed by a ’72 Coronet Crestwood.
Hey I think it has great potential, side-by-side was too generic
The Plymouth was imported to The Netherlands in 2001 and has had 3 owners since.
Given its stance, the dual exhaust and the RWL tires, this one has to be owned by a member of the “fuzzy dice scene”.
The same Plymouth, 16 years ago (obviously present at some US car weekend show):
https://www.flickr.com/photos/91728279@N06/8963545012
Nice ;
In 1976 I was gifted one of these with a bad freeze plug .
I got it going again and used a rubber expandable typ freeze plug but abandoned it when I bought a $50 1968 VW Beetle and made that my daily driver instead .
-Nate
When you say Fury this is the one my mind pictures in this color, though the 4dr version.
That Dodge C/V minivan is an amazing find. Most of these were banged up after a year or two – I can’t remember when the last time was I’d seen one.
Interesting to me that the van doesn’t have any Chrysler pentastars, but rather Ram logos on the front and back. Looks like the hood has two logos of some kind – hard to tell if one or both of these were stock, but the North American C/V minivans had stand-up hood ornaments, and I’m pretty sure there was a penastar on the back as well.
I don’t remember if earliest ones did or not. All more recent Dodges have ram ornaments. I’ll have to do more digging, to see if that bottom ornament belongs on that vehicle’s image you’ve posted.
Here’s what I’ve gotten, so far:
https://www.autoscout24.de/angebote/dodge-magnum-r-t-benzin-schwarz-cat_ma2152mo18566-0ba0fdef-f4e8-4838-8d77-afd87939007a?sort=standard&desc=0&position=1&source_otp=t10&source=listpage_search-results&order_bucket=unknown&boost_level=t10&applied_boost_level=t10&relevance_adjustment=organic&boosting_product=none
No mistaking the following, obviously. Courtesy of the same broker’s platform:
I’m not sure why they didn’t have a Pentastar, but I know why they weren’t sold as Dodges years before the Dodge/Ram split. When Chrysler was folding up Chrysler Europe, they eventually sold their truck assets to Renault, along with the Dodge name in Europe. So the Dodge Shadow became the Chrysler Saratoga in Europe and so on.
Here’s one with the original logo, I guess. It’s registered as a Dodge Ram Van 2.5 TD, so with the VM Motori turbodiesel, first registration in the Netherlands (October 1995).
More pictures in the sales ad:
https://www.autowereld.nl/dodge/ram-van/2-5-td-35127477/details.html
This is better, as it’s from 1989. First registration in NL.
Source:
https://www.autoweek.nl/autonieuws/artikel/dodge-mini-ram-van-1989-in-het-wild/
Thanks! And that one has the big commercial mirrors as well. It’s remarkable to see these still on the road.
I’m loving the fusey. Normally I’d prefer to see factory rims, this one’s choice and stance are still complementary to that outstanding shape. Nice find Corey.