I like to call the town of Boonton, New Jersey “Old Car City” because there seem to be more old cars here than other places I know of. It is also the home of Kanter Auto Products, Nostalgia Motors, plus numerous auto repair shops, gas stations, and gritty brick factory buildings from the 19th century. Things tend not to change much in this old industrial town–Victorian houses line its hilly streets, with big garages and long driveways stretching back–perfect places for old cars to hide, often away from public view.
The other day I spotted this 1973 Plymouth Fury, which kind of reminded me of One Adam 12 responding to a call.
It always seemed kind of absurd to me that these low-priced, full-sized cars from the 1970s should be so huge. This 1973 Fury is 223.4 inches long–or 1.6 inches shorter than a 1959 Cadillac! A 1959 full-sized Plymouth measures a relatively taut 210 inches in length, which is actually 6 inches shorter than the 1973 Plymouth Satellite, a car one step down in size from the Fury. The “bigger is better” mentality apparently still dominated the thinking of Detroit (and its customers), even after the “compact car craze” of the early 1960s.
It turns out that this is not an Adam 12 police vehicle, but a Blues Brothers tribute. Now as all of you hipsters know, the Bluesmobile was a 1974 Dodge Monaco. But since 1974 Dodges are rather hard to find now, you have to make do with what you can obtain–if your dream is vicariously becoming Jake and Elwood bombing around in the Bluesmobile.
I will also state that this is almost certainly not an original police vehicle, but a regular civilian Gran Fury that has been tricked-out to resemble a police cruiser.
Seat comparison: Back seat appears to be original; front seat with plain vinyl upholstery looks like a replacement. Note police radio handset: “The use of unnecessary violence in the apprehension of the Blues Brothers…has been approved.”
Blues Brothers sunglasses on the dashboard…
Blues Brothers hats on the rear package shelf.
“It’s 106 miles to Chicago, we have a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it’s dark, and we’re wearing sunglasses.” “HIT IT!”
Indeed, the original Blues Brothers movie, made almost half a century ago, still resonates strongly with many people. When I first saw it, I thought it was one of the best and funniest movies I’d ever seen. However, if I were to find a solid 1973 Plymouth Gran Fury survivor, I would feel extremely reluctant to try to change it into something it’s not. Unless I was on a mission from God.
Wouldn’t you know it, just as I finished photographing the Plymouth, a flatbed truck pulls up carrying a 1939 Packard sedan in a lovely shade of green.
Well, this is Old Car City, and there are a lot of unexpected surprises… like this very mint-looking ’57 Chevy Bel Air 2-door hardtop. This car is significant to me because back in the mid-1980s when I first started driving, I would always see a black ’57 like this parked at the Whippanong Library in Hanover Township. Someone was using it as a daily driver, and boy did it stand out–sparkling and glistening in the sun. At one point there was a FOR SALE sign on it, and I really wanted to trade my worn ’62 Comet for this baby. But using this gem of a Chevy as a DD, especially in the winter salt, didn’t seem like a good idea. My Comet was already rusty so it didn’t matter. Could this possibly be the same black ’57 Chevy I remember from way back then?
I walk across the street and find these two oldies. A Cadillac convertible of this vintage you might see at a car show, but that late ’70s Oldsmobile wagon–virtually extinct. It’s the kind of car which I would commonly see decades ago, but then they all disappeared and I forgot about them. Then I see this and I say, “Oh, yeah–I remember those!”
Same with this Dodge Dart. These used to be everywhere. Back when I was in college, a lot of students drove them, and they were considered low-cost beater used cars. They all rusted in the same place.
I didn’t lift the car cover to see what’s under it. I’m a coward–I don’t want to get in trouble.
OK, this is sad. I remember several years ago this cute Metropolitan looked to be in excellent shape. But since then it’s been left out in the elements to rot, never moving. I wonder what happened.
Walking back to my car. Yes, I’m contributing to the old car atmosphere by driving my ’59 Chevy around town. To this day, it amazes me that such a radical design was created and produced by a mainstream, volume manufacturer (Chevrolet), purchased by 1.4 million people, and seen everywhere. As a very young child, I was mesmerized by this design, and it kind of launched my whole fascination with old cars, especially cars of this era.
Incidentally, when the all-new ’59 Chevrolet was introduced, some people criticized it for being “too big”. Well, at 211 inches long, this “gull-wing” ’59 Chevy is a foot shorter than our featured Plymouth! Hard to believe.
My Chevy with the Packard in the background. A ’39 and a ’59–what a difference in car design within twenty years.
From a grand historical perspective, I consider it to be a rather unique human experience for me to walk around my town and see and photograph these various wheeled relics from the 20th century. In another hundred years, (a mere sliver of cosmic time) doing such a thing will probably be impossible. We know all these cars quite well, and we have our emotional attachments to them. Future generations will have no clue. Of course, we have no clue what they’ll be riding around in!
One last look at our ersatz-Bluesmobile. That gas station sign looks pretty old–note the archaic spelling, GASOLENE. “Auto repairs–Foreign ♦ Domestic”. Back when there was a real distinction between the two. Yes, all these once-familiar things are starting to seem very old now. But that’s the thing–time never stops moving!
Further CC reading:
Curbside Classic: 1973 Plymouth Fury III Sedan–Fuselage Friday by Brendan Saur
Curbside Classic: 1973 Plymouth Fury III–An Ode to an Avocado Fury by Jason Shafer
1975 Dodge Monaco CHP Police Pursuit Cars: True Bluesmobiles (Two of ’em) by Stephen Pellegrino
Thanks for a touching trip through Boonton. I have not had my morning cup of coffee, but these photos and your essay raised my eyelids. www,justacarguy.blogspot.com is a site run by a gent named Jesse Bowers. He takes almost nightly walks through sundry neighborhoods in San Diego. His findings show up on his blog. You and our fellow readers may enjoy his finds.
(pssst – I sometimes call this town “Boondocks” but it really is not.) As for Gasolene, I spotted that before I read your comment. May I add this one for back in the day? Mud Flaps on heavy-duty vocational application trucks CAUTION – AIR BRAKES.
That Plymouth looks like it could have been designed 3 feet shorter than what it is, then someone stretched it waaay out to some 220 odd inches or thereabouts. Magnificent. To 2026’s eyes, it looks way out of proportion, but in ’73 it was just another full size.
Your Chevy always makes my day.
This being a hardtop is the obvious tip off from a block away.
If I wanted to build a low-budget Bluesmobile I’d try to start with something like a 1975 Plymouth Gran Fury, which by virtue of not being a ’74 Monaco would be less expensive, probably not costing any more than the ’73 seen here but looking much more like the real Bluesmobile. (and better than the fuselage era cars in general IMO)
Can’t stand this moronic trend of making TV/movie clone (clown?) cars out of standard cars, especially when they are relatively rare C and B body Mopars. Not just ’74 Monacos but way too many ’74-77 Gran Furys have already had themselves hacked up into “tributes” like this. It’s all so stupid and mindless imo, and makes it much much more difficult for those who do appreciate these otherwise somewhat ordinary cars for what they are, just a good family sedan. Just about as dumb are the knuckle draggers who buy them just to destroy them in demo derbies. Big “Shock bumper” C-body Mopars are particularly sought after for that terrible fate. There oughta be a law!
I’m with you in that…
In the case of Adam-12, they used Belvedere/Satellite in the earlier seasons instead of the Fury, then they switched to the AMC Matador in the last seasons.
https://www.imcdb.org/vehicle_509856-Plymouth-Belvedere-RL41-1967.html
https://www.imcdb.org/vehicle_552666-Plymouth-Belvedere-RL41-1969.html
https://www.imcdb.org/vehicle_48281-Plymouth-Satellite-RL41-1971.html
https://www.imcdb.org/vehicle_48280-AMC-Matador-1972.html
It could be interesting to imagine what if Jake and Elwood used a Belvedere/Satellite/Coronet instead of the C-body MonacoPolara/Fury? 😉
“Incidentally, when the all-new ’59 Chevrolet was introduced, some people criticized it for being “too big”.”
I wonder if the same comments was said as well about the all-new ’65 Chevrolet was introduced?
Less likely, as by then you could buy a Chevelle if you wanted something more the size of a ’55-’57 Chevy. In 1959 Chevrolet had nothing smaller than the giant batwing cars except the Corvette.
Stephen, I always enjoy your posts, especially the Boonton-centric ones.
Tribute cars such as that ’73 Fury don’t float my boat, although I appreciate the effort that went into it. The ’39 Packard looks majestic; the green is indeed a flattering shade. The ’57 Chevy is in great shape, but of the Tri-Fives, I’m more of a fan of the ’55 & ’56. The ’57, with its tailfins and smaller wheels, seems like a half-step in the wrong direction compared to its immediate predecessors.
Seeing your ’59 Chevy always makes me smile – the lower trim levels of that era, like your Biscayne, usually look better because they had less of the egregious chrome bling than the fancier versions.
Do you know anything about that convenience store under construction directly in front of where you were parked? They’ve been building that thing for 5 years, which seems about 4.5 years longer than such a modest structure should take.
Nice pictures and good car spotting .
The backgrounds *almost* make me homesick =8-) .
L.A.P.D. and the C.H.P. used those Sattelites for a long time, really stout cars many went to to become family haulers or taxis as they were nigh un killable .
Same with the Matadors, we got more than a few with the 401CID V8 .
Bluesmobiles, they saved many unwanted old ’74 Dodge full sizers .
I remember driving ex cop cars back in the day, good cars but thirsty .
On that Olds Colonnade wagon, am I misremembering that these never got the revised front clip from the 1976-77 Cutlass coupes (quad rectangular lights and waterfall grille)?
Love your 1959 Chevy Biscayne! My aunt had a 4-door ’59 Bel Air back in the day.
Funny, I had the same reaction. I associate that front clip so much with the Cutlass Supreme coupes, and maybe the sedan, but not the wagons (which were still called Vista Cruiser even though they no longer had its defining features of sky-view windows, extended wheelbase, and forward-facing third row seats). In contrast, the Buick Century and Regal sedans and wagons didn’t get the same new front clip that the coupes did in 1976/77.
I just read this after doing some research into old gas stations – during which time I came across a few photos of filling stations with the “Gasolene” spelling. And then I saw your picture at the end here! That sign surprises me a bit because I associate the “Gasolene” spelling as being pre-WWII, and the sign looks to be from much later.
And incidentally, the mechanic who I use still has “Foreign & Domestic” on his sign. He’s actually a young guy, but I think he bought the business from someone else and saw no reason to replace the signage.
Great selection of cars here – I love that Olds wagon!
I look at this in a similar fashion I do to any other year or especially generation Dodge Charger being painted like the General Lee besides a 1969…. Why waste the paint for certain fundamental failure???
Honestly if this were dressed up as ramdom ex-cop car I’d probably be less annoyed, but the bluesmobile? I’ve been a fan of that movie since my mom rented it for me at Blockbuster, I know the famous quotes that implicitly say it’s a 74 Dodge, and I’d know the differences between a 74 Monaco and a 73 Fuselage even if I wasn’t wearing my prescription glasses… who are you trying to fool with this??? Not me!
They may as well have painted a 2010 Crown Victoria with this livery, it’s about as convincing as this Fury in the role
Dukes of Hazzard was mildly entertaining, but I struggled to watch the jump scenes that usually cost a Charger. Awful.
Thankfully Daisy’s appearances eased the pain.
A very nice selection with something for everyone. As for the Fury, the thing that irritates me on police car tributes is when someone does it with a higher-trim 4 door hardtop. It is just wrong.
That Dart is a treat. In my younger days, the 1970-76 versions seemed quite common (though not as common as Dusters). But the earlier 67-69 editions on that body were fairly rare. Now they are my favorites of the bunch.
It is always interesting to see which of your cars you choose to take out for one of these photo walks. “I think I’m in a Chevy mood today” must have been the thought.
A civilian based blues Brothers tribute car?
No cop tires? No cop shocks? No cop motor? No cop suspension?
Hopefully they fixed the cigarette lighter…