☰
conceptcarz.com
✕

1971 Plymouth Fury

The 1971 Plymouth Full-Size Fury was a large and versatile vehicle available in a range of body styles including 2- and 4-door sedan, 6- and 9-passenger station wagons, hardtop Coupe, and hardtop Sedan. Trim levels included the Series I, Series II, Series III, Sport Fury, GT and Custom. The base engine was an overhead valve V8 displacing 225 CID and producing 145 horsepower. A TorqueFlight automatic was also standard.

The Convertible body style was no longer available and the Custom Series was a new option. Also new was a two-door Fury II hardtop. Plymouth updated the design in both the front and the rear. They added vent-less side window glass, a sun roof option, more luxurious interiors and a new cassette tape player. The Fury's were given a new isolation system that helped reduce road noise and vibration.

The Fury Series I was the base series and included dual headlights, brake warning light, left outside rearview mirror, and new style front bumpers. On the interior was a day/night mirror, ammeter-oil pressure warning lights, interior lights with panel dimmer, armrests, non-glare flood-lit instrumentation, cigar lighter, glovebox lock, dome lamp, courtesy lamp door switches, ashtrays, three-spoke steering wheel with integral horn button, and concealed wipers. They also had side cowl ventilation and heater/defroster.

The Fury II added deep-pile carpets and bodyside moldings. The Series III models had all the items found in the Series I and Series II plus color-keyed vinyl molding inserts. They also had trunk lights, wheel lip moldings, sill molding, concealed headlights, ashtray, woodgrain dash panel trim, wood-look steering wheel, bright metal armrest bases, glovebox light, and pull-down center armrests with integral headrest.

For customers seeking a sportier option, they could select either the Sport Fury or the GT. The GT was available only as a hardtop coupe, while the Sport Fury could be purchased in a range of body styles including a sedan, Hardtop Sedan, Hardtop Coupe, FastTop Coupe, or a 6- or 9-passenger Suburban. The Sport Fury models had door pull straps, lower door carpet panels, pull-down center armrest with integral headrest, Sport Fury nameplates and medallions, belt moldings, and concealed headlamps. The GT models added 70-ampere battery, 3.23:1 rear axle gear ratio, 'Super Commando' V8 engine, Rally Road Wheels, dual exhaust, and front disc brakes. The 'Super Commando' V8 engine was an overhead valve unit displacing 440 cubic-inches and produced 375 horsepower. GT models were also given 'Strobe Stripe' tape treatment.

The Fury Custom models came with Deluxe wheel covers, vinyl side moldings, woodgrain dash features, two-tone paint, Custom bodyside decals, and paisley-pattern vinyl bench seats.

by Dan Vaughan

GT Hardtop Coupe

In 1969 Plymouth launched their Rapid Transit System, with an impressive lineup of muscle cars with high horsepower engines ranging from the high revving small block 340 up to the mighty 426 Hemi.

When one thinks of muscular Plymouths, Roadrunners and 'cudas are generally first to come to mind. The fact is the Rapid Transit System covered all the bases with the big 440 powered Sport Fury GT at the top-of-the line list in 1970 and 1971.

Of course, in 1971 the writing was one the wall for the performance minded, and some chose to take slightly different path, as evidenced here. This Sport Fury GT, one of just 375 built, has a long list of options including bucket seats with the center console and the ultra-rare factory power sunroof.

This car served as a dealer demonstrator at Powell Chrysler-Plymouth in Jacksonville, Florida. On February 9, 1971, the car was sold to its first registered owner who drove it until 1977. It went through several owners before ending up at Atlantic Salvage in Georgia.

The current owner found this car in somewhat dilapidated condition with the sunroof silicone sealed shut due to leaking. After 21 years of dry storage, an extensive restoration was undertaken returning this rare automobile to its as delivered condition.

The Plymouth Fury was introduced in 1956 and continued in production as a model and/or series until 1989. Plymouth had been using the name Fury as the high-performance version of its standard vehicle and in 1956 made its own model designation. The initial desire of the Fury was to highlight the abilities of the Plymouth division and to create a stunning automobile that would capture the attention of consumers and bring that crowd into their showrooms. The styling was typical of the era with the most notable feature being the tail-fins which grew in size during the 1959 model year. It was a popular favorite with many police forces because of its reliability and performance.

In 1959 Plymouth introduced a performance and luxury package called the Sport Fury which featured a larger engine, performance upgrades, and a transmission that could handle the extra torque. This was the only year that it was offered.

1960 marked the beginning of the second generation Fury which continued until 1964. The Fury now sat atop a unit-body construction with a bolted-on subframe which improved rigidity. The tail fins were removed and the styling was updated to give it a modern appeal. The base engine was a slant six power-plant capable of producing over 145 horsepower. A 318 or 383 cubic-inch eight-cylinder in various configurations could be purchased as optional equipment.

Styling and mechanical changes continued in 1961. The Fury was given a new grille which gave it the impression of a 'frowning face'. The performance was increased with the 375 horsepower, 413 cubic-inch engine. A limited-edition turbocharged engine was offered in 1962. A new unitized body and chassis construction was implemented which greatly decreased the overall weight while still maintaining rigidity and interior room. Weight was further reduced with the adaptation of the TorqueFlite transmission replacing the cast-iron, two-speed PowerFlite. The 383 engine was no longer offered but a 413 8-cylinder engine became available half-way through the year.

For 1963, the grille and rear once again received styling updates. The reliability was reinforced by the company with the introduction of a five-year or fifty-thousand-mile warranty. Not much changed the following year. A limited amount of 426 Wedge 'Super Stock' engines were planted into the engine bays with the purpose of being raced and not legal on the streets.

1965 brought the third generation of the Fury. The sedans sat atop a 119-inch wheelbase while the wagons were given a 121-inch platform. A street-legal, 426 'Street Wedge' was now available, promising nearly 400 horsepower. This year also began the Fury I, Fury II, and Fury III naming scheme. In 1966 the VIP name was added to the Fury model line-up. The VIP was an economical, luxury sedan with aluminum taillight panels, wood-grained inserts, and special badging and colors. A popular option on the VIP was the vinyl roof. Luxury could be found on the interior, with its soft carpet, padded dash, individual reading lamps, walnut grain trim, fold-down armrests, and more. Under the hood was a 318 eight-cylinder engine as standard. The VIP name was short-lived, enduring until 1969 when the decision was made to cease production.

The 1965 Fury had changed aesthetically with horizontal bars on the grille and rearranged rear taillights. The interior had undergone very mild changes. The most drastic change was on the Sport Fury which was given a new console, replacing the console that had been introduced in 1964. The Hurst shifter was no longer offered; rather, a willowy Inland unit with a reverse lockout button was offered as optional equipment.

In 1966, a Silver Special edition was offered which featured silver metallic paint with blue upholstery. Window moldings, whitewall, and wheel-covers were included.

The Fury grew slightly in size in 1967. The body panels were all-new but the grille and headlights were carried over from the previous body-style. The 225 slant-six engine was standard and a 318, 383, and 440 were offered in various configurations. Offered as a two and four-door, convertible, sedan, wagon, hardtop, and convertible, there were nearly twenty-five different configurations to select from.

1968 continued the styling changes with it's horizontally split grille, updated rear, and a slight dip in the body-line which mimicked the front vent windows.

The fourth-generation began in 1969. The wheelbase of the vehicle increased offering more interior room for the passengers. The boxy-appearance of third-generation Fury was abandoned with a slight shift toward curvy appearance. Concealed headlamps were added in 1970.

In 1972 Plymouth added the Gran Fury sedan and coupe, equipped with a 383 cubic-inch engine bored out to 400 CID. Two separate blackened grilles with the word 'Fury' in the middle helped distinguish these models.

Styling changes continued in 1973 which saw many improvements to its exterior design. For 1974, the Fury sat atop a new C-body platform which was larger in size to its predecessor. A new grille and bumper made its way onto the standard Fury.

The fifth series of the Fury was introduced in 1975. Plymouth once again restyled the Fury and placed it atop a smaller, redesigned C-body chassis.

The Fury line was dropped in 1979 but a year later, in 1980, Plymouth revitalized the Gran Fury name. It shared a platform and similar body design to the Chrysler Newport and Dodge St. Regis and was available only as a four-door sedan. Sales were never strong and the Fury name was once again abandoned in 1981.

A smaller version was introduced in 1982 and stayed in production until 1989. Minor aesthetic and mechanical changes were applied during this time, but it basically stayed unchanged.

by Dan Vaughan