1961 Plymouth Belvedere Show & Drive! Vintage Forward Look MoPar, 318 Poly V8. Fury Savoy

[@bigwrenchtech]

People call those cars ugly, quite frankly, I thought they looked amazing.❤

[@johnfranklin5277]

Remember them when nearly new, They were, and are UGLY. But now they are still ugly, but that makes them interesting lol.

[@douglasnieblas74]

Some people consider them ugly but I love the design of the 1961 Plymouth. I would definitely buy one if I got the chance.

[@404goldie7]

People don't realize how well-designed Chrysler products were during those years. If you ever drive one, you know. excellent driving position, controls and visibility, ride and handling. And, the "old" 318 was very durable and got surprisingly good gas mileage. I've owned a few, because when I was young and broke, I knew they would pass 100k miles when Fords and Chevy's would start burning oil.

[@bigblockjalopy]

Exactly. Driving a 60 Fury since 1988. Great, great, GREAT Car. 370k miles now, except for a transmission failure at around 220k, never caused problems. Love the Power and the handling and the looks of course.

[@johnfranklin5277]

We did not have a good experience with a 1961 Dodge Polara. My Grandparents bought one new, in Southern California, so rust and corrosion was not an issue. It was white, with a green interior. Grandpa was 72 when he bought it so it was never abused. Unfortunately he passed in 1967, Grandma didn't drive so she gave it to my mom. So car was 6 years old and had around 35.000 miles on it if memory serves. It was nothing but problems. Upholstery was already shredding on the drivers seat, about a year after we got it, it started having overheating issues which the dealership could never resolve! Then the dam reverse button started constantly falling out of place so we would have to push the car backwards to leave a parking spot. We started hearing noises from the front end, dealership said it needed all new front suspension bushings, as they were all bad. In 1972 the left rear leaf spring exploded and car immediately sagged severely. That was the last straw. Although mom had an attachment to the car because it had belonged to her dad, she said it just had to go. It wasn't reliable and she was tired of never trusting it. We got a 1970 Chevy Impala and she was very happy with it, and it was a good reliable car till she quit driving in 2005 at 85.

[@davidkastin4240]

Nice car. I love the intimidating front end on 61's and everything else. Early 60's we had a 61 Plymouth Savoy Suburban wagon and a 62 New Yorker, then a 62 Dart. Where my love for Mopars began 🤗

[@lars277]

My Dad was a loyal Plymouth guy. He bought a new Plymouth every other year. We had a 61 4 door sedan with a 318. Then the next one he bought was a 64 4 door sedan Belvidere with a 318. That one moved out nice. Then he got a 66 Plymouth wagon with three row seating, with a 318. I remember sitting in the rear seat, going down the highway. If we stopped for a stop sign or turned, I would tell my Dad, 'floor it Dad' Lots of times he would and the noise coming out of the restrictive single exhaust was cool, like a jet I thought. He had trouble with the 64 getting carboned up with my Mon driving it all the time. The mechanic at the Plymouth/Chrysler garage told my Dad to take it out on the highway. That is exactly what he would do, and me and my brother were usually with him. He would nail it and let it rip up to 115 or 120. Then, we would turn on the truck route and bam, he would do it again. He liked to floor it. Then the next one he got was a 69 Chrysler Newport Custom. That was the best car he ever owned. I was 15 in 1969, so I eventually got to drive it. 383 2 barrel 290 horse if my memory serves me. Flooring it from a dead start in drive it wound up to 55 before it shifted to second, then 90 mph until it shifted into third. That torque flite tranny was way ahead of the other car makers, decades ahead. Then he bought a 71 Pontiac. 455 that got 10-12 miles highway, 6-8 in town.

[@ObsoleteAutomotive]

So what made him get a Pontiac??

[@randyvance9048]

When these first came out I thought that they were the ugliest thing on the road, but I've grown to love them. Empathy I guess. I'm glad you saved this one.

[@oliverw3646]

Awesome looking car. You have a superb Mopar collection

[@ObsoleteAutomotive]

Thanks!

[@frankrobinson5453]

I used to have this exact same car in the mid-80's as a teenager. It belonged to my great aunt (original owner) and was given to me after she and my great uncle passed. No one else in the family wanted it because it was so ugly. I always thought the joke was on my cousins for not seeing the excellence in this vehicle. Mine too had the big block 318 and let me tell you that engine was a beast. Top end would bury the 120 mph on the speedo and low-end power was just stupid crazy. By far, it was the most responsive, torquey (if that's a word) engine I ever operated. Just a few light taps on the gas pedal had the front end bouncing like the front wheels were ready to lift. One crazy feature was the foot pedal washer squirter. If you pushed hard enough, it would spray over the car and hit the guy behind you. I used to spray my buddies behind me at every redlight. Man, I loved and miss that car.

[@jamesbosworth4191]

The 318 was always a small block. You must have had the 361 Golden Commando engine.

[@frankrobinson5453]

@@jamesbosworth4191 James, you are probably correct, that's just what my dad and uncle said it was, but for sure it was the 318. Did a Google search and seems they are calling it the "wide block". Honestly, I'm not sure.

[@jamesbosworth4191]

@@frankrobinson5453 Yes, many people think that. The reason is because the valve covers are not canted inward the way they are on a small block Chevy or a Y block Ford, but are directly above the head, which makes the engine wider across the valve covers. Think Studebaker V8.

[@johnmccann3964]

Love that car. Congrats on getting it. The poly 318s were notorious for leaking exhaust manifold gaskets/cracked manifolds. You can get headers if need be 🙂

[@gasser66]

I dig this rig. Looks futuristic still in 2023 🚀👽Space - shippy - ish.

[@cjdesign5700]

Nice crisp "wacky" Space age style...love it...cool it has the Aero wheel...can be redone, or get a used one...not real cheap thiugh.

[@davidszakacs6888]

A neighbor loved Plymouths and he bought a new 61 like this one, except in white.

[@rickrice3221]

I once saw someone slit clear tubing, paint the inside with glitter, and slip it over the chrome steering wheel rim - could be a passable fix well short of a $1000 re-cast.

[@samhicks97]

Honestly this belvedere almost seems like a calling home, or Homage/throwback to the 1964 Dodge custom 880, very similar body lines. Love these Forward look cars that Virgil Exner conjured up for Chrysler/Dodge/Plymouth/Desoto, art pieces on wheels.

[@garycorbin2789]

Beautiful Beast ! And the Polysphere too boot !

[@todddenio3200]

It's funny when someone rides in a car like a 61 Plymouth for the first time and they realize how much more comfortable and smooth riding they are in comparison to new cars. New cars ride to stuff and the seats on new cars are stiff as boards

[@jamesbosworth4191]

I refuse to buy a modern car, partly for those reasons.

[@todddenio3200]

@@jamesbosworth4191 I am hoping to get my 63 Dodge back on the road this summer so I can put my winter beater away until next winter. I am on a fixed income and am disabled so it's not as easy for me to do as it is for others

[@davidpayton8336]

I had always thought that most auto manufacturers had not gone to alternators until 1965 model year. 😊👍Now I know Chrysler products were earlier. 🤷‍♂️

[@davidpancerev9658]

The first.

[@davidpancerev9658]

1961 intro of Ausco-lambert alternator.

[@bigblockjalopy]

They were standard on 1960 Valiants and optional for 60 Imperials

[@davidjustice5805]

Nice car

[@jamespn]

61 Plymouth is my favorite, like the body lines and the headlights and taillights. Like the pimpish steering wheel cover. I don’t see windshield washers either electric or foot pump.

[@chrisjeffries2322]

Gee if you were to install the rear Skrits and then the 2 Spinner Caps on the front wheels, I bet she would bring top dollar south of the border.

[@georgenicoloff]

Way cool 😎

[@davidpancerev9658]

Also first year for "Reduction" starter motor.

[@bigblockjalopy]

No, that was 62 and came with the 727 TF. This one is the cast Iron Torque Flite

[@bigblockjalopy]

Great car! It still has the trunk lip! Still! By all means, remove the trunk seal and paint the channel. The seal soaks water like a sponge and will make the lip rust for weeks after it got wet.

[@davidpancerev9658]

Better take care of the rust in trunk.. this was a corrosion -prone era. And check the k-frame..she runs good though.

[@DavidWilliams-ol3vp]

Given how bad these rusted,this one is in good shape all things considered

[@melmen2379]

Thats the SAME 61 Plymouth i came close so close to buying on FB marketplace. I had talked to the guy i was all set to get it but i changed my mind at the last minute cause i already have a 66 valiant that im trying to finish. Wow i see what i passed up. Wish i didn't now lol.

[@ObsoleteAutomotive]

It has since changed hands a few times after I sold it. Not sure where it ended up.

[@melmen2379]

@@ObsoleteAutomotive sure is a rare Gem

[@olikat8]

This era of Exner/Chrysler styling was my least favorite. Conversely, the Buick's & Lincoln's with the canted, stacked headlights are equally as "Unloved" by me. I am a huge fan of Elwood Engel & his clean, stylish rectilinear design theme. It's still cool & unusual, not a "Hater" per say

[@joshuakhaos4451]

Chrysler was making some very odd and questionable styling decisions from the early to mid 60s. Some were okay, but many were a disaster. I'm not surprised that they dont get a lot of love.

[@olikat8]

@@joshuakhaos4451agreed

[@jumpinjehoshaphat9075]

11:35 felt like you were hauling ass to be in an old car with dry rotted tires loose steering and questionable brakes. As an old codger once said to me, "you got more balls than me, boy! Hee hee". Crazy looking effer, no kidding: )

[@ObsoleteAutomotive]

Go big or go home!

[@sb61fury]

You can get the wheel recast I am not sure how much it will cost today

[@jamesbosworth4191]

Used to be think these were really ugly, but would gladly take one of these over any Japanese car.

[@martayking8694]

All in all this is a very cool automobile, but back in the day I preferred a 61 chevy

[@frankrobinson5453]

I gotta know, how much did you sell it for? please.

[@paulokronglis-qd6ld]

Need to get a steering wheel from quality restorations inc

[@davidevans3974]

I was at a gas station in Torba, Bodrum, SW Turkey in 2020 or 2021 and saw an identical model, 61, Plymouth..think it was a Belvedere, even the same colour, in excellent condition parked…is it that same car that’s been imported to the US from Turkey?

[@ObsoleteAutomotive]

I owned the car past those years so can’t be the same car.

[@petejohansen298]

Car 54, Where Are You?

[@sneakerfreak2002]

What kind of messes with my mind is that in say … 1991, that car was only 30 years old. That’s like a 1994 car today.

[@ObsoleteAutomotive]

Quite the change!

[@arthurmccarron4379]

Late. Father bought. 61 Plymouth. In. 69 or. 70. He. Bought. From Hicks auto. Less. Than. One. Hundred. Dollars no engine. Or. Trans they. Delivered. To our. Yard. We had. Single. Garage. Long stott Ty y. Short. He. Bought a. 55 Pontiac. Frame. Broke. Six. He. Made. His. Own. Motor. Mounts. Used. Fifty seven. Wagons. Drive. Shaft Dodge. From. Diff. Than. Front. Half. Pontiac. Had. It. Machined. Together. He. Drove. It. For. A couple. Years. Car. Was. Bought. New. For. A taxi. Til. Slant. Six. Wouldn’t. Start

[@gmc0422]

The 1961 designs in the entire Chrysler lineup were all somewhat weird. The Didges were probably about the weirdest.