NOT MINE 1968 Plymouth Fury I 4dr 383 4bbl Commando

[patrick66]

Since it's not closed yet, I'll say "killer buy!" and I'd be very interested in any backstory on the bullet holes! You (or someone) could make this a great "Vanishing Point" pursuit car with little effort.

I agree with the sentiments about the air cleaner...WTF???

SPD right after Christmas. Merry Christmas!

 

[commando1]

The butched air cleaner just adds more to the car's overall mystique.
I don't know why I am drawn to this car. I shouldn't be but I am.

 

[amazinblue82]

cannot save the original paint, needs serious interior work, some metal replacement

couple my guys are after me to do the metal work/color match the faded paint, and leave the rest of the patina as the car is still wearing original paint.

I tend NOT to do that (but cool with whatever choices other folks make on that for their sleds).

you can see primer through paint and even where the paint is gone. we are leaving the bullet holes no matter what (adds "panache" to its PK41 heritage, but again don't know when somebody clearly shot at the car), but there are some dings/dents of unknown vintage we will fix.

will put back the spotlight, but there is no external evidence it ever had a fixed roof light/nor witness marks of a roof bar light set up. there are holes in the package tray so coulda had lights there. there are screw holes in the dash/'hump" too .. perhaps electronics.

As this particular thread winds down, any views on "patina or not" for this one? --- because plan is next time we see it it'll be driver-quality single stage white enamel all over.

 

[haywire 440]

Superb story about special Chrysler products with in-depth analytics. From the turn down dual exhaust, to the eventual networking of a completed sale. This site is entertaining and thanks for sharing.
Paint is only original once.

 

[amazinblue82]

i am the new owner of this car so we can close this thread. It will not get any work until next year and i will post pics when i am done sometime in 2022.

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Quick story .. seller was nice fella but no electronic means to transact business, difficult to reach with time zone/work schedules ... so the whole long distance thing was not working.

detmatt dealt with a FCBO member in New Mexico, who in turn knew ANOTHER guy (non -member) physically closer to the seller than the member was.

I contacted the member detmatt knew who connected me with the non-member. bada boom, bada bing .. the non member was a SUPER guy and now its in my building awaiting a gentle resto.

I am not gonna talk about what i paid, etc, with respect, so please dont ask. deal got done, so ya gotta assume everybody was happy in the end

it is a genuine New Mexico Statie (broadcast sheet orignal owner shows thiis).

beyond that nothing is known of its duty service or ownership history since it was retired (unknown date, but gotta assume 50+ years ago).

cannot save the original paint, needs serious interior work, some metal replacement .. Super Commando 383 strong as can be/dont smoke a bit. looks that have (except for replaceables) all the hard parts it was born with. it'll get a new home in few years.

moral of this story? naw, its not the cool old statie I got.

people here get criticized a lot for being "whatever" somebody doesn't like. I stay outta those discussions and actually really hate to see stuff devolve in personal attacks -- just agree to disagree and get back to talkin' 'bout cars.

BUT I digress - my point: the overwhelming majority here are honorable, reasonable folks that will help, however, if you ask them. there's MANY more stories like folks doing cool stuff for each othre, rather than the fights that get picked over minor item (IMHO)

even a "stranger" (i.e., new people here) with a reasonable request may get a helping hand from somebody here -- from simple advice to transaction help.

IMHO, thats how the hobby and this site outta work - and does actually -- most of the time.

update.

seller called my "good samaritan" and informed him that the original broadcast sheet was located. my buddy promptly sent it to me.

car was self-evidencing as "real", but this proves is was "born real" "H" code engine, "D" code (Belvidere build), axle code is "4" (i think thats 3.23 open -- eyeballin'/countin the rotations seems to confirm that)

had it a few months. Got it running off its tank, tuned/compresion checked it/rebuilt carb .. she's strong as an ox. Brakes are soft (so NO road testing for giddyup), interior fabric delivered, car put away for the winter.

be back in the spring/summer next year with an update/new thread.

 

[fury fan]

Glad to see you got this car!

IMO - leave hte paint as-is, it'll never be original again.
You can always paint it later, but you likely won't need to, as it'll not be exposed to the elements and it'll survive another 50 years.
Polish the brawn back into the running gear, perk the interior, and let it wear the paintfade with pride.

Awesome pic. 50-year-old cars in a 50-year-old building. (except for the black-silver Ferrari )

 

[SGT FURY]

Not to overturn any apple carts here.
I seem to remember a old sensitive thread here about a law enforcement officer being shot behind the wheel of a white 68 Plymouth. There was a story with crime seen photos with bloodstained door panels.
Not trying to be grim or disrespectful,but perhaps it’s the same car? Does anybody else remember that thread? Not sure how to search for it?

 

[SGT FURY]

I found it. It was a 67 2dr post. Please disregard my previous post.

 

[amazinblue82]

its cool SGT FURY. I know that picture. grim reminder of what these chariots and their valiant drivers went through (e.g., Newhall, Valencia, CA, CHP, 1970 -- really sad story but led to changes in law enforcement techniques worldwide))

anyway, others have said it, and I have said it here too.

part of why I collect "real" police cars is, not ONLY what they inherently were/are in the era (mechanical :bada**es when they entered the "special order" era .. 100 mph all day long, enough fluid capacity for TWO cars, big-a** brakes), really brave, underpaid many times, men/women protected and served in them.

yeah, all of them gave some, some of them gave all. I aint a cop, never been one .. doesnt stop me from respecting what they do/did by trying to hang on to some of their cars.

i have many times found the officers that drove some of my cars when in service. a couple were brought to tears .. sometimes by tragic events/calls there were on, but mostly they had that car when their kids were born, or they married the love of their life -- happy things that made them smile to the point of tears.

My shot up 68's story could be the 'right stuff", or some desert target practice by a drunk guy shootin' at his old cop car decades after it left service. Just adds to this car's history either way.

 

[SIPLOWGUY]

I know I'm a bit late in reply but curious if it originally came with the "Police" wheels. I notice this car does not have them like the 2 door 68 Fury I.

 

[amazinblue82]

it had dog dishes correct for the year tht pressure fit over the outside of the hub area ... as opposed to the "baby moon", that fit (clipped onto tangs that were attached near bolt holes) like this set below.

i do need a set of the 15 in wheels though with the mounting clips .. they dont come up that often. The one in the Texas hoard had a few months back had them.

 

[SIPLOWGUY]

Yes, that's the Police/Taxi wheel and hub cap.

 

[amazinblue82]

I am pretty sure you could get the "regular" dog-dish cap that pressure- fits the "ears" on O.D of the hub circle, as well as the "clip on" on the I.D. of the hub.

Lotsa '67-'68 police/civi cars (B's and C;s, maybe others) had those caps (they were painted black around the plymouth emblem tho)

FOR SALE - 67-68 Plymouth Poverty Caps

 

[SIPLOWGUY]

My agency seemed to alternate use of the Police wheel from 60-68. I guess it was dependent on who wrote the spec and who bided on the contract.

 

[amazinblue82]

My agency seemed to alternate use of the Police wheel from 60-68. I guess it was dependent on who wrote the spec and who bided on the contract.

yep - i don't doubt that at all. somebody told me once it depended on the brakes ordered .. I dunno either way.

i do believe the "baby moons' with the clips, and the wheels that use them from the factory, are hard to find nowadays.

 

[SIPLOWGUY]

yep - i don't doubt that at all. somebody told me once it depended on the brakes ordered .. I dunno either way.

i do believe the "baby moons' with the clips, and the wheels that use them, are hard to find nowadays.

I think the disc brake cars used that wheel even if it wasn't a package car. Those wheels are 15" and Chrysler didn't offer 15" wheels with the "bumps" to hold the hub caps until 1969. We didn't use disc brakes until 1973. There were variations depending on the year. Seems Chrysler offered the Police/Taxi wheel from 60-68.

SIZE		YEARS		PART NUMBER
15 X 5.5		60-61		2122453
15 X 5.5		62-63		1856808
15 X 6		63-65		2200928
15 X 6		66		2781585
15 X 6		67-68		2823863
		60	HUB CAP	1948163
		61-68	HUB CAP	1943733
		60-68	CLIP	1316017

 

[amazinblue82]

my 1967 300 still had its factory wheels, 15 in, and it is factory disc brake car. Example below .. i gotta see if i can find the PN on it. Thanks!

 

[68PK21 440.6bbl]

Ah the old 60's hubcap debate crops up again... My first 1968 Plymouth Fury I PK21 purchased in the fall of 1970 had the 'Baby Moon' clip on hubcaps with 15" wheels with the Budd disc brake option.
I was the 3rd owner and I bought it from a fellow (BIG MOPAR FAMILY) that got it from a police auction. I've come to the final over the years conclusion that (via the original factory color) that it was a Maine State police car and not a Rhode Island state police car as originally told.

My second 1968 Plymouth Fury I PK21 car purchased in the fall of 1972(?) had the 'bumps' wheels no-clip style emblem hubcaps, same Budd Disc brake option with 15" wheels. Again, I was 3rd owner, or maybe 4th as it was the father selling his son's car as he was back in Maryland, but I received a Maryland Title in the son's name. This was a 440-pursuit unmarked car vs my 1st one which was a 383 that had the 440 6bbl transplant in it when I purchased it. The car was never badged or repainted and verified via previous owner and an old Maryland State Police certified speedometer calibration certificate left in the glove box.

I've come to the conclusion after many years of exhaustive 'net research (LOL) that the 'Baby Moon' clip-on caps were just a earlier year production overrun <change my mind>


.

 

[Johnnee D.]

what a sweet car! congratulations on the purchase and keep us posted on progress!

 

[amazinblue82]

Ah the old 60's hubcap debate crops up again... My first 1968 Plymouth Fury I PK21 purchased in the fall of 1970 had the 'Baby Moon' clip on hubcaps with 15" wheels with the Budd disc brake option.
I was the 3rd owner and I bought it from a fellow (BIG MOPAR FAMILY) that got it from a police auction. I've come to the final over the years conclusion that (via the original factory color) that it was a Maine State police car and not a Rhode Island state police car as originally told.

My second 1968 Plymouth Fury I PK21 car purchased in the fall of 1972(?) had the 'bumps' wheels no-clip style emblem hubcaps, same Budd Disc brake option with 15" wheels. Again, I was 3rd owner, or maybe 4th as it was the father selling his son's car as he was back in Maryland, but I received a Maryland Title in the son's name. This was a 440-pursuit unmarked car vs my 1st one which was a 383 that had the 440 6bbl transplant in it when I purchased it. The car was never badged or repainted and verified via previous owner and an old Maryland State Police certified speedometer calibration certificate left in the glove box.

I've come to the conclusion after many years of exhaustive 'net research (LOL) that the 'Baby Moon' clip-on caps were just a earlier year production overrun <change my mind>


.

Yes, I have seen the "debate" here but I have been ill-equipped to participate with anything authoritative from the factory. All I could tell was stories of what I had seen.

@SIPLOWGUY produced some part numbers for the 15" wheels with clips going back to 1960 -- i never knew any of that.

i have owned 4 (including this one) '65-'68 PK (with paperwork) Furys, three had clips and this last one was the only one with "ears" and hubcaps .. but it does have disc brakes and 15 inch wheels.

I do NOT know the vintage of wheels on this last car as I don't have its ownership pedigree since NM retired it sometime in the distant past. ''

Still ... it very welll as a disc brake car, as @SIPLOWGUY notes, had 15 in wheels w/clips in 1968, OR 14 inch wheels with "ears", from the fleet order for it. I dont know.

Perhaps, now that I have the broadcast sheet, and IF somtbody can tell me what to look for, I can determine how it was ordered.

I like "poverty caps" on the mopar squads -- "baby moons" or "regular. They seemed to "mean business" on police cars.

Do admit a slight preference for the clip-ons for slabbie squads as that's all i ever recall they had when they were in service.

I am sure they (clip-on caps as well as "regular" ones) were on taxis too .. taxies never got my attention back then.