66 sport fury strangeness

[rd92west]

I've had this car for a while now.
A previous owner had it painted in early 90's. He told they left the side trim off on purpose. Said the car looked much better without it. My guess is they ruined the trim getting it off and left it off.
The hood ornament top was broken off in a parking lot so they mig welded the hole closed! They also migged the trim mounting holes.
So it's easy to find mig quills on the inside inner front fender and underside of the hood.
Ok, here is were things get strange. Regarding the 3 bars on the doors, the sport fury and commando callouts.
All the 66 SF pictures I find online have the "sport fury " in front of the tire, with the commando under it.
I can reach in from engine compartment and I cant find evidence of holes welded up. Actually I can see in as well on passenger side. I'd say that nothing has been changed.
Regarding the 3 bars, red white and blue, on the doors being on a angle vs straight up and down. I havnt had the urge to remove the inner panels to check for creative customizing. I highly doubt that they would have gone to the hassle to rearrange them.
I'd be curious to know any opinions on this. The car is canada built, fairly early production.

 

[Badvert65]

I had a 66 Sport Fury a while back and I can definitely say that the door trim was straight up and down, not angled. I kind of like the angled mounting, though.
I don't recall how the front fender emblems were arranged.

 

[CBODY67]

For a good comparison, you need a CANADIAN car to compare it to. There were some differences in some minor areas between USA-spec and Canadian-spec cars, by observation. Which can negate going to www.hamtramck-historical.com to use as a reference, I suspect, although you can see what's there for USA-spec cars. Click on "Library" and then click on the icons in the spreadsheet for your model year.

You can also find some road test reprints at www.wildaboutcarsonline.com.

Solid-mount hood ornaments were popular back then, but could be the "targets" for people to break off or injure pedestrians who might come in contact with them, which resulted in the break-away/spring-loaded ornaments which came later.

Enjoy!
CBODY67

 

[Jim 68cuda]

My guess is that the front fenders are off a non 66 Sport Fury model, or from a 1965 Plymouth. The Sport Fury emblems were behind the front wheel wells on the 65. Mounting the Sport Fury emblems where they are was likely to utilize one or more existing holes from a different model's emblems. Likewise, if the doors were from anything other than a 66 Sport Fury, mounting the three bars would involve drilling holes for all three. The position of those holes would have been entirely up to the person holding the drill.

 

[rkrochen]

Here is the proper orientation for a 66. The 65 spears were on the front fender.
If you don’t have the trim leave it alone. Almost impossible to find any trim for these cars.
I actually looked at a 66 and 65 today and both are probably parts cars only. The 66 has a lot of the trim and he will take offers on the car. The 65 is for sale also and was a big block 4spd but the engine and tranny are long gone. The good thing is it still has the pedal assembly in it.

 

[rkrochen]

Your also missing the little chrysler pentastar on the lower right fender only.

 

[rd92west]

Here is the proper orientation for a 66. The 65 spears were on the front fender.
If you don’t have the trim leave it alone. Almost impossible to find any trim for these cars.
I actually looked at a 66 and 65 today and both are probably parts cars only. The 66 has a lot of the trim and he will take offers on the car. The 65 is for sale also and was a big block 4spd but the engine and tranny are long gone. The good thing is it still has the pedal assembly in it.

View attachment 529920

View attachment 529921

It's anyones guess as to what took place with my car. The previous owner couldn't remember what all was done to the car in the early 90's.
I plan to install a hood ornament at some point., but have no intention of replacing the trim. That would lead to a paint job, which would lead to a restoration. Then I would have a car that I'd be scared to drive.

 

[CBODY67]

Investigate "collector car insurance" and "antique license plate" requirements. I understand being afraid of incidents, but they can happen in "fixed up" or "otherwise" conditions of the car. If they might happen in the "otherwise" condition, the body shop would have to "work them" in the re-paint process, anyway. So preventing them from happening, in the first place, can be operative. Just that you might not be quite so obsessive about them happening in the "otherwise" condition . . .

Drive the car and enjoy it. Do not be really concerned about the observed quirks. Many might not notice them anyway? If some might question them, just reply that it was that way when you got it, knowing they were not "factory". Plus that you might fix them, someday.

Enjoy!
CBODY67

 

[rd92west]

The rear view mirror was slightly loose, gave me a excuse to pull the door panel. The picture from inside the door is a little confusing but it shows the vertical holes welded full and the relocated mounting studs on a angle.
I'm wondering what kind of drugs were involved in the planning and implementing of the plan to do this custom modification.

 

[David Grippin]

My guess is that the original holes on the door were too rusty to hold which is why they moved the locations. The fenders are probably from a lower model Fury without the trim.

 

[rd92west]

My guess is that the original holes on the door were too rusty to hold which is why they moved the locations. The fenders are probably from a lower model Fury without the trim.

David, here's what I find, the original door holes are mig welded full. If the metal was so rusted and rotten that it wouldn't hold the mounting bolts and nuts it couldn't be welded. The inner doors are very solid. And the bottom metal is amazingly nice.
Regarding front fenders,

On the car I find numerous places were the red paint flaked off, showing the original yellow color.

On the wheel opening on boh front fenders I find stone chps and yellow paint showing thru.

I'm positive the changes to the trim on the doors was a custom deluxe modification done by custom deluxe guys when they painted the car.

Without removing the front fenders it's impossible to know for sure what's gone on with them. Definitely something bizarre took place

 

[Thad dude]

I've had this car for a while now.
A previous owner had it painted in early 90's. He told they left the side trim off on purpose. Said the car looked much better without it. My guess is they ruined the trim getting it off and left it off.
The hood ornament top was broken off in a parking lot so they mig welded the hole closed! They also migged the trim mounting holes.
So it's easy to find mig quills on the inside inner front fender and underside of the hood.
Ok, here is were things get strange. Regarding the 3 bars on the doors, the sport fury and commando callouts.
All the 66 SF pictures I find online have the "sport fury " in front of the tire, with the commando under it.
I can reach in from engine compartment and I cant find evidence of holes welded up. Actually I can see in as well on passenger side. I'd say that nothing has been changed.
Regarding the 3 bars, red white and blue, on the doors being on a angle vs straight up and down. I havnt had the urge to remove the inner panels to check for creative customizing. I highly doubt that they would have gone to the hassle to rearrange them.
I'd be curious to know any opinions on this. The car is canada built, fairly early production.

View attachment 529742

It's anyones guess as to what took place with my car. The previous owner couldn't remember what all was done to the car in the early 90's.
I plan to install a hood ornament at some point., but have no intention of replacing the trim. That would lead to a paint job, which would lead to a restoration. Then I would have a car that I'd be scared to drive.

 

[Thad dude]

Thanks for posting. I'm missing nearly all of the trim on my recently acquired 66 Fury III and was curious what it'd look like with the holes filled. I'm going to continue looking. I may have to dig into those barrels at the upcoming Fall Fling yet hopefully I'll get lucky thanks to you guys and this forum.

 

[rd92west]

I've ran across several 65 and 66 fury pictures with the trim delete.
I don't mind the look. But I'd rather have the proper trim in place.
Having said that I'm not on the hunt for trim for my 66.
I'm not on Facebook, but I stumbled across something like a"65 and 66 fury club" on Facebook I didn't need to log in to scroll thru. But likely need a fb account to get access to contact info.
There was no shortage of parts cars and parts for sale. Looked like reasonable prices as well.

 

[cbarge]

I've had this car for a while now.
A previous owner had it painted in early 90's. He told they left the side trim off on purpose. Said the car looked much better without it. My guess is they ruined the trim getting it off and left it off.
The hood ornament top was broken off in a parking lot so they mig welded the hole closed! They also migged the trim mounting holes.
So it's easy to find mig quills on the inside inner front fender and underside of the hood.
Ok, here is were things get strange. Regarding the 3 bars on the doors, the sport fury and commando callouts.
All the 66 SF pictures I find online have the "sport fury " in front of the tire, with the commando under it.
I can reach in from engine compartment and I cant find evidence of holes welded up. Actually I can see in as well on passenger side. I'd say that nothing has been changed.
Regarding the 3 bars, red white and blue, on the doors being on a angle vs straight up and down. I havnt had the urge to remove the inner panels to check for creative customizing. I highly doubt that they would have gone to the hassle to rearrange them.
I'd be curious to know any opinions on this. The car is canada built, fairly early production.

View attachment 529742

Seeing you and the car in person, I kinda like the spears at an angle...matches the angle of the front end and slope of the C pillar.
20 or 30 years ago there was a fad of "less is more" where they would "clean up the look" by removing any flashy trim.
But she was "just a car" at the time.
Remember the ugly vinyl body side rub strips on A/B/E cars? Yeah they were the first to go when getting repainted.

You got the car reliable so just keep driving it--even though she is a rare beast.
Any mechanical upgrades can be reversed since it is bolt on/bolt off stuff.
Saving the original parts ( air cleaner, trans,diff, etc.) wont hurt its value.
As you already know while going through the car, the body mods are a lot more involved.
So enjoy the car as the mods are now part of its history. If you ever sell let the next guy decide to put her back to factory original.
Cheers!

 

[rd92west]

e angle of the front end and slope of the C pillar.

20 or 30 years ago there was a fad of "less is more" where they would "clean up the look" by removing any flashy trim.
But she was "just a car"

You hit the nail squarely Leaburn
My car is a victim of the "clean up the look" craze.
The original hood ornament got broke off. So these less is more guys welded the hole closed . Wtf
I haven't ran across anyone yet who has pointed out that my trim is missing