The Sport Fury S/23: how many survived?

You could get the Sport Fury with the coupe roofline and the formal roofline too, and every option under the sun too. The only thing that the S23 and Sport fury didn't get was the 440 engines. As for the 383 Commando designation that is the Plymouth moniker and Dodge used Magnum with Chrysler using TNT, the engines were the same. The S23 moniker was simply an option package for the Sport Fury to give it a somewhat sportier image over the standard Sport Fury, even though you could get the same options between them. Except for one thing and that is the 318 engine not being available in Sport Fury's.
 
Like Wolfen says, EVERY option under the sun... or none!
from flickeriver.png

This S/23 is the most stripped-down basic S/23 ever: a mere 318, manual brakes, bench seat, no air... but he went for the rallye road wheels?? This one said to be seen at the Mid-Atlantic Mopar Meet, Mason-Dixon Dragway, Boonsboro, MD, May 4, 2003.

Meanwhile, this S/23 below is nicely optioned with cruise control, power windows, power brakes, power steering, rear window defog, front wheel disc brakes I'm sure, bucket seats... but no console? Yeh its a column shift.
This is the one that Belonged to a member of the registry who had to sell it fast-it was sold to an unknown buyer in 2012 -fate unknown.
70furys23byjsartor_1.jpg
 
70GTbasketcase said:
Like Wolfen says, EVERY option under the sun... or none!
View attachment 92965
This S/23 is the most stripped-down basic S/23 ever: a mere 318, manual brakes, bench seat, no air... but he went for the rallye road wheels?? This one said to be seen at the Mid-Atlantic Mopar Meet, Mason-Dixon Dragway, Boonsboro, MD, May 4, 2003.

Meanwhile, this S/23 below is nicely optioned with cruise control, power windows, power brakes, power steering, rear window defog, front wheel disc brakes I'm sure, bucket seats... but no console? Yeh its a column shift.
This is the one that Belonged to a member of the registry who had to sell it fast-it was sold to an unknown buyer in 2012 -fate unknown.
View attachment 92966
Click to expand...
Cool, but what does S/23 mean? Rhetorical question...
 
Speaking of options...

I have seen 3 different vinyl roof types listed: one described as "boar" grain, one called "gator" grain (some guys say snake-skin) and the standard grain i think is called "levant". Somebody with the options book will set me straight I'm sure.

S/23 has the "power bumps" in the hood with the inset signal flashers just like GT, and it shared the same sure-grip rear, 727 torque-flite, and HD suspension as its GT brother. A 2.76 axel ratio was available as was a "3 speed" manual transmission with 318 and 383 2bbl... but why the heck would you want those if you're ordering a "sporty" car?? luckily 383 4bbl didn't permit choosing such options... just in case some rocket scientist nitwit was thinking they would split the difference between power and economy!

The S/23 came with the strobe stripe like the GT but while some "historical" background from several car sites talk about S/23 having hood accents too, the S/23 pictures i've seen do not appear to show the hood decal treatment like the GT. Have you seen one with hood decal accents on the power bumps?

I have also seen a difference in steering wheels. I don't know if that's a "factory" to "factory" variation or a standard feature, but S/23 has the cross piece type "rim blow" horn steering wheel whereas the GT has the 3 spoke sport steering wheel.
rimblow steering wheel.JPG


Like the GT, the S/23 also got the H70-15 Goodyear Polyglas tires and rallye road wheels. Just try and get your hands on GY H70-15 polyglas tires now pal...
 
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Then there are the little details... like the nifty dash panel clock (or the nice delete plate if your S/23 came from a cheapskate buyer) and an AM radio -or the AM-8track unit, with front only, or front and rear speakers with thumb-wheel fader. Hey, did you guys know there's a genuine factory installed 2-way crossover module wired into the speaker system? Wow, hi-fi performance for your 8-track player!

As for what S/23 actually means -as a member recently inquired- it means nothing... to you and me. like "Z28", which simply referred to GM trim options and style designer Zora A Duntov's style iteration #28, S/23 probably has a similar meaning borne out of something put together by the style and trim department at Chrysler... as in "Sport" style option #23 or "Sport" trim option 23. No deep meaning there boys, just a totally unimaginative designation slapped on the side for show.
....but i could be wrong.

S/23 was discontinued for 1971 leaving just a single production year with a total of 689 units. Of those, it appears that a mere 5% remain, of which we have a record of... given the scarcity of these cars compared to the frequency with which GT's come up i would guess that total survivors would be less than 6 to 7% of production -if that much.

Its one of the rarest production performance/muscle cars ever, totally ignored by collectors. and NONE made in black! (so far).
 
70GTbasketcase said:
Then there are the little details... like the nifty dash panel clock (or the nice delete plate if your S/23 came from a cheapskate buyer) and an AM radio -or the AM-8track unit, with front only, or front and rear speakers with thumb-wheel fader. Hey, did you guys know there's a genuine factory installed 2-way crossover module wired into the speaker system? Wow, hi-fi performance for your 8-track player!

As for what S/23 actually means -as a member recently inquired- it means nothing... to you and me. like "Z28", which simply referred to GM trim options and style designer Zora A Duntov's style iteration #28, S/23 probably has a similar meaning borne out of something put together by the style and trim department at Chrysler... as in "Sport" style option #23 or "Sport" trim option 23. No deep meaning there boys, just a totally unimaginative designation slapped on the side for show.
....but i could be wrong.

S/23 was discontinued for 1971 leaving just a single production year with a total of 689 units. Of those, it appears that a mere 5% remain, of which we have a record of... given the scarcity of these cars compared to the frequency with which GT's come up i would guess that total survivors would be less than 6 to 7% of production -if that much.

Its one of the rarest production performance/muscle cars ever, totally ignored by collectors. and NONE made in black! (so far).
Click to expand...
S/23 actually means something... Keep looking...

Also, to the best of my knowledge the S/23 didn't come with H70 15 RWL, only the GT's had them a standard equipment.
 
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70GTbasketcase said:
I'm afraid to ask Galen Govier... he'll call me an idiot and hang up on me and then I'll never get my new VIN plate!
Click to expand...

Galen doesn't know much about C-Bodies. Ask him,...he will tell you how much he doesn't know.

You should chat with "Billy Fury" one day.
 
70GTbasketcase said:
A 2.76 axel ratio was available as was a "3 speed" manual transmission with 318 and 383 2bbl... but why the heck would you want those if you're ordering a "sporty" car?? luckily 383 4bbl didn't permit choosing such options... just in case some rocket scientist nitwit was thinking they would split the difference between power and economy!
Click to expand...

Well I'd love to come across a Fusie with manual in good condition and certainly others felt the same at the time.

Reasons why 3 speeds/manual was offered:

One the 3 speed was cheaper than a 727 and two many people liked and still like manual transmissions
 
70GTbasketcase said:
As for what S/23 actually means -as a member recently inquired- it means nothing... to you and me. like "Z28", which simply referred to GM trim options and style designer Zora A Duntov's style iteration #28
Click to expand...

Z28 was a performance option, not a trim option.

" Z28 is the most famous Chevrolet RPO (regular production option) code ever. No other option code has become so synonymous with high performance. Other option codes have been used for well-known packages such as Z22 (Rally Sport) and Z27 (Super Sport), but the option names/descriptions became famous, not the RPO number.

RPO Z28 is known as the Special Performance Package, but no one uses that name. RPO Z28 was in effect from 1967 through 1974. There were no Z28s in 1975 and 1976. When the Z28 returned in 1977 it was as its own model, not an option package. The change to a separate model reinforced the power of the Z28 name.

The Z28 came about as a means of making the new 1967 Chevy Camaro competitive in the SCCA Trans-Am races, a road racing series that was rapidly gaining popularity among spectators and auto manufacturers. "
 
70GTbasketcase said:
Then there are the little details... like the nifty dash panel clock (or the nice delete plate if your S/23 came from a cheapskate buyer)
Click to expand...

You seem to be mixing in a lot of judgement and editorializing with your research findings here. There was never a "clock delete plate". The clock was a rather expensive option actually and many didn't opt for it for that reason and because most people knew that car clock's usually were only correct twice a day.
 
tallhair said:
You seem to be mixing in a lot of judgement and editorializing with your research findings here. There was never a "clock delete plate". The clock was a rather expensive option actually and many didn't opt for it for that reason and because most people knew that car clock's usually were only correct twice a day.
Click to expand...
You can't blame him for being enthusiastic.
 
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