1 of 79 Hemi/4-Speed: 1966 Plymouth Belvedere I

By the mid-sixties, the Plymouth Belvedere had secured a stable position in Plymouth’s lineup as a successful intermediate, and while there wasn’t much new to report in the overall styling of the ’66 model, big news awaited a small number of buyers who were seeking an extraordinary level of performance.  Though the racing version had already been around for a couple of years, the 426 street Hemi made its debut this year, with this 1966 Plymouth Belvedere I here on Facebook Marketplace being one of the lucky recipients that left the factory with the iconic elephant engine under the hood.  This one is in Rochester, New York, with the owner looking for around $100,000 to let this beautiful beast go.  T.J., this is a great find, and thank you for sending in the tip here!

This is one of those scenarios where the owner’s friend is acting as the go-between for him and the buyer.  Most of the information provided is helpful, but it’s a bit general, and there are no details given about the car’s history and why it still looks so sweet 60 years later.  This Mopar is described as a rare, original car and is said to be very solid and complete.  However, it’s not confirmed whether the paint is still the factory coat or if the exterior has been resprayed, and we don’t get to see the passenger side or rear section in any of the photos.  The one close-up shot from the outside is of the driver’s fender, and hopefully, this area is indicative of how the rest of the metal looks, as this region appears straight and strong.

As for rarity combined with desirability, this one’s off the charts, as Plymouth built only 79 base Belvedere I cars with the 426 Hemi and 4-speed manual combo in 1966.  The details about the mechanics are also limited, with the ad stating only that this is an original factory Hemi 4-speed car with low miles.  Regarding the latter, no number is posted, but a photo of the odometer shows 22,067, so if that’s accurate, it probably indicates that this car was either driven very sparingly on the streets over the past six decades, or they were put on there 1/4 at a time.

Besides the speedometer/odometer picture, this is the only other interior photo, but it’s enough to get one’s hopes up that the rest will be in similar condition.  If the visible components in here are indeed original, it’s also a promising clue that the miles may indeed be actual, as the dash isn’t showing the kind of wear I’d expect if the numbers were on their second trip around.  I’m thinking there’s just enough information here to make potential buyers want to learn more, and if everything checks out, this 1966 Plymouth Belvedere I might demand and get near the $100k ballpark figure the seller is seeking.  What do you think?