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1 of 7: 1966 Plymouth Belvedere 440 4-Speed Wagon

Wagons from the 1960s with giant motors are not highly unusual, as the wagon made a supreme tow vehicle for family vacations with travel trailers of various sizes. Thrifty-minded wagon owners would often choose the three-speed column-shifted manual transmission to save on initial cost and avoid the complexity of an automatic which, as today, many people considered a “black box” that could fail with minimal warning and require costly repairs. This 1966 Plymouth Belvedere II in Clyde, North Carolina left the factory with a 361 cid (5.9L) V8 and a four-speed floor-shifted manual, one of seven so-equipped. Today it packs an even more powerful 440 cid (7.2L) V8, still with the four-speed, for even more fun and sleeper potential. Though currently able to move around under its own power, it hasn’t been road-legal since 1993! Plan on going through everything for safety reasons, but that’s a better starting point than many of our feature cars. Offered here on eBay, the wagon invites you to Make Offer or simply click Buy It Now for $25,000.

This interesting wagon appeals to me in general, but also for two specific reasons. First, I learned to drive on a Plymouth wagon that my folks ordered with a 318 and a floor-shifted three-speed. I remember a stoplight showdown where the truck beside us took off like a shot, and just before shifting out of first my Step-Dad said “Watch me get him in second!” Secondly, my first older car purchase was a stable-mate to this Belvedere, a 1966 Dodge Coronet. Frankly this brown bomber is cooler than both of those Mopars from my past and I’d love to drive it.

They don’t call wagons “Long Roofs” for nothing! Between the commodious area inside and the giant roof with cargo rails, this wagon can carry some serious cargo. Vintage bumper stickers complete the survivor look. Deep dents on the right doors comprise the main negative from this view, but good news:  the sale includes four replacement doors! Other spare parts scavenged to preserve this Plymouth come with the sale too, all from the seller’s tenure with the car since 1992.

Here we see the car’s original Light Mauve, covered by brown on the exterior some years ago. The 440 looks right at home, though it would not have been available from the factory before 1967. The dual-circuit master cylinder likely replaced a single-pot original. A little hotter than stock, the mighty 440 sports a lumpy cam, sure to get the raised eyebrow or the knowing nod from motorheads in traffic.

First question at the dealership in those days:  “Will it take a 4×8 with the tailgate closed?” At 121″ x 45.3″ for this wagon, the answer is “Almost!” Despite the attraction of piling building supplies back here, you’ll be better off to strap a modest quantity onto the roof rack. In truth, though, most modern pickup trucks don’t even pass the 4 x 8 test these days in length, or even in width if you install one of those fancy bed liners. Aside from safety items I wouldn’t alter a thing on this car. What would you change on this rare and potent Plymouth?

Comments

  1. Avatar Rex Kahrs Member

    I think I could probably buy a ’66 or ’67 Charger for that kind of money.

    Like 16
    • Avatar Gus Fring

      …and you’d have the ugliest Mopar ever made, lol. This is waaaaay cooler.

      Like 23
      • Avatar piston poney

        since when are 66 and 67 chargers ugly?!?!?!?!?!

        Like 11
    • Avatar Arthell64

      If you like the looks of 66-67 chargers you could get a AMC marlin even cheaper.

      Like 21
      • Avatar Gus Fring

        …and he’s have $17,500 to spare, and a better looking car!

        Like 7
    • Avatar Billybo

      But that Charger is a column shift auto, the saddest of the gen1 Chargers…

      Like 0
  2. Avatar Scotty Gilbertson Staff

    Oh, baby… come on, Powerball! This is as cool as it gets in my world. Nice find and write-up, Todd!

    Like 23
  3. Avatar Snotty

    Cool!

    Like 10
  4. Avatar Tom MoPar

    Wow, wow, wow.
    I briefly owned a ’66 Belvedere II wagon (silver/black) that had running gear from a wrecked ’68 GTX (440-4speed) in it. It even had these same 15″ x 7″ wheels on it. Had a 3.54: 1 Dana 60, even.
    So much fun to chug around in and surprise the occasional person at the stop light. This really, really makes me wish I’d hung on to it awhile longer.
    Ultimate car camper that you can roll right out onto the drag strip with.

    Like 15
  5. Avatar Steve R

    This is really cool and unique. I’d rather have this than most real muscle cars. If it had less rust it would definitely be worth the asking price, but may not be too far off as it sits.

    Steve R

    Like 13
  6. Avatar mainlymuscle

    This is ridiculous …..in a very good way,but as Steve said the 4 speed doesn’t make up for the rust.

    Like 6
  7. Avatar ADM

    I had a teacher who special ordered a ’67 Caprice wagon, with a 4 speed, to go with a 283. “Took 3 months to get it.” We thought that was pretty cool.

    Like 8
  8. Avatar DavidH

    Add it to my wish list. If I could own it I wouldn’t change much. Just upgrade some of the worn interior as I enjoyed cruising it. 1 of 7. Barnfinds should track down the 7 who optioned the same car, host a cruise in for them and get their story.

    Like 9
  9. Avatar Michael V Henry

    I owned a 1971 Satellite station wagon that had a 383 4-bbl. and a 4 speed trans. It had the Hurst Pistol Grip shifter. Wish I still had that one. It was blue with the woodgrain Contact paper on the side panels.

    Like 2
  10. Avatar Jim

    Interesting and appealing car…..but not even close to worth the price they’re asking.

    Like 9
  11. Avatar Steve Clinton

    Buy It Now for $25,000.00? Thanks, in these trying times I needed a good laugh.

    Like 7
  12. Avatar K. R. V.

    The car I took my driving test in 1972, was a 68 Chrysler Town&Country Beach Wagon, my Dad had special ordered when the time came for him to trade his beloved 64 Imperial Crown Coupe in for! That wagon wasn’t a 4 speed, but he did order it with a honking 440/4 brl dual exhaust Commando engine, with HD 727, plus factory tow package came with a great 3:55 posi!! That wagon was fast! On more than one occasion I had the speedometer buried with the needle going past 120, all the way over to 9 o’clock on the clock!!

    Like 7
  13. Avatar Troy s

    I can say this, I’m glad they painted it brown….anything besides Light Mauve! That color is so…so, girly! Ha! Something Barbie doll would have loved.
    440 4speed in a station wagon like this, why not. It’s got character that’s for sure.

    Like 3
    • Avatar Phil D

      Somebody liked it well enough to dig a little deeper in their wallet fot it. Mauve Metallic was one of the few extra cost colors available on a ’66 Plymouth!

      Like 1
      • Avatar Troy s

        Interesting, Phil D, I’ve seen that color before just,,, hey I always say people should have what they want. I dont mind that color just not on cars. I’m a boring metallic blue kinda guy….or burgundy,,,I’d pay extra for those two colors I guess.

        Like 0
  14. Avatar James Martin

    Be original and buy this than a charger or a challenger. So many of them out there but not any these out there.

    Like 3
  15. Avatar Tom S.

    My very first car in 1973 or so was a hand-me-down ’66 Belvedere wagon. No muscle wagon, it had a 318 and AT. But I’d look at the front sheet metal and dream of a GTX.

    Like 0
  16. Avatar Robt

    Back in the 80’s I had the same wagon but a 67 that originally had a column shifted, 3spd backed 383 – v8 under the hood. A friend gave it to me free, all I had to do was drive up state and get it.
    Mine wagon had been taken the opposite direction though. The 8 had been swapped with a slant 6, as a gas saving measure, and the shifter moved to the floor.
    Granted not the best power combo but with the 3spd I was able to keep the 6 in its power band. Worked well on the streets of NYC back then. Great work car, great fun car. And free for this broke mid 20’s biker.

    Like 1
  17. Avatar Jeff

    Its back up again… less $$$
    https://www.ebay.com/itm/274588952912

    Like 0

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