As the story goes, it’s interesting how the full-sized cars of Plymouth and Dodge were downsized in 1962. A Chrysler honcho had overheard that Chevrolet was doing the big shrink, but the conversation was about the upcoming new Chevy II/Nova. So, the strategic miscue for a hasty do-over led to lower sales, and it wouldn’t be until 1965 that Chrysler would recover. This 1962 Plymouth Fury looks as nice as a brand-new car, perhaps because it only has 32,000 miles. Located in Claremont, California, and offered here on Facebook Marketplace by 1950s-1960s Americana expert Charles Phoenix, this stunning Mopar is priced at $39,000. Thanks, tipster T.J.!
The rush-rush development of the 1962 Plymouths and Dodges would be the undoing of the cars’ designer, Virgil Exner, who was the architect of Chrysler’s successful “Forward Look” machines of the late 1950s. The buying public didn’t like the styling of the new cars, and neither did Exner, who famously nicknamed them “plucked chickens.” While overall Plymouth sales were only down by 5% in 1962 (thanks to the compact Valiant), Fury sales took a 21% nosedive. For 1963, Elwood Engel was recruited away from Ford to lead the healing process (goodbye, Virgil).
I happened to see this car on Charles Phoenix’s website before the Facebook post. We’re told it’s a “survivor class” find, which suggests something like the white over coral paint has been redone. If so, it was well done and looks great, as does the Fury’s original and gently used interior. How a car can only travel 32,000 miles in 63 years is amazing, but that may be this Plymouth’s true claim to fame.
This is a nicely equipped Mopar, including a sweet 318 cubic inch V8, pushbutton automatic transmission, power steering and brakes (drums, no doubt), tinted glass, and a few lighter touches. Considering “plucked chickens” probably haven’t survived in the same numbers as ’62 Impalas (for example), could this early ‘60s Fury be one of the nicest ones left?
Where DO we begin……?
318 Rex ? 👍
Behold the glory….
I knoooooooww!!!!
…definitely get a Leave it to Beaver vibe when I see these.
Stan, I Iove ’em all….170, 225 318, 383, 413 etc etc.
Meeting Charles Phoenix is on my bucket list. My wife and I love the mid-century architecture and decor. We fell in love with California on our 3-week trip last summer through northern CA, it was truly an awesome trip.
Now we want to go to Palm Springs…our daughter (a successful social media influencer), goes to the Coachella festival, and she says Palm Springs is really cool, unlike the 62 Mopars!
Palm Springs is possibly the world’s greatest place for MCM homes, because so many of them are meticulously restored and maintained. On a semi-related note, my wife and saw one of Charles Phoenix’s infamous slideshows at Liberace’s former home in Vegas a while back (and we briefly met Charles).
Here I am in Sonoma, enjoying a glass of Pinot Grigio!
You hardly touched your food Rex. LOL Glass half empty or half full?
They only give you half a glass!
I’ve been to Sonoma twice, Rex, as well as Cottonwood and the whole area along I-17. Those rock sculptures are amazing, expecially just before sunrise or just after sunset, when the red really shows.
Fun to watch a lot of old western films with Sonoma in the picture.
This Plymouth is amazing! I love the colors in & out. The 318 is enough for me. I’m a fan (no pun intended) of a/c, but I don’t know if I would take a chance on ruining the interior look with adding it in, unless it was an underdash unit from Old Air with that vintage look.
I am fairly certain Rex is in Sonoma, CA, not on I-17 in AZ. Both are beautiful!
Methinks that you may be confusing Sedona and Sonoma. Different towns, different states.
To old Rodder, you’re right. I was thinking of Sedona. 🙄
Love the shirt Rex!!! That sounds like a great time you had.
💯 🥂 Rex 👍
Not my favorite year, but looks like a brand new car, and maybe it’s the color, but I like it. I hope it finds a good home.
I like it. In fact, I like it a lot. Not 39 large lot but enough to keep my eyes open for something near and less dear
That’s the best 62 Fury I have EVER seen! Looks like it came from a show room. I wish it had the 413 dual quads pushing way over 400hp. Those cars kick butt at the strip and every were else!! It’s hard to put a price on this ride. The mileage being so low it must of been put away in a very safe place! I hope the next care taker keeps it this way. Bring it to top flight shows for points. I say it would win! I would love to take it for a spin. Good luck to the next owner. 🇺🇸🐻
The design of this car without all the trim and great looking interior is a larger version of early Valiant I drove a few times when my aunt had a used one. it’s a blast watching charles phoenix demo this fury. master of parody.
It is crazy to think think this is downsized especially looking at what is on the market today
Not sure how they got plucked chicken for the look. I like it compared to what Dodge was doing next door. I can even see hints of the Thunderbird so it makes sense Exner was hired by Ford. That taupe? color hints at what was to come in the 2000’s. Agree this needs more muscle.
Actually it was Chrysler who poached Elwood Engle from Ford. Exner stayed on as a consultant after his early retirement (firing).
These look so much better than the car from 60 or 61 especially with that garish medallion on the fin. 🤮 Count me in that this is a great looking hardtop that would be a fine driver.
The white ’63 Plymouth Fury my aunt purchased new looked great, even though it was a 4 door sedan. The styling on this ’62 Plymouth is ‘challenging’, but because it’s a mint 2 door hardtop, and comes in a great color combination you won’t find a better one IMHO.
In 1969 a friend acquired a worn out a ‘62 two door that he planned on installing a 392 Hemi in which he had also had ready to go. Unfortunately Uncle Sam made him an offer he couldn’t refuse. He had his Dad sell his project while he was in the USMC. A lot of these “plucked chickens” ended up being very competitive in drag racing. I would proudly drive this every chance I got. Only two problems: price and location. Anyway, GLWTS.
Why the low mileage? No A/C in Southern California! Who wants to drive in the heat and smog with the windows up? My Dad had a ’62 Plymouth 4 door sedan ex highway patrol car. He thought it had a 361 and was really surprised by the power. Over time it needed a valve job and found out that someone had replaced the 361 with a 383! That car would pass anything but a gas station. I was too young to drive it on the highway. But it worked well for me to transport the garbage cans down to the highway and back. (House to highway was 1tenth of a mile. ) This is the first 1962 2 door that I have ever remembered seeing.
I like it.
Every time I see a listing for early 60’s Mopar, I am reminded of my first car, ’64 Plymouth Belvedere. I love looking at the photos of the dash with the push button transmission controls. Nostalgic!
Charles is a national treasure. He gets the best originals somehow.
In 1962 I purchased a new 1962 Fury convertible, 318, automatic, red, red inside, with a white top. It was late in 62 so I could not order one with a larger engine so I had to settle for the only convertible the dealer had. I drove it off the lot for $2800, much less than the price of the subject car in this post. Those cars were light and the 318 with 230 HP moved it very well. My car was equipped like this one, with ps/pb/radio/ and heater. Fury’s like this are rare now so the ask on this one might not be out of line considering the low mileage and condition. I hope the buyer will appreciate it, use it carefully, and keep it up well.
This one doesn’t have a heater, either; it’s got the delete plate at the firewall.
I could see adding Vintage Air, it can be removed later.
Absolutely beautiful car, GLWTS!
No heat OR A/C, but tinted glass. No creature comforts. No wonder it was not driven much. I sold a new work truck to a customer that the option list said A/C, but was not equipped with A/C in December. Come April, the customer inquired about his A/C. The factory credited the customer $2,000 AND paid for an aftermarket A/C to be installed. (This was a good customer who averaged 2 vehicles purchased a year for his company.) He drove that truck for almost 300,000 miles before he bought a other new one for himself. I also had a customer looking for a newish cargo van. (GM G series) and I found an ex-rental unit that was 2 years, less than 20,000 miles old and very cheap. It had been ordered for a customer in Canada and had been diverted to SoCal. So, little miles rented. And yes he bought it and has been using it for over 10 years now.
It did have a heater. You can see the heater hoses in the engine picture.
I see them now going down the left bank of the engine. I get so used to seeing them on the right side of the engine bay, I missed them. Thanks for the correction Russell!