426 Hemi/4-Speed: 1966 Plymouth Belvedere II

While 1966 didn’t bring anything particularly innovative to Plymouth’s intermediate-sized Belvedere in terms of styling compared to the previous year, it was indeed a very exciting period for performance, as that’s when the 426 Hemi first became available for public consumption.  The Belvedere was a popular offering during this time and was available in a variety of trim levels, but with the high price of choosing a street Hemi, few would-be buyers could justify the substantial extra cost the 426 added to the car’s bottom line.  Fortunately, the original owner of this 1966 Plymouth Belvedere II was one of those customers with deep enough pockets, and this B-Body still flaunts the original engine under the hood.  Located in Roxboro, North Carolina, this powerful Mopar is listed here on Hemmings, where the seller is asking $100,000.  Great find, Curvette, and thanks for sending in the tip here!

Some of the background information provided includes that this one was restored in the late nineties, and that many NOS parts were used during the process.  However, details start to fade from here, and it’s not reported what sort of body or undercarriage work was performed to get this Belvedere II into the solid condition it appears to be in now.  Considering it may be close to three decades since the restoration took place, this Plymouth seems to have held up nicely, so there’s probably no reason to think the work was anything other than top-notch.

Though the 426 eventually received a meaner-looking air cleaner, there’s something about the chrome round unit covering the pair of quads on the early cars that’s just magical in appearance, at least in my eyes.  Some really good news here is that the seller reports this is still the original engine in the compartment, and finding it attached to a 4-speed manual transmission will bring a smile to the face of just about any Mopar enthusiast.  Apparently, just 1,664 miles have been driven since the restoration was completed, so this one’s seen very limited use during the present century.

Flaws from the interior are few and far between, and I’ve always been a fan of Hemi cars that feature a bench seat!  The odometer currently reads 75,224 miles, and the seller believes it’s original as far as can be determined.  I think it’s a given that this one ticks all the right boxes, and the overall condition speaks for itself, with little to find fault with inside or out.  What I’m most curious about is seeing how long it will take to find a buyer in today’s marketplace at or near the seller’s asking price.  What are your thoughts on this 1966 Plymouth Belvedere II Hemi?