Before anyone gets on the anti-four door train, let’s think about the positives. First of all, there is more room for friends. This means that you can comfortably take a full car load when you go out cruising! Secondly, they can be had in good condition for less than a two door, so you’re initial investment is lower. Lastly, as far as the general public is concerned a cool old car is a cool old car, regardless of number of doors. This 1966 Plymouth Belvedere is a two-owner car in largely original condition and is being sold by the late owner’s grandson. Find it here on craigslist in Texas with an asking price of $2,000 or best offer. Thanks to Jerry K. for this cool find!
Under the hood is a 318, but it isn’t an LA, it’s a poly. “Poly 318s” get their name from the polyspherical shaped combustion chambers in the heads, and although they are the same displacement the LA and the poly 318 vary in many ways. According to the seller, this Belvedere does run but will not stay running. The The seller advises a carburetor rebuild, and that may not be a bad idea. Coupled with a standard tuneup, a carburetor rebuild could easily make this a good running car.
The seller claims that the interior of this Plymouth is all original from 1966, including the carpet. The story goes that his grandfather purchased this car in the 1970s from the lady across the street, who was apparently the original owner. From the ad, “Shampoo it with Woolite and it will be awesome.” Based on the photos of the seats and carpet, I do not doubt this to be the case as it seems this car was kept clean and cared for.
The worst of the car is the paint, likely faded due to Texas sun. The seller mentions this car was frequently kept covered, so if a tarp or car cover was used it is possible this damage is the result of sun fading combined with trapped moisture. The paint that is not faded looks like it would buff out nicely, and the seller states “The body is nice and straight. There is no rust.” Either a repaint or perhaps a painted top would have this car looking like the nice survivor it is! For someone looking to get into a classic car without spending half their yearly salary, this Belvedere could be the perfect ride.
There’s no market upside here but it’s a nice car with good driver potential. And there’s nothing wrong with 4 door sedans. They are a wonderful solution if you don’t want to pay hysterical convertible prices. So buy it.
Bingo! Four doors are great fun!
I turned my ’62 Dodge Dart station wagon from a 4 door into a 2 door hardtop station wagon with doors and quarter panels from a donor hardtop, easy build.
That is awesome!
Wow….great job!
I’ve owned just as many four doors as two doors and I’ve enjoyed all of them but I prefer four doors.
I guess when you’re driving it, it doesn’t matter how many doors. 4 doors are cool….but I’ll always feel that little twinge of disappointment when I see a cool car coming than see all those doors on it….but I’m trying to get past it.
Always happy to see an old 4 door and I’m glad Barn Finds doesn’t cater exclusively to the 2-door or nothing mentality.
It would make a great sleeper, leave the paint as-is, do what you want under the hood. So many options.
I have only owned 1 car in 50 years that was 2drs that did not have a B pillar and 2 others that weren’t a 4 door except for the PU’s. The 2 & 4dr sedans did not rattle and were structurally stronger than the hardtop cars. A plus also is the 4dr cars both sedan and hardtop the doors are shorted and easier to get in or exit esp in a parking lot. If I was buying high dollar trailer queen then it would be a 2dr hardtop for judging points but for a practical car to drive a 4dr sedan is at the top of my list. Of course this is just my personal opinion on what cars I would like to own. And unfortunately most cars designed in the 50’s-early 70’s were mostly designed to be 2dr hardtops and the 4dr both the sedan and hardtop and the station wagon versions were designed off the 2dr hardtops.
Same plan as the 67 Fury II. Put a good tune on it, make it handle real good, add a good stereo and maybe a real nice leather interior. Drive the heck out of it. The B Bodies are nice riding and handling, so it should be an easy task to make it better. I think 15″ chrome Magnums would be the perfect wheel for it.
That is a bargain – good looking car, whatever the configuration – and those sawtooths fly
Good looking car and loads of fun with those extra doors. I’ve got lots if freinds who drink lots of beer. This thing holds both!!:))
I forgot to mention in my earlier MoPar rants to check the bottom tank on the radiator for coolant leaks into the trans cooler circuit in MoPars of this vintage. With my former ‘Poly-anna’ attitude that these gems are worry proof, what could go wrong in the middle of the night, in the desert, far from town. Hey, the seller said “this car can be driven anywhere.”
An air-to-air trans cooler with a trans flush got us home. Tq-flights are tough. The 40 year statute of limitations ran out years ago.
We used to call these 318’s wide blocks. Doors don’t matter for fun factor. Great for cruising but always carry a spare ballast resistor!
An acquaintance has a 68 Plymouth 4 Dr with 440 and auto trans that he uses to trailer his circle tracker and his 56 Nomad to distant car shows, Hot August Nights.
You can get 6 people, 4 very comfortably with great stereo and air.
With streight as a whistle sheet metal and two tone black on black you still get those lookie loos who say””Too bad it’s a 4dr”and then they go climb into their Toyotas Hondas and SUVs..
Heck 4 could sleep in it. With two in trunk.
Be comfortable as to who you are and drive what the heck auto that fits your comfort zone.
Or, what fits your wallet. The Warbird Association has a mantra of “Keep ’em Flyin.” I wish that we would adopt a ‘keep ’em drivin’ slogan to help the new-to-the-hobby realize that All Cars Matter (sorry). Well, the Yugo is a dubious car in question.
The snobbery in aviation circles is still rampant. “Oh, you don’t fly a P-51?” P-51s are more common than weeds- so to speak. “Why are you driving a Corvair? You should get a Vette.” Like Chris Christie has said on occasion, “sit down, and SHADDAP!”
Oh my gosh this is a bargain! I like the idea of leaving the paint job as is and souping up the suspension and engine.
I had a 64 belvedere. 4 door but again nothing wrong with that. Some are just that anal.
Yeah yeah yeah nothing wrong with a fourdoor but you can’t beat the roof line of a twodoor hard top it’s just sexy
Nice winter beater!
Just made an offer.
Nearly the twin to the best car I owned. I like this a lot, and it’s a great price.
I have the poly 331 motor in my 56 Chrysler and she has 4 doors. I love it. Bruce.
Good looking car!
The 331 poly motor is easy to get to and work on.Bruce.
Didn’t Chief O’Hara and the rest of the Gotham City Police Force drive these around on the 1966 Batman television show?
Yep!
Good eye and great memory!
http://imcdb.org/vehicle_604840-Plymouth-Belvedere-1966.html
Yep! That’s it…The scene from Batman where the Gotham City cops surround “Ma Parker” aka Shelly Winters and her “kids” in a shack on the outscurts of town until Batman & Robin show up… Batman Season 2 Ep.9 Good job!
The good ol’perfect rat’s nest! Why do people do that to these old cars? It baffles the mind!
And in one episode The Penguin ran over one with a tank,almost sqwashing Chief O’Hara in the process as well.
Maybe this was the tank? Looks like a model:
http://imcdb.org/vehicle_605105-American-Car-and-Foundry-M3-A3–Stuart-.html
The Internet Movie Car Database website is full of these gems!
Every car from every episode of every show that you can think of, it’s crazy!
I’m working on a Satellite with 318 now.
My grandparents bought a 1967 Plymouth Belvedere 4 door, 318 with factory AC like this one, and had it for many years. It was an off-white color with black interior, and got an oil change every 1500 miles. They lived in the Bronx, and after it got stolen for the third time, they never saw it again.
My first car 1966 Belvedere station wagon 70s on the front G60 on the back Rally wheels 225 Slant six 3 speed in the floor air shocks the loudest 8-track tape player would carry at least eight of us did I forget to mention the air shocks used to call it the blue bus
There was a time when I wouldn’t have been caught dead in a car with four doors. Station wagons were even worse. When my parents went from buying true American iron 2 door hard tops to, oh my god a Honda. A 1979 Honda Accord 4 door of all things. Well, at least it was new, I guess. As time went by and the embarrassment subsided I began to like that Honda. Now this Honda, was not like most Hondas. This Honda loved to break down and often at that. I eventually began to start liking Hondas and Datsuns. After buying two Datsuns, I wanted to buy a Ford Thunderbird, an 83 to 86 model, but I was very concerned about reliability as far as American cars. I finally pulled the trigger and bought an 86 Tbird in 1988. Turned out to be super reliable justl like my 72 Montego, 72 Pinto, 80 Datsun 210 and 81 Datsun 200SX. Now I’ve made a 180 and all my cars are 4 door (including a Prius),and I have owned and loved my two Chrysler Town and Countrys, so much for hating station wagon, which I have grown to love as well.
My parents drove me to my grandmother’s house for “a surprise”. She made a phone call and off the four of us went, up the road to her neighbor’s. We walked out behind the barn and there sat a 1966 Plymouth Belvedere 4-door sedan (same light blue as the one in this article)!
$75 and a handshake later, and I had my high school graduation present.
Spent the summer cutting my teeth on a 225 slant six tune up, brake and body job and off to college I went! Got me started on years of Chrysler/Plymouth/Dodge ownership (following in Dad’s footsteps).
Good first car. Sorely tempted to snap this up for old time’s sake, but too far away from snowy PA.
Yep, replaced several in my ’66, that and with annual tune ups, she ran great.
If memory serves, one of these was used for filming ADAM-12’s pilot episode in 1967. Shop number 80789, it was also used in various episodes the first three seasons.
R.I.P. Martin Milner (09/15/2015)
Officer Peter D. Malloy E.O.W.
You would be absolutely correct. It was used as the star car in the first and only episode. I’ve always liked that car. My sister and her husband inherited one just like this when her husband’s mother died. She refused to ride in that car and made him sell it.