Looking appropriately dusty for a car that has been stored for an unknown number of years, this 1985 Plymouth Gran Fury looks like a jewel in the rough. The seller has it posted here on craigslist in Ripon, Wisconsin and they’re asking… wait, what? $600? I’ll be right back. Ok, this car is no longer for sale… Just kidding but if we weren’t just going into 4-5 months of winter I’d be all over this one. Thanks to Pat L. for almost getting me in trouble, again.
This car has $6,000 worth of YouTube income written all over it, maybe $60,000. If you haven’t watched any videos of detailers going through a car that has been in storage for years, you don’t know what you’re missing. They’re incredibly addicting and I would love to clean this car inside and out, I bet that it would look almost like new again.
I have always liked the law enforcement look of the Gran Fury, only being available in a four-door sedan body style here in the US. As if Canadians weren’t lucky enough, they got a two-door body style in the M-body Caravelle. Those beautiful arching rear quarter panels are similar to the ones on the two-door Chrysler LeBaron. I’ve always wondered what a non-arched quarter panel two-door might have looked like… I like it if I do say so myself. If Broderick Crawford would have been still doing Highway Patrol in 1985, he would have wanted that square two-door Gran Fury.
This is a third-generation M-body Plymouth Gran Fury and they were made from 1982 to 1989 in the US and were available in Canada as the Caravelle dating back to 1978. You may remember that Chrysler brought back the Caravelle name for the front-drive K-cars in two-door form or E-body for the four-door Caravelles. Back to this hidden gem. The interior has at least one issue shown in this photo and it really should be taken apart, or at least the seats and carpet should come out and be deep cleaned. The seller mentions that rust isn’t a real issue and I don’t see any rust in the photos. Being parked on a dirt floor for who knows how long is never a good idea though, I’d want to see the underside.
The engine is a Chrysler 318 cubic-inch V8 which would have had 140 horsepower although there was a police version that had 175 hp. This one hasn’t run in who knows how long but as long as it isn’t seized up, most Barn Finds readers could probably have it going again in no time. Any thoughts on this one? The $600 asking price is certainly enticing.
I like it, too bad it’s in Wisconsin though
Someone will part it out for that price.
I had this vehicle’s doppelganger, but it was a Diplomat not a Fury. I paid $500 for it in the early ’00’s. Same upholstery failure in the back. It was a lot of fun “re-learning” how to handle a RWD, open diff-automatic in the snow again. When I bought mine, the body/finish looked just like what I imagine this one would once cleaned – But never got any worse. These are rock-sold mechanically, mine ran like a Swiss watch. Rot did get into the under-carriage – WI and a dirt floor – The author is wise here to point to checking the under-body thoroughly. These are great cars! If I was “up the street” from it; I’d start at $500, and chance it on $600 for this mighty Plymouth.
Scotty, the Diplomat/Gran Fury debuted in ’81.
Boatman, I normally say “.. for model years…” and you caught me this time. The first official model year was 1982 but they were in production in late-1981. Thanks for the clarification, I won’t make that mistake again.
Scotty, I owned an ’81 Diplomat.
This style was introduced in 1980 Dodge Diplomat and Chrysler LeBaron. In 1982 The Chrysler LeBaron went to the K-car platform. Dodge Diplomat; Chrysler New Yorker Fifth Avenue; Plymouth Gran Fury all in 1982.
Diplomat/ Schmiplomat, LeBaron Schmabaron,’80/ ’81. Whatever! The takeaway on these cars is that 1) they really didn’t have much rust trouble, 2) You were 100% assured that you’d get a good motor (slant-six or 318 CID), 3) (this is a new category) as mentioned previously, I think Broderick Crawford WOULD have driven these cars had he still been in law enforcement in the early ’80’s, 4) they had nice looking headlights and the previously mentioned fenders and 5) They had actual hood ornaments!
Looks like the GF didn’t change until ’82, so we’re both right. sort of. Okay you’re right.
Ha! You’re starting to sound like me, Boatman, debating things by yourself. No worries, you were right in that they most likely began production in 1981 on the GF.
I’d love to see someone slip in a police spec 440, a beefed up
727 Torque flight tranny, and watch the fun begin! I’ve often
wondered what these things would be like with a really HUGE
engine under the hood. Talk about a sleeper! Bet she’d do at
least 160 MPH for sure! Always wanted one. But in this case,
shipping it from Wisconsin to Florida would no doubt be very
expensive. One good thing though, I could stop by and see
Mike and his family while getting the car ready.
“One Adam 12, one Adam 12…”
eh… boring…
If I had the money. I,d go their. Get brakes,tires .all the fuel system straighened out. Flush the motor out and drive it back home. This car is reasonable priced and a person could put some money in it and have a nice dependable car. About time somethings is reasonable on hear. I hope it catches on.
A friend of mine bought one of these in cop car form from the county motor pool auction. He got stopped on the way home from the sale by a local deputy (no plates), who went through the drill of “license, registration and insurance please”. Dave told him where he’d gotten it and the deputy stepped back, looked it over and said “Holy c—p! This is my old unit!” then told him the life story of his car. The last thing he did before left though was have Dave open the hood and flipped the air cleaner top upside down-“this used to P O the mechanic every time it went in for service” he said with a laugh and left.
“Listing deleted by author”.
These were some of the biggest turds on the road, in an era when most American cars were nothing but a huge pile of dung. Wouldn’t waste a drop of turd polish on these.
How many have you owned, Patrick?
That’s what I thought.
In 1985 most cars were nothing to write home about, not just American cars. Most were just boring transportation, although I guess in reality, that’s what they’re supposed to be
My uncle was a sheriff and drove an ’88 Diplomat. He drove many other cars in his career and said this was the biggest POS he ever drove. That’s good enough for me.
Hmmm. I had three of them. they were great cars. very durable and dependable, and I’ve had 100’s of cars.
One person doesn’t like one car & that car is the armpit of automotive history lol. Hmm, lighten up dude!
I have professionally detailed cars since 1978. That front seat would not cone clean without an extractor. The paint was garbage on these when new. The best was to restore that paint is foam cannon to get off the filth. Then clay bar. Then buff with a polish to rejuvenate the paint and get the natural oils back. Do not compound first. It would scour what is left of crappy Chrysler enamel. These were a turd new and still are.
I don’t remember the paint on these cars being an issue
Its just another generic comment from a Mopar hater .
Great combo the 318 + 3spd torqflite
More like a brick in the rough. Cheap enough if it’s your thing. Basically a “It’ll run as long as you can stand to drive it” car.
Its just another generic comment from a Mopar hater .
Had a 1988 Gran Fury that was a company car the company that I worked for was using these as fleet cars for repairing commercial laundry equipment loved that 88 Gran Fury had lots of room in the trunk for tools and parts was a great car