We had a 1969 Plymouth Fury III when I was growing up and at that time I didn’t know about the whole fuselage-style thing, I just knew that I liked it, especially when my dad would jump on it and the rear wheels would break loose. That didn’t happen with our previous car, a 1956 Pontiac. This 1969 Dodge Polara project can be found on Craigslist with no asking price, they just say to “please only contact me with realistic offers.” It’s located somewhere in the southwest U.S. – there is no city given but it’s on the Mohave County, Arizona Craigslist and the owner gives a California phone number. Thanks to Curt K. for sending in this cool Dodge!
What a great looking car. Sure, it’s a project but it really looks solid and the owner has provided photos of all sides of it. Unfortunately, they didn’t provide any interior, engine, or underside photos at all so this is it, four exterior photos. But still, a solid looking two-door hardtop ’69 Dodge Polara with a 290 hp 383? Yes, please. Here is the seller’s entire listing: “2 door 1969 Dodge Polara complete car. clean title. Odometer reads 36035 miles, untouched 383 big block, untouched 727 torque flight trans, car cranks over, headlights, tail lights; brake lights work. The car was driven to my house in 2008. have know time, baby on the way and plenty of other projects. car needs tlc but i know the history on the car. im not lookin to get rich but do need the $$$$”.
I always joke about the ridiculous tv reality shows with their three-day deadlines to restore a car. This is one time where I can see it happening, the body on this fantastic fuselage looks great. In 1969, Dodge introduced these big, smooth, muscular, broad-shouldered (hey, that sounds like me! cough) cars and they were quite a modern departure from the sharp, angular previous generation models. Hagerty is at $5,900 for a #4 fair condition car just as a reference. I don’t know if this is even a fair condition car but a person has to start somewhere.
There are no engine photos and the seller mentions that this car has a 383 so I’m assuming that it’s the 2-barrel version which had a pavement-pounding 290 hp and 390 lb-ft of torque! I know, let’s have a moment of silence for the late-60s and early-70s. The 4-barrel version had 330 hp and there was also a 375 hp 440 V8 available. Have any of you owned a “fuselage” Chrysler product? What is this car worth?
What do u mean fuselage body?
Term describes the styling. I think of it most obvious in the sides, long, broad from rocker to beltline with little ornamentation ( either chrome or dintinguishing curves, creases, or angles). In many ways the sides look like the side or fuselage of a plane.
Engineer-marketing speak for curved panels. These Chizler car products carried the aircraft theme also touting more elbow room for passengers from bowed out panels.
Our ’56 Belle , while not as aerodynamic (more like aero-static), has curved panels but not the appearance.
The highway patrol divisions that had these beasts touted the durability, stability, and comfort required for the job at hand.
The front end of these pursuit machines in your rear view mirror said, ” mess with me not!”
The California highway patrol had these ’69’s, the pursuit car used a special 440 that could move a monster of a car like this to 60 in about 6 seconds, 14 second quarter mile ET’s and a top speed of over 140 miles an hour, which stood as the fastest patrol car for decades. What gets me are not the numbers themselves but the fact that a car this big could accomplish them. I think they had two lights in the back window instead of the big cherry on the roof, light bar came later and killed 20 miles an hour off the top end.
Don’t fool with the law, son!
It’s talking about the body/frame. The “Fuselage-Frame” is what they were talking about this year! Read the ad, someone placed in their comments further down the page!
Iv’e always heard the term “Fuselage body” come up when describing a 71-72 Satellite, Road Runner or 71-74 Charger. I remember seeing it on a sales ad or a commercial back in the day. I thought it referenced the flared wheel wells, but that wouldn’t make sense.
Top dog at the demo derby,,,
Nyet, Howard!
Top dog at the demo derby is a 70s Newport Custom with a Frenchman behind the wheel, and angle iron protruding from the front grill so as to puncture the radiators of competition that dares to get in the way!
true story
Bob
I had a ‘70 Polara sedan with a 318. I bought it from a friend in the mid-80s for $40. With a battery and some fresh tires it was ready to go. It was best on the highway at 70, smooth riding and quiet with a floaty feel. It was underbraked and the unibody was creaky with rust. This example looks like the rear bumper mounts have succumbed and the hood and trunk are sprung, but it looks like a good basis for a project car. You’ll need a big garage.
1500.00 tops
I love this body style.
You are right, $1,500 in this condition is about right, especially when you factor in the sellers location. However, I doubt he would go for that offer. His ad, hinting at 30,xxx miles and not willing to name an asking price, strongly strongly suggests he’s going to overvalue the car.
He probably, at some point, looked at the same Hagerty guide mentioned in this write up.
Steve R
I have a 67 Polara 4 door with a 318 everyday driver I got for 2500 lol rebuilt the rear end and tranny just to update her and keep her healthy lol
Talked with the seller, like 6 mos. ago,amazed it hasn’t sold. At first he was asking more than the car was worth,then came down to 2000. but by then I had bought a 66 4 spd. cutlass, and was no longer interested. Worth 1500.if you don’t have to $ to have it transported. The C body folks would appreciate. http://www.forcbodiesonly.com/mopar-forum/forums/c-body-mopars-for-sale.28/
I learned how to drive in my Dad’s ’69 Polara two door. It had the 290 hp 383 and I beat a ’69 Bonneville with a 455 out on Airport Road….
If had choice of any Dodge or Plmouth of this year I would choose old Wa. State Police vehicles with nothing less than 440 engine.
Not just for engines but for totality of police optioned.
Wider wheels, larger brakes and sway bars, upped ignitions, sway bars and shock absorbers, higher output alternators due to idle time,and yes they had 2 Dr models, seen some with vinyl buckets but most bench seats and East of WA and Oregon mtns heavy duty air
Less expensive interiors for sure.
In Wa. State they had Rainbow , different colored auto beside normal white.
Other responder dead on, lights not on top, rear window and grilles, top mounted lights knocked easy 20 mph off top end.
Not my cup of tea, but would make a dandy family auto, small .camper trailer, large fishing boat, or cross country with car hauler attached, to get that better auto to flip.
Scotty G., you should buy it for old-time’s sake! Sure, maybe $1500 if somebody is ambitious, and has lots of spare cash. Looks like the trunk and hood are sprung, and the tires are shot. It could be fun at a demolition derby! My brother & I were already into foreign cars by then. We called all such American iron “boats”, not airplanes.
What a barge. Never been a Mopar man, I saw my Dad jump starting the neighbors flooded Dodge on too many a cold winter morning when I was a kid. You could always tell a Mopar by the sound of the starter, plus it probably wasn’t starting. Leaky, creaky and squeaky but they were fast.
Fuselage
I’ll take that one please. Thanks for the Ad.