I’m probably the only living human on the planet who would want to restore this car back to bone-stock spec, no wonder I don’t have any friends. I like the memories of an era but that’s just me. This 1967 Plymouth Fury III hardtop coupe is listed here on craigslist in Redondo Beach, California and the seller is asking $5,500. Thanks to MattR for sending in this tip!
I can see the attraction of adding more power, nicer wheels, aftermarket AC, etc., but I still like original-spec more than I like a restomod with an LS or Hemi under the hood. That being said, if there was ever a car that would look great slightly upgraded with modern components it’s this ’67 hardtop Fury III. Brian Birkner showed us a very cool and similar-looking ’67 Fury but with two extra doors and a 4-speed floor shifter a few years ago here on Barn Finds. That’s a modification I can live with, a classic sleeper. Ok, I’m starting to like the slight-modification thing.
Some folks thought that this body style was somewhat outdated at the time but I think it’s crisp and clean, I really like this notchback roof. Kudos to the seller for loading up the listing with two dozen photos, but a lot of them are partial photos. At least we get to see bits and pieces and can mentally put them together and when we do that this looks like a solid car that would be an incredibly fun project.
It’s a tie between the fun plaid seats and the warped dash top as to what catches my eye first. There’s a bit of work to do inside but as they say too often on home fix-up shows, it looks like it has good bones. I’m not sure what’s going on with the black console/radio thing there, that would go away instantly under my watch but those plaid seats! It doesn’t get much better than that. For a reference, Hagerty is at $4,600 for a #4 fair condition car.
This car has the base V8 which was a 230-horsepower 318 cubic-inch. It would have still been more than enough power but a beefier V8 would be nice. I’d probably keep it and upgrade it a bit which goes against my original-spec rant earlier but I was more thinking exterior-wise, visually. The seller says that it runs and drives fine and sounds great with duals and has a new gas tank, some carb work, and the fuel system has been gone through. There’s just a bit of rust so this could be a fun car to drive and tinker with on the weekends. How would you bring this one back: original or modified?
I would restore it back to original as well Scotty. I’d leave the Rallyes and white letter tires but put most of the rest back to stock. Maybe some Flowmasters for a nice rumble. I think these are great looking bodystyles. Cool car
Agreed!
I think I would spring for a repaint in the original color, and it looks like this car once had a vinyl roof, and maybe re-trim the interior to factory new condition, and leave it at that…at least for the time being.
Before swapping the wheels and tires I would liven up the engine a bit.
Agreed the duals would add some HP, maybe ten? Keep the Carter 2bbl. Paint her pretty and go for a nice drive. I don’t like loud exhaust though, standard muffler man, all the way. These were nicely styled cars.
That 4 door sedan, 383/4 speed, was original and built that way
You’re right, Luke. I meant if I were to modify this two-door Fury III, I’d want to add a 4-speed as the four-door had in that link.
Too right, Scotty – just being a smart mouth – regards L
Ha, no way, Luke, it’s good to get the info right. Thanks for catching that!
Had a 1968 Fury lll with 383 eng 2 dr fastback. Pulled my 20 ft Thompson boat up and down the east coast from Virginia to Key West. Only issue I ever had was single stage master cylinder blew out going through Miami one day. That was interesting. Otherwise I loved that car. Those were the days….
Rare car
Scotty, I’m with you. Restore to original specs. Don’t feel bad, I don’t have friends either! 😄😄😄
Leave it alone. It’s original only once. My mom’s best girlfriends mother, bought a brand new 67 Fury lll 2-dr H/, white vinyl roof, beautiful blue body with the black/white interior. I just got my license at 16 in the day and she let me drive the car of course with her inside. Had the 383 2V engine. Woke me up a bit compared to my moms 62 impala 283. That 318 had good power and reasonable economy. Dual-exhaust and some decent mufflers and your good to go. I just picked up a 68 Polara 4-dr sedan with the 318 which is what I was looking for with super low miles. Those late 60’s mopars were decent.
My second car was a 1967 Plymouth VIP. This was a model step above the Fury III. Mine had a 383 c.i. motor, which was a strong, durable engine that had “power to pass”. The next size engine for Chrysler is a 360. I was once told the 383 was from a 360 block. I see on line that the 360 is being used in newer Chrysler products labeled as the 5.9L Magnum. I do not know if the current block is a holdover from earlier days. The power steering on these ’67 Plymouths was great…I could easily drive with one finger. The brakes were super. In my opinion, these Plymouths drove just as nicely as the car I drive today.
The 360 was a stroked and bored LA engine. That’s the same block as the 318. The older 361 was a B block same as the 383 with a smaller bore.
Had a 318 in a 69 Fury III. 15+ MPG. 727 Trans. Decent power, but a 4BL Carb would have given a big power boost keeping the nice idle. It went over 200k with only one valve job and never used oil. The front end and steering went out and the car had significant rust, so it was junked.
BTW, Chrysler sold this car with a tiny radiator. It overheated early in it’s life. A second hand radiator cured the problem.
That black box in the console is a 8 track tape player! I’d leave the car as is, add a rear sway bar and drive it all the time April thru October!
…. I’d fix the rust then clear coat it too! Not fix the dingers either.
It looks good to me.
Give it what it what it needs, clean it up and drive proudly. You won’t be disappointed.
IMHO, the ’67 was the nicest designed Plymouth of the 60s.
Yup, do complete maintenance on it and you’ve got a great driver. I had one of these and was a nice, roomy daily driver / cruiser. My buddys & I were at a stock car track on a Saturday night and one character got way over-served… to the point where we wouldn’t let him drive his Sportster home. We dumped him into my back seat and put his motorcycle in the trunk. It almost fit, but we had to bungie-cord the deck lid shut. Got him & his bike home safely and came away with a good story!
I’d warm it up a bit under the hood. Keep the stock powertrain, maybe bore it out a bit, add a new intake manifold and carb, and maybe some headers. The body looks decent and I like the plaid seats. I’d fix the dash pad though. It’s a nice car. Would I paint it? I dunno. It’s got a nice look.
I inherited my father’s 67 Fury III 4 door sedan. It had the 318 v8, ps, pb, and a/c. Reasonable gas mileage and a great ride.
Everyone seems disappointed with 318 in this car, but that right there is a bit of Chrysler powertrain history. 1967 was the first year for the modern 318 LA-block engine, which replaced the final iteration of the ’50s-era “polyspheric” engines (which were derived from the first generation Hemi engines) at the end of the 1966 model year.
For what it’s worth, that’s also the first LA engine with hydraulic lifters. The 273 CI versions that came first had solid lifters, the only factory LA engines to do so.
Phil D That’s right, 1966 in earlier the 318 was considered a wide block. Not too many realize this was the hydronic lifter innovator!!!
Love these cars!,had a 73 fuselage coupe, and just loved the way it drove,the old car smell, the style, but I like 67-68 even better, I’d buy it,and just fix it up slowly, as I drove it to enjoy.