There are a handful of iconic movie cars that are instantly recognizable, although perhaps none are more creepy than this one. The 1958 Plymouth Belvedere was the star of the cult classic Christine. Directed by horror master John Carpenter, the 1983 movie was based on a book written by Stephen King. This car can be found here on eBay with a current bid of $12,200. Currently located in Alpine, California, the seller states it has a clear Utah title. Even though there is no actual connection to the movie, this car still gives me an uneasy feeling. What about you? Would you want to own this car?
This is the iconic shot that fans of the movie Christine know! The menacing front end of the car is shown in ghostly silhouette on the movie poster. Not only does this car have the look it even has “CRSTNE” on the license plate! If you haven’t seen the movie, it is a must-watch for car enthusiasts. I won’t spoil it, but beginning on the assembly line, the car menaces nearly everyone it comes in contact with.
The interior looks like a little bit of a hodgepodge restoration. The seller thinks the seats are from a Cadillac. The red and white theme is correct to the movie but seems to be a bit lackluster. If the new owner wants to do a full Christine-style restoration, some attention to detail would be a nice touch.
The engine measures 440 cubic inches and is said to be from 1968. Again, if the new owner is wanting an authentic re-creation, a period-correct engine will be on the list. Although, this 440 should power the car quite well.
This car features the fins and jet age styling that was so popular during this era. You certainly don’t see distinct styling like this in new cars anymore. The ad states that the car is in good shape overall. The seller does say there is some rust, but it is not bad. You can see in the photos there is rust on the rocker panels and around the wheel openings. Overall, this car looks like a good candidate for restoration. Are you brave enough to bring Christine back to her former glory?
Is this the earliest example of a ‘bubble top’?
This `58 had me very intrigued until I saw that it’s got a 440, and not the B-block 350 with dual quads ‘Christine’ had. That, and the interior is a definite let-down. This cobbled together mess needs alot; more than I’d be willing to put into it. Trying to source NOS door/side panels and seats is going to be a battle. Those button-tufted seats look like they were robbed from a `78 New Yorker or Imperial. This car is going ot need someone with deeper pockets than I have, I’m afraid.
The steering wheels looks odd as well.
That ’70s vintage Fury emblem on the fin looks bad.
I think the seats are Oldsmobile 98 seats believe it or not
OK I’ll make the joke …
.. You don’t need to restore it, it’ll restore itself.. but unfortunately probably kill some people too.
Really though these are beautiful cars and not too easy to come by. I like it!
That closeup shot of the front does look like that beast is ready to bite off the hand or head of anyone that gets too close!
Montana, you should be slapped for calling Christine creepy.
Other than the first guy in the movie where she closed the hood on his hand, (although I guess he was trying to look up her skirt), she didn’t go after anybody that didn’t try to hurt her first.
That is self defense.
The guy on the assembly line dropped cigar ashes on the seat. Not a good idea.
I agree. You shouldn’t smoke in the car anyway. Unless the windows are down for ventilation.
That was the second guy. He deserved what happened to him.
The guy that was just looking under her front, I don’t think did anything worth losing his hand over, but he did live. Maybe just a warning.
Any of you guys that have read the book, did anything happen on the assembly line in the book?
Actually, going by the steering wheel I’m inclined to say Cadillac interior myself.
The car itself is a hodgepodge of book and movie.
In the Stephen King thriller the car is a Plymouth Belvedere but a four door sedan. In the movie it is a coupe but a Plymouth Fury not a Belvedere.
The Fury was a sub-series of the Plymouth Belvedere from 1956 through 1958. It was sold only as a Sandstone White 2-door hardtop with gold anodized aluminum trim in 1956 and 1957.
IIRC it was a four door Fury in the book (e.g., something never offered IRL, like a Fury offered in any custom color other than buckskin, or with a 318 engine instead of a Golden Commando). The finer points of the product line were obscure to Mr. King as he was in the early eighties.
In the book from what I recall its actually supposed to be a 4 door Fury, but such a thing didn’t exist in 1958, which always made me think that Stephen King was thinking of a 1959 Fury, which did have a 4 door hardtop model available.
The book screws up a bunch of other things from what I recall, it mentions several times that the car had a “gear lever” when all of these things were push-button automatics.
I agree. I remember also in the movie version, instead of having the usual pushbutton control for the auto gearbox, you see Arnie Cunningham (played by actor Keith Gordon) moving a lever to put “Christine” in to a moving gear.
Actually in the book, Christine was a four-door Plymouth Fury.
“Originally restored in the 80’s, this car features a 1968 440 big block and 727 Torqueflight push button transmission.”
This statement is confusing.
The fact that the car has a 440 means the car was never restored in the first place, is was modified and fixed.
One of our Friday nite car cruise guys has one of these in perfect original condition he bought in California, even smells like a 50’s car when I stuck my head inside to look over the interior. Cigar and a can of Blatz anyone.
Back in about 1985 I was at a car show with a beautiful 1960 Cadillac S&S Hearse. There was a guy there was a Christine car. Since it had only been 2 years since the movies release, he had gone to the studio and gotten some parts from some of the movie cars.
Well, a friend of mine was there with us and we all decided to take both cars out of the show and go behind a strip mall kind of place. The guy with Christine wanted to look closer at the hearse and we wanted to look closer at Christine.
My friend asked the guy to position Christine in front of him and turn on the high beams, just like they did in the movie.
Well, the guy did that but he also had it in drive and tapped the gas. The car lurched forward.
My friend jumped to the right as far as he could and ended up behind a dumpster.
It scared the crap out of him.
You have never seen a little Guatamalan jump so far.
We couldn’t stop laughing.
That’s definitely Eldorado Biarritz seats from 77-78 and a steering wheel from a 71-73 Cadillac. I love these cars, and I hope it finds a good home. There’s a lot of bids, there’s a following for these Forward Looks, so I’m sure it will. Most of them rotted away, or were wrecked making that movie in 1982-83. Too bad most of those remaining are all painted red and white. While it does look nice, I always think original colors are best. The Fury only came in Buckskin Beige. The 57 that Tulsa, OK marinated in fresh water for 50 years was gold.
Nick, if you compare the pictures of the wheels from the 1973 Cadillacs and the 1967 Cadillacs, you will see it is more the 1967 style.
I know it is a technicality, but I remember this wheel on my 1967 Eldorado but I remember a different style on my 1971 CDV.
You could be right. Late 60s wheel. Why anyone would put that on a 58 Plymouth is beyond me, though.
I went to college in Orono, ME., about eight miles north of Bangor, where Mr. King lives. 32 years ago this month, the first week on campus, a “local” in the dorm said, “I know where Steven King lives, what me to take you there?” A short road-tip later, were were at his place. “The” Christine was parked in his driveway. Beyond cool.
Those seats are from a 78 Oldsmobile Toronado. 1000% Positive. After seeing this car and it’s current bid, almost 20g, I wish I kept my 58 Plymouth. I think I got 7k for mine 6 years ago. It needed work too.
Christine is said to be a 1958 Plymouth Fury, More than 20 Plymouths were used to film the movie “Christine.” Belvederes, Savoys and Fury models were used during the filming process, a combination of ’57 and ’58 Plymouth models. There were 14 smashed in the making of the movie.
No remote controls were used to drive Christine. Stunt drivers were given small viewing windows within the black tint that signaled the car’s evil mood. The final scene concluded with Christine crashing inside a garage. The car was attached to cables and pulled through the wall. Today, only three cars from the film are known to still exist.
In the novel King refers to Christine as a four-door vehicle. However, the 1957 Fury was only available in a two-door hardtop. Also, Christine was red and white in color. True Plymouth fans know the 1957 Fury only came in beige with gold trim. It must have been a early repaint!!!!!
The reason for all the errors was explained by King: the author wrote the middle part of the story first, and then he wrote the beginning and end a few years later. This sequence made it impossible to accommodate what was being released by the auto industry. Since the Fury name perfectly described the car, he chose the brand for the novel.
big Mike, please…
Kindly stop with these stories. There were 20 Christines to start? 3 survivors?
I know what I saw with my own eyes. There was, and is only one Christine, and she survivedwhat they did. She is still out there somewhere, unknown.🙄
John, he was talking about the stunt cars.
Only a couple survived what they did.
That guy I talk about in my story took parts from the cars that didn’t survive the shooting.
Seventeen grand already! for essentially a shell as nothing there belongs.I guess you can sell off the hideous seats, block and tranny………….then go buy a ’58 drivetrain…after you dip the body and the rockers and floors disappear. Wow! I love the looks of these….couldn’t care less about the movie but……….the market has left me in the dirt.
the ad reads:
“Mileage reads as 98,428 although I have no way to verify if it is has rolled over previously”
It should say there is no way to verify how many miles have rolled backwards (like it did in the movie).
Also why would it matter if nothing is original to the car?
On this car the numbers are only there to have something to watch as you drive. The car has no entertainment screens.
Gulp even part of the item number is appropriate!
According to the latest edition of “Mindless Cliches For Dummies and Parrots”, words such as iconic, awesome, “outside-the-box”, “got-your-back”, ad nauseum have been banished.
Modern definitions:
Awesome- general absense of bad.
Hilarious- something somebody laughed at.
Iconic- space-filler word along the lines of “uh or “um” in conversation. Now anything can be iconic, from a color to a seat fabric.And don’t forget that something can be “more iconic” or “less iconic” than something else.
Milt, let’s add: “bone stock,” “patina, ” “rat rod,” and the ever popular… Add your own terms here……………..
Henry,
I’d like to add… “Ready for restoration”. What is the tipping point when that happens??? That one always makes me skip to the next listing.
Virgil Exner styling at its finest. Hope somebody brings her back!!!
Good luck to the new owner!!
Oh HELL YEAH!!!! A car that fixes itself?
What’s not to love!!!!!
I tried that “OK, Show Me” on my 1963 Fury, and it didn’t work.
I was disappointed.
Don’t forget, it’s Ba ba ba bad to the bone!
I believe some cars are more than the sum of their parts. Alive, in a way. I’ve talked to cars, and some reply!
Expensive to restore,thankfully I can do all my own work but really adds up. That’s a great project but costly. I know.
Lovely looking car. I’ve always loved the 1957 and 58 Plymouth cars. I’ve seen the movie “Christine”, and while I loved the movie, I have to wonder how much Stephen King knew about cars, much less Plymouths. While I loved the colour, I understand that the Fury wasn’t available in red. I don’t know exactly what colours they came in, but red, certainly the shade Christine was, wasn’t available. Another discrepancy was the gearbox control. All Mopar cars up to 1965 used push-button control for their Torque-flyte automatic. I seem to remember seeing this car with a control stalk like most cars of the 50s, sticking out of the steering column. From what I’ve gathered, Mopar cars didn’t have that.
While all Plymouth Furys were buckskin beige, legend has it that Christine was a custom job, ordered from the factory in Autumn Red.
It’s certainly possible. Since I’ve never seen a 57-58 Plymouth Fury, I don’t know what was available at the time.
Of course it was available! Just had to go to Baker Auto out on Route 5, OK? Just don’t ask for the receipt… tossed it out.
Back in 1983 when the movie was made I drove a 1960 Fury Convertible and heard people yell Christine at me right and left. Here in Los Angeles I also saw one of the wrecked cars they used in the movie on a trailer being taken somewhere. It was a shame they wrecked so many of these for this movie. I always wished they had used something more common like a 57 Chevy.
I don’t think the “Christine” car was a 1960 Fury. I believe it was either a 1957 or 58.
It was a 58, in the movie anyway. I don’t remember what the book said. There’s a forward look mopar forum where someone wrote in and told of going to the junkyard in 1983 where the wrecked cars from the movie Christine were sent, and he posted pictures. They were complete wrecks. It was a great movie but a shame that so many were destroyed, since so many rotted away and there’s so few left. Cars used to be a work of art, now they all seem to be more or less the same. In looks, feel, and quality. I know many will dispute that, but I’ve thought and felt that since the late 1980s.
I kniw that but people who saw my red conv didnt
This is the 318 poly. Original. If anyone has a 350 golden commando engine to sell please call me.
Forgot to post my phone number. (413)770_8253
Along with banishing all those trite and overused terms like “awesome” and “patina”, how about we delete the endless, repetitive references to dopey movies every freaking time certain cars come up?
Just a thought.
Add “freaking” to the banished list. This is MSNBC Commentator Rachel Madow’s favorite cliche only because the censors won’t let her use the obvious “Fword”.
Always loved these. Even as a kid.
Too bad about the stupid MODS.
Christine was on TCM a while back and I recorded it, watched it ( for about the fourth time) and saved it for my 18 year old grandaughter. I helped teach her to drive two years ago and while she had her learners I recorded Duel, Spielberg’s great movie. Freaked her out a little while giving her a new respect for semi trucks.
But she refused to watch Christine with me.
You should make her watch it. It will teach her to respect the car and not piss it off.
Unfortunately she probably won’t be driving a car with a soul, so I am not sure how she cold use the information though.
Your right, Miguel. She drives an Equinox, blah. I wanted her to learn to shift gears but she also refused to drive my 1952 Ford F1 Pickup.
Still love her, though.
Christine was a 1958 Plymouth Fury. I’m not sure how the Fury differed from the Belvedere in 1958, but I know that Christine’s Rear Quarter Panel Wings looked a lot different than this. I know this because the previous owner of the company I worked for in Warsaw, Indiana had one of several of the Christine’s that were restored/used for the movie. I believe his was the car used for all of the promotional photography. It looked more like the one attached here:
One of the movie cats with the tinted windows is in the Petersen Auto Museum on Wishire Blvd in Los Angeles. Beautiful car!
Yes I have a feeling there was more than one, unless she came from Planet Claire and the body work steel has a memory. I almost thought that was the late lead slingers car all restored in that short amount of time.
My brother used to take Dad’s 57 Fury to the Friday night run what you brung. Fremont drag strip in the late 6os Dad could not figure out why his back tires needed to be replaced so often 😂
Ok show me
Ok show me.its ok Christine their just jealous
Foreign car in a movie??? how about a DeLorean, in The Back to the Future franchise!!!!!
If I had the money I would definitely bring Christine back! It would be to much fun to run around in that car! Be alot of fun and hit at car shows around here! In the book Christine was a Belvedere but in the movie she was a Grand Fury. My daughter built the model of Christine and it was a Belvedere. That is definitely a unique car and an amazing find!
If I only had the money I would love to bring Christine back! Oh it would be so much fun to run around in the car! It would be a hit at car shows around here, definitely something unique!! In the book she was a Belvedere but in the movie she was a Grand Fury. There wasn’t much of a difference between the two. My daughter built a model of Christine and she was a Belvedere. I hope that whoever buys the car will bring Christine back to her glory! Definitely a unique find for the day!
Bidding is at $17,500.00. A whole lot more than I thought it would go for, considering all the changes and non-Plym parts that have been installed. Okay,so you wanted to keep it running. I get it. But, purchase some parts that will actually be Chrysler Corp. Whew!!
I agree with you. However collectable a car may be, that’s way more than I’d be willing to pay to pay.
Ended: Sep 02, 2018 , 11:12AM
Winning bid:US $24,101.00
[ 76 bids ]
I’m the new owner of this car, sad to see some of your comments. Yes the interior needs delta with and it doesn’t have the original motor, big deal. I’ve wanted one of these since I was a kid and I finally have one now. This car is going places, trust me.
I’m the new owner of the car, it’s going to be well taken care of. I’ll be restoring it while ya’ll are still being keyboard warriors, cheers! 😎
Good on ya Justin. I have a Monarch that is actually a clone, I just don’t tell people.
Add some pics to the string as you progress.
I could swear it winked at me .
One of my favorite automobiles. Love that year fury. Not Belvedere. Right? Loved that movie. Like to get that 440 pumpin. Sleeper. If you have$$.