What would you do with this 1970 Plymouth Fury II four-door sedan? I’d pretend I was in an episode of Hawaii Five-O, cruising the islands in search of bad guys, my badness surpassing theirs because I had the biggest, toughest car. If that kind of fantasy appeals to you, you should check this one out here on eBay, where it has a two-week listing at a buy-it-now price of $4,999. Or, if you like, make an offer and see how much someone wants to unload this classic. Buying it will give you an excuse to visit Pebble Beach, CA, where you will retrieve it. And I know, we’ve already featured this one, but the seller has lowered their price and it’s just so bad, I had to take a crack at it!
What about the condition? The car has a partial repaint (by sight—this is not mentioned in the description, which says only that the body is solid, but is mostly in its original patina). The paint is largely destroyed, but what would you do with the finish? If only the one rear fender wasn’t so shiny, you could leave it all alone. As it is, a strip and repaint might be in order, though it’s doubtful that this would be recouped should you decide to sell. My value guide lists a perfect one of these just over ten thousand bucks. And you’re going to have to source a trunk lid because this one is destroyed by rust. What else is rusty? Well, apparently not the important stuff, as the seller claims that the floors and trunk are solid. But there seems to be some rot behind the passenger’s rear door, and in that door itself. Hmmm. The more you look, the more there is not to like.
You don’t have to guess much about the condition of the car, as the images go on and on and on. The interior is nice except for part of the driver’s seat and the dash, which wears a cover-up. Under the hood looks period-old, but there’s some surface rust on things that also shows on the underside components. This car, it might be guessed, suffers from having been stored too close to the sea’s salty air. Any resto would have to include a lot of blasting cabinet time. But you’re not going to restore this, are you? You’re going to do a little more mechanical tweaking aside from the brake work, fuel lines, and water pump (etc.) that’s already been done, and then you’re going to drive it.
The original California blue plate (the successor to the coveted black plate) still shows, and if you’re in Cali and can register it this way, that adds a little touch of cool. In fact, forget Hawaii Five-O. Park this one on the street and imagine that you’ve stepped into an original episode of Adam-12. But enjoy it fast. The body rust—look at that mess at the base of the rear glass—might catch up to you sooner rather than later.
This would have been a pretty crisp and basic (and not very sexy) C-body Mopar in 1970. Almost like some municipal or county fleet car. Bread and butter. Well built and engineered
It appears to have a 318, which would have made this car really low-spec. Still, the fuselage styling is really nice.
I really love the seller’s warning “…DO NOT TAKE MY WORD FOR ANYTHING…”. Finally, an honest used car dealer.
You mean like Kurt Russel in used cars? The 10 dollar bill scene with the fishing pole and the Buick Centurion convt.kills me. He does sound very honest especially with 300 pics and a decent description with some history.Not a bad car for this price if you like em.
Many years ago, I had a 1970 Fury III. It was brown, with a black top. 383-4bbl, 3-on-the-tree…it was fast, but RUSTY as well!
I think I remember Gene Hackman smashing into one of these in The French Connection..
The California blue plate is not original to the car in the sense that it is from about 1985 or so. I’d say, based on the rust issues, that it lived it’s first 15 years or so in a less hospitable climate. Sure, salt in the air in the Pebble Beach area is can rust the frame and such but it’s less likely to create that level of rust that we’re seeing on the body. Just an observation from 40 years of living in the west coast and not having my cars rust.
You’re definitely spot-on on the plate being from 1985. My first car had 1MSW573 issued in May 1985. A 1970 blue plate would be something like 123 AAA.
The only Dodge from the 50s up to now that I would be interested in is the pickup… never cared much for the Dodge cars.
This is the seller who we see on tv selling cars to folks like Wayne Carini to place in the ‘Concours De Lemons’ on Pebble Beach.
Dude has a sense of humor for sure, but a good share of his cars are a little rotten to the core. And the core of that apple usually has a few worms as well….
I remember in High school looking at 5 year old cars with the same level of rust up here in the land of salt strewn highways. They were available in the mid seventies for 200 bucks. In college I bought a ’66 Galaxie 500 with a great running 352 and cancer riddled body. $80 bucks and it went to the great scrap heap in the sky after I pulled the drivetrain and put it in my pickup. That car was 9 years old and looked like swiss cheese
That’s funny, when I was in college, I paid $50 for a ’66 Galaxie 500 convertible from the junkyard as a project car. When the tractor lifted it to the rollback truck it busted in half. The tractor driver lowered it back down to the ground and gave me my $50 back.
Another multi-reviewed automobile here on Barn Finds The other day (4/16/23) it was the 1996 Buick Roadmaster Wagon that had previously been reviewed here last November. I’m not complaining, but I do find it interesting how many times, just this year alone, that this particular one was reviewed.
(1) JAN 17, 2023 by Jim ODonnell: https://barnfinds.com/monterey-mopar-1970-plymouth-fury-ii/
(2) FEB 6, 2023 by Mike Stephens: https://barnfinds.com/all-original-1970-plymouth-fury-ii/
(3) APR 19, 2023 by Brian K: https://barnfinds.com/?s=1970+Plymouth+Fury+II
I didn’t take the time to look, but I wonder if, and how many times, any one reader has left a comment that is the same here as either of the two previous reviews. I’m also curious if it’s the same seller each time since all three times it’s listed location is California. ;<}
Thanks Gary, we feature so many cars that it does happen.
I bought a running 68 Satellite that looked about in the same condition back in 1990 for $75. Ran like a champ.
Slight upgrade from the base Fury I which we used on the Sheriff Dept…with the big engine.
Tough as an I-Beam…Beat the heck out of it on three shift hand-overs. I don’t know how these cars even held together as I recall how they were driven and battered on the road and interstates. A smile and an emotion every time I see one…rarely these days.
Has power steering and A/C, but non-power brakes, I wonder if they’re drum brakes in the front. Neat car, but not worth much, and barely adequately powered with a 318.
I’m pretty sure they would be drums – the master cylinder looks like it has equal front and rear reservoirs. With a 318 I would not be surprised to see 10 x 2.5″ drums front and rear. My ’69 Sport Fury convertible had 11×3 drums until I converted them to disk. The drums could slow the car from 75 to 40 brilliantly but then they would fade away, making off ramps a bit fo a challenge. Also, I think only the A-bodies could be ordered with non-assisted disk brakes. I have never seen a B-, C-, or E-body with non-assisted disks before, but that does not mean they are not out there.
Candidate for a demo derby
hey, hawaii 5-0 was a ford only show, get yur shows right lol
I think it’s a record: This one has been featured here on BF 3 times in the span of 3 months.
And still, no sale. Seller should take that as a hint that the asking price needs to be slashed in half!
Well, I don’t think the 5K price is too high. If this were 1980, the price would be $500 and the buyer would have a nice reliable bomber for cheap money.
43 years later it’s still a reliable bomber for short money, but nobody is gonna daily this without AC, and the appeal to the classic car crowd is also limited, obviously, with the 318 and “fleet” livery. To use an old expression, she’s a “wallflower”.