From 1959 to 1974, the Fury was marketed as Plymouth’s top (or near the top) full-size automobile. Even during the ill-fated downsizing period of 1962 to 1964. But in 1975, it was formally reassigned to mid-size duty (though the cars were still rather large). The seller offers a Fury station wagon from 1977, a Suburban. It’s a one-owner people mover that may be one of the nicest examples left. Hailing from La Porte City, Iowa, this 2-seat wagon is available here on craigslist for an even $10,000. An attaboy goes to Tony Primo for the Mopar tip!
Buyers may have been confused when they walked into a dealer in 1977 and found the intermediates called Fury (B-body) and the big cars called Gran Fury (C-body). The Fury’s changed little from 1975 to 1978, except for stacked square headlights in 1977 when the seller’s wagon was built. Fury wagons carried Suburban and Custom Suburban badging to signify trim levels. 318 cubic inch V8 power was standard in the wagons, and a 400 CI was optional and ordered in this survivor.
Since this Suburban has two rows of seating, it’s one of only 2,500 ordered in 1977. 4,000 additional buyers went with the third seat to haul more young’uns. Though the Plymouth has 70,000 miles on the clock, it presents more like 7,000. Rust doesn’t appear to ever have been an issue, and the Spanish Gold Metallic paint is pretty ship-shape. The car was ordered with the Luxury Equipment package, whatever that means in terms of creature comforts.
Though we don’t get any peeks under the bonnet, we’re told the 400 V8 has a 4-barrel carburetor, making it the most potent you could get unless you got your hands on a Police Package with a 440 (sedans fitted for cop duty, a big market for Chrysler in those days). We assume this Plymouth has factory air, but it doesn’t pop up in the listing. If you’re into vintage wagons, does this one grab you at 10 grand?
Since for the sake of discussion, we can throw accuracy out the window, and to most, this looks like Carol Bradys wagon, only hers was a ’71, I think. I know some folks, younger ones mostly, may have had enough of the old timers TV references, but TV was huge and we had TV programs that mimicked actual daily events in our lives, and kind of fun to see them happen to someone else too, not disemboweling zombies or world destruction shows of today. I’m sure the producers picked a Plymouth, because it’s what the “Bradys” of the USA drove. Much to our hope they would, on the way to the dentist or Hebrew school, they rarely failed. The minivan put an end to the American station wagon, and a salute, of sorts here, to the chariot of the masses, the station wagon. Make was unimportant, as come to think of it, I can’t think of a poor US station wagon. They had to be good, considering what punishment they went through. Plymouth/Dodge was the best.
I, for one, appreciate the “old” TV references. Some because I actually watched the shows, some because they are just interesting and remind me of something you’d hear in a bar where “everyone know your name” :-). Keep doing them! Btw my parents had a (65 I think) Plymouth wagon with a 383 “Commando V8” when I was really young. Wish it was still around today.
The automakers actually provided vehicles to the studios for various TV shows. I know in the early years the Brady’s had a satellite wagon and I believe Mike Brady had a Barracuda convertible? In the latter year of the Brady bunch, Chevrolet was the provider of new vehicles. This was a good way of having product placement to promote the various cars of the car companies.
“Here’s the story of a lovely…wagon.”
This is a horrible ad for a car that has potential and looks reasonably priced. The description lacks detail of its condition beyond the mileage and some of its options. The pictures are useless, what good are pictures of a brown car taken from a distance for trying to determine if there is rust? If this was a lifelong California it might not matter, but for a car in the heart of the rust belt it’s rather important. There is no mention of rust, nor pictures of rust prone areas such as the undercarriage, door jambs or engine compartment. It the car is as nice as it looks it appears to be a good value, it definitely needs to be inspected in person, that’s too much money to gamble based on the sellers supplied information.
Steve R
Not horrible for Facebook, very typical, but you are correct that a visit may be needed. The photos so far are impressive. No sign of rust above ground anyway. Do they use salt in Iowa?
A very nice looking car, very nicely optioned, in apparently fantastic shape. I agree that any buyer should be wary and look underneath, these cars rotted badly. That color is nice, back in those days it seemed like every other car was milk-chocolate brown. Again, if not rotted, it seems reasonably priced, and could be a very comfortable car to use on nice days. It should have, but it is possible that for some reason it does not, have factory A/C. I’d be disappointed if it didn’t.
It doesn’t sound like the 360ci. V8 was available in these cars. If so, I wonder why?
We had the corporate cousin to this car. It was a 77 Dodge Monaco wagon. It did have a 2bbl 360 in it. It ran good for back in the day.
Russ Dixon, great ad however there were actually three trim levels on these Furys…you left out the top of the line “Sport Suburban”, which is what this one is. And you can see in the photos it does have A/C, and looks pretty loaded w/tilt, cruise, power windows…and altho I can’t see it, with the Luxury equipment package I believe that included power seat, door locks and am-fm 8 track as well.
Some of us have to know whether it sports every kid’s favorite, a rear-facing 3rd-row seat. Hard to make faces at the cars behind you when you’re facing forwards!