A few days ago, the Artemis II mission launched from Kennedy Space Center. It is the first manned mission to the Moon since Apollo 17 in December 1972. The astronauts experienced 3Gs on lift-off, and the vessel will reach a top speed of 22,670 mph as it heads to its lunar rendezvous. This 1967 Plymouth GTX can’t achieve those figures, although it would feel like it if the driver “opened the taps” on a straight stretch of road. That is because this classic features Chrysler’s legendary 426ci Hemi under the hood. It presents superbly, needing nothing but a new home. I must say a big thank you to Barn Finder Curvette for spotting the GTX listed here on eBay in Saint Charles, Missouri. Hemi-powered muscle cars are rarely cheap, with the seller setting their price for this classic at $149,995 OBO.
The muscle car war was in full swing by 1967, with many manufacturers eager to claim a slice of the market created by the Pontiac GTO. Plymuth joined the party that year with the GTX, a car designed to combine performance with comfort. The company marketed its latest offering towards more affluent potential buyers, with the 1968 release of the Road Runner designed to capture those on a tighter budget. The seller supplies no information surrounding this Plymouth’s history, although its impressive presentation suggests a possible recent restoration. The listing images reveal no evidence of cosmetic flaws, while the underside shots confirm that this GTX is rust-free. The trim is in as-new condition, and the glass is crystal clear. The vehicle rolls on color-matched steelies with dog-dish hubcaps, which almost give the car a sleeper look. However, the hood scoops and exterior badges loudly proclaim that this GTX is more than a pretty face.
Some motors pass into automotive history after creating barely a ripple. Others achieve legend status, which is undoubtedly true of Chrysler’s 426ci Hemi V8. It generated 425hp and 490 ft/lbs of torque in 1967, guaranteeing that any car with that V8 under the hood possessed genuine performance credentials. This GTX features that brute of a motor, teamed with a four-speed manual transmission, a 3.55 Sure Grip rear end, power steering, and power front disc brakes. The lack of information supplied by the seller extends to the Plymouth’s mechanical condition. However, they supply this YouTube video. It is quite long-winded, but it provides some extended footage of this GTX in action. The Hemi sounds as sweet as you could hope to find, the car drives well, and exhibits none of the squeaks or rattles that often develop with age. Therefore, potential buyers can consider this a turnkey proposition.
As the seller states in their video, this Plymouth’s interior is as close to perfect as you could hope to find. Trimmed in Red vinyl, it features front bucket seats with the optional Code 485 center seat cushion and folding armrest. There is no visible wear, and the restorer’s attention to detail extends to including all of the original Instruction Cards the vehicle would have worn at the dealership. There is a column-mounted vintage tachometer, and the builder added a genuine underdash Mopar 8-track player to complete the luxury look.
The automotive landscape is constantly evolving, and manufacturers have spent years devising strategies and technologies to address the power lost to emissions regulations during the Malaise Era. The results justified the effort because it is possible to buy cars off the showroom floor today that produce more power than this 1967 Plymouth GTX. They will be faster, safer, and more refined. However, most won’t possess the inherent character of this GTX. It is brutal and almost “agricultural” by modern standards, but it hales from an era like no other in motoring history. I have always viewed the 1960s as a golden decade, and classics like this 1967 Plymouth GTX demonstrate why. There might be more potent modern options, but I would take this car over one of those every day of the week. Do you agree?
Oh my. 🏁👍
Artemis ( Gordon of Wild, Wild,West fame) Probably get a few comments on that, but 1st the car, if you can call it a car, more like a monster machine. This should go down in the annals of auto history, as to just what US car makers were willing to do. They all had cars that didn’t make a lick of sense, but were eager to put these into the public, often with disastrous results. I read, this car would do 0-60 in a blistering FIVE SECONDS, and the 1/4 mile in 13.5@ 104mph, spinning the hides all the way. HP ratings in the 60s were strictly mandated by Uncle Sam, and the 425 rating was a bit low, more like 450+, but getting it hooked up was kind of the governor there. Can you imagine if Chrysler equipped these with headers, cam, and ladder bars from the factory? The RoadRunner and its then cousin, the GTX, were mere shreds of this car. I read, the ’67 GTX with a 440( standard) cost a rediculous $2995. The hemi, if you could get one, added $711 bucks to the cost. )nly 125 hemi, 4 speed GTXs were sold, and 17 were convertible, so only 108 of these cars made. I believe it remains the Holy Grail for US muscle cars. Fascinating, Captain.
Far as the Artemis? Well, it would be easy to say, why $100 Billion dollars could be spent in other ways, the space program has changed our daily life in ways we’ll never know. Personally, I think it’s a waste, there is seemingly no correlation between the expense and gains, but in the 60s, we never thought we’d be typing on interactive machines to our friends across the world, a direct result of the space program, so who knows?
I’m mostly a Ford and Chevy guy, but this Mopar commands respect. It’s a thing of beauty.
I’ll take the white one posted earlier for $55k and pocket the balance.
garage art. too nice to drive.
This car, if an original 4-speed, should have a 3.54 Dana 60 rear differential. The ad makes zero mention of that, which is strange. If original, and a 4-speed/Dana car, this is the ultimate 1967 Hemi car.