UPDATE – This 1963 Plymouth Fury 426 Max Wedge is for sale again and it can be found here on craigslist in Osakis, Minnesota where it was for sale last May. The seller has chopped the price a whopping $24,000 since then and is now asking $23,500 or best offer! Here is the original listing, and thanks to T.J. for tracking this one down again!
FROM 5/10/2023 – We could almost do an entire article on the current cars that are offered in more than one body style, although it would be a very, very short article. That wasn’t the case with the Plymouth Fury or almost any other vehicle from the 1960s and 70s. This 1963 Plymouth Fury 426 Max Wedge is posted here on craigslist in Osakis, Minnesota and they’re asking $47,500. Here was the original listing, and thanks to T.J. for sending in this tip!
The third-generation Plymouth Fury was based on Chrysler’s smaller, mid-sized B-body platform and they were made from 1962 to 1964. The following generation, they would go back to being full-sized cars again, but I have a thing for these smaller Fury cars in really any body style, two-door hardtops, four-door sedans and hardtops, and station wagons. They added to the mix with a Sport Fury in two-door hardtop and convertible models.
Texas plates on a California car in Minnesota almost covered all of the bases, but the words “rust-free” are usually all I have to hear to be interested. This car could have a sewing machine motor and I’d be interested. But, it doesn’t, of course, it has a Max Wedge 426. Chrysler’s wedge-head engine came out in 1958 with 350 and 361 displacements, and eventually 383 and 413 in 1961, but the 426 version didn’t appear until the late spring of 1963.
This car looks pretty appealing to most of us I’d bet, a two-door hardtop with a giant V8 and a four-speed manual transmission, what could go wrong there? Other than a few (dozen) speeding tickets. This is the only interior photo shown in the listing, but it looks pretty nice other than the front seat cover.
We don’t know the compression ratio of this car to know whether this 426-cu.in. OHV Max Wedge Stage II V8 has 415 horsepower or 425 horsepower, but either of them would work for me. The seller says that this car is from California and is wearing its original red paint and original red interior. That’s pretty fantastic. There’s no word on how or even if it runs, but I’m guessing that it runs. Hagerty is at $38,900 for a #3 good-condition Sport Fury and this is not a Sport model. Have any of you owned or driven a car with a 426 Max Wedge in it?
BarnFinds knocks it out of the park again with this max wedge. Like the TransAm 455 HO the max wedge is another legendary engine. With the 426 option they should have changed the name Fury to “Bring the Fury”.Mopar fan or not if the sight of one of these cars doesn’t make you tingle then you should be questioning your love for cars.
Perfectly said, Alphasud, and awesome find, Scotty.
What a cool blast from the past, and the folks at Cruise Night that say “so what’s special about that?” will be professing their ignorance.
A new seat cover (or MAYBE a repair could be had), and this would be the T-Rex no one was expecting on Saturday night!👍🏻
But who straps down a car like this….OR any car ?????
Here is a great Mopar. 63 Max Wedge 426 is a awesome motor. This setup is know to put out more then it said near 450 or more. These Mopars tore up the streets. Shut down many Corvettes and other Chevys that came up to it. I seen a race against a 63 Ford 406 three deuces. The Ford was a hot setup. The Mopar won!! 😊 This is a fair price for the 426. It’s getting harder to find these cars in this shape. I love the vintage wheels on it. If I had cash laying around I would snap this up and it will be in my driveway. I would clean up the interior and try to fix the rip that’s the original interior. Detail the whole car and clean up the engine compartment and you have a winning vehicle at shows. Good luck to the next owner. 🐻🇺🇸
My aunt traded in her mid ’50’s Plymouth for a white ’63 Plymouth Fury four door sedan. It was the first 4 door that I actually liked. For some reason she traded it in for a blue ’66 Ford three years later. The seats vinyl will clean right up with baking soda, and water. Just don’t get the b.s. on the fabric.
Dale L,
Those dark spots on the vinyl upholstery are actually burn marks from years out in the Texas sun, and the burned area probably [almost certainly] is deep enough that it can’t be removed without exposing the woven fabric underneath. I’ve dealt with quite a few cars from the southwest USA with similar burn marks Those burned sections will need replacing.
I remember when I went to the drag races in the 60s and the Ford and Chevy guys laughed at the mopars with their torqueflite until they got their butts kicked at the finish line.
You will never get the $100.00 bill of the instrument panel when launched. Brute torque take off is the only way to describe it. 1st time for me I was on passenger side of front seat, and it felt like my lungs were trying to push thru the back of my chest. And then 2 more gears, the same feeling. WOW I WAS IN HEAVEN !!!!!
Anne is a loser.
Great Mopar here 👏 👍 the epitome of a muscle car. 🏁
Here is my 64 Dodge 426 4peed. Owned it since 1965. Ran it at the Winternationals in 68. Just need to get it back together. I will send engine picture seperately.
I don’t see any Max Wedge exhaust manifolds. The intake could have been added.
Ken L… Are you talking about The Elephant Ears.. that what we called them in Mopar land. I think there are headers on it. Hard to see. Some guys preferred headers over the exhaust manifolds. But the Max Wedge had the best factory exhaust manifold ever made. They are worth some big bucks today. Good catch on it . 😊🐻🇺🇸
Scotty, on the “either compression ratio would work for me” … I would reconsider since it was either 11:1 or 13.5:1 with an owner’s manual caution on drive ability issues and soft bottom end with the long, long duration cam and crazy compression you could not safely live with today, detonation wise:
“The long-duration camshaft provides maximum high-speed output; however, it causes a rough idle operation and lazy low-speed response. The gas mileage of a conventional car cannot be expected.”
Further, factory tech bulletins warned, “Wide-open throttle bursts must be limited to 15 seconds to prevent engine damage.”
Awesome engines, the ’63 426 Max Wedge code 08 /410 hp and code 09/425 hp with 320* duration cam = race gas only.
Great article & monster ride!
GLWTS!
Thanks, TorinoSCJ69 and everyone! You’re right about the two very different compression ratios and ease of driving, or ease of finding the right fuel. I’d want to drive it for more than 1/4-mile at a time so I’d go with 13.5:1.
AGREED Scotty.
These high compression, multi Carb engines were built to run and run hard.
No compromises and in a sea of big blocks in the 1960’s these stood out as truly brutal.
Can confirm 13.5:1
I could ask my dad that’s his car in the article
My first car was a ‘63 Plymouth Fury 383 Golden Commando factory 4 speed black with red interior & bench seat. I’d bid on this one if I had room but I don’t want to get rid of anything yet. My buddy had a 426 Wedge Red/Red same year as this he bought new in Cali. Could be the same car. I will forward the info to him. Great job on the Website. Thank you!
Believe the lobe separation angle lsa makes a difference as well concerning vacuum, not enough vacuum at low idle to run everything smooth.
I had a landlord back in 67 with a 63 Sport Fury Convertible with a 426 Max Wedge in it. I agree the manifolds don’t match what I remember on that one. That sucker was an absolute beast even though it only had a 3 speed on the floor. He bought the car purely for the engine. He had a ski boat with a 413 in it and swapped the 2 engines. The boat had more torque than it needed with the 413 so you can imagine what it was like with the 426. All kinds of mods were done to the gearbox etc in it to try and keep it all together. He even twisted the prop shaft once while drag racing a car with it.
Before the engine swap I got to move it a couple of times and that was more than I reallly should have done. I don’t know what it had for a clutch in it, but I could barely depress the clutch and I was a 6′ 4″ 18 year old that grew up with manual transmissions.
This one looks good but I’d do a little checking on it, there are enough subtle things (like the exhaust manifolds) and could mean it may not be a numbers matching Max Wedge, rather a clone.
M7 2cents.
There was a very similar red beast for sale at the museum a few years ago. The familiar crank was followed sweetest rumble echoing around the museum. I loved showing it to visitors. At the end of the tour I’d say “You gotta see this!” I’d open the hood and we’d often stand in awe of the rams head and the engine beneath. Some lucky soul is going to take this home. I just hope he enjoys enjoys the ride!
Speeding tickets? Try unsafe starts/loss of car control/burnouts; whatever you local police call it during those 15 second wide open throttle bursts!
What an awesome find! I want it!
The Max wedge and Dodge Ramcharger 426 engine became available In The fall of 1962. I have a 1963 Dodge Ramcharger 426 425hp 13.5 compression. Original car. Yes you can street drive these requires race fuel and for sure is NOt a daily driver! Very unique experience and not for the faint of heart! Can not imagine owning one back in 63 amazing top flight street car for sure!
Funny that you mention fuel. The landlord took me along a few times that included trips for fuel. Anything less than Super Shell or suitable high test fuel was the only thing that went into the tank. Best one was when he could get a tank of av gas, IIRC that was 105 octane.
Those were the days when you could buy a factory racer as long as you had the $$.
years ago I put a 60 over 426 max wedge in a 1935 Chevrolet along with a B M 727 torque flight and nine inch Ford rear end, it was my street rod that I drove to the nationals , back then the nats were all over the country, the best I got was around ten MPG, a twenty eight hundred pound car,a monster that could beat anyone who wanted to race.
My dad’s buddy had a new one exactly like this one, remember having to watch my knees setting between them was he was power shifting that long Hurst shifter and seeing that speedo race past 120 mph without seatbelts! Cool times!
Better known as the Short-Ram.
One of MOPARS best!
Bill McCoskey – Applying baking soda to my brothers naugahyde upholstery on his 1959 Bonneville made the seats look like new. I see it’s on the top of the dash pad too, so you’re probably right. It might still help though on the padded drivers door handle. Baking soda will clean, and soften/recondition vinyl upholstery. It’s worth a try on an inconspicuous area. The vinyl can’t look any worse.
Sorry guys this is a clone! 4 speed not available on 426 in 63, only heavy duty 3 speed. No holes in inner fenders for special engine harness, also as mentioned no elephant ears! I had a 63 Sport Fury convert 426 3 speed from 1978-2001,one of about 8 built. Its out in California now!
You are right I had a 63 sport Fury withe the 383 4-V and ordered it from the factory no 4 speed was available in 63, 64 was first year of 4 speed. Go check the records.
I had a 63 fury with a 383 4 speed 4 barrel while I was in the service, nothing could beat it. Had to get second job to keep gas in it , it got 8 miles to the gallon! Drove till a wrist pin got loose and ruined the cylinder wall. Back then you could sleeve a cylinder for $300, sold it.
Drove one? No. But I rode shotgun dozens of times, and it was a kick in the pants every time. My friend’s Dad wouldn’t allow his son to let anyone else drive. Those days, kids actually obeyed their parents, at least those that had built-in bs detectors. This kid’s Dad had that and I knew it, so I didn’t push my luck.
But the torque was brutal, and the ‘450 hp or so’ was probably about 50 low. Funny thing is, we at the time didn’t have a strip nearby, so he never ran it anywhere other than the street. No idea what it would run. But boy, was it fun!
I believe the front brake line ran across the upper firewall on the max wedge cars also. Galen g or Jim Cramer can probably tell you front thd fender tag or pull the rear seat and look for the data sheet. But I guarantee one thing, for 24K it aint a original Maxie
a few other things i forgot to explain about this car. after the gentleman from california that owned the speed shop rebuilt this plymouth fury with the 426 max wedge and 4 speed he built it for racine. but then sold it to a gentleman from texas. the gentleman from texas then had it shipped to texas where it resided for 10 years. this gentleman took this 1963 plymouth fury to car shows and drove it vary little. he ended up moving to wyoming and gave this mopar to his son. his son really wasn’t interested in this car and i was down in texas having a box installed on my truck to make it into a dump truck. i was driving around el paso in a rent a car and saw it sitting in a driveway. and seams any mopar lover of these cars r drawn to them. i stopped and looked at it and found it had a 426 max wedge stuffed in the engine bay along with a 4 speed in it. talked to the gentleman that used to own it and asked if he would consider selling it. he asked me how i got his name and phone number cause he was in wyoming. told him he had a piece of mail in his door and i googled his name and got his number. he said he would have to talk to his son cause he gave this plymouth fury to his son. but his son really didn’t want this 1963 plymouth fury. said to myself great score. but didn’t tell my lovely wife about it tell after i purchased it. then my ship kinda sank. anyway that’s why it’s got texas plates on the ole girl and that’s why it’s now for sale. cause if i loose the misses then i’ll b more lost then loosing this mopar. thanks for all your comments on this. this car is also better then the challengers cause there thousands of those out there and only a handful of these 1963 plymouth fury.
This 1963 PLYMOUTH FURY ORIGINAL had a 361 and a Automatic in it. A Gentleman from CALIFORNIA owned the car and a speed shop. He pulled the 361 engine out along with the Automatic and rebuilt a 426 MAX WEDGE updated a few key components in the engine and installed it in this 1963 PLYMOUTH FURY along with a 4 speed. So this car does not have the ORIGINAL Engine or Transmission in it. This is a MOPAR GO CAR. The Gentleman from California put the car up for sale around 2013 and a Gentleman from Texas purchased this car and had it shipped to Texas. This Gentleman from Texas owned the car for 10 years and then moved to Wyoming. Gave the car to his son but his son wasn’t really interested in this 1963 PLYMOUTH FURY. I found this PLYMOUTH FURY sitting in a driveway. And ended up Purchasing it. But didn’t inform my Lovely Wife till after I purchased it. 😢 She said the CAR has to go or she goes.
Maybe you should keep the car !!!!
Don’t you just hate that. I had a small 4 car storage unit across from my contracting business in Orlando. Was just showing a friend my Renault R5 Turbo II I just bought, when she walked in. Never came over there. Pointed and said “what’s that?” Spun around and stormed off. It took awhile before she got over that one. Uh… the there was the ’62, 389 Tripower Grand Prix, hidden behind my home garage. Only it was so long that it kinda stuck a lttle bit. The R5 went to Belgium and the GP to Sweden.
Do you know the last time the Fury ran and was driven?
By sweetheart, I’m gonna miss you. Be sure to write’
Had a friend that bought a retired police cruiser with an automatic. The automatic push button linkage gave him fits, but a fun car.
I owned over a dozen these and never had a problem with the shifter. It is mechanical a simple cable.
French Horns, the term used for the 413-426 Wedge exhaust manifolds, but don’t remember when that came to be.
I will check to see if the serial is in the article and confirm.
If anyone remembers the Melrose Missle, the new Plymouth dealer, ordered a 63 Max Wedge in the configuration this was made into. Oakland, California.
4 of this combo went to California.
3 Northern, one Southern Cal, color, interior color, 4-speed, all 4
Original or not this is a “BAD @$$” hot rod and in my opinion worth every penny. The fact it’s original paint and interior only adds to the cool factor. Gotta be a blast to drive. Especially with the extra horsepower the seller states has been brought out of this beauty. Would like to go for a ride.
Wow!! Cut the price in half!!!! The seller is desperate or there’s something wrong with the car! I have a early post on this car and I thought it was a fair price at the time but this is a steal! I hope the seller is honest. Somebody is going to have fun!! 🐻🇺🇸 Happy New Year everyone!! 🎉🎆
These things were BEASTS!
I worked for McMullen Argus Publishing/Primedia for about a decade in the ’90s and first part of the 2000s, initially on a couple of Ford and Mustang titles, then for a year or so as the West Coast editor for out New Jersey magazines, and finally as editor of a Corvette magazine for several years. One of the ‘titles’ based in New Jersey was ‘High Performance MOPAR’. Most of us (editorial staffers) would go to a lot of events/shows/cruises to find feature cars for future issues keep an eye out for any good cars for ‘our’ magazines, and some would also watch for anything of interest for other titles. I was at a ‘Great Labor Day’ cruise in SoCal in 1999 or 2000 and came across a damn near flawless, bright red, and original red ’64 Plymouth Savoy Max Wedge 4-speed. I knew the editor of the MOPAR magazine would be interested so I got the owner’s phone and address. The editor wanted it — a lot — so I set up a photo shoot and got an associate editor (from a Chevy title) who was crazy about MOPARS to come with me and help on the ‘shoot’. We went in my then-daily driver, a supercharged 5.0L Mustang and after all of the detail and ‘beauty’ shots were done took both cars out to get some “action shots”. The other editor hung out the passenger side window of my ‘Stang while the Max Wedge owner and I drove on some open roads in south Orange County. And then we got ‘stupid’ for a minute or two. With the other editor still hanging out the window of the ‘Stang, the MOPAR’s owner and I both floored it for as few seconds as my co-worker was screaming at us to slow down. I don’t know how fast we got going in those few seconds of stupidity, but I do know that the old Max Wedge and my (13-second on street tires) blown Mustang were running side by side, and I was DAMNED impressed by that Max Wedge!
Here is my 64 Dodge 426 4peed. Owned it since 1965. Ran it at the Winternationals in 68. Just need to get it back together
Here is the matching numbers engine
In the land of Mopar, this looks like it has the potential to be a pretty good buy.
But let’s get real here: the chances of that engine being an actual 426 max wedge are about slim, and zero. It is a very special engine with an enormous number of very expensive special parts. Most likely a garden variety 413/440 with a reproduction MW intake manifold. Still very cool, and still a big block four speed Mopar.
For me nothing starts off a possible discussion/vehicle transaction on a bad footing more and a bunch of pictures of a car on a trailer and add wording that translates: I really don’t know a damn thing about this car other than what I read on the Internet and I was able to get this car out from underneath (fill in the blank) to make some quick cash……..
i love the ‘early’ or pre-muscle: this thing, thunderbolt & others (was it ’62 – 4 or 6?). They invented the word sleeper for me. And that’s what I want. Not to surprise anybody (“Let’s match pink slips”). But just oem prepaired. Before all the mid/late ‘60s “humps over the wheels’ came out. (I liked FBs tho, seemed more to my european interests).
So here’s one… just a few years earlier had the intake runners so long they would reach beyond the “fender wells” (1 style of header). Krazy ideas then compared to a different chip today (70 yr difference)~
Just Me, This brings back many memories when I was young and seeing these at the drag strips run the quarter mile.They were the best sounding and running car at the drags. It was enough to see them run, that in 1965 I worked at a local Chrysler dealership and when the 1965 Sport Fury came out with the C-bodies it was time. I ordered a new Sport Fury with the 426 Street Wedge with a 4- speed in it. It never ran like the maxie’s did but it could take care of itself when I needed it. I still have the car and it looks better then the day it came in new when I backed it off the truck carrier. Yes you heard correct. The truck driver and I had a few words and I told him that it was my car and I waited for over two months for it to come in and that I was backing it off of the truck. That is a memory that I will not ever forget, my first new car. I hope this car gets a good home. Know matter what the car is now. It is still a great history piece. I hope the seller gets his price he is looking for. I would hate to see him lose his wife over it. HOPE ALL OUT THERE HAVE A VERY HAPPY AND GREAT NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!!
Not to be a downer but this sets off some alarm bells. First off the original ad states that there has been an engine swap. Bigger issue is the second listing. Same pics. Most of the same text, including the all caps. Why is the car worth half what it was bought for 6 months ago? Proceed with caution.
Oh oh, the seller has deleted the listing, which one of you bought this car before I could run up and look at it?!