State Patrol Pursuit Car: 1961 Plymouth Savoy

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No car probably changed so much styling-wise from one year to the next as the 1961 full-size Plymouth. Gone were the tailfins that defined the 1950s and a rather bizarre grille with curved eyebrows was added in front. It’s no surprise that sales dropped from 1960 to 1961. But these unassuming vehicles would be popular in police work, like this ’61 Pursuit Car, likely based on the bare-bones Savoy model. Located in Tulsa, Oklahoma, this highway chaser will need loads of cosmetic work (and probably mechanical, too). But it’s available here on Facebook Marketplace for $6,500. Another interesting tip courtesy of “Zappenduster”.

The 1961 Plymouths were the next-to-last assignment for head designer Virgil Exner. He would get one more shot with the down-sized 1962 models later nicknamed “plucked chickens”. Neither produced a positive sales result, so Virgil was shown the door. The ’61 Plymouths used the same unibody as the ‘60s but with completely new skins that looked nothing like their predecessors. The public wasn’t thrilled, and Plymouth dropped from third to seventh in domestic auto sales.

One shining spot for the ‘61s was selling patrol and pursuit cars to various police entities. Mostly using the entry-level Savoy models, these cop cars came as more than just 4-door sedans and wagons. You could get a 2-door “Pursuit Car” like this one if your goal was to chase down speeders and bad guys rather than putting them in the back seat for transport. To get the job done, these cars used a 361 cubic inch V8 that produced between 230 and 325 hp depending upon the set-up.

We’re told that documentation will confirm this ’61 Plymouth’ as a pursuit car used by the Colorado State Patrol. It has the Hi-Po version of the 361 engine along with an H-D TorqueFlite automatic transmission, and other heavy duty mechanical components. The car does not have a cop radio, siren, and other police items as those are always removed once the vehicles are retired.

This car has more than its share of rust in external sheet metal and wears patches to the floor pans which were not done well. The interior is probably ready for a makeover, too (faded cheap seat covers are in place) and the seller has not tried to start the Plymouth, though the engine does turn by hand. There can’t be many of these old cop cars left, which may be the primary reason for considering doing a restoration.

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Comments

  1. Howard A Howard AMember

    Car 54, Where are you? With the lovable Joe Ross( Ooh, ooh) and Herman Munster. A 2 door ex-police car? We’ll just see about that,,,well, shiver me timbers, Colorado, and many others DID use 2 door ’61 Plymouths. Minnesota, Michigan, all used them. There’s a bit of a fallacy about police cars being the best cars. While it’s true, they are generally more heavy duty, it’s mostly what the department got a good deal on 50 of them. Plymouth was simply the cheapest car out there with a big motor. It’s how AMC got into police work later.
    Certainly, such an unusual design can’t be blamed on drugs, it just looks angry, but really, designed by rational thinking people, can you imagine what designs didn’t make the cut?

    Like 27
    • Howard A Howard AMember

      It should be noted, the’61 Plymouth did well at the race track too. Early 60s, Chrysler had the drag racing market cornered, for a while, not much could beat them. Roundy-round too, I’d paint it blue with a #43 in honor of the KIng.

      Like 13
    • Tim

      It is said that Dodge came up with the first factory built police package in 1956. The police package was built for durability, high speed handling and when equipped with a big engine, high speed. Many law enforcement agencies set up standards for manufacturers to meet in their bid process. Also doing extensive testing of police package cars. AMC, Buick, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Dodge, Ford, Oldsmobile, Plymouth, Pontiac, and Studebaker all had factory police package vehicles for sale at one time or another. So it wasn’t always low bid, but the best car at the best price.

      Like 13
    • JTHapp JTHapp

      “There’s a holdup in the Bronx,
      Brooklyn’s broken out in fights,
      There’s a traffic jam in Harlem, that’s backed up to Jackson Heights!
      There’s a scout troop short a child,
      Khrushchev’s due at Idyllwild!

      Car 54, Where are you?”

      Like 10
  2. RICK W

    While the front end is a mess of crunched mass, the rear shows a preview of the downsized 62 Plymouth. IMO, one of the ugliest cars ever built. Passing on the last new 61 DeSoto in our community, my parents traded our beloved 55 Firedome for a black 62 Belvedere. I would definitely not be in pursuit of this rust bucket. GLWTS and Good luck to anyone who buys it! Of course we all know what opinions are worth 😉

    Like 7
  3. Claudia

    Having in my possession my late husband’s 1960 Dodge Phoenix plus a whole library of original literature for 1960 and 1961 Chrysler products, IMHO this is a car only a native could love. Patrol cars could be had with any engine from slant 6 to 413. two or four door according to sales literature. Unless you know casting and part numbers, you cannot tell if it is a hi po version. I would be happy to provide parts list numbers; they will be different. Basically, you have a different carb, high lift (3/4) camshaft, heavier crankshaft, big brakes and rear.

    Like 0
  4. Tbone

    A face only a mother could love

    Like 14
    • Terrry

      The only thing worse was the front of the ’62 Dodge.

      Like 9
  5. Big C

    And they said the ’58 Edsel was ugly.

    Like 13
  6. Terrry

    It’s understandable why Plymouth dropped from third to seventh in sales. While GM and Ford were building very handsome automobiles in 1961, Plymouth had….this. Still, these cars had their good points, most notably excellent mechanicals, You could bet these with a slant 6, a 318 and the 361, all very good mills. And the Chrysler automatics were probably the most reliable slush boxes out there. What would I do with this particular rust bucket, you ask? Pull the drive train and part the rest.

    Like 7
  7. John EderMember

    If this vehicle was in service and pulled in behind me on the road, they wouldn’t need red lights. I’d pull over just based upon the front view of the car in my rear view mirror.

    Like 17
  8. oldroddderMember

    These have to be in the running for “Ugliest automobile ever produced”. I cannot for the life of me find any, absolutely 0 redeeming qualities. If this thing sells for any amount of money I will be astonished.

    Like 7
  9. Nelson C

    One thing you can say for Virgil is that he owned it. I recall a gentleman commenter once say that his ’61 Plymouth was the only car in his collection that looked back at him.

    Like 8
  10. MICHAEL S BELL

    Gotta wonder why Exner was kept on as long as he was… and this ex-cop car is exhibit #1. I’m in Terrry’s camp: keep the drive train and part/scrap the rest.

    Like 1
  11. JDC

    One of my all time favorite designs. I love the front end of these! This one has some really bad cancer unfortunately.
    I’m always surprised at the fact that so many cop cars of that era were 2 doors.

    Like 14
  12. Gregg

    I love it! Now I see what all those stupid plastic grilles that (some) guys are buying to stick on the front of their Jeeps, are all about. They’re trying to look like this car does! This thing looks like it will chew you up and spit out the pieces! Those jeeps just look like they will roll over and piddle themselves!

    Like 11
  13. 9-of-us

    …and even she has trouble.

    Like 0
  14. Johnmloghry johnmloghry

    Ward Cleaver’s car on Leave it to Beaver.

    God Bless America

    Like 10
    • Howard A Howard AMember

      Hi John, Plymouth was the car Ward Cleaver was shown with the most, a new one practically every season, however, it wasn’t the 1st car he had. In the 1st season, he is shown driving a 1957 Ford Custom.

      Like 1
  15. duaney

    I towed this car and helped load it on the trailer. Had bad luck and with no brakes, the Plymouth ran into the rear of my truck, and that’s what did some grille damage.

    Like 10
  16. robjMember

    So, is it coming or going? With that face it’s a little hard to tell…

    Like 1
  17. pwtiger

    Beat with the ugly stick! If the quarter panel looks this bad i can imagine what the uni-body frame is like, $500…

    Like 0
  18. Kenneth Carney

    Looks like the car used in the film “This Is Not A Test”, a B-grade movie
    about a state trooper getting ready for a nuclear attack from the Soviet
    Union. I think you can still find it on
    You Tube on Pizza fix’s channel. The
    movie came out in late ’61 or early ’62. I first saw it on the afternoon
    movie in ’67 for the first time. Seen it
    several times over the years and it’s
    strange how a film can stay in your
    memory even 58 years later. Now if
    you wanna get it to fly, drop in a 440
    Magnum and a 727 Torqueflite tranny.
    for the ultimate go fast experience.

    Like 6
  19. The Cadillac Kid

    Strange tail lights. I have the ones from my grandfathers 61 Belevedere. They had red lenses that stuck out, these look different. His had the optional back up lamps as does this one. I drove that for years with no reverse or e brake which I think was on the drive shaft. To make it worse, there was no park selection. I carried 2 large/long wedges to act assist in reverse by driving forward on them, then coasting back. Also worked as an e brake when parked. It had an oval steering wheel I did like the strands speedo. Little red lines that filled up like liquid, cool.

    Like 4
    • RICK W

      No Kidding! The taillights should have red lenses extending from chrome bezels. Apparently those are missing. No surprise. Somewhat similar to 59 Cadillac space age taillights. NO offense! 😉

      Like 3
  20. Dave in Virginia

    I always liked the 61 Plymouth. It always looked to me like it was snarling at the other cars. Then again, I’m weird. I would love to find one, preferably a Fury, that was ready to get in and drive.

    Like 5
  21. Jim Benjaminson

    Story is the design was to be applied to a full size car when a Chrysler exec heard a story at a golf club that Chevrolet was downsizing their cars for ’61 (only partially true, they were coming out with the smaller Chevy II). Exner’s designs were pretty much a done deal but higher ups ordered the cars downsized – which didn’t turn out well. Exner himself called them “plucked chickens”. Ugly – ? The car was voted the ugliest Plymouth ever built by the members of the Plymouth Owners Club!

    Like 2
  22. Robert Gill

    “CAR 54 WHERE ARE YOU ?” I wish I could post a photo, but for some reason I can’t, but on this computer, I have a photo of the 1961 Plymouth Savoy 4 door sedan that was used in the TV show “CAR 54 WHERE ARE YOU?” that Gunter Tootie (Joe E. Ross) and Francis Muldoon (Fred Gwynne) rode around in. I saw that car at a New York Auto Show that was held at the Jacob Javits Center in Manhattan one year. Interestingly, that car was painted red with a white roof (as opposed to the way New York City Police cars were painted at the time, which was black, dark green and white). I was told the “CAR 54 Police car” was painted red because it would show up better on the TV show, which was filmed in black and white.

    Like 1
    • John EderMember

      I believe that you have to be a paid member to post photos.

      Like 0
  23. oldrodderMember

    I concur with the Plymouth Owners Club. It would take a pretty active imagination to come up with an uglier design.

    Like 1
  24. duaney

    I’ve seen restored 61 Plymouths at shows. They attract tons of attention. Restored they actually look really cool, everyone loves them

    Like 1

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