Motor Trend – Monster 512 Cubic-Inch Stroker Sleeper Wagon – Video
HOT ROD Garage set out to build a good old-fashioned sleeper! We found a very innocent-looking and long-forgotten 1965 Plymouth Fury III wagon and began to revive the old Mopar 400 big-block from Rollsmokey. Watch Tony and Lucky take that shaky, low-compression 400, strip it to the block, and rebuild it into a 512ci stroked beast! After the new 512 big-block gets stuffed into the #furyroadmaster, it’s time to hit the streets for some fun!
1965 Plymouth Fury III wagon
In 1965, Chrysler returned the Fury to the new, full-size Chrysler C-body platform. The new 1965 Plymouth line included three special Furys: the Fury I, Fury II, and Fury III. The Fury I was the basic model, while the Fury II and Fury III offered more trim and features. Full size Furys had options such as automatic transmission, power steering, white sidewall tires (along with full wheel covers), stereo radios, vinyl tops, and air conditioning. The Sport Fury was the highest trim and feature model positioned to compete with the Chevrolet Impala Super Sport and Ford Galaxie 500/XL. It offered a sportier interior and exterior trim package.
The overall design changed, with the grille losing chrome but gaining two vertical stacked headlights on each side. All rode on a new 119 in (3,000 mm) wheelbase (121 in (3,100 mm) for the wagons)—1 in (25 mm) longer than before. The 426 “Street Wedge” V8 was introduced, rated at 385 hp (287 kW) but finally street-legal.[1]
The 1966 Furys kept the same profile as the 1965s, with a split front and rear grill motif. For 1967, the body was restyled with a sharp, angular profile. The stacked quad headlight bezels were curvier and set more deeply into the body, giving the car a more muscular look. The rooflines had sharper angles and gave the car a longer, more luxurious appearance. A new, formal two-door hardtop body style appeared which featured smaller rear quarter windows and a wider, back-slanted “C” pillar. Called the “fast top,” it was offered alongside the restyled thin “C” pillar hardtop in both VIP and Sport Fury series (as well as on corresponding big Dodge models). The 1967 model year introduced new safety regulations, which meant that for the first time, all Plymouths included dual-circuit brake master cylinder, energy-absorbing steering column and wheel, recessed instrument panel controls, and shoulder belt mounting points for outboard front seat occupants.
The 1968 Furys received with minor grille and taillight trim updates, along with side marker lights and shoulder belts for front outboard occupants (except the convertible). Parking lights now illuminated with the headlights, which meant that if one headlight was inoperative in low beam, that other drivers wouldn’t mistake your car for a motorcycle in the dark.
From 1966 to 1969, a luxury version of the Fury, called the Plymouth VIP (marketed as the Very Important Plymouth in 1966) was fielded, in response to the Ford LTD, Chevrolet Caprice, and the AMC Ambassador DPL. These models came with standards such as full wheel covers, vinyl tops, luxuriously upholstered interiors with walnut dashboard and door-panel trim, a thicker grade of carpeting, more sound insulation, and full courtesy lighting.
In Australia, the full size Dodge Phoenix was based on the Dodge Dart and 440 until 1965, when it became a right-hand drive version of the contemporary Fury. The Phoenix continued in production in Australia until 1972, each based on that year’s North American Plymouth Fury.