Worst Cars of the 1960s: The 1962 Plymouth (Savoy/Belvedere/Fury) - A Car You Hate to Love

Автокөліктер мен көлік құралдары

Marc is back! Learn more about this 1962 Plymouth Fury, including how it got Chrysler's then-styling chief Virgil Exner fired and sent Chrysler into a continual seesaw of financial performance--and woes--from which it never recovered. This was the wrong car at the wrong time on many levels, and Chrysler paid dearly for it.

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  • @soundrecordings2659
    @soundrecordings26592 жыл бұрын

    Special Guest Mark is terrific and you both are the best.

  • @MrTPF1
    @MrTPF12 жыл бұрын

    My Dad had an early 60's Valiant, and I never realized that it was the Belvedere/Fury's little brother/progenitor. I think this car looks great. It was just ahead of its time.

  • @RivieraByBuick

    @RivieraByBuick

    2 жыл бұрын

    ahead of its time?? in what sence?

  • @gr7485

    @gr7485

    Жыл бұрын

    Yes it was ahead of its time but unfortunately poorly executed. Today however they are interesting because of their quirkiness and rarity. I can't ever recall seeing one at a car show.

  • @charlottebrownlane7929

    @charlottebrownlane7929

    5 ай бұрын

    I had to inspect a Belvedere for it's brake tag once and loved it. Unique pushbutton shift. Never had seen one before😊

  • @EarlGuyton425
    @EarlGuyton4252 жыл бұрын

    I am age 66 and being a retired mechanic, I will say that anyone who owned one of these back in 1962 had the most dependable car. I felt as a child when I saw one some people owned up the street saw it as a sissy wimps car, but that was because in the 60s we had some mean looking chrysler imperials and cadillacs and some big mean looking oldsmobiles, so based on that the manufacturers timing was off BAD. If I owned one today? I would keep it until my death because its mechanical dependability and reasonable to work on. I love your car to the guy in the video

  • @johnlandacre767

    @johnlandacre767

    2 жыл бұрын

    My family had a Dodge Coronet 500, bought new in ‘69. I was quite the Chrysler fan for several years, after learning to drive on this car in 1970. It was a very rough car, rode poorly, squeaks and rattles abounded, AC went on the blink after about 3 years. Some problems with voltage regulator and alternator, but I believe those got fixed eventually. The 383 V-8 2 barrel was strong, as was the torqueflite transmission. I had always heard electrical components on 50s and early 60s Chrysler products were poor quality, but don’t know if that’s true in Mark’s experience.

  • @EarlGuyton425

    @EarlGuyton425

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@johnlandacre767 Actually most all those cars rattled and had squeaks as far as your basic sedans of ford and even chevrolet in the time frame of 1969 model cars. As for electrical and those cars with voltage regilators that were mounted away from the alternator/generator THEY WERE ALL default of over charging and swelling batteries and just stopping altogether regardless of the make. It was GM cars auto line that had the best charging systems after the introduction of the delco remy alternator with the built in regulator around 1963. But the 69 dodge cornets developed rattles and squeaks same as your fords and chevrolets. Most people arent aware that luxury models such as olds and cadillac and lincoln use a 21 to even 24 gauge sheet metal as to where you cheaper cars use a 19 gauge. In my childhood we had cadillacs and oldsmobiles, but for the record my school buddies dad had this 1968 dodge monoca he bought new in 1968 and that was a great car because I rode in it a few times

  • @bigblockjalopy

    @bigblockjalopy

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@EarlGuyton425 I drive a 1960 Plymouth 2 door hardtop almost daily since 1988. Almost 600 000km now. It never rattled, Not once . It is unibody btw. Like all Mopars except Imperial since September of 1959. And it is not my only unibody car. None rattles. Most dependable cars in automobile history. Only rust is a Problem. Once restored a 61 DeSoto Coupe, rockers, floors, etc gone and not even that rattled.

  • @AladdinSaneNYC

    @AladdinSaneNYC

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@bigblockjalopy GREAT! Happy trails with it friend! I envy you but in a good way. Peace...🙏👍♐

  • @EarlGuyton425

    @EarlGuyton425

    2 жыл бұрын

    ​@@bigblockjalopy The cars you mentioned are not unibodies. A unibody was common on mercedes cars and some american cars such as the mustang and the cougar in the 1960s. But your dodge darts and plynouth valiants and furys were all frame on chassis. Your 1960 plymouth 2 door you mentioned is a frame on chassis. If it were a unibody your engine mounts would secure to the shock towers, but yours has motor mounts that attach to the frame. It depends on whom reads your comment, can only know it is all made up. Your comment is all fiction. Someone from the Mil generation may not have caught this

  • @DSP1968
    @DSP19682 жыл бұрын

    I'm with Marc -- this is quite a design, and there are a lot of interesting details on these cars. Thank you for asking Marc to share it with us.

  • @sirmister4411
    @sirmister44112 жыл бұрын

    That is a beautiful automobile! Love the body lines and unique grill. Had one o those back in the 70s and it still stood out then also.

  • @waterheaterservices

    @waterheaterservices

    2 жыл бұрын

    Those were the days. We could buy those cars in excellent condition for for a few hundred dollars.

  • @ronschlorff7089

    @ronschlorff7089

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@waterheaterservices who knew then eh. Sold a 56 Belaire I had in '80 for 1800 bucks, I thought I had stuck a fat pig. Same car today, 50K!! ;D

  • @roccosophie6498
    @roccosophie64982 жыл бұрын

    This car is the closest I think we've ever seen to an American concept car becoming a reality. I think it's pretty magnificent for that reason alone. And this car is in exceptionally great condition!

  • @barrymoore1107

    @barrymoore1107

    2 жыл бұрын

    People liked the Fury

  • @johnd8892

    @johnd8892

    2 жыл бұрын

    63 Buick Riviera started a the very similar 1960 concept car.

  • @zzoinks

    @zzoinks

    2 жыл бұрын

    How about the Pontiac Aztek?

  • @roccosophie6498

    @roccosophie6498

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@zzoinks Was that a concept car design? I thought it was an intentional joke like the VW Thing.

  • @TheBrokenLife

    @TheBrokenLife

    2 жыл бұрын

    The 3rd gen Challenger is nearly an identical twin of its concept. It's so close that I doubt most people would even notice it in a parking lot.

  • @bellendcottage8820
    @bellendcottage88202 жыл бұрын

    Add me to the list of people who love the car.

  • @cdstoc
    @cdstoc2 жыл бұрын

    I always thought these were "interesting" looking cars. My first car was a used 1964 Dodge Polara that shared some design cues with this car. It was already a 10-year old car, but I liked it. The 318 and TorqueFlite were solid, too.

  • @ronschlorff7089

    @ronschlorff7089

    2 жыл бұрын

    Yup, a "bullet proof" car, as a teenage driver of it (borrowed my uncle's) I can attest to that!! :D LOL

  • @muffs55mercury61

    @muffs55mercury61

    2 жыл бұрын

    318s were great motors.

  • @ronschlorff7089

    @ronschlorff7089

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@muffs55mercury61 The 64 Polara of my uncle's had a 383, with plenty of "beast-mode" for the roads back in the day, but my dad had a 318 in his 64 Dodge truck. Never seemed to give any trouble and it had plenty of torque; he was a carpenter and loaded it "up to the gills" a lot. And economical too, we sure did not want to waste too much of that 35 cent/gallon leaded gas back then, eh!! :D LOL

  • @muffs55mercury61

    @muffs55mercury61

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@ronschlorff7089 The 60s had a lot of improvements such as better suspensions and higher rear axle ratios so the engine isn't screaming over 50 mph. In the first half of the 1950s there were still outdated things such as front lever shocks, torque tube drivelines and those low rear axle ratios. GM was bad for that.

  • @JeffKing310
    @JeffKing3102 жыл бұрын

    I remember seeing these in the late 60s/ early 70s and they seemed hideous to my young eyes. Now, they look funky and cool. You and Marc have great content on automotive history and are natural story tellers. Love the channel!

  • @ronschlorff7089

    @ronschlorff7089

    2 жыл бұрын

    "hideous" seems to be the "styling" trend of today! ;D

  • @danielulz1640
    @danielulz16402 жыл бұрын

    Out of sheer desperation, I bought a nine year old 62 base model Dodge Dart sedan. It was rose beige, and I called it my pink, horse-face Dodge. It turned out to be one of the best and most reliable cars I ever owned.

  • @nancyericson4263

    @nancyericson4263

    2 жыл бұрын

    Dodge Darts are good. The Duster was a nice car. Even when I was really little, I thought these cars were really ugly. I think the Valiant was ugly.

  • @jumpinjehoshaphat9075

    @jumpinjehoshaphat9075

    10 ай бұрын

    The 62 Dart was a B body. The A body equivalent to the 63 Dart was the Lancer. All those ubiquitous reliable six-cylinder and small V8 Darts over the next 15 years were A body cars. The Duster was a fastback version of the Valiant and Dart knocked one of those off. I have an E body Challenger, good-looking car they're even making a tribute to this day. There's a 96 year old man 3 doors down that has a early 70s 4-door Valiant in his garage that I'm sure he bought new on the lot. I just don't want to do anything about it or make an offer because, you're right, it's ugly. I'm not interested. Now there were some good looking Valiants. I had a 64 Valiant Signet convertible four speed six-cylinder. Good car and good-looking. I love looking at Old Beverly Hillbillies because they always had the old Chrysler iron. The first season Jane Hathaway was alternating between this Fury style and a Dodge 880. One of those episodes had that Valiant convertible like mine. Many others. Imperials, b bodies, a bodies, wagons, trucks. Good stuff, nostalgia. You always know what you're going to get.

  • @jumpinjehoshaphat9075

    @jumpinjehoshaphat9075

    10 ай бұрын

    ​@@nancyericson4263above comment was for Nancy Erickson about those ugly Valiants

  • @cryan4041
    @cryan40412 жыл бұрын

    The first time I saw a '62 Plymouth was in It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad world, and it was my least favorite car in the film (a film that's a feast for eye's of classic car buffs). This video is a testament to why education on a topic enlightens perspective. Your presentation makes me truly appreciate Exner's intent, and I'm suddenly finding myself reconsidering a long-held bias. Thank you.

  • @joedepoto

    @joedepoto

    2 жыл бұрын

    It’s under a Big W!

  • @cryan4041

    @cryan4041

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@joedepoto lol! Love that film. Watching it is almost like having old friends over for a Saturday night card game.

  • @joedepoto

    @joedepoto

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@cryan4041 I remember watching that movie with my Dad in the early 1990s as a double VHS! Since the “Love Bug” released in 1969 is the movie that got me into cars; I thought it was funny that Buddy Hackett was riding around in 1960-1961 Volkswagen Beetle convertible.🤔🙌🤣

  • @cryan4041

    @cryan4041

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@joedepoto Buddy Hackett is great; the whole cast is. I also saw the film with my dad the first time, but I hate to admit it was at a drive-in a year or two after its initial release. I was only two and didn't stay awake for the whole thing, but the cars and the amazing stunt driving made a lasting impression. If you are so ever inclined to watch it again, there's a 4 disc DVD/BlueRay version that includes the original road show version, which I highly recommend. I never knew, for example, that the red '62 Dodge Polara convertible Dick Shawn drives actually belongs to his girl friend. She tells him he can't with it leave, and he hollers, "But what about my mother?" To which she replies, "But what about my husband?" It's a great line that trimmed for general theatrical release. There are a lot of great moments like that in the road show version, not to mention a fun intermission with police radio calls updating audiences on the actions of the characters.

  • @Brian-bp5pe
    @Brian-bp5pe2 жыл бұрын

    My parents owned a used '63 Plymouth station wagon that they purchased in '66, or '67. It was rated very favorably against the competition by Consumer Reports and we liked it. A couple of years later, my uncle and aunt bought the sedan version of the Fury - don't recall if it was a later model, but they were happy with it, too. My dad and uncle were both mechanical engineers, so they weren't much fazed by marketing silliness.

  • @624radicalham
    @624radicalham2 жыл бұрын

    This is better than anything Jay Leno has done in his entire KZread career. The amount of design detail explanation, from an actual GM designer, is nourishment for those of us that live and breathe automotive design. In our youth, we'd spend hours sitting inside of cars and examining the exterior wondering what the designers might actually have been thinking. Now we actually know from the mouth of a professional. A professional that even knows what the dash of a Lumina APV looks like just from memory. How on earth you found Marc is a mystery, but please never lose him!

  • @RareClassicCars

    @RareClassicCars

    2 жыл бұрын

    He simply clings to my extreme levels of fame ;). Marc has a ton of knowledge, but I must say that I was the one who made the noted Lumina APV comment! Hehe. Thx for watching.

  • @suziekuzie4748

    @suziekuzie4748

    2 ай бұрын

    I agree

  • @williamepps9519
    @williamepps95192 жыл бұрын

    I love the design of the Fury... I miss quirky cars. There are so few new ones now days

  • @THROTTLEPOWER

    @THROTTLEPOWER

    2 жыл бұрын

    I agree William

  • @craigbenz4835

    @craigbenz4835

    2 жыл бұрын

    The Pontiac Aztec of it's day.

  • @michaellindquist31
    @michaellindquist312 жыл бұрын

    Many of your older viewers will remember that this was the car that Ward Cleaver drove during the 1963 final season of Leave it to Beaver with the jazzy new music. In the beginning intro, you see the family getting into the car at home on the way, presumably to a picnic. Wally and the Beaver get into the back seat and the camera focuses on the Beaver. You also see the car in various scenes where Ward is pulling in the driveway when coming home from work. I was 12 in 1963 and thought, even then, how ugly this caw was at the time and figured Chrysler was trying to push sales by having the car in the show.

  • @johnchildress6717

    @johnchildress6717

    2 жыл бұрын

    If you look closely you can see the rear glass is removed when they are backing out of the driveway.

  • @dave1956

    @dave1956

    2 жыл бұрын

    I remember Ward Cleaver with his 1962 Plymouth.

  • @brianm6530

    @brianm6530

    2 жыл бұрын

    A question to anyone out there, didn't that LITB car also have 3 taillights/side as opposed 2 as does this Fury being displayed? Maybe my memory has it wrong, but it would be nice to know one way or other.

  • @johnchildress6717

    @johnchildress6717

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@brianm6530 The way you it in this video is what it is.Look at the later editions of leave it to Beaver.This same car.

  • @eth39232

    @eth39232

    2 жыл бұрын

    Ward Cleaver drove a 1957 Ford Custom 300 for the first two seasons and then Plymouths and final four seasons.

  • @ProjectFairmont
    @ProjectFairmont2 жыл бұрын

    I actually liked these. Perhaps because it was so much less off putting than the valiant or they made a good looking police car, I am not sure. Regardless they did appear to be well made.

  • @arnepianocanada

    @arnepianocanada

    Жыл бұрын

    Mr. Shawnski; Ha, Valiant is among my all-time faves ever since it came out (I was 4; family friends had a stunning red wagon.) Eye of the beholder! 🤩🤢

  • @ab348
    @ab3482 жыл бұрын

    Further to the Bill Newberg intelligence: According to an April 1995 article in Collectible Automobile, he issued some very specific orders to the design and engineering people for the crash downsizing program they had to execute. This included things like a width no more than 72 inches between the door posts, a wheelbase no more than 116 inches, no curved side glass, limits on total glass area and bumper size, limits on bright moldings and metal-finishing of body seams, and even trying body-sharing with the Valiant/Lancer. The original full-size proposals for the '62 models were ordered to be junked, so there would be no turning back. You can only imagine how design and engineering reacted to that sort of micromanagement. Instability in Chrysler's top management in the first part of 1960 led to Tex Colbert ceding the President's job to Newberg, who then got fired himself for corruption charges. That opened the door for Lynn Townsend, from Chrysler's accounting firm Touche Ross, to take the Presidency. It was Townsend who initiated another crash program to bring the cars back into the mainstream for '63. Townsend gave Exner assurances he would not be held responsible for the '62s, but when they were so poorly received by dealers and the public, someone had to wear it other than the departed Newberg, and Exner was fired in November, 1961, not long after they were introduced. The article discusses how Townsend then hired Elwood Engel away from Ford to replace Ex and tells a story about his first few days in the building after Exner had left. Looking at the proposed '63 redesigns, he reportedly said to Townsend "These are good-looking cars. What's the big deal?" The '62 models were indeed a sales disaster, selling just 182,520 units, not much different than the bizarre 1961 from what I can determine. The revised '63 boosted that to 263,292, and the '64 improved on that, increasing to 297,293 units. Even at that, you could argue that the assertion by Marc that these marked the end of Plymouth being a competitor in the low-priced three segment was true. But the bigger problem Plymouth was facing was the 1960s competition from Pontiac, who were building a very appealing product in that era which Plymouth just could not match. Starting in '62 Pontiac went on a roll, selling over 500,000 copies, then by '64 they were almost up to 700,000 annual production, and in '66 they went past the 800,000 mark. They were a juggernaut, and Chrysler had no chance of competing. I would suggest it wasn't the '62 Plymouth that led to that make's later woes, but Pontiac.

  • @blautens
    @blautens2 жыл бұрын

    Thanks! Marc is always a great guest, and I agree with him 100%. These quirky Mopars are starting to grow on me.

  • @RareClassicCars

    @RareClassicCars

    2 жыл бұрын

    Right on!

  • @ronschlorff7089

    @ronschlorff7089

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@RareClassicCars yeah, but the 61's someone lost their minds though! ;D

  • @paulgibbons8222
    @paulgibbons82222 жыл бұрын

    I love the old Plymouth Fury. I once had a 1968 Fury 3 and it was a great car.

  • @damon9408
    @damon94082 жыл бұрын

    Whenever I see these, I'm reminded of Sylvester in Mad, Mad World. Lotsa classics were wrecked in the making of that classic movie 🎥

  • @stephenkuhn1761
    @stephenkuhn17612 жыл бұрын

    I like the way it looks. I've always thought the early/mid 60's era of cars was a great one from the styling perspective anyway, where the manufacturers had put the period of monstrous land yachts with the chrome slathered on by the ton behind them, and were willing to take some chances with styling. Sadly, sometimes those experiments failed to catch on. It was certainly a better styling period than the current one, where a Ford looks like a Chevy which looks like a Toyota which looks like ...

  • @enriquelopez2550
    @enriquelopez25502 жыл бұрын

    A great car and a great recurring guest! I have nothing but love for these quirky Mopars of the early '60s. For me, this is vastly more satisfying to own than another Camaro or Mustang. The styling is off beat, but that's the Mid Century look we're all digging these days. Having owned several Chrysler products from the '70s, I'm willing to bet this is a fun, reliable car to own.

  • @budmcneely1571
    @budmcneely15712 жыл бұрын

    actually a favourite car with me. our family went on vacation in 1962 in a 1962 Plymouth. drove up into interior of British Columbia, car was tough loaded up with our family of seven, lots of power, strong car.

  • @txnetcop
    @txnetcop2 жыл бұрын

    I hated this car when it came out. 4 yrs later a buddy had one with a 440. I was in love...

  • @garyblanchard1084

    @garyblanchard1084

    2 жыл бұрын

    Retrofitted 440. Unavailable from Mopar until 1966.

  • @txnetcop

    @txnetcop

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@garyblanchard1084 I'm don't remember but I'm sure it probably was. It was fast. He had put traction bars on it to keep the wheel hop down.

  • @steve-ph9yg

    @steve-ph9yg

    2 жыл бұрын

    The 413 and the 413 max wedge were available the 62 and 63’s they were the “Super Stock Cars” in the Jan & Dean songs.

  • @jamesaandf
    @jamesaandf2 жыл бұрын

    A lot of right put together wrong. I always liked these orphans. If they had had curved side glass as Exner intended, the look would have been improved greatly as it would have emphasized the “fuselage” design. They were oddly ahead of their time. This B platform went on to be a money maker for Chrysler as it became their intermediates in ‘65…the Satellite, Coronet, then Charger with the platform being modified again for the downsized full sized cars on the ‘79 R bodies…a reworked B body.

  • @tdvandy2

    @tdvandy2

    2 жыл бұрын

    The R bodies were a total failure, sadly. Pretty but terrible .

  • @pcno2832

    @pcno2832

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@tdvandy2 The take I've always heard on that story was that the R bodies were good cars, beloved by police forces and much better put together than the B-bodies, but that the 1980 bailout required their cancellation for political reasons. They might well have been a big hit when fuel prices collapsed in the mid 1980s. Its sad to see that one of the few things Chrysler got right during those years got tossed due to bad timing.

  • @chuckhaugan4970

    @chuckhaugan4970

    2 жыл бұрын

    What's funny is the GTO came out a few years later and DeLorean proclaimed the GTO a muscle car.... Only problem was, Chrysler had downsized their line and their cars were the same length or a few inches longer with WAY MORE horses under the hood: 413 wedge, with dual carbs, putting out over 400 hp. It's sad this is the way Exner went out along with putting Chrysler in serious trouble in less than 5 years after.

  • @jamesaandf

    @jamesaandf

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@chuckhaugan4970 I consider the ‘62 Dart and Plymouth the first real muscle cars…but the GTO was the first to be labeled as such.

  • @chuckhaugan4970

    @chuckhaugan4970

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@jamesaandf Yeah, DeLorean was a marketing genius but, along with the 300 in the mid 1950's, Chrysler was first. It's a damn shame what Fiat is doing to a once proud company. I hope Chrysler returns to it's former glory in my life time, but I doubt it.

  • @RexKarrs
    @RexKarrs2 жыл бұрын

    When I was a kid in Toledo in the early '60s, there was a group that ran around town in identical '62 Sport Fury convertibles in silver (almost looked like stainless steel, like DeLoreans) with tan interiors, black tops and...vocal...exhausts. They were replaced every year, the last ones I remember seeing were '66s, but I liked the '62s best. If I was hunting for one today, that's what I would be looking for. Much less strange-looking than the '61s.

  • @WilliamParmley
    @WilliamParmley Жыл бұрын

    OMG, I love listening to people who know what they're talking about! This channel is outstanding!

  • @Channelscruf
    @Channelscruf2 жыл бұрын

    When I was a kid in the late 60’s I looked at these in awe that anyone would choose to hand over good cash to own one. I knew no one that owned one.

  • @jimato01

    @jimato01

    2 жыл бұрын

    Amen to that !

  • @ronschlorff7089

    @ronschlorff7089

    2 жыл бұрын

    as I recall in the 60's (yes yes I know, "if you remember the 60's you weren't there"), lots of kids were "handing over good cash" for lots of things, like little bags of something looking like oregano!! ;D LOL

  • @rogerbear60
    @rogerbear602 жыл бұрын

    Wow, that takes me back. I had a '62 Fury in the late '70s, a white coupe with a red interior. It had three taillights on each side instead of 2. In the winter the park lever would sometimes freeze in place and you had to wait for it to thaw before you could put it in gear.

  • @Less1leg2
    @Less1leg22 жыл бұрын

    as a young kid my dad bought one of these cars. I remember his comments, worst car he ever owned. Rained outside, wouldn't start, snowed outside, it wouldn't start. He had more trouble with this Chrysler product than any car he ever owned. Funny thing though. It was a comfortable car to sit in, and be a kid in the backseat. It looked good from design. But boy oh boy, Dad got rid of this thing mighty quickly.

  • @FLYEAL
    @FLYEAL2 жыл бұрын

    Yes, ‘fortunately’. Marc is always a fantastic guest with detailed knowledge. Own 62s - though not Chrysler. Sometimes overlooked year

  • @gixxer750r3
    @gixxer750r32 жыл бұрын

    I didn't like these when they came out but I really do now. A very unique design that sets it apart from others during that model year.

  • @ellisonhamilton3322
    @ellisonhamilton33222 жыл бұрын

    It's an oddly attractive car. Like adopting the ugly mutt at the pound and eventually coming to think that he's the handsomest hound in town.

  • @OLDS98
    @OLDS982 жыл бұрын

    Thank you for bringing your designer friend back. It is interesting to listen to hear what he has to say. I hope he comes again. It was interesting to hear why the car flopped in the market. I think this is the same car that Ward Cleaver had on Leave It To Beaver.

  • @patrickflohe7427

    @patrickflohe7427

    2 жыл бұрын

    He did? I don’t even remember that!

  • @johnlandacre767

    @johnlandacre767

    2 жыл бұрын

    Yes. This was on the later "Leave it to Beaver" episodes. The show was on from 1957-1963, so they had a couple of years to feature this weirdo set of wheels.😁🤣😂. Just kidding, Mark, this is a great example of the excesses of Mr. Exner. It is in beautiful condition, and is certainly unique, which probably is good, because if there had been two unique models in the market like this, two companies would have gotten into financial trouble. At this point in history, I don't hate it nearly as much as I did when it came out. (I was 8 years old). If I found one in good condition, I'd probably even buy it! Is this one for sale??😁

  • @michaeltobin643

    @michaeltobin643

    2 жыл бұрын

    Miss Jane's car, on the Beverly Hillbillies. They always featured Chrysler products. I think they did well with that product tie-in. Thanks for the memories!

  • @88SC

    @88SC

    2 жыл бұрын

    The final season intro ended with the Cleaver family loaded up in it, backing out of the driveway. Rear glass missing to eliminate glare.

  • @ronschlorff7089

    @ronschlorff7089

    2 жыл бұрын

    Yes, nice part of those sixties tv shows is the great cars from the era seen. I like the Outer Limits because they had a deal with Ford for their cars and that's what I collect, like my 64 red (in B&W on OL) Comet Caliente that appeared in a few episodes.

  • @rdm925
    @rdm9252 жыл бұрын

    Love this video and car. It's a car that was about 10 years ahead of it's time. If it's original full size Plymouth Super Sport design had been produced and had the curved side glass, it would have been successful. Collectable Automobile Magazine did a great feature on it years ago. Saw many of them in the movie It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World.👍 Thanks again for a great 📷. Also these type early and mid sixties cars fueled my desire to be a auto stylist/designer when I was growing up.

  • @hattree
    @hattree2 жыл бұрын

    In some ways, I think this car looks incredibly modern.

  • @ronschlorff7089

    @ronschlorff7089

    2 жыл бұрын

    except a lot more style!

  • @DSGNflorian

    @DSGNflorian

    2 жыл бұрын

    Hi, this is Marc with the '62 Fury. I agree, it does. All the "Jetsons-Style" cars of the transitional years between the late 50s and early 60s have a distinct futuristic quality that wasn't present before or after. While the '62 Plymouth wasn't the most extravagant of that crop of cars, it was probably among the cleanest and purest interpretations of "Space Age" cues, which gives it that modern feeling today.

  • @roccosophie6498

    @roccosophie6498

    2 жыл бұрын

    Mid 20th century, sure!

  • @davewallace8219

    @davewallace8219

    2 жыл бұрын

    yes...exner was on the cutting edge

  • @Redmenace96

    @Redmenace96

    Жыл бұрын

    I think the beauty is that it was what we project the 'future' to be. Yes, "Jetsons". And Disney Tomorrow Land where it is just an aspirational, "coming soon". My heart is breaking over the sales. Just a classic human story- we have greatness within our grasp..... and turn away.

  • @deancary6676
    @deancary6676 Жыл бұрын

    I am really enjoying this channel! I also appreciate the owner of this Plymouth has kept it in such a wonderful condition. That side profile shot left me dumbstruck - the proportions, the details. It's incredibly beautiful. OK as a foreigner, American cars above compact size are a difficult fit pragmatically speaking in the operating environments of most countries. There is no denying the sheer artistry of the styling - they are admired (and copied) the world over.

  • @craigbenz4835
    @craigbenz48352 жыл бұрын

    I like the short dash. It makes the dash and the inside of the windshield easy to clean.

  • @pcmacd
    @pcmacd2 жыл бұрын

    My dad had a '62 or '63 Belvedere around 1969 for his "work car" with the 318 2bbl and 3 speed torque flight - the shift buttons on the dash. It was the care I learned to drive in. It was zippy and handled well.

  • @jimw1997
    @jimw19972 жыл бұрын

    Definitely we are fortunate to have Mark join the channel!

  • @1straightcut
    @1straightcut2 жыл бұрын

    How cool to hear the history of the styling on this car! I started out not caring for it at all, but after the explanation, appreciating the features in a new way! Thank you both for the new perspective!

  • @christopherkraft1327
    @christopherkraft13272 жыл бұрын

    Virgil Exner had created some "odd" cars for sure!!! I remember seeing several of these cars in the movie 'It's A Mad Mad Mad Mad World!!! Thanks for sharing this informative video!!! 👍👍🙂

  • @jimshulman5975

    @jimshulman5975

    2 жыл бұрын

    particularly the rather rare '62 Imperial Crown convertible, with its free-standing rocket taillights, bordering on the phallic, free-standing headlights and a square steering wheel--and that was a toned-down version of the '61!

  • @christopherkraft1327

    @christopherkraft1327

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@jimshulman5975 I really like the 62 Imperials!! 🙂

  • @phdt12
    @phdt12 Жыл бұрын

    I always looked at these sedans and thought they were a little funky. Now I understand- they were! In the mid 60's my mom had a Plymouth Fury III wagon. For long trips she would fold the rear seat down and put in the mattress from the foldaway couch. Then fill the back with pillows and blankets and toys, and off we went to visit grandpa in Indianapolis, Indiana. It always took two days from NYC. I loved hearing the truckers blow their horns after my prompt from the rear window. We would climb back and forth from the back back to the front seat and have a blast! Can not even imagine how much we would have hated being buckled in like children have to do today. Love your videos! Love your droll delivery!

  • @jamesmskipper
    @jamesmskipper2 жыл бұрын

    I bought a 1972 Fury Gran Sedan pillarless four-door sedan almost by accident - my son needed a cheap car fast. I grew to love its beautiful shape and high-torque 360. It was great on the highway. It's still sitting here under the carport. :(

  • @kingofalldoughboys
    @kingofalldoughboys2 жыл бұрын

    I absolutely love this car! Such a cool design! Mark definitely needs his own KZread channel!

  • @nealsidor1323
    @nealsidor13232 жыл бұрын

    As time goes on Exners early 60s Chrysler products (which I found almost comical in my younger days) Are now atractive and yes, unique. Thanks 👍

  • @Redmenace96

    @Redmenace96

    Жыл бұрын

    As time goes on.... and we see so many bland compromises. This is when design, was really DESIGN. Exener had real power.

  • @jazzfan6
    @jazzfan62 жыл бұрын

    Besides being very knowledgeable, Marc speaks very clearly and precisely -- a refreshing and all too rare thing to hear in this day and age.

  • @sevinadrew3958
    @sevinadrew39582 жыл бұрын

    Appreciate Marc's expertise! Please invite him back

  • @johna.4334

    @johna.4334

    2 жыл бұрын

    Ditto!

  • @dmiller1000
    @dmiller10002 жыл бұрын

    Thanks for explaining why the dash was so shallow - I always wondered about that - they looked so spare to me at the time; I just thought they were being cheap, which in part they were. This car is certainly better looking than any specimen of this type of model that I ever remember seeing back then.

  • @danrice971
    @danrice9712 жыл бұрын

    Thank you Adam. I love everything about this Fury. Love Mopars, mid century styling, the weird and the oddball. It's beautiful in my eyes! Keep up the great work on this channel.

  • @kurtcameron723
    @kurtcameron7232 жыл бұрын

    Just recently came upon this page and find this retrospective fascinating. My Dad was a big car guy and we grew up in Fords in the 60's and 70's....

  • @lawrencemartin24
    @lawrencemartin242 жыл бұрын

    I was a used car dealer for 40 years. My favorite was a 63 Sport Fury Convertible. It was one of my first cars. Beautiful 30k miles. Sold it to raise cash to pay the hospital bill for the birth of my first child. $1500. In 1976.

  • @steves9905
    @steves99052 жыл бұрын

    Love that this a 4door hardtop. No doubt it's an odd car but the dodge was weirder. I love them both and thx to Marc for articulating what I couldn't explain. Always thought they looked muscular and athletic and sporty and of course it's because of the long hood and short deck, but also the shallow dash and lack of beltline shoulder. Everything played together to a look of pared down performance...offset by the googie space age styling details that Marc quantified...so true and a period I loved even more than the jet-age. The performance look backed up by the great Mopar B and RB engines. You guys are both great speakers and are great at conversation and 'splaining...hope to see more of Marc

  • @garyblanchard1084

    @garyblanchard1084

    2 жыл бұрын

    Either make is and always unmistakable from 1-2 blocks away.

  • @porcupinecone7188

    @porcupinecone7188

    2 жыл бұрын

    Actually, you explained it well

  • @waterheaterservices

    @waterheaterservices

    2 жыл бұрын

    I don't see any problem there a 428 hemi would not fix

  • @cadillacguy1890
    @cadillacguy18902 жыл бұрын

    My dad bought a 1962 Dodge Dart 330 station wagon brand new. It had five options on it, power steering, push button automatic transmission, AM radio, deluxe wheel covers and rear facing third seat. Although the styling was kind of quirky, that thing was tough as nails. My dad invented the 10,000 mile oil change and 20,000 mile tune up interval (no, you weren’t supposed to go that long, but he did anyway). That slant 6 took it with nary a whimper. It’s a shame Chrysler blew it on the styling, they really had performance and reliability dialed. I read an interview of Exner a while back where he blamed the styling failure on Chrysler’s rushed downsizing. He said the final products looked like “plucked chickens”, and the original full-sized renderings were much more attractive.

  • @klwthe3rd

    @klwthe3rd

    2 жыл бұрын

    That "rushed downsizing" was explained by Marc as the country club easedropping story.

  • @jackgtx440

    @jackgtx440

    2 жыл бұрын

    62 dart wagons were the best looking wagons ever made.

  • @ChrisPervelis
    @ChrisPervelis2 жыл бұрын

    Thanks for this! I am a Mopar guy to the core and this was a fascinating overview!

  • @maximuswedgie5149
    @maximuswedgie51492 жыл бұрын

    This was the seed that blossomed into the greatest muscle cars ever produced. Let’s maybe not forget that.

  • @will7its

    @will7its

    2 жыл бұрын

    You put a big motor in a tin can and its gonna fly......

  • @franzkoviakalak6981

    @franzkoviakalak6981

    2 жыл бұрын

    Facts

  • @davidpowell3347

    @davidpowell3347

    2 жыл бұрын

    Would one of these cars with the biggest engine offered put it on the Pontiac GTO of 2 years later? Did the police used to chase GTOs in these little Plymouths?

  • @ronschlorff7089

    @ronschlorff7089

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@davidpowell3347 Yup, cops had a fondness for Morpar, except for Broderick Crawfords 50's Buick that is!! ;D

  • @dougtaylor2803

    @dougtaylor2803

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@ronschlorff7089 Mopars were favourites of cops and for good reason. the California Highway Patrol ran Furys in the late 60s as the criteria was they could do 140MPH for an hour without overheating...which they could.

  • @billsmith7255
    @billsmith72552 жыл бұрын

    I was 14 when his cars were introduced and seemed as though they were having a battle with AMC for the ugly car contest. I do agree today it’s a very unique car and very interesting. Adam, you’re doing a great job keep up the good work.

  • @tambarskelfir
    @tambarskelfir2 жыл бұрын

    Very nice to listen to Mark tell the story of the car. You two work well together! ... I would have loved some more demos on the interior, it seemed very distinct!

  • @craigbenz4835

    @craigbenz4835

    2 жыл бұрын

    The driver's side of the front seat still retained that off center theme.

  • @DSGNflorian

    @DSGNflorian

    2 жыл бұрын

    Hi, this is Marc with the '62. Thanks for your comment and yes, there's lots to talk about on the interior as well. We tried to keep it brief this time, as Adam and I are still learning about which format and segment length works best for the channel content. We may get back to that in another segment in the near future.

  • @tambarskelfir

    @tambarskelfir

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@DSGNflorian Looking forward to it! Your enthusiasm and interest for these classic cars really is contagious

  • @tford1601
    @tford16012 жыл бұрын

    Ever since I first discovered the magic of Chrysler Corp. in my early teens, the ‘62 Plymouth has been one of my top favorites! I feel greedy because I honestly like all four model years of these B body Plymouths. That off-center wind split of the prototype would’ve been awesome to see in production! I’ve always been intrigued by the original full-size scale of the styling these models were intended to have. Some styling studio photos exist but not nearly enough for me.

  • @fronts3165
    @fronts31652 жыл бұрын

    Thanks for the historical account. I love this car. It always surprises me to learn the background and the public’s reception of iconic products, whether they are well received or not. I was born in ‘62 and remember seeing these cars and the valiants of the early ‘60s. I studied Design in school and worked for many years as a graphic designer which probably explains why I love these “weird” cars.

  • @jimh8644
    @jimh86442 жыл бұрын

    More appealing now than it was then.

  • @AJ67901
    @AJ679012 жыл бұрын

    I have the book "Virgil Exner - Vizioneer" in my library and prior to reading it, I had judged him solely on the early 60's ugly cars. After reading the book and learning of his earlier work at Chrysler with the 1955 and subsequent handsome designs I changed my opinion of his talent. His designs brought a lot of customers to Mopar and heavily influenced GM and Ford's designs for years. The book talks about his full line of cars that was ready for the 1961 model year and how the top-level management forced him to downsize them because of the golf eavesdropping incident. Just as a '63 corvette wouldn't look good if it were 50% larger, his designs didn't scale down well and these oddities were the result. I think of the 61 and 62 Mopars as shrunken heads. I enjoyed Mark's comments on his 62 Fury, but I would think the UGLIEST Exner design would have been the '61 Fury. That should have been the car that caused uproar in the management. To me the '62 is not hard to look at until you get to the back end. The 1963 was a handsome car, and maybe you can see Elwood Engel's hand in its design. I'm sure it took a few years to purge the shrunken designs out, but the damage was done with the smaller size. Great video topic and discussion.

  • @solemandd67

    @solemandd67

    2 жыл бұрын

    The Chrysler executive who was eavesdropping into the GM executive's conversation at that country club was probably set up to hear what heard. No one who wants their job is going to talk corporate secrets. I can just see the GM designers howling with laughter over martinis when they saw the cars and learned what happened to poor Exner.

  • @williamheald8847
    @williamheald8847 Жыл бұрын

    I was never a ‘ mopar ’ guy. No matter. This car is so filled with nostalgia. Thank you…….

  • @Primus54
    @Primus542 жыл бұрын

    Born in ‘54, my interest in cars began in 1960. Even then I viewed Chrysler product designs as weird and it was not until watching this and other channels that I learned Chrysler had had a great run for design popularity in the mid to late ‘50s. (Exner’s earlier work). Compared to the ‘62 full size Chevys and Fords, one can certainly understand the public rejection. But standing alone today, I think it is certainly iconic. I’ve also become quite an admirer of the first generation Valiant with its almost full sized interior yet small exterior size and faux Continental spare tire trunk lid.

  • @Henry_Jones
    @Henry_Jones2 жыл бұрын

    Im still suprised how Virgil Exner got it so right in the 50s with the forward look cars, only to crash so hard with those early 60s designs.

  • @LP-ov8mp

    @LP-ov8mp

    2 жыл бұрын

    LSD?

  • @BennieWilll

    @BennieWilll

    2 жыл бұрын

    I just love Virgil Exner's early 60s designs. I am in the extreme minority.

  • @wildcman

    @wildcman

    2 жыл бұрын

    His designs were downsized by Chrysler after Exner had a heart attack

  • @johna.4334

    @johna.4334

    2 жыл бұрын

    @LP No, that would be Cary Grant ;~}

  • @DanEBoyd

    @DanEBoyd

    2 жыл бұрын

    It's refreshing to hear that it was regarded as ugly back then, like I thought it was back in the mid 1970s, or people think it is today.

  • @toddstewart3179
    @toddstewart31792 жыл бұрын

    Great segment. I appreciate all of your knowledge about the car industry and design. I for one love that car as I do most from that era. Love the space age themes.

  • @JimmyKraktov
    @JimmyKraktov2 жыл бұрын

    The guy who lived a few doors up from me was the Plymouth dealer. He always drove different cars and in '62 his wife drove one like yours except it was white. Had a big motor with duals and I always thought it was a cool looking car. Sounded powerful! I was 12 yrs old. Thanx for the memory.

  • @groovy1937
    @groovy19372 жыл бұрын

    I remember that the Cleaver's (Leave it to Beaver) had a 1962 Plymouth. In the opening credits you see them get in the car and back down the driveway while looking back.

  • @robmcgowan4034
    @robmcgowan40342 жыл бұрын

    I really love the car, Adam! It's avant garde and had a lot of future features the public wasn't ready for yet, but previewed it nonetheless. It was stated Virgil Exner overheard part of a conversation regarding a smaller 1962 Chevrolet. If he only heard part of it (out of context), he may have thought they were talking about a smaller Impala, when in fact it was forthcoming Nova.

  • @mrdanforth3744

    @mrdanforth3744

    2 жыл бұрын

    The 61 Chevrolet full size models were downsized compared to the 1959 and 1960 but not as much as the Plymouth and Dodge.

  • @robmcgowan4034

    @robmcgowan4034

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@mrdanforth3744 Very definitely. I'm not sure by exactly how much in length and width, but they used it as a selling point in the '61 brochure. GM had backed themselves into a corner with the fin situation with Chevy and Buick (Olds and Pontiac not so much), but gracefully got out of it with the '61. It's interesting to me how Chevy cleverly continued the 'branching out from the center' look, but then attractively wrapped it around the sides, finishing out the look but without fins. A slight "ridge" was more like it. The front end (grill and head lights) were almost a direct carryover of the '59, but without the left/right side air takes above. The '60 looked more like it could have followed the '58, more than the '59. In fact, if you take the downward/inward part of the fins curving them at the bottom, it would be like the '58, within the very different context of course. I can see why the expensive wraparound windshield had to go. It wouldn't have looked right '61 and later. The '59 and '61 styling commonalities aren't the time this happened. The rear ends on the '62 and '64 Chevrolets AND Fords were very similar, with the '63 in between being quite different. I like the '63's of both cars better, but that's just my own personal preference.

  • @MarinCipollina

    @MarinCipollina

    2 жыл бұрын

    It wasn't Virgil Exner that overheard that conversation. It was someone else higher up at Chrysler Corp. In fact, the car they were talking about was the mid-sized Chevelle, not the Nova, which is even smaller. The smaller dimensions were forced on Exner, who sharply disagreed with going that direction. He felt the design wouldn't translate well on a smaller car. He was correct. Also, curved glass on side windows would have helped a lot. Bean counters demanded flat glass.

  • @robmcgowan4034

    @robmcgowan4034

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@MarinCipollina Thank you Connor for clarifying this. I intentionally didn't state my comments as "absolute facts" for a reason, which was good! It was what/how I understood it to be, which was mistaken. I'm glad the truth clears Exner of this and other misguided blunders he never would have done. I'm sorry he was tarnished by it at all since this was not his fault, and he was truly a gifted auto designer responsible for some of Chrysler's most beautiful mid-century autos.

  • @garciano4323
    @garciano43232 жыл бұрын

    Being an odd ball myself I like similar cars 😁

  • @anotherview9604
    @anotherview96042 жыл бұрын

    My father bought a 1962 Dodge Dart 330 in a deep brown color. I had to install seats belts in the front seats. The car had a slant 6 engine which according to my father's recording keeping of gas consumption, had averaged 22 mpg at times. Because the style was not accepted by the general public (GM and Ford determined what style should be at the time), not many of the cars was sold and thus Chrysler was forced to sell off the cars cheaply, most of which were purchased up by police departments. I would drive the car on the Belt Parkway in Brooklyn at the posted speed limit, 50 mph, and was was hardly passed by other drivers who assumed that it was an unmarked car. When NYC started buying the other brands, the car was passed frequently.

  • @WhittyPics
    @WhittyPics2 жыл бұрын

    Being an oddball makes it collectable today. Something about that rear deck and round taillights reminds me of a Corvair.

  • @johna.4334

    @johna.4334

    2 жыл бұрын

    Agreed

  • @smiddysmidton8313
    @smiddysmidton83132 жыл бұрын

    I LOVE the styling of this car. Years ahead in both concept and design. Has a real modern mid century look now that the blander Fords and Gm cars don't .Took GM another 15 years in 1977 to understand the downsizing concept this had in 62.

  • @Henry_Jones
    @Henry_Jones2 жыл бұрын

    When you describe the presentaion I have flashbacks to the simpsons episode when The Homer is introduced 🤣

  • @DavidHall-ge6nn
    @DavidHall-ge6nn2 жыл бұрын

    Adam and Mark discussing automotive arcana is a great listen, whatever they happen to home in on. The thing that caught my eye on this Fury was the chrome bump on the rear door, presumably there because the window wouldn't have descended fully into the door panel when rolled down. Really interesting, and one quirk among many. This design was very odd and absolutely jarring to the expectations of its time, yet strangely appealing. Polarizing, even 60 years later. Unforgettable, at the very least. Wonderful video!

  • @mylesross5712
    @mylesross57122 жыл бұрын

    Thanks Adam for having guest Mark on and pointing out features of the ‘62 Fury that I and others viewers weren’t aware of. Very well done!

  • @toddbonin6926
    @toddbonin69262 жыл бұрын

    Love your channel. Admire your incredible knowledge. But I must point out a few things about MOPAR at this juncture. I grew up in the 60s-70s, down the street from a Dodge dealer and in a town with a very strong Chrysler-Plymouth-Imperial dealer. This was an era of EXTREME brand loyalty, and the only time you left one brand was if you were “moving up.” My Dad’s family was solidly Pontiac. Any family gathering we had would look like a Pontiac commercial. My mom’s family was solidly Chevrolet, converting from Plymouth in the early 50s. My dad moved my mom into her first Pontiac in 1956 and she was a convert … but I remember my dad and my mom’s brother arguing over which was better, Chevrolet or Pontiac … and they were heated arguments. Then, in 1966, my dad got his first Oldsmobile. Go figure. From that point on, we were a split household. My mom had Pontiacs and my dad had Oldsmobiles. But as I reflect on my childhood neighborhood, I remember the Chevrolet houses, Ford houses, Plymouth houses, Dodge houses, etc. And people stuck with these brands through multiple purchases. Where you saw some people flip was from MOPAR to GM. I can’t recall anyone leaving Ford. I do remember two families who left Chevrolet for Ford in the late 70s. I NEVER saw anyone move to MOPAR. Their reputation was always bad. Let’s go back to the late 50s “Forward Look” … beautiful cars … could have been the game changer. But the 57s were riddled with poor build quality and rusted! The rust issues didn’t show until they were 4-5 years old … right about 1961-62. Wherever you saw a late 50s MOPAR, chances are you saw rust spots. You didn’t see that as frequently on other makes. On top of that, the 60 and 61 MOPARs were the ugliest cars Detroit ever turned out. Spaceage yes! Attractive no! We made fun of the 61 Plymouth, calling it a giant bug from outer space. Nobody wanted to be seen in those. They were … in one word … hideous. So MOPAR had already sunk itself before 1962. The 62 Dodge was, by far, the ugliest member of the family, and yet I knew several people who owned them (because they were still a darn sight better than the 60 and 61 models). I never noticed them being smaller than the other cars at the time, but I was a kid. They were weird looking for sure. Here’s where they really went wrong. Despite all the design gimmicks, you spend way more time behind the wheel of your car than you do staring at its profile. The big failure of Plymouth and Dodge in this era was the dashboard!! Yes, the Dashboard!!! (I don’t remember the Chrysler dashboard from this era and my Aunt’s Imperial dashboard was completely different.) But when you got behind the wheel of a 62-64 Plymouth or Dodge, it felt like you were behind the wheel of a VW Beetle. No shelf. No style. Completely utilitarian. Metal and plastic (and the metal seemed harsh … and the paint chipped). It screamed cheap. You were right up against the windshield. In an era where we didn’t talk about safety much, this dash setup felt dangerous. So even when they restyled in 63 (and those Dodges were beautiful), getting inside was no better. It felt like a WV Beetle. You never could escape the fact that your neighbor’s Ford or Chevy or Pontiac had a beautiful dashboard … and thereby felt more luxurious. All that said, the 62 should have been the final straw in Exner’s career at Chrysler, but it did not kill full size Plymouths. A whole host of issues killed full sized Plymouths … starting with the poor build quality of the 57s and those hideous 60-61s. But I remember riding my bike passed many “two-Fury” households well into the 70s. The report that came out in 1974 calling Chrysler the most polluting/least efficient car manufacturer was one thing. I don’t remember the source, but I remember everyone talking about it. My aunt traded her Imperial for a Grand Marquis at that point. I remember everyone who had MOPARs had big oil stains on their driveways. I remember the endless badge engineering that seemed so obvious on Plymouth and Dodge. I remember lots of jokes about MOPARs. Lots of things killed Plymouth. The 62 gets way too much blame.

  • @StreakingTiger

    @StreakingTiger

    2 жыл бұрын

    It was amazing how many parts were shared between Pontiac, Chevy, Oldsmobile, and even Buick. Some even had doors and fenders that could be interchanged if you just drilled new holes or patched some. Door handles, etc could be easily switched. Of course similar things could be done with Ford/Mercury and possibly Lincoln.

  • @stickshiftdriver1832

    @stickshiftdriver1832

    Жыл бұрын

    Look at the original design for the 62 furys. It was much better than this design. The original design would had kept Chrysler in the running and kept Fury neck and neck with Impala and Fairlane. Exner wasn’t good at immediately downsizing from his original design for he had an artistic mind and couldn’t deviate from a certain vision that he had in his mind. Again, it wasn’t his fault that this model was so unusual for this year. It was faulty intel that was given to Chrysler and Exner was the fall guy. Actually the 63 lineup was done by Exner with the oversight of Engle and Chrysler execs. Exner was forced to ditch any remnant of the 62 design and come up with a sleeker cleaner design to which he had done. He reportedly had commented that he had given the execs what they wanted and given them a more conventional design

  • @3713msg
    @3713msg2 жыл бұрын

    I have always hated these cars, because they are so ugly. However, after watching this video I now have a deep appreciation of where this car fits in American car history. Mark, thank you so much for the fascinating explanation of the reason behind the strange styling of the early 1960's Chrysler cars.

  • @philipehrman8608
    @philipehrman86082 жыл бұрын

    My aunt and uncle were very fashion conscious in everything during those days and ordered a brand new 62 Fury in white with a red interior. We were mesmerized by this car as children. When I cornered my aunt on what she thought of this new vehicle, she paused and said quietly, "It makes me nervous," then added, "If Jackie Kennedy were a car, this is what she'd look like."

  • @FranksModelWorks
    @FranksModelWorks2 жыл бұрын

    I like the videos with both Marc and Adam. Adam’s experience as a number crunching financier and Marc’s take on design give a tremendous amount of context as to not just how these cars came about, but WHY they came about. Keep up the great work!

  • @garysandiego
    @garysandiego2 жыл бұрын

    This was fascinating. I recall seeing this car in my youth and even though we were a Mopar family, I always thought it was curiously ugly, as in…why would any company release such a thing? Honestly there were a lot of less than handsome cars in 1959-63, Virgil Exner being responsible for the lion’s share perhaps, but I don’t want to start a fight with Edsel fans or anyone holding onto grandpa’s 1960 Chevy…. But this video was eye opening. The little styling motifs and call backs were interesting. And the profile is gorgeous. Plus the hints of styling cues that would appear in later cars. The partial fuselage sides, the peaked windows-things I never noticed. Really makes me reassess these cars. Great video!

  • @kayeninetwo3585
    @kayeninetwo35852 жыл бұрын

    Another great episode with Marc! One of the best videos you've presented. Early '60's car styling explained. I'm learning all of these names for styling features that I've seen for many decades: e.g., "wind split." I like all old cars, even early '60's mopars. My parents owned a '61 Dodge Pioneer Wagon when I was a kid, so that had something to do with it, I'm sure. That car was much weirder looking than the '62 Plymouth, and the '61 Plymouth was the weirdest of all of them. The '62 Plymouth looked better than the '62 Dodge, too. In all honesty, though, very few American cars looked really good in the early '60's. There were a few American cars from the era that were really pretty, like the full sized '61 Pontiac bubble top, '63 Olds 88 and '63.5 Galaxie, but most had that awkward look of the era. I used to like '62 Impalas, but not so much anymore.

  • @ronschlorff7089

    @ronschlorff7089

    2 жыл бұрын

    Needed more Info on drive train though!

  • @SkyWire88
    @SkyWire88 Жыл бұрын

    Thanks for covering The 1962 Plymouth (Savoy/Belvedere/Fury) - I'm 71, but don't remember this model too much from back then but I remember it more now as I get a better glance. Interesting background info, too. I seem to re member a neighbor two streets over who had a Belvedere and they took a bunch of us kids to a local swim club. Nice memories there.

  • @yabbadabba1975
    @yabbadabba19752 жыл бұрын

    First car was a 1965 with the Golden Commando engine in it. Coming onto an interstate on ramp, kicking it down would lighten up the front end. Lost my license within 4 months.

  • @klwthe3rd
    @klwthe3rd2 жыл бұрын

    I respect Marc's feedback considerably since he is a very educated man. Personally, i have to admit that i think this car was Chrysler's ugliest car ever made. But...I can see why he is drawn to it since it's definately a very UNIQUE car of any time period.

  • @bdpopeye

    @bdpopeye

    2 жыл бұрын

    I think the 1961 Plymouth ,all models, was the ugliest car ever made by any manufacture.

  • @slicksnewonenow

    @slicksnewonenow

    2 жыл бұрын

    @Kenneth Hiya Ken- Haven't you ever seen a '60 Fury?😳

  • @hcombs0104

    @hcombs0104

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@bdpopeye I would have to agree. The 1961 lineup, especially Plymouth and Dodge, was the year of ugly. The '62s were a HUGE improvement.

  • @MarinCipollina

    @MarinCipollina

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@bdpopeye Those were bizarre looking.. As time went on, they looked more and more weird.. I think the last time I saw one on the road it was 1979 or so. It looked like a genetic experiment that had gone horribly wrong.

  • @briannichols4807
    @briannichols48072 жыл бұрын

    Actually , compared to some other Virgil Exner designed cars of the early 60's , like the ' 60 Plymouth Fury , ' 61 Imperial , the ' 61 / ' 62 Dodge Lancer , or the ' 61 / ' 62 Valiant , I think that this car looks good , in it's own unique way . It's like he said , the main mistake they made with this car was that they built it into an intermediate size instead of a full size which is what people wanted at the time , it was that more so than the styling .

  • @mpetersen6

    @mpetersen6

    2 жыл бұрын

    The 61/62 Valiant. In my opinion the ugliest car ever mass produced in the US. But I'm not a fan of any of Exner's designs.

  • @smiddysmidton8313

    @smiddysmidton8313

    2 жыл бұрын

    I agree i think this car looks much better than many Exners ,but just got blamed and people run with that story. The 61 mopars were bad sellers also ,and that's important because it wasn't "this car" that was to blame for Chryslers falling sales at the time.

  • @nathanwilliams8458

    @nathanwilliams8458

    2 жыл бұрын

    My thoughts exactly. How anyone can think this car is ugly when the 1961 Plymouth was something that existed is beyond me.

  • @DSGNflorian

    @DSGNflorian

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@smiddysmidton8313 Hi, this is Marc with the '62 Fury. You are right, neither the '60 nor the '61s were popular, contributing in a major way to the brewing unrest among Chrysler-Plymouth franchised dealers, which came to a head with the introduction of the '62 models. The '61s, while failures, still sold around 200,000 units or roughly 15% better than the 1962 cars.. As I tried to explain in the video, this car really was the "last straw" after a series of ever more "uniquely" styled full-size Plymouths and the sales dropped precipitously year over year from 60-61-62, 1962 being the low point with just 170,000 Plymouth "standard size" cars. That was barely more than half of the 1960 total. Even more painful for Chrysler was that the majority of those '62 Plymouths were Savoy and Belvedere sedans, very few being the more expensive (and profitable) upscale Fury models like my 4-door hardtop, of which less than 5,000(!) were built. Most '62 Plymouths sold at a steep discount to fleet buyers like rental car companies or police departments. Retail sales were negligible. The dealers just couldn't give those things away. The squared-off, more conventional '63s sold better, but still not anywhere close to the 500,000 or more per year that was normal for Plymouth before the decline in the 60s.

  • @michaeltobin643

    @michaeltobin643

    2 жыл бұрын

    It seems unusual to me that sales of these '62s were that low (170K, wow!) My perception was they were very common, at least here in the Detroit area where I grew up. Probably what biases it was the loyalty of the workers locally to the brand, which also was common at the time. Lots and lots of Chrysler workers on the east side!

  • @randyrobey5643
    @randyrobey5643 Жыл бұрын

    I remember these cars from when they were new. I always thought they were distinctive looking. These "B-body" cars also had a lot of things going on mechanically that high performance fans loved.

  • @randallfrank5682
    @randallfrank56822 жыл бұрын

    I love that 62 Plymouth body style and 4 door hard tops are sooooo cooool!

  • @Sedan57Chevy
    @Sedan57Chevy2 жыл бұрын

    Is it awkward? Yes. But in pieces, most of the design is quite handsome. For example, I find the rear reminiscent of Chevrolet Impalas 60-61 and the Corvair. think this is one of those cars that look better with the longer 4 door roofline than the Coupe body. As you point out, the styling was only part of the failure of this car... That being said, it is a shame that this was Exner's final hurrah and not the early forward look cars. I think by 1960 he had already begun to really see a decline in overall design. Elwood Engle's followup designs might've followed in the footsteps of Lincoln and other Ford designs, it's hard to argue that Engle's sharp, squared off designs were extremely stylish.

  • @danielulz1640

    @danielulz1640

    2 жыл бұрын

    Interestingly, the 62 Plymouths and Dodges all shared one roof stamping for all two and four door hardtops and sedans.

  • @garyblanchard1084

    @garyblanchard1084

    2 жыл бұрын

    Awkward and unpopular in 1962 helping the Mopar market share shrink to under ten percent. Only the Chrysler saved the model year by selling well. And no DeSoto since the 1920s.

  • @danielulz1640

    @danielulz1640

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@garyblanchard1084 Desoto actually came back mid year as the Dodge Custom 880.

  • @kmrerk
    @kmrerk2 жыл бұрын

    This was not a "worst" car at all. It looks really nice now. People forget that car styling is more like Pop music than an art form. If it isn't "cool" it won't sell. Later, it may seem much better. Like this car.

  • @geralddrury4829
    @geralddrury4829Күн бұрын

    Great Video and Commentary! I still love all the Mopars, the oddness draws me to them as well as the awesome power they gave them!

  • @jonmoore8995
    @jonmoore89952 жыл бұрын

    Good presentation and historical info on the 62 Mopars. A face only a mother could love,. Interesting tidbit, in the Beachboys song "Shutdown", the Corvette gets a name, Stingray, but the Mopar doesnt get a name, it's just a "413". I am restoring a 62 Polara 500 now, and appreciate these outlier cars.

  • @antonfarquar8799
    @antonfarquar87992 жыл бұрын

    Jane Hathaway of the Commerce Bank of Beverly Hills drove the convertible version of this car - her employer , Milburne Drysdale, was of course chauffeured about in an Imperial Le Baron.

  • @garyblanchard1084

    @garyblanchard1084

    2 жыл бұрын

    Later on Ms Hathaway traded it for a red 1965 Dodge Coronet ragtop. One of our neighbors had the station wagon version also in red.

  • @antonfarquar8799

    @antonfarquar8799

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@garyblanchard1084 kzread.info/dash/bejne/nHWo2peugqrXmps.html

  • @cliffordshields6912

    @cliffordshields6912

    2 жыл бұрын

    Jane Hathaway later drove a 1963 Dodge Polara convertible and a 1964 Dodge Polara convertible before the 1965 Dodge Coronet convertible

  • @markallen2984
    @markallen29842 жыл бұрын

    I tend to also like cars that are unorthodox in their styling, so I find a fair amount to appreciate about this car. I don't think that it is ugly, but it fails to be beautiful because the design appears somewhat incoherent to me. I believe that certain aspects of the design are quite beautiful but as an overall design it is not harmonious. I actually think the Valiants of the era are less appealing, but they do possess a kind of awkward charm

  • @dave1956

    @dave1956

    2 жыл бұрын

    I really hated the phony spare on the trunk of the Valiants. Who thought that one up?

  • @johnlandacre767

    @johnlandacre767

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@dave1956 'twas borrowed from the Imperial, I believe. I never cared for toilet seat/fake spare tires either. Amazing what popular culture does with bad ideas like the fake spare and the vinyl roof. (Also a terrible idea, but extremely popular for a time.)

  • @dave1956

    @dave1956

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@johnlandacre767 I knew that as I am a 50’s-60’s car nut. I don’t think that it was ever a good look.

  • @paularcher4607
    @paularcher46072 жыл бұрын

    In 1962 I was still in high school. The people next door bought a new Dodge wagon (same body as this) for the mom to drive to work. I worked near her so she gave me a ride in it every day. I thought It was gorgeous then and I think both of them (Plymouth and Dodge) still are.

  • @garyblanchard1084

    @garyblanchard1084

    2 жыл бұрын

    Seems like a nice lady

  • @donfronterhouse1849
    @donfronterhouse1849 Жыл бұрын

    My dad had a Belvedere that was just like this when I was about 8. Thanks for a blast from the past. I enjoy your content almost as much as JL.😁

  • @joehumenansky8225
    @joehumenansky82252 жыл бұрын

    To my eye the 1961 Plymouth got the prize for bazaar styling. The '62 was very toned down in comparison. My favorite Plymouth of the period was the '64.

  • @larrymcsorley9899

    @larrymcsorley9899

    2 жыл бұрын

    Agree about the ‘61 Plymouth having bizarre styling. In my opinion, ugliest Plymouth ever. But…the ‘62 styling “cleaned up” by Elwood Engle for ‘63 actually made for a very attractive car, albeit a still little too small in comparison with its competition. That would be corrected in ‘65.

  • @garyblanchard1084

    @garyblanchard1084

    2 жыл бұрын

    1962 Plymouth styling was improved from both the year before and the year before that. And improved every year through 1966 when Mopar first introduced 440 V8.

  • @michaelatkins9780
    @michaelatkins97802 жыл бұрын

    It's amazing to me how spot on this GM stylist is on 50's and 60s. Okay so, please have him explain the Aztec from GM. What do think Adam?

  • @kc6653
    @kc6653 Жыл бұрын

    When I turned 16 in 1976 i got my grandfathers fade light green 62 Savoy Had it all through high school. Everybody called it the cheese mobile because of the color. Loved the push button gear shifting and I know it would fit nine-17 year old teenagers to the lake and back multiple times. It never ever broke down and I only ran out of gas once. Great gas mileage. I could not have afforded to put gas in the big v8s of the day even at 60 cents a gallon. Loved the car and handed down to my brother when I went to college. Great memories.

  • @volktales7005
    @volktales70052 жыл бұрын

    My Granny drove a rare '62 Plymouth Sport Fury for decades. She had it repainted red (left the top white) and absolutely loved that car. And she had quite the lead foot too. If you told her it was ugly, she would have told you where to go. Granny has been gone for years, but apparently her old Fury is still roaming around out there...

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