“YOU CAN’T MISTAKE THE BURLYAND
IMPOSING LOOKS OF THE ’71 PLYMOUTH
SPORTFURY, WITH ITS ROUNDED
FUSELAGE STYLING AND HIDDEN
HEADLAMPS...”
The 400 was installed and running just in time for the
’94 Mopar Nats, and Ed took the decision to set off on the
considerable distance straight down to Santa Pod to test
it out. “I’d retained the previous Rover V8 radiator,which
struggled to cope with cooling the 400 big block and the
engine began to get veryhot everytimeIdropped below
60mph on the motorway–the water in the overflow bottle
was literally boiling,” he adds. “I soon replaced the Rover
radiator with the original Plymouth radiator whichIhad
recored.” The transmission had also been rebuilt and fitted
with Kevlar bands by Martin LoweTransmissionsand new
brakes and calipers supplied by Rodley Motors (01274 688
968/www.rodleymotors.co.uk).Thefinalcountdown
By now,Edwas living inaflat with limited parking, so any
work being carried out on the car was being undertaken
on his parents’ drive. “By the late Nineties the bodywork
was really beginning to show its age,” he recalls. “In 1997 I
decided to buyahouse and buildagarage, soIcould work on
the Furyproperly.Unfortunately,not only did the house need
work, it took meafurtherthree years to buildatwo-storey
garage to house the Plymouth!”
Ed expected the restoration work to takeafurther three
years, but as he began to delve deeper into the grim depths of
the Fury’sbodywork, he soon realised that timescale would be
alot longer.“I’dnever undertaken any car restoration before
and began by makingabadly needed rear quarter panel and
then gradually worked my way around the car.”
Once the panelwork was near completion, Ed was put in
touchwith aspecialist namedTony whocarriedout someof
thesmall but tricky repairs, particularly around the front and
rear windows, before respraying the shell in Honda Milano
Red, acolour that suits the boxy Furystyling perfectly.Aset
of Torq Thrust II wheels from American Racing, along with
afresh vinyl roof, complete the exterior look Ed had spent
so long waitingfor;however, the hidden headlamps
remain his favourite feature.
The Cordoba seats had served the Furywell
for thepast twodecades, but the original
Plymouth seats hadn’tbeen disposed of and Ed
was keen to have these retrimmed and refitted,
instead of them just taking up space in his loft.
These have been recovered by MBTrims, while a
fresh headlining came courtesy of Bielawskis in Sheffield
(www.bielawskissheffieldtrimming.co.uk/0114 244 8033). “I
resprayed the dash and centre console black and fabricated
door bases, which were then trimmed by Paula Norcliffe whomanaged to replicate the blown vinyl effect,” Ed
points out. “These have been finished off with wood-effect
trim from Detroit Motor Industries and chrome trim which I
fitted myself.”
It’sbeen amighty long wait, and the Furyisn’tfinished
quite yet. Ideally,Edwould still like that 440 or at least rebuild
the 400, but the car is now atashowable standard at last. “I
recently bought an 8.75 back axle withaSuregrip diff,” Ed
adds,”and this should handle any future engine upgrade.”
And there could be plenty more upgrades to come as the
Plymouth has remained by Ed’sside throughout the good
times, and the not so good, most of his adult life. There’sno
way now he’d ever let this Furygo!
Youcan’t mistake the burly andimposing looks of the’71
Plymouth Sport Fury, with itsrounded fuselage styling and
hidden headlamps behind that wide chrome grille. They’re
surprisinglyrare too withaproduction run of only 3912,
giving this model an air of exclusivity,especially in the UK.
The one to have was the 440cu in big-block V8 withasingle
four-barrel carb,good for350bhp and if that wasn’tenough,
Plymouth’ssix-pack was optional, providing an extra 40
horses should you need it. All with the benefits of full-size car
room and ride, while packingaPentastar punch!66 classic-american.com