based on early '60's Mopar Logo

Editor's Note: Ron sold the Plymouth in the Summer of 2003

February 2003 Mopar of the Month

1965 Plymouth Sport Fury

Ronald writes:

Hi Gary H. and all the readers,

I bought this car in July of 1999 and drove it until about September of that year. 1965 Plymouth Sport Fury


The 383 engine the car came with siezed one night on the way home from a friends funeral. Can you say "bad night"? Eventually I was able to buy the original 383 that had come out of the car and figured I'd do a mild build-up and throw it back in and have a numbers-matching car. I took the 383 to a local engine builder named Dennis Smythe for the basic prep and then I planned on doing the assembly work. After about an hour of him showing me various exotic engines such as cast iron and aluminum hemi's, aluminum Keith Black blocks, etc. he told me he liked my car and thought it would be a good home for a 1965 426 street wedge he had "lying around" but he'd build it up much more and it would be about the same price as him completely doing the 383 and then I'd supply the rest. Needless to say I said yes and here's what we came up with:
1965 Plymouth Sport Fury 426 engine
  •  Engine:
  • 1965 .070 over 426HP(High Performance) "Street Wedge" R/RB (now 440 cid @ 9:1)
  • Ported and polished 516 heads w/ 2.14/1.81 Manley SS valves
  • 292/292 .509 Mopar "Purple" cam
  • Shot peened and weighed stock con-rods
  • Stock stamped rocker arms
  • 785 Holley/Titan carb (modified and tweaked dbl feed/dbl pump 750)
  • Modified Edlebrock Performer RPM intake
  • Jacobs Electronics Ultra "Pro Street" ignition
  • Mopar Performance distributor
  • K and N filter w/ Xstream top
  • Schumacher Enterprises "experimental" motor mounts
  • Modified Hemi oil pump and enlarged oil pan
  • Flowmaster Delta Series mufflers and 2 1/2" aluminumized dual exhaust
  •  Driveline and rolling stock:
  • 727 Torqueflite automatic
  • 8 3/4 rear w/ 323 gears
  • All new disc brakes in front from '70 C body
  • Hurst roll control/line lock on front brakes
  • Cragar SS wheels 15X8(rear) & 15X6(front)
  • Addco Manufacturing sway bars in front(1 1/8") and rear(3/4")
  • KYB 50/50 shocks(a little soft in front so may change)
1965 Plymouth Sport Fury 426 engine
1965 Plymouth Sport Fury dash
  • What I did to the car during the engine build:
  • Engine bay and frontal subframe stripped
    to bare metal and repainted
  • Rechromed bumpers
  • Interior gutted and restored
  • Autometer Phantom & Barry Grant mechanical gauges
  • Anti theft, rev limiter and misc. electronics
1965 Plymouth Sport Fury interior front seats 1965 Plymouth Sport Fury interior rear seats
Coming attractions: But I'm driving the car too much to want to take it off the road for very long to make these changes!

On a desktop dyno the engine rated at 521@6500 but with a single plane intake and a 1000cfm carb the car would be about 540@6000; with that and solid lifters it rated at 636@7000 but I think it's fine where it's at.

1965 Plymouth Sport Fury


The car is a kick to drive with tons of power and decent manners but I'm not sure I'd want to do another C body, mostly due to lack of parts, wrong parts and limited information, but I'm glad I did this one! I'm not much for car shows but people tell me they like seeing the C's so I will go to a few. I am planning on taking it to the track and will post numbers later in the summer.

It was important to me to restore this one without butchering anything up(except the hood) or tearing anything out and I think I stuck to that. If and when I sell this car I already have the original 383 to go back into the car so it'll be a numbers matching vehicle. That way the 426 can go into whatever I buy next.

Special thanks to Dennis for a fine job on the motor, Schumacher Enterprises for the awesome motor mounts and to our host, Gary H., for putting together and maintaining such a great Mopar site! Through this site I was able to make contacts for parts and information I wouldn't have been able to find anywhere else.

1965 Plymouth Sport Fury interior rear view

Thanks, Ron!

You have a beautiful example of a 1965 Plymouth Sport Fury emblem


And you certainly know the power and road crusin' fun that a big block C Body brings! Mopar smile!

Gary H.

Visit a previous Mopar of the Month / Go to the 1962 to 1965 Mopar Web Site Home Page.