It's a classic wagon that will haul butts. At least six of them, more quickly than the factory ever imagined. It's a Plymouth Belvedere II. With a 426 Hemi V8.
This Plymouth started out as a pedestrian family hauler. Sometime between grocery store duties and now, it's seen a massive makeover. One that turned it from blah to blam, and created something the factory never did.
Plymouth used the Belvedere name from 1954 through 1970. In that time, it saw seven different generations of the car. That was back when domestic automakers wanted to change their cars nearly every year to stay fresh. Some generations of the car were sold only as Plymouths, but they often had a nameplate twin sibling from Dodge or Desoto. Most years had an identical sibling under the same Plymouth roof. The Fury was the top of the line model, although the two cars shared most parts.
In 1965, the two separated. The Fury moved to a full-size platform, and the Belvedere became the mid-size vehicle. It was offered in Belvedere I, Belvedere II, and Satellite trim levels.
The Belvedere was available in five different body styles: a two-door sedan and hardtop - the difference being the pillar behind the front door – a four-door sedan, a two-door convertible, and the wagon.
While this was called an intermediate car at the time, this wagon is big. With a 2,946 mm wheelbase, it has the same amount of space between the wheels as a Chevrolet Tahoe. At 5,296 mm long, it's 117 mm longer than that Tahoe.
You could order a Belvedere in 1965 with one of six engines, ranging from a 3.7L 145 hp slant six to a 7.0L Commando V8. In between those were V8 options, ranging from 4.5L to 6.3L. This car left the factory with a 5.2L V8 and a three-speed automatic. Perfect for sedate family hauling. But that old powertrain is long gone.
In 1966, Chrysler brought the Hemi from the track to the street. The hemispherical V8 design was introduced as a 7.0L racing engine, intended to win at Daytona. In 1964, cars with that V8 swept the top four positions in the race. That lead to NASCAR putting more strict restrictions on what engines could be used in the series. Chrysler would now have to put the engines in real cars. So they started offering it in high-performance cars throughout their three brands.
The big power Hemi was offered in the Belvedere starting in 1966, but never in the wagon. But that didn't stop the builder of our Find of the Week.
Out went the 5.2L engine, in went something bigger. Much bigger: 7.0L, 426 cubic inches of V8 power. This car uses a cross ram twin four-barrel intake, like the race ready engines of the 1960s. That engine was rated at 425 hp from the factory, but period estimates say that the actual number could come closer to 470. That's more than enough to get the groceries or make the soccer practice run.
Other additions to this car include a scoop to feed the engine and that upright 426 badge standing proudly on the hood.
The beige on red colour scheme might be a little bland on the outside, but that's how a wagon would have looked way back in 1965. Besides, nobody will be looking at the paint after they hear the engine.
On top of the Hemi conversion, this wagon has been completely restored. Despite that, it has some neat original details, like the tailgate badge from Wilson Motor in Maryland where the car was originally sold.
If you're looking to turn heads or to put grins on faces, then this Plymouth Belvedere, for sale in Kelowna, BC, might be just what you're looking for.
