The 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air and the 1959 Cadillac Eldorado seem to be the two most popular 1950s vehicles with prominent tailfins. I prefer Mopars with tailfins. I like the two-tier fins on every Plymouth full-size from 1957 to 1960, as well as the Dodge Coronet from the late 1950s.
This comprises the Belvedere, Plaza, Savoy, and Fury, all of which at the time had erratic tailfin designs. And yeah, I’m that strange person who like the 1959 Plymouths’ fins that lean forward. What is my favorite finned Mopar of all time? Although I’m having trouble choosing between the 1957 and 1960 Plymouths, I believe the 1957 Fury would prevail.
Of course, the Fury didn’t become a stand-alone nameplate until 1959, but the badge appeared on the Belvedere model from 1956 to 1958. It was a luxurious sub-series restricted to the two-door hardtop body style and offered only in white or beige with gold anodized aluminum trim. They also had special interiors and V8 engines with twin four-barrel carburetors. It was rated at 290 horsepower in 1957 and 1958, which makes it an early muscle car.
While all early Furys are nice-looking classics, the 1957 version stands out as the prettiest in my book. So I get all excited when I see fully restored examples at car shows. At the same time, I get sad whenever I see one rotting away in a junkyard or a barn. Unfortunately, while the 1957 Fury is rare at only 7,438 units built, many soldiered into the 21st century as rust buckets.
Some were stripped for parts and are going to the crusher, while others will eventually get a second chance at life. The derelict example you see here is one of the lucky ones. Because it just got rescued after spending around 40 years in a bamboo field.
The ancient Mopar has serious damage on the driver-side front fender, but it is unknown how it got there. Therefore, it is generally safe to presume that the owner left it in a neighboring field following the collision. He never got around to fixing it, as is customary. Sadly, the Fury has suffered from four decades of total exposure to the weather, since it is now bumper to bumper in surface rust. In addition, the lower body panels have extensive rot from sitting on the ground.
Our host doesn’t give us a good look inside the cabin, but it appears to be in deplorable condition. Not surprisingly, the floor panels are rusty, and the fabric and vinyl covering the seats and the door panels are too far gone. There’s no word on whether the V8 engine is still under the hood. But if it’s still around, it’s safe to assume it’s locked up and will need a complete rebuild to run again.
So is it worthwhile to restore this 1957 Fury? That depends on who you ask, I suppose. I’d think it’s rare enough to merit a second chance, but in this situation, a complete repair would be very expensive. Possibly more than the car’s market worth, which is a little over $100,000 in Concours-ready condition. It takes a fan of Fury ready to make an investment in a vintage he intends to preserve because it’s not the kind of car you want to refurbish to sell it.
Our host doesn’t say if the hardtop will be restored or dismantled for parts, but it’s still cool to see a derelict Fury getting rescued after 40 years of neglect. Check it out in the video below.