1965 Sport Fury Convertible Pace Car

[racertb]

I have one on mine as well...

[furylee]

It?s the optional grill guard.  They were available in 64 and 65, although there is a little difference in the two.  I have one on my 64 Fury convertible.

[nzkiwi]

I have noticed that some of the 1965 Sport Fury's have like a centerpiece bumper extension about 2 ft. long with a rubber insert in the middle top of the front bumper.  This is not on all the cars but seem to be on the majority of Pace Cars and I don't believe I have seen it on any other Fury's.  Does anyone know if this was some kind of option and what is the purpose of it?

[Jim Benjaminson]

Thanks for the offer of the article copy - I already have it in my files.  Been awhile since I've really gone thru the file to see what all I've accumulated!  Since my first postings, we have a new member in the club with a pace car convertible - gentleman from Pennsylvania.  He's supposed to be sending me some material he has, but I haven't gotten it yet....

[nzkiwi]

Attn: Jim Benjaminson
I have an article on the 1965 Sport Fury Pace Car in the August 1965 issue of Car & Driver.  It states that the Official Pace Car did indeed have a 426 Wedge.  If you want me to fax you the entire article for your future club article I will be glad to do so.  I can fax it or mail it to you. 

[nzkiwi]

Yes, I have asked some questions about this car from the seller.  They seem to be confused as to the actual number of Pace Cars that were actually at the Indy as they advertise this car as 1 of 47 when everything I have read there were 2 actual pace cars and 33 others.  I also asked if there was anything in the build record or fenderplate that verifies the car as a pace car and the answer is no.  They are using the blue convertible top as an identifying mark.  Does anyone know if the powder blue convertible top was used on any other color for 1965 other then the white exterior and blue interior?  I believe my car is a dealer replica but I see more and more people advertising there cars as being one of the cars at Indy which seems like there must be all 35 cars still out there.

[Plymouthcranbrook]

This is currently on E Bay

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/65-SPORT-FURY-CV-383-AC-PACE-CAR-FINANCING-SHIPPING_W0QQitemZ180172794970QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item180172794970

[nzkiwi]

Mark,

Thanks for that valuable info.  If anyone has any info on what Hot Car means that would be great.  Again thanks.

Dan

[POC-Admin]

Here is what I get from my Galen Govier book.

304 under SO = Built on March 4 (Thursday) 1965
60000 under number = Shipping Order Number
P45 under BDY = P = Plymouth "C" body, 4 = Fury, 5 = 1965 Model
P4B under TRM = Premiun Vinyl upholstery in Blue
Paint = WW1 = White and White - Monotone
the 61 under the AB = engine code = 383 single 4bbl carb 330HP 10.1 compression engine
the 5 under the D = torqueflite Transmission
the 5 under the E = Heater front with defrosters
the 1 under the F = Power Brakes
the 8 under the P and the 1 under the Q = AM Radio with noise supressor package (capacitor on alternator)
the 3 under the V = Backup Lights

the 2 is under the Z it might mean Airconditioning or if it is under the Y it might mean the car had a paint and trim waiver what ever that means the Govier book does not have those codes listed.

the 2 under the 2 means Remote Outside Left Mirror
the 9 under the 3 means 3 speed Vairable wipers
the 1 under the 6 means Blue Convertible top
the 9 under the 0 means HOT CAR - this may be the code for the pace car - I don't know what the heck that means.

[nzkiwi]

I have copied the exact data from my fender tag below.? Is there some expert on the forum who can decipher if there is anything on this tag that would tell me that it is a Pace Car Replica.? The tag reads as follows:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0
? ?2 9? ? ? 1? ? ? ? ? 9

A B C D E F G H J K L M N P Q R S T V W X Y Z
6 1? ? 5 5 1? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?8? 1? ? ? ? ?3? ? ? ? ? ?2

SO? ? Number? ? ? ? ? BDY? ? ? ? ? TRM? ? ? ? ? Paint
304? ? ?60000? ? ? ? ? ?P45? ? ? ? ? ?P4B? ? ? ? ? WW1

[nzkiwi]

Andy,

Yes, Mark Olson who I believe is one of the site administrators on this board thinks they made as many as 500 pace car replicas that could be ordered.  The number of cars at the Indy is thought to be about 35 with two of those being the Lap car and one standby. I believe my car may be one of the 500 not one of the 35.

Dan

[Andy Wylie]

The ad and dicussion so far suggests more than one 'official' type...

http://www.oldride.com/library/1965_plymouth_fury.html

[nzkiwi]

Jim-
Thanks for a very informative reply.  I have ordered a build record from Chrysler Heritage which hopefully will give me some definitive information on it.  Thanks.

[Jim Benjaminson]

Dan - the dash placque sits directly below the radio and reads as follows:  (3 lines)
Official Pace Car
Indianapolis 500
1965 - which is followed by 5 colored squares.

The squares are (left to right - checkered flag, red, yellow, blue, green)

As for the cars being batch built - I doubt it very much.  I have serial numbers from four of the cars.  The sequential numbers differ by more than 14,000 digits.

The serial number breaks out as follows:   P452235171
P - C body Plymouth V8 with 119" wheelbase
4 - Sport Fury
5 - 1965 model year
2 - Hamtrack, Michigan assembly plant (Dodge Main)
remaining six numbers are sequential build number starting from 100,001

The four cars I have records on (last six) are 220822, 230030, 235171, 234662

The pace car had the "Indy 500, May 31st" lettering on the upper rear fender -
the back up car had the wording in the "cove" between the body belt mouldings

Pre-race dealer introduction photos show the lettering on the upper rear fender.  The 1965 race queen, who also was given a pace car, has the lettering on the upper fenders.  The 64 race queen is also pictured in a car with the lettering on the upper rear fender.

To my knowledge there was just one major magazine ad showing the car.  There was also a "center fold" (different) photo in the 1965 race souvenir book.....

[nzkiwi]

Jim,

You mention the special plaque on the cars.  Do you or anyone on the forum know what specifically was put on the plaque?  As I mention I do have a gold plaque on the dash but it doesn't say anything about it being a pace car.  It just has "Built for" with a persons name on it.  My car is white with blue interior with the powder blue convertible top (same color as the Indy Pace Car)  and a 383 2bbl.  I saw another ad for another car advertised as an Indy Pace Car with his VIN being P452235171 and mine being P452234662.  If they made over 500 some odd pace car replicas this might fall into place if they were made in sequence.

Dan

[Jim Benjaminson]

The '65 Fury pace car is going to be the subject of a major article sometime in the future in the Plymouth Bulletin.  But there are still many questions to be answered.  First - there were two Pace Cars used at the Indy 500 - the "real" car and a back up "just in case car".  In addition, Plymouth sponsored a contest where "33 winners" would get replica pace cars.  And as pointed out - dealers could also order a pace car replica.  The pace car replicas were white with blue interiors, like the real pace car and all had a special placque on the dashboard.  Some dealers are known to have ordered several replicas while others didn't, so the ultimate number of pace car replicas is unknown.  There was no special coding in the serial number or anything like that.  The question has always remained as to what powered the real pace car - there were reports of a 426 Hemi but no Hemi's were installed in the C body Plymouths.  Perhaps a 426 wedge?  In all probability it was a 383.  And many times the "real" car was hopped up to provide enough go power to maintain high speeds if called for on the track.  I had hoped the Speedway would be able to provide a serial number for the real car but they claim they don't have such records.  What became of the "real" car is also a mystery.  Jim Clark was killed in a race (I believe) the next year.  Being a Scotsman, the car might have been shipped to his homeland but I rather doubt that.  More than likely it was sold shortly after the race and has been lost to history.  Many times the pace car photos come up for sale on eBay - and you can buy photos of the car directly from the Speedway.  Studying the pictures you can see the differences between the two actual pace cars.  Perhaps most obvious is the placement of the lettering on the car -- and the "grab handles" on the deck of the real car which Clark is pictured in after the race, along with flag stanchions,etc.

[nzkiwi]

The point you raise about all Pace Car replicas having 318's is interesting as it would eliminate my car due to the fact it has a 383 2 bbl.  Everything else checks out on my car as it has the light blue convertible top which looks to be original albeit in bad shape.  I would certainly like to have anyone else weigh in on this subject especially the part about 318's.

Dan

[Tony D.]

Dan,
From what I've been told in the past, there were 33 or 34 pace cars built for the '65 Indy 500 and all had 383 motors.  One car was the official pace car and the others were built in honor of the 33 car field.  The race winner was given the pace car as a prize and Jim Clark became the first foreigner to win the pace car.  Also, Plymouth dealers could place orders for pace replicas, but the cars were built with 318s.
This is what I've been told, but I can't find anything to back it up in my Mopar library or online.
Tony

[nzkiwi]

I just purchased a Plymouth Sport Fury that was advertised as a pace car replica.  Is there any way to authenticate this as a true factory replica?  It has a gold plate on the dash that just says "Built for" with a persons name. The vin# is: P452234662.  Any help would be appreciated.  I am a new member on the forum and plan on joining the club soon.

Dan Brown