This 1961 Plymouth Belvedere was sold for $300 and the owner turned it from rusty beast to shiny beauty
- US man bought a rusty 1961 Plymouth Belvedere for $300
- He spent three years completely transforming it
- The glow-up was simply magnificent
Published on Oct 23, 2024 at 8:00 PM (UTC+4)
by Amelia Jean Hershman-Jones
Last updated on Oct 24, 2024 at 7:36 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Alessandro Renesis
This US man bought a rusty 1961 Plymouth Belvedere for $300 and completely transformed it.
It had been found abandoned in a field in Adams, North Dakota.
However, someone saw its potential before sending it to the scrapyard and decided to sell it.
The resulting glow-up is simply magnificent.
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1961 Plymouth Belvedere
The owner was probably happy to get $300 for what he considered a rusty piece of junk sitting in a field.
It wasn’t in such a sorry state as this 1957 Plymouth Belvedere that was buried by Oklahoma officials in a concrete vault for 50 years.
“A face only a mother can love,” owner Tony told Dennis Gage of MyClassicCarTV.
Designed by Virgil Exner, the green Belvedere has a yellow roof, which is a color used by Chrysler for their PT Cruiser.
However, it’s the chrome that really shines.
A true example of ugly/cool, then president of Chrysler, William Newberg, encouraged Exner and his team to really go for it.
The front end is so low that it look like it might skim the road, while at the back the taillights look like rocket boosters.
The media at the time of its debut called it a ‘jukebox on wheels’.
The restoration
Belvederes of the era had a reputation for being rusty before leaving the factory.
First up, Tony decided to lower it by installing an air ride suspension.
He also installed a big-block 493-cubic-inch with twin turbos.
It was a decision as big as the engine, considering he had to ditch the hood and remove the fender wells to make it fit in the compact space.
While Tony doesn’t have official figures, it’s estimated to pack around 800 horsepower.
An automatic TorqueFlite transmission and gas are to thank for supplying power through its rear wheels.
After ripping out the back seats he put Teas Design front seats in and added a roll cage.
Three years later it was finally finished, and Tony drove from Minnesota to Springfield, Illinois, to show it off at the Route 66 Mother Road Festival.
Meanwhile, this incredibly preserved 1957 Plymouth Belvedere has only done 5,000 miles in the last 40 years.
London-based Amelia cut her journalistic teeth covering all things lifestyle, wellness and luxury in the UK capital. Fast-forward a decade and the experienced content creator and editor has put pen to paper for glossy magazines, busy newsrooms and coveted brands. When her OOO is on you can find her spending quality time with her young family, in the gym or exploring the city she loves.
