MyStarCollectorCar

JUNE 2025: A 1967 PLYMOUTH BELVEDERE GTX IS A MOPAR MUSCLE CAR GUY’S DREAM COME TRUE

Jerry Admin

Peter Vanderwater is a dyed-in-the-wool Mopar guy who was heavily influenced by the muscle car era when Peter was a 13-year-old kid in 1967.

“Everybody had a muscle Mopar”, in Peter’s words, and he soaked up the memory like a sponge.

MyStarCollectorCar caught up to Peter at a spring car show when we spotted a 1967 Plymouth Belvedere GTX pull into the event.

Jim Sutherland

Peter told MyStarCollectorCar his first car was a 1971 Plymouth Duster, a car that hooked him on a lifetime of Mopar loyalty.

A little background on the famous Plymouth muscle car: GTX models were sold by Plymouth from 1967 until 1971 as an upscale pavement-pounder that offered both luxury and brute force performance.

A 1967 Plymouth Belvedere GTX was sold with only two engine options: the famous 426 Hemi, or the monstrous 440 Super Commando big block. However, a GTX had enough bling to fly under the radar as a luxury intermediate sedan-right up until other drivers spotted the hood scoops and racing stripes on it.

For the record, the hood scoops were fiberglass and non-functional hood decorations, but they warned other drivers about what lurked under a GTX hood. The engine choice was also indicated by the hood ornament which, in the case of Peter’s GTX, was a 440 Super Commando big block modestly rated at 375 horsepower by Plymouth. Mostly for insurance reasons at the time.

Peter’s GTX also has a factory 4-speed manual transmission that can easily handle the car’s factory 440 engine.

As mentioned, 1967 Plymouth Belvedere GTX models were higher end road rockets, so Peter’s GTX has plenty of bling and creature comforts to indicate the car is a luxury road beast. Vinyl tops were a very popular choice on luxury cars in 1967, and Peter’s muscle car had a vinyl roof when it left the factory. Peter likes to honor its luxury roots, so the GTX still sports one.

The exterior bling includes a rear insert on the trunk that showcases the car’s luxury angle, along with turn signal indicators mounted on each side of the front fenders and rear-view mirrors on both sides of the GTX.

The GTX’s interior was redone and stayed true to the original specs, while Peter added power steering because he wanted to avoid the heavy work required to turn the wheel in a car equipped with a massive and heavy big block engine.

Peter’s 1967 Plymouth Belvedere GTX is equipped with Magnum 500 wheels, a very rare choice for the cars from that era, and a solid addition to its sporty side. It also has a pop-open fuel filler cap that adds to the car’s performance vibe.

Peter has reached a point in his life where he respects his 1967 Plymouth Belvedere GTX and chooses not to push it too hard on the road. “I don’t abuse it, I drive it to last”, in Peter’s words, a philosophy that ensures his GTX will enjoy a pampered existence in his hands.

It’s a happy ending for the classic Mopar muscle car and its owner.

Jim Sutherland

BY: Jim Sutherland

Jim Sutherland is a veteran automotive writer whose work has been published by many major print and online publications. The list includes Calgary Herald, The Truth About Cars, Red Deer Advocate, RPM Magazine, Edmonton Journal, Montreal Gazette, Windsor Star, Vancouver Province, and Post Media Wheels Section. 

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