There were many versions of a car back in the 1960s.
You could go from bare bones and functional to loaded with every conceivable option – all under the same nameplate.
This 1968 Plymouth Fury I was on the low end of the luxury scale but it also represents the essence of a survivor car.
Marvin Kryska is the current curator of this automotive diamond in the rough and he is definitely the perfect owner in an era where a guy would look at this car and see its future with a lower ride and flat black paint.
Marvin explained the history behind this Fury, “A farmer bought it brand new and barely drove it so it didn’t have too many miles on it. I got it at 30,000 miles. Something happened to him and he probably only drove it to town now and then anyhow”.
There was a family connection to this car but Marvin ended up as the proud owner, “The car sat in a machine shed for twenty five years and then the family pulled it out and sent it to the auction. Some of the family wanted it so there was lots of competition but I wanted it more so I bid higher”.
The car was in great shape despite its lengthy storage as Marvin recalled, “There were no mice in it and all I had to do was clean up the motor and replace some hoses and clean up the gas tank, All the factory markings were still there on the car”.
This was a stripped-down car Fury it did have one option, “This is a six-cylinder, three on the tree car, with dog dish hub caps, but it did have a radio. Farmers were notoriously cheap buyers but I figure the dealer threw the radio in to get the guy to buy the car. They used to do stuff like that”.
This old Plymouth runs like a watch, “It’s a go anywhere car, it runs along like a V-8 and it still gets 22-24 miles per gallon on the highway”.
Marvin is most concerned with the integrity of this incredible survivor Fury I, “This car is like the Mona Lisa because if you paint it, it’s not the Mona Lisa anymore. Most of these type of cars ended up as police cars or taxis so you just don’t see them anymore – that’s why it’s so important to preserve this one”.
Marvin is very clear on the future of this big C-body, “I’m going to keep it just like this and I definitely want to hang onto this one”.The beauty of Marvin’s plan is that he really is preserving history in an automotive area that doesn’t receive much attention – the unloved 4-door sedan. These cars were pure function over form so they were bought for work, miled-out and eventually crushed.
They are extremely rare at most shows because the real money is in the hardtops and convertibles and saving a sedan is not very common.
Marvin is realistic about his Fury I 4-door sedan and he summed it up in one sentence, “If you don’t touch these cars they’ll be collectible in 80 years”.
Obviously, his plan rules out flat black paint and a belly-crawling ride.
Jerry Sutherland
