You see it at a car show, and it just looks right. The 1964 Plymouth Sport Fury wasn't trying to be a spaceship like the finned monsters of the late fifties, and it hadn't quite transitioned into the bulging, Coke-bottle muscle car shapes that would dominate the end of the sixties. It sat right in that sweet spot. Lean. Mean. Honestly, it looked like a street brawler in a tailored suit. If you talk to Mopar purists, they’ll tell you 1964 was the year Plymouth finally figured out how to make a mid-size car look fast while standing perfectly still.
It was a transitional moment for Chrysler Corporation. They had survived the "plucked chicken" styling disasters of the early sixties and were finally finding their rhythm. The Sport Fury was the top-of-the-line trim for the Savoy/Belvedere/Fury lineup, which moved to a 115-inch wheelbase. That’s short for the era. It made the car nimble. It made it a nightmare for Chevy and Ford on the drag strip.
What Most People Get Wrong About the 1964 Plymouth Sport Fury
A lot of folks look at a 1964 Plymouth Sport Fury and think "full-size cruiser." That’s a mistake. While the brochures of the time might have categorized it as such, Chrysler’s downsizing experiment a few years prior meant these cars were actually closer to what we’d call an intermediate today. This weight advantage was the "secret sauce."
When you paired that lighter chassis with the legendary 426 Street Wedge, you didn't just have a car; you had a weapon. We aren't even talking about the Hemi yet. Just the Wedge. It produced 365 horsepower and enough torque to wrinkle asphalt. People often confuse the "Sport Fury" badge with just a trim package. It wasn't. It was an identity. You got those beautiful bucket seats, a center console, and special exterior brightwork that screamed "I spent the extra money for the good stuff."
The Styling Shift: From Weird to Wired
Look at the grille. It’s a clean, convex design with quad headlights that don't look forced. The 1962 and 1963 models had this sort of "plucked" look that turned a lot of buyers off. But by '64, Elwood Engel—the guy who helped design the iconic 1961 Lincoln Continental—had his fingerprints all over the Plymouth line. He brought a sense of slab-sided elegance.
The roofline on the hardtop is particularly striking. It’s got that "slantback" look that makes the car look much longer than it actually is. It’s a trick of the eye. A good one.
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The 426 Hemi: The Elephant in the Room
We have to talk about February 1964. Daytona.
This was the year the 426 Hemi returned to competition and basically deleted the competition. Richard Petty didn't just win the Daytona 500 in a 1964 Plymouth; he lapped almost the entire field. It was embarrassing for Ford. It was devastating for GM. While the "Hemi" under Petty's hood was a race-only circuit beast, it cemented the 1964 Plymouth Sport Fury as the face of Mopar performance.
You couldn't just walk into a dealership in early '64 and buy a street Hemi. Those didn't arrive for the general public until 1966. But you could get the Max Wedge. If you were a serious drag racer, the 426-cubic-inch Max Wedge with its dual four-barrel carburetors on a cross-ram intake was the ticket. It was rated at 415 or 425 horsepower, depending on the compression ratio. Those cars are unicorns today. Most were beaten to death on the track or rusted away in barns.
Driving a 1964 Sport Fury in the 21st Century
Actually driving one of these today is a trip.
If you’re used to modern power steering that feels like a video game, the 1964 Plymouth Sport Fury will wake you up. Chrysler’s torsion bar front suspension was arguably the best in the business back then. It handled significantly better than the wallowing coil-spring setups found on contemporary Impalas. It feels planted. It feels mechanical.
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The Push-Button Transmission.
This is the part everyone loves or hates. 1964 was the final year for Chrysler’s famous push-button TorqueFlite automatic. Located to the left of the steering wheel, it feels more like operating a 1950s jukebox than a car. It’s quirky, sure, but those 727 TorqueFlite transmissions are legendary for being bulletproof. You can’t kill them.
Inside, the Sport Fury was surprisingly plush. You had high-back buckets and enough chrome on the dash to blind you on a sunny day. It felt expensive. It felt like Plymouth was trying to punch up into Buick or Oldsmobile territory.
Rarity and What to Look For
Finding a clean 1964 Plymouth Sport Fury isn't as easy as finding a Mustang or a Camaro. They didn't make nearly as many. If you're hunting for one, you've got to be careful about rust. Look at the rear quarter panels and the trunk floors. Also, check the cowl. If the cowl is rotted, you’re in for a world of hurt.
- The Vin Plate: Check the "V" in the VIN for V-8 models.
- Trim Pieces: The Sport Fury-specific trim is incredibly hard to find. If the car is missing those unique side moldings or the trunk lid medallions, expect to pay a premium for replacements—if you can even find them.
- The Rear End: Most of these came with the 8.75-inch rear end. It’s a great piece of hardware, easily tunable with different gear ratios.
Why collectors are finally waking up
For years, the '64 was the "forgotten" B-body. Everyone wanted the '68 Charger or the '70 Cuda. But prices for those cars have gone into the stratosphere. A nice 1964 Plymouth Sport Fury offers the same Mopar muscle pedigree, the same incredible engine options, and a much more unique look for—honestly—a lot less money.
It’s a "gentleman’s muscle car." It has a dignity that a Road Runner lacks. It’s sophisticated but can still put two black stripes on the pavement for half a block if you ask it nicely.
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Taking Action: How to Get Into the 1964 Mopar Scene
If this car has been on your radar, don't wait. The market for mid-sixties Mopars is tightening.
First, join the B-Body Registry. It’s the gold standard for verifying what these cars actually are. You’ll want to make sure that "Sport Fury" you’re looking at isn't just a dressed-up Belvedere. Second, go to a dedicated Mopar show like Mopars at the Strip or Carlisle Chrysler Nationals. Seeing these cars in person, hearing the distinct starter whine—that "high-pitched gear reduction" sound—is the only way to truly understand why people get obsessed with them.
Check the fender tag. It’s a small metal plate under the hood that tells the car's entire life story: the paint code, the interior trim, and which engine it left the factory with. Decoding that tag is your best defense against buying a clone.
Finally, if you find a 383-powered Sport Fury, don't snub your nose at it. While everyone wants the 426, the 383 Big Block is an incredible engine for modern traffic. It’s reliable, runs on pump gas, and still has enough grunt to move the Sport Fury with authority. You get the look, the sound, and the history without the six-figure price tag of a Max Wedge.
The 1964 Plymouth Sport Fury is a bridge between two eras. It’s the end of the push-button age and the beginning of the Hemi dominance. It’s a piece of history you can actually drive.
Next Steps for Potential Owners
- Verify the Trim: Use the 1964 Plymouth Parts Catalog to ensure the interior and exterior brightwork are authentic to the Sport Fury trim.
- Mechanical Inspection: Prioritize checking the torsion bar mounts for structural integrity; these are the heart of the car's handling but prone to hidden corrosion.
- Community Engagement: Connect with the Forward Look Network or the Walter P. Chrysler Club for leads on survivor cars that never hit the mainstream auction sites.
- Budgeting: Allocate at least 20% of your purchase price for specialized trim restoration, as these parts are not as widely reproduced as GM or Ford equivalents.