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by Michael GolubiewskiProduction Editor
Call him Mr. Belvedere
Folk singer Trish Lester has a funny little song titled “Plymouth Belvedere,” and it includes lines that say “Plymouth Belvedere/ Yeah, a Plymouth Belvedere/ Rusty, broken-down, that car was killin’ my career.”
Don’t tell Brian Gray, the owner of this week’s ride, a 1965 Plymouth Belvedere, hear that. His Belvedere is anything but rusted and broken-down. I have fond memories of a Plymouth Belvedere as well, as a black and maroon 1965 Belvedere owned by my father is the first car that I can remember riding in.
The Belvedere was produced by Plymouth for almost two decades, from 1951 through 1970. It began as a two-door hardtop (in response to the Chevrolet Bel Air) and would eventually become Plymouth’s top-of-the line model in the late 1950s, becoming available in sedans, coupes, station wagons and convertibles, then ended its run in as a midsize version of Plymouth’s more upscale Fury.
The 1965 Belvedere belongs to the fourth (and final) generation of the car. Like the Fury, the Plymouth Belvedere’s trim package was denoted by a Roman numeral I or II. The Belvedere I offered basic two- and four-door sedans and a station wagon. A convertible was available on the Belvedere II. The 1965 Belvedere was given the same fine mesh grill as the Fury, and the general body shape and design was the same as the higher-priced Fury, except the Belvedere was given single headlights, squared-off taillights and square instruments on the dashboard.
Gray’s Belvedere originally came with a 318-cubic-inch V8 engine. He has since upgraded to a new engine based on the Chrysler V8 Hemi (that is available in the Dodge Charger and Challenger) and is 547 cubic inches and features Stage V aluminum headers and two hemi carburetors. The Belvedere has kept its original light blue exterior with royal blue vinyl interior.
Gray said, “Originally when I bought the car, I wasn’t really happy with the light blue and was planning on changing the exterior color. I had decided on white, since my grandfather owned a white Plymouth, but I ended up deciding to repaint the car the same blue color.”
The official name for the color is “Light Blue 12894.” Gray also restored the Belvedere’s distinctive hood ornament.
“When I bought the car, the hood ornament was broken off. I have since got a new ornament on eBay and had it installed, about the same time I had it repainted. You can turn the ornament around, just like on the original.”
Gray said that he also had to do some bodywork on the Belvedere, fixing up some rust spots on the rear panels.
“My buddy Dave and I used to spend sometime every weekend fixing something up. I’m glad it’s now finished and we can show if off.”
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