I’m a bit of a car nut. Last week I was surfing around Dailymotion looking at old TV spots for cars and found this one for what looked to me like a 1966 Plymouth Fury, but was called the Plymouth VIP instead. I’d never heard of the model, which surprised me, because I’m pretty on top of these things. With extra sound deadening and a cushier interior over the Fury, the VIP was supposed to compete with other entry-level quasi-luxury cars, such as the Chevrolet Caprice and the Ford LTD.
My oldest friend and I were touring the original route of US 31 in northern Indiana this weekend. When we reached Peru, we found that a downtown block of old US 31 was closed for a classic car show. Joy!
Imagine my surprise when I walked up to this plum VIP just a few days after learning that they existed.
The fellow who restored this car talked with me for a second. When I told him that I saw an old TV ad for the VIP on Dailymotion, his jaw dropped. He said he’d had a hard time finding information and parts for the car. He pointed out how the trim strips didn’t quite line up (you can see it in the photo above) as an example. He showed me where one trim strip was scuffed, and said it was the best available to him. Despite the challenges, I think he did a nice job on his car.
More photos from the Peru classic car event when I write up my US 31 trip!
