Concours Gold Rotisserie Restored GTX 440 Super Commando 375 HP 4 Speed Dana 60

SUMMARY

In its purest form, this Concours Gold GTX is an unabashedly ruthless street fighter. Free from all the nonsense add-ons that have increasingly clouded our driving experience for the better part of five decades, the car was tailor-made to be some of the most uninhibited muscle on American roads. And in addition to highly desirable aesthetics that are the direct result of a detailed rotisserie restoration, it features correct Super Commando power that's backed by a correct A833 4-speed. If you're in the market for a proven classic that's poised to rise in value, here's your next prospect!

BODYWORK/TRIM

The beneficiary of a detailed, rotisserie restoration that was documented here this fully sorted Plymouth mixes killer street presence with classic MoPar attitude. That reboot began when the car was completely disassembled, professionally dipped and thoroughly pressure washed. Unfortunately, that process revealed a weathered fuselage that needed quite a bit of hardcore metalwork. The good: the car's trunk was pretty solid, its floorpan had isolated rust and the fenders needed only a few patches. The bad: the car's rockers needed quite a bit of work, a rust-eliminating crusade that, unfortunately, had to be extended to its doors. And the ugly: the car's quarters had to be completely replaced and, interestingly, it also required an entirely new trunk lid. With all that metal united on a rotisserie, a solid coat of epoxy followed a thorough coat of etching primer, both of which were massaged and block-sanded into a collection of virtually flawless surfaces. Once those surfaces were completely prepped and fully sealed, Island Lake, Illinois' Nostalgic Auto Body reanimated their all-business demeanor in smooth 2-stage that reflects correct Scorch Red pigment. And in 2009, this lust worthy classic scored 95 out of 100 points on its way to winning Concours Gold honors at the Muscle Car & Corvette Nationals!

Every bit of this B-Body's bright ornamentation appears straight and presents well. And while it's hard to determine whether all those baubles and bolt-ons are original, they certainly look nice! At the front of the car's broad shouldered body, a red-trimmed grille hangs a prominent "GTX" emblem between clean headlights, simple parking lamps and a heavy chrome bumper. At the top of that grille, a correct Air Grabber Hood anchors vertical "440" scripts between straight stainless, like-new glass and a subtle "PLYMOUTH" header script. At the sides of that hood, a stainless-trimmed profile centers factory door handles and a correct driver's mirror amid standard marker lamps, black rockers and large "GTX" emblems. And at the back of the car, a second polished bumper, complete with small reverse lamps, frames bright taillights, polished exhaust tips, correct GTX trunk trim and a second "PLYMOUTH" script.

ENGINE

Fully detailed, covered in MoPaint high-temp orange and wearing mere weekend miles since its professional rebuild, this slick Plymouth's 440 cubic inch, date-correct Super Commando is spectacular in every measurable way! At the top of the block, a big Carter carburetor sips fuel through fresh stainless fluid lines while sucking oxygen through an Organisol-coated air cleaner. At the base of that carb, a vintage intake hosts a correct points distributor, which sequences fire through Chrysler Electronic Suppression cables. At the sides of that intake, ported and polished heads hang port-matched intake and exhaust runners under stamped and painted valve covers. Those hopped-up heads cap a .030 overbored block that marries a 440 Source stroker kit with a reasonably radical cam. That balanced kit founds a .5-inch stroker crank under H-beam rods and 10.75 to 1 pistons. Those pistons push charred dinosaurs through restored exhaust manifolds, which wear an enduring layer of POR-15 hi-temp coating. Cooling for the big engine is provided by an old school Chrysler radiator. Mechanically, not a detail was missed, as items like Federal-Mogul bearings, Total Seal rings and quality ARP fasteners ensure years of strong motoring. And, like the motor itself, the car's fully decaled engine bay is clean and highly detailed, from its rebuilt wiper motor and MoPar red cap battery to its polished breather, correct clamps and familiar Chrysler washer tank.

DRIVETRAIN/SUSPENSION

This GTX definitely has the performance to back up its good looks. Behind the big-bore engine, a correct A833 4-speed utilizes a tough RAM clutch to twist a correct Dana 60 axle. Naturally, the car's front torsion bar and rear leaf suspension has been completely restored to include correct manual steering. 2.5-inch, aluminized exhaust pipes spent gases through an H-shaped crossover, requisite turbo mufflers and traditional stainless tips. At the corners of the chassis, factory drums spin behind chrome Magnum 500s, two 245/60R15 BF Goodrich Radial T/As and two 275/60R15 BF Goodrich Radial T/As. The car's over-restored floors present almost as nice as its first class faade. And everything, from this Plymouth's clean stainless fuel tank to its fresh stainless chassis bolts, presents almost as well as when it rolled out of restoration.

INTERIOR

Swivel this Plymouth's level doors and you'll find a correct Pewter and Black interior that's functional, straightforward and very livable. Correct bench and bucket seats are wrapped in pliable vinyl covers that display hardly any signs of wear. Between those seats, a correct, wood-trimmed console, complete with a side-stepped Hurst shifter, surfs fade-free carpet that's protected by monochromatic floor mats. At the sides of that carpet, Pewter door panels look sublime behind factory-spec trim and correct Silver Metallic frames. In front of those panels, a modernist dash seats sweeping telemetry and a familiar Chrysler Solid State above a modern Auto Meter oil pressure gauge. In front of the driver, a wood-rimmed steering wheel laps a large Auto Meter tach that's complete with a shift light. And behind the passengers, a nicely finished trunk hides a correct jack and spare tire between a plaid mat and new decklid decal.

HISTORICAL INFORMATION

Here's a detailed look at how the car rolled out of Chrysler's St. Louis manufacturing facility.

FENDER TAG:

OUR SALE INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING DOCUMENTATION

With strong Super Commando power, a fun 4-speed drivetrain and correct red, black and pewter aesthetics, this top notch MoPar combines explosive appeal with solid potential. It's clean. It's well restored. And best of all, your hard-earned money is buying a fun car that's poised to continue gaining value. If you're in the market for some awesome Detroit metal, this impressive GTX is your next classic!