Featured Projects 1964 Plymouth Savoy

A few weeks back, I was looking at FB Marketplace and a local '64 Plymouth caught my eye. It had an old-style cage and a big block, so I went out to take a look.

It made a lot of noise and I couldn't stop smiling, so I got it.







I had a little hope that it was a real old drag car, but the odometer showing 98k miles shut that down. It's just a grandma-special '64 Savoy 2dr sedan, originally a Light Tan slant-six commuter with only two options: Torqueflite and a heater.

It has a '70s 440, 727 TF, and a Dana 60 with 4.30s and 35-spline axles.

The plan is to get it slightly streetable, get it looking more "1964" than "1984," and go annoy some neighbors.

 

It's got great bones but there is also a lot of Ugly on this car. The inboard headlights were filled with spray-painted cardboard (!) that had been duct-taped and RTV'd into the headlight trim. It had the wrong headlight bucket on the p***enger side, so the bulb was just ****ed in there sideways.

I have no idea why it has those enormous holes cut into the inner fenders . The firewall smoothing was a little barbaric, and someone hacked the radiator core support to (I am guessing) simplify engine R&R.

There are Zip ties and Moroso stickers galore! It has "race car paint," which I actually kinda like, so I don't have to get mad if someone leans on it. The scoop is really crude and really big, but I decided it would stay as soon as I put some proper skinny ET wheels up front and dug out all that inboard headlight mess. Now it looks like a hot rod.

 

Cool. Always liked that body style.

 

The guy I bought it from got it as part of a multi-car deal he'd made, so he really didn't know much about it. The ***le was still in someone else's name. With a little sleuthing, I was able to find an old ad for it. It's definitely a late '80s or '90s build, with Edelbrock Performer RPM intake and heads and an MSD 7AL under the dash.

If anyone knows something about this car's history, let me know.

 

Pretty cool. As an old fart who was around when these things were new, I'd probably be looking for a gl*** bumper and hood and duct air to the carb through those empty headlight openings.

 

So far I've just been piddling around with it mostly. The car had a nice 850 Holley on it at one time, but somewhere along the way it was swapped for some junk 600 vac secondary carburetor. It would start and idle and that's about it.


So I got an old M1 intake for it and a 1050 Dominator. Also swapped the electric water pump for a mechanical one and added a 7-blade fan. Replaced the "fabricated" valve covers with something slightly less offensive and put some Max Wedge stickers on them. Getting better already.



I decided to try my hand at creating some clear plexigl*** covers for the inboard lights. I've only done one side, so that's all you get.

 

I guess I should mention what I'm going for I have always been enamored with the mid-60s factory backed drag cars. Top of the heap of course are the wild blown and injected altered wheelbase cars, but this car will never be that.

This will be more of a '64-66 small-town local hero Super Stock vibe. (thumbnails intentional)

 

Are you keeping the cutout hood and scoop?

 

Yeah, unless something better comes along.

 

Nice! That car jogs a memory. '72 pumpin' gas, local Gulf station, jr in HS. Regular customer had one identical
to yours, but 383 4spd, bench. Occupied a space in my mind, rent free, for quite a while!

 

I have a decent flat hood for one of those.

 

wish I could find a decent 64

 

There was a made up A/FX Dodge, but same body, with a 426 hemi for sale at the Battleship show in Mobile back in April. Don't know how to post pics from phone....

 

Love It, "If you can't run with big dogs stay on the porch" on the rear deck . When I retired from racing Midgets/ wing Sprint car, 21 years involved, end of 91, I found/purchased/wore a Sprint car T shirt that had that on it, or very similar phrase with great graphics, Arizona T's was big and the best back then. Should have kept it, a wall hanger for my man cave/garage.

 

Nice ride, always liked that year, kool cruiser for local cruises /shows, Enjoy.

 

Wonder why anyone would cut out the inner fenders in front of the wheels. When I read thru i ***umed they hacked them out for headers, since that happened all the time. It looks like they cut most of the firewall out too... bummer, some folks shouldn't be allowed to use a torch or sawzall. Overall looks like a great start to a killer car. Hopefully the guy with the torch didnt have to do alot of bodywork before the racecar paint. Hood scoop looks like one of the gigantic aftermarket ones. The original 64 s were really short, maybe 1 1/2 " opening, with the 65s being a bit bigger. Looks like a great find with endless potential, and they really hold their value since the max wedge craze of the 90s. Im jealous, been wanting a 64 for years, had a 63 when i was a young,

 

Very cool! Always loved the styling on that era of Mopar. Definitely some of the coolest drag cars of the '60s!!

My wife has a '64 Dodge 440 that we are going in a similar direction with. It has a 413 with an old Weiand dual quad tunnel ram, and she wants to run a similar scoop to what you have there. I saw VFN makes a "correct" factory style scoop, but 5" taller. Personally I want to use a Grump Lump, but it wouldn't exactly be Mopar-appropriate... or maybe build a see-through one out of colored plexigl*** or something.

Another thing I was contemplating with that car, that would probably work with yours, is finding another grill to chop up and make a factory lightweight style grill without the inboard lights all together. I do like the look of the empty holes in stock grill, as well, though. My Biscayne is like that.

I do know that ch***is headers in these cars make it a HUGE PITA to change plugs and especially replace a starter. Fenderwell headers are a big plus in these particular cars for that reason, and your inner fenders are chopped up already anyways...

 

With the location of the holes, maybe the car had twin turbos?

 

I had one of those fifty years ago. Faded red paint, slant six, no options.

 

In 71 I was given a 64 4 door, 6 cylinder automatic. At the time I had a 65 383 and four speed in a 54 Chevy that I planned on swapping. Found a V8 K member and clutch pedal setup. Before I could put this plan into effect the car was stored at my uncle’s house and the city’s ordnance officer paid him a visit for having an inoperable vehicle on his property, despite it being on ten acres behind the horse barn with a live horse in it and a junkyard next door he got a violation.

So I gave it away.

 

That area was cut out to lighten the car. Many mopars in Indiana were like that!!!

 

Cool car following along
Dan

 

I have had a few of those.

 

Highway Patrol drove them in Kansas.

 

I like that look. If someone has a nice grille for an even nicer price, I'd do it!

They already have fenderwell headers going through them.

 

Is this to say that you’re going to be ummm, stomping at the Savoy? If you know, you know.

 

Cool car with potential. I think it needs a push****on transmission gear selector, though.

 

Love it!

 

A 440 with a typewriter! Livin' large!

 

These cars are as cool as Joey Ramone!