For your $3032.00  you got a 318 CID V800 engine with 2 x 4 bbl Carter carbs, 9.25:1 compression, high performance cam, and a dual point distributor. Horsepower was a very healthy 290 @ 5200 RPM with torque advertised at  330 ft. lbs. @ 3600 RPM. Optional for 1958 was the new Golden Commando B block, displacing 350 CID. This one had 10:1 compression and 2 x 4 bbl carbs, developing 305 BHP @ 5000 RPM, with 370 ft. lbs. of torque @ 3600 RPM. Sounds a bit underrated, doesn't it? Just so you wouldn't forget what you bought, the Fury had a 150 MPH speedometer and low restriction exhaust. They stuck a 3 speed stick behind the Fury engine, for some stupid unknown reason, with the Torqueflite optional.  I've read that it was a column shift like the 300D, but have also seen pix  of a floor shifter. Why they did this is beyond me. Who knows, maybe somebody who wanted a top of the line model liked rowing his own. The Fury in street trim typically got 0-60 in the 8.0 range and would hit 125 mph before the tires blew out.

Have a problem telling the 57 from the 58? Three horizontal chrome trim pieces across each fin of the 57 is the easiest way to tell them apart quickly. 

Wheel covers were modified Belvedere caps with gold anodized centers. Standard equipment included dual low restriction exhaust, HD torsion bar suspension, front and rear bumper wings, 2 tone brown / tan steering wheel, variable speed windshield wipers, windshield washer, backup lights, turn signals,  front armrests, padded dash and sun visors, foam padded seats, sweep second hand electric clock, dual outside rear view mirrors, chrome drip mouldings, and a dash mounted rear view mirror.  8.00 x 14 nylon blackwall tires completed the package. Customers who actually let the car come through with the 3 speed stick got a special dashboard decal that said "YOU ARE AN IDIOT AND A CHEAPSKATE." Rumor has it they also got the phone numbers of the 2, count 'em, 2 guys who ordered 300Ds with the 3 speed stick option so they could form a very small car club. 

Who were these guys, anyway? I can't imagine anybody plunking down 6 grand for a 300D and casually saying to the salesman, "Oh, by the way, I want the 3 speed manual transmission." And what would happen if he wanted to, let's say, race somebody? Here we go, slam second gear and the shifter (made by the low bidder, no doubt) snaps off at the column and the driver's hand goes through the windshield. Yeah, I know, some day somebody will pay three million dollars at an auction just to be able to say he has one. 

The Fury interior was beige and cocoa cloth and vinyl with brown carpeting. 318 engines were Chrysler silver with gold valve covers and air cleaners. Yes, the silver paint is still available through Chrysler, but you have to buy 12 cans at a time. Order it by the can from Mancini racing instead with this link; http://chucker54.stores.yahoo.net/mope10.html  They also have the gold, red, and turquoise Mopar colors. The 350 engines were red with gold valve covers and air cleaners. Chrome was not optional, if you see one it's custom. The red and gold paint is also available  through the Chrysler 300 club. 5303 1958 Fury cars left the assembly line.

As for the movie, I assume everybody has seen it and has had a good laugh at all the stupid mistakes King made and John Carpenter missed and let slip through. The book is full of them.....I stopped counting at 21. King makes references to cars equipped with fuel injection and carburetors together,  a Ford Camaro, the door lock buttons Plymouths never had, and many other flubs. It's obvious he didn't do his research, and neither did his editor, if he had one.  Either that, or he just didn't care. Either that, or he is totally insane and doesn't even know what day it is. Take a good look, and tell me there isn't something seriously wrong with this dude. 

Several sources indicate that at a cost of around ten thousand dollars each, nearly two dozen 1958 Plymouth Furys, Belvederes, and Savoy hardtops  were partially restored only to be demolished in the making of the movie. Other sources say only a dozen or so cars were actually trashed, and these were the touched-up junkers. Several first class cars were lent to the movie company and were not damaged, although none of them were Furys. No real Furys were in the movie, period. 

Although portrayed as a special order red Fury, Christine retained more features common to the  Belvedere. Outside, Christine didn't have  the trademark  Buckskin Beige paint or the gold anodized aluminum  trim and grille, or Fury emblems. Her interior was completely custom and the wrong color. Her engine, a B block, was painted in custom colors with chrome plated air cleaners instead of the original gold. Christine's 150 mph speedometer was one of the only features that was accurate. 

The Survivors

Despite all the Plymouths that were wrecked during the filming of  the movie, three complete movie cars  survived filming and later served as promotional aids for the movie's release. A fourth movie car turned up that was originally scheduled to be scrapped, and was saved by a Christine fan.

The Promo-Contest Christine

Recently in March 2004 one of the movie cars turned up in West Palm Beach, Florida at the Barrett Jackson auction and was sold for $167,400  to a man in England. This car  was part of a promotional contest following the movie's release in 1983. Scott Edminster was the lucky person out of approximately 40,000 people who entered to win the fully restored 1958 Plymouth featured in the movie. 


The Chase Scene Christine

This  was the actual stunt car from the alley scene where Christine chases "Moochie," cornering him in the loading dock. Another car with urethane parts cast from originals was used when Christine  crushes herself into the area to get to the rocket scientist "Moochie," who pulls a knife on the car. Yeah, that'll work. Christine was  pulled into the loading dock through the set behind the actor with a cable crumpling the panels. This  was the only 3 speed car used; the film crew on the set forgot it  was a manual transmission car, and when they went to start it  up it  was in gear and lunged forward, almost taking out some equipment. See? I told you manual transmission cars were trouble.

The car was going to be saved for another idiotic King movie that was in the works at the time called "Cat's Eye," however, they found a beautiful red and white Belvedere and shot the footage they needed with that car. Since the Christine car was not used, it was scheduled to be scrapped. Because the movie studio didn't  want the liability of selling cars to private parties, the Christine car was sold  for parts for $900.00.  A movie script, movie stills, press kit, rubber mouldings, fenders, etc. and  some of the "CQB-241" license plates that were on the car during filming went to the new owner.

The car was delivered with  no interior, just a simple roll cage, 5 point harness, and one bucket racing type seat.  The windows were painted black on the inside with the exception of a small driver's section  that allowed the stunt man to see. The stainless moldings and trim were made of cast urethane rubber or plastic and painted chrome silver. There were also 4x4 inch support braces between the firewall and front core support, and the radiator was mounted in the trunk so that in crash scenes the radiator fluid would not spill out. The cars that were running were labeled "Muscle one," "Muscle two," etc. This car  had "Muscle two" on the underside of the hood and driver side door jam. The non runners were pulled on casters or dollies.  The wrecked cars and all the excess parts  were sent to  Bill and Ed's Auto Wrecking in Fontana, California. Another set car was also sold to a collector and is documented.

Besides the three mentioned here, I do not know where the fourth  survivor is or who owns it. Supposedly it was sold to a collector and is probably gathering dust in somebody's barn, or going out at night and killing teenagers, who knows. What I do know is that every knucklehead on the planet who owns a red Plymouth calls it Christine, which is getting on my nerves. Hey, it's only a movie, already. Knock it off.

"Pristine"

The 300C from hell. Not a real movie of course, but I couldn't resist. Just click here and see if this looks familiar.

Here is a Forward Look link to the junkyard story with pictures.

http://www.forwardlook.net/features/billandeds.htm

Christine Gallery

1958 Fury Gallery

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