There’s a lot of monkey see-monkey do in the car biz. Take the big three and their topline models, Ford started it with the ’65 introduction of the LTD and Chevy was hot on their trail at mid-year with the Caprice. Plymouth did a “Hey wait for me” in ’66 and kicked off their VIP, a car, that according to their sales brochure, “has a natural appeal for fastidious people accustomed to the finer things“. I’m not sure about wanting to be labeled as fastidious, but whatever, here’s a 1966 Very Important Plymouth(?) barn find that is lounging in Chapel Hill, North Carolina and is available, here on craigslist for $12,000.
The VIP was offered in two and four-door hardtop body styles but according to Hagerty, they never caught on with the buying public. To put things in perspective, Hagerty quotes, “Only 12,058 ’66 VIPs were built in two and four-door hardtop models. Compared to the Caprice with 181,000 units (excluding station wagons) and LTD with 101,096, it was a drop in the ocean“.
This car has an unusual backstory. It has been barn bound for sixteen years, yet inside there is a “New interior done to original specs“. As to when or why it got the big redo is not said, but based on appearances, I’d hazard a guess it has been a while. The entire environment is a bit of a mess with obvious mold and some other dreck covering the carpet. But yes, the black woven upholstery and vinyl/fabric door panels do show quite well – a thorough cleaning will work wonders. What a cleaning won’t help, however, is the missing speedometer binnacle.
We’re told that this car runs but I imagine what is really meant is that it starts – it doesn’t look like it has moved a muscle in a long time. What does start is a 270-gross HP, 383 CI “Commando” V8 engine, connected, as is usually the case, to a TorqueFlite automatic transmission. There’s no mileage recording, possibly due to there being no odometer, so where this big V8 is in the circle of life is unknown.
We got us what looks like a “Bright Red” exterior but the cropped images, poor lighting, and dust make a better description of this VIP’s exterior difficult to ascertain. What’s visible, has a shine, and there is no indication of crash damage or rust but this is far from a comprehensive assessment. This car really needs to be dragged outdoors, in bright sunlight, and then given a visual appraisal. It’s important because it looks like there may be something of interest here.
The low production numbers for the ’66 VIP make this one an interesting find. And it’s not that much different than a Fury III so there is familiarity but it’s not so unusual that it would be difficult to parts source or rejuvenate. I suggest a little more effort in the presentation department is necessary, something fitting for a VIP (and maybe a lead on a speedo), and this seller may get some buyer interest going. As is, my guess is that $12,000 is a bit of a stretch, wouldn’t you agree?
Well, I found 47 meanings for the moniker “VIP”,,,oddly none pertaining to a Plymouth. Some rather comical, but I read, it’s for a “Very Important Person”, and dates back to WW2, when senior officials were considered “more important” than military. The mid 60s, I consider, the absolute best cars, from all the makers. Everyone trying to out shmooze the other. From a time when cars were really different. This Plymouth( and Dodge) were the nicest cars, did well on the race track, and twice the car a Roadrunner was. Like the Olds, not sure about these projects. It seems today, the general consensus is to just hit the auction and buy one, cost no object. A car they can turn the key and go. No muss, no fuss. Horror stories of restorations never finished or way past projected costs, people aren’t stupid, and I just don’t see anyone taking these on anymore. Shame, if this was TWO grand, put $10 into it, I could see that for this fantastic car, but initial cost on these is the deal killer.
Nascar wasn’t running land yachts like this after 1961 . First the downsized 62 – 64 Fury , or more likely Savoy/ Belvedere , then all mid size cars after that, if you wanted to be competitive .
A Fury should be twice the car a Roadrunner is , much the same as an Impala is twice the car a Chevelle is and a Chevelle twice what a Nova was.
Nascar certainly was still running “land yachts” after 61, Galaxies and Impalas were used through the mid 60s, only Dodges and Plymouths had been downsized in 62.
NO! I would like to see it in person. I think the 12 K could be a good deal. It should get a good cleaning and detail, to see it is really is a car.
Really sad to allow vehicles to fall into this condition. Looks like. $1,200 car to me. Many years ago (early 2000s) I found a 1958 Mercury that had been sitting in the same garage since the early 1970s-looked WAY better than this car. It was the owner’s mom’s car- he was determined to keep the car and get it back to running condition…..
The add says the speedometer is laying on the passenger floor, and appears as though it is. As usual, we’re looking at a dirty car, but it looks like maybe a good one, the price may not be that far off. And that roofline…..
A little more history for those interested.
Something different to see also a BIG BLOCK
Something people interested in buying these “barn finds” like this one, should keep in mind, is that mice like to eat the insulation off the electrical wires. So careful examination prior to purchase is a diligent thing to do before forking over the cash, and find out that you got problems you didn’t want. Sometimes replacing the whole wiring harness is the only cure.
Mice do tremendous damage in ways you can’t fully appreciate until you have to fix it. Their urine is corrosive and generously applied. Anywhere it accumulates will rot completely. they will strip any fabric padding and insulation and mulch it into fluffy filthy bedding filling voids and hollows and stuffing exhaust pipes. They will fill combustion chambers and crankcases with acorns, stick and any other trash using these places as food caches. I am facing damage mitigation on a car that I had to move from inside storage to outside. It’s a lot of damage and everywhere they have occupied is in need of decontamination due to the number of pathogens they carry. Rats are filthier and tremendous disease vectors. Broad spectrum poisons are effective but are totally out of the question knowing what be now know about their persistence as they work their way up in the food chain and the overall environment.
In the mid ’60s there weren’t a high percentage of Chevrolet dealers dualled with Buick or Cadillac, and while more common, a relatively small percentage of small town Chevy dealers were dualled with Oldsmobile. Over at Ford, only very small town dealers were dualled with Mercury, and very few with Lincoln. For that reason, there was a market for an upscale offering above the Impala and Galaxie in those showrooms. But at Plymouth, nearly all of them were dualled with Chrysler, as there were very few Dodge/Plymouth dealers and far fewer single line Plymouth dealers, most of those former DeSoto/Plymouth dealers.
That’s the explanation for the disproportionate lack of VIP sales, relative to the Caprice and LTD. While Chevy and Ford dealers could easily market their manufacturers’ new upscale offerings, Plymouth dealers struggled to sell the new VIP, which sat on the showroom floor right next to comparably priced Chrysler Newports.
I might consider $3500 for it. Has a tremendous amount of cleaning to be done, along with deodorizing and fumigating. That is even before you address any mechanical or electrical needs, let alone having to possibly go through the interior. with mold on the carpet, how are the floor pans? and trunk floor? Just my opinion.