1956 Plymouth Fury Special 8 Arizona

To qualify as "modern classics," we're choosing vehicles that are comparatively affordable now and that we think will increase in value over time. These are cars that many people would love to have: head-turners, trend-setters in their time, cars that people still see that make them smile, cars that were definitive in their own right, stylish and fun to drive. We're focusing on cars that are at least 25 years old so they can be registered and insured cheaply and aren't subject to annual inspections.

Tastes may vary, as may peoples' own definitions of "affordable." Our theoretical limit is $50,000 for a car in good to excellent condition, which rules out many of the traditional exotics. This month's selection is the 1956 Plymouth Fury Special 8.

With all the hype over the Prowler, people have forgotten that Plymouth offered its first performance model more than 40 years ago. The image-enhancing success of the first 300C inspired Chrysler management to order a "little 300" for each of its divisions: Dodge had the D-500, DeSoto got the Adventurer. Plymouth retained Jim Wangers, who'd later gain fame as the promotional whiz behind Pontiac's GTO, to help launch a halo model, the Fury Special 8.

Author: Ken Gross

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