The Proto Spindle: '61 Plymouth

"Jonee" (Jonee) 12/22/2014 at 19:06 • Filed to: 1961 Plymouth, Spindle

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Expanding on a comment I made in the Worst Dingle Dongle post, the 1961 Plymouth is the original spindle grille, as you can see here. I love these cars; probably my favorite American car design. They were hated when they came out, though, and it's still a face only a mother could love. It was mostly well received in the motoring press who liked its sleek finless body, the first Chrysler product without fins since that fad started. Motor Trend said it had "more unity of appearance [than] the styling of Ford and Chevy." Regardless, they were a disaster on the sales floor. Sales dropped by 36% in '61. I guess it was just too radical for the general public. It's pretty baroque, but not really more out there than other cars of the day to my eyes. It's a Virgil Exner design, but Exner had a debilitating heart attack in 1960, so apparently never had a chance to refine the design. It went straight from clay to metal without Virgil finalizing it. The pinched face only lasted one year, but strangely, the body panels of the wagon version lived on until '64 as the Dodge 880.

You apparently had a choice between nine different V8 engines that were offered for your Belvedere, Savoy, or Fury. And, you could get a spacey square steering wheel.

RazoE > Jonee 12/22/2014 at 19:09

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Can't get used to this, but the rest looks great!

Jonee > RazoE 12/22/2014 at 19:13

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It is pretty spare; probably one of the things Exner would have worked on. But, it has minimalist charm. What else do you want back there? Huge plastic reflectors?

RazoE > Jonee 12/22/2014 at 19:25

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No, just to move the inner lights more outward. Tons of unused space bothers me.

camaroboy68ss > Jonee 12/22/2014 at 19:31

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ehh not for me, The chrysler was not bad looking in 61 but my favorite is the 61 impala. Dat bubbletop

OneFairlyCarefulOwner > RazoE 12/24/2014 at 17:33

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All you're doing is moving the unused space.