Down On the East L.A. Street: Furious Edition

"Jonee" (Jonee) 08/07/2015 at 20:22 • Filed to: Plymouth Fury

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This humongous ‘69(?) fuselage Sport Fury convertible that looks to have recently awoken from a long slumber has been parked up the street from me for a few days. It’s awesome even with a thin layer of grime all over it.

I have something of a !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! for these a/c decals.

It features a fresh parking ticket, unfortunately. I imagine it costs about the same in gas to move it to the other side of the street on street cleaning days as the ticket is, so I don’t blame them for just leaving it.

Blondude > Jonee 08/07/2015 at 20:26

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Dat plate

Jonee > Blondude 08/07/2015 at 20:30

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I know

Goggles Pizzano > Jonee 08/07/2015 at 20:30

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Most obscure automotive fetish ever. :-)x

Brickman > Jonee 08/07/2015 at 20:36

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Daumn this Fury is so wide it needs a zip code :P

Jonee > Brickman 08/07/2015 at 20:37

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I could feel its gravity. I think it has its own weather system, too.

Jobjoris > Jonee 08/08/2015 at 16:50

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Nice, you left a note you wanted to...

Unleash THAT FURY!!??

That color is awesome!

Jonee > Jobjoris 08/10/2015 at 00:40

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That’s actually the parking ticket, but I did notice someone else left a note on the windshield. It’s got a lot of presence that car. You notice it from a mile away. I bet it’s fun with the top down. Its motor is the 383 V8 which was awesomely called the Super Commando. 300HP and it needed every last one.

Jobjoris > Jonee 08/10/2015 at 10:28

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You Americans and names for colors, engines and transmissions... SUPER COMMANDO! Awesome. I bet it needed more than those measly 300hp. Way more. What is it supposed to weigh, 3000kg?

Jonee > Jobjoris 08/11/2015 at 03:50

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Ha. It was about 3700 pounds, so that’s like 1600 kilograms. Definitely not a lightweight, but no roof made it a tiny bit lighter. I’m sure it corners like a whale.

Jobjoris > Jonee 08/11/2015 at 06:34

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300hp on 1600kgs isn’t that bad, especially in that period. Biggest question is however: how many hps will be left in it?

Such a car simply isn’t meant to corner at all. Just cruizin’. You should really get it.

Jonee > Jobjoris 08/12/2015 at 01:33

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It’s still in the same spot. I’m getting a little worried about it. I remember my grandmother driving something similar. It was a little dangerous giving an old woman something that big.

If I was to get a Plymouth Fury, it would have to be a ‘61. They’re wild.

Jobjoris > Jonee 08/12/2015 at 01:59

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It doesn’t matter how big it is when they’re getting really old. The last car my grandfather had (the one with the Simca 1000) was a Lada 1200S. That car was completely dented. He even denied having sight-issues. After my dad forced him to stop driving he had surgery. For cataract.

Jonee > Jobjoris 08/12/2015 at 02:08

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Yeah. My mother, who just turned 80 as you know, drives a 5-series BMW and a couple years ago I watched her sideswipe my dad’s Audi in the driveway. She had cataract surgery shortly after. And my father has destroyed a couple cars the past few years fortunately in accidents by himself. He doesn’t drive at night any more.

Jobjoris > Jonee 08/12/2015 at 02:19

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I fear riding shotgun next to my dad at night as well. Even parking is getting an issue. And he’s not even 70 (will be soon)!

But taking their independence... Just buy ‘m a Volvo!

Jonee > Jobjoris 08/13/2015 at 01:15

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He loves those Audis. And he loves the Audi dealership. They treat him better than my mother does. He had a Volvo wagon when I was a kid because he’s friends with the then head of Volvo U.S.A. But, it turned out to be a lemon and he never got another one.

Jobjoris > Jonee 08/13/2015 at 02:08

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Don’t share this story on Oppo/Jalopnik, you’ll probably be banned for life. Unless it wasn’t a brown manual wagon of course.

Jonee > Jobjoris 08/14/2015 at 03:01

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No, it was red. It did have a manual transmission, though. But, my father isn’t very good at driving stick and I have a suspicion he just couldn’t drive it and the car was fine.

Jobjoris > Jonee 08/14/2015 at 04:30

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People tend to romanticize stuff... Had a candidate for a job last wednesday, talked about his resume and asked literally: ‘If I call Sander (the owner of a company he worked for and a connection of mine) and ask him what happened to/with you over there, what’s likely I’ll get to hear?’ Of course it was his own choice to leave that company, he always delivered quality, bladibladibla...

Then I did call Sander and asked him. Totally different story, the guy was layed off because of being a bit incompetent.

Was he just hoping I wouldn’t make the call? Hoping I wasn’t actually knowing his former boss and was just bluffing? I still would have been interested as the job is somewhat different (more “protected” in-house development). Now I’m not as I’ve been lied to. Damned.

Sorry for the rant, we really need more hands.

Jonee > Jobjoris 08/15/2015 at 23:49

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That’s funny. Maybe he was calling your bluff that you’d call. But, since you know the other guy, why wouldn’t you? People rarely blame themselves for their problems. No one wants to admit they’re wrong even to themselves. People would rather live in a fantasy world where they’re the smartest person. Being a self-hating Jew, I don’t have this problem.

Jobjoris > Jonee 08/16/2015 at 03:59

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I’m not a Jew but I can have a decent self-reflection from time to time. Is that a true Jew-thing?

I just hate people. In general.

Jonee > Jobjoris 08/16/2015 at 14:13

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The “self-hating Jew” is a stereotype joke here. Probably mostly because of Woody Allen movies. I agree. People are a pain in the ass. They screw up everything.

Jobjoris > Jonee 08/16/2015 at 16:32

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Woody Allen movies. Now that’s something I don’t always enjoy... Mel Brooks and Roman Polanski though!

Jonee > Jobjoris 08/17/2015 at 01:43

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I was raised on Woody Allen. He’s one of me and my parents’ favorites. Growing up Jewish near New York City, we can relate to his movies. I also love Mel Brooks. I was just watching Young Frankenstein for the millionth time last night. It’s one of the greatest movies ever made. Polanski I like, but some of his later movies got weird. The Pianist was pretty great, though.

Jobjoris > Jonee 08/17/2015 at 02:50

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Blazin’ Saddles! But that one we’ve covered already. Wasn’t Space Balls a Mell Brooks movie as well? And ‘Robin Hood, men in tights’? Every single time you watch such a movie you see something new that’s hilarious. As with Zucker-Abrahams-Zucker movies. Jewish as well I suppose.

Jonee > Jobjoris 08/18/2015 at 04:21

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Yeah, the Jews are funny. At least in America. Spaceballs is Mel Brooks. That was an instant classic. And The Producers, of course.

Did you ever see Kentucky Fried Movie by the Zuckers? That was one I watched a million times as a kid.

Jobjoris > Jonee 08/18/2015 at 05:02

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Of course I saw Kentucky Fried Movie . And Top Secret . And Airplane . And Police Squad! . I don’t think there’s a lot of those I didn’t see. Many times.

The Jews have a reputation for having a typical sense of humor over here as well. There wasn’t a toilet with Max Tailleur’s comic book in the ‘70’s. He even started a telephone line where you could hear a joke. In 1971. His motto was: “I laugh so I won’t have to cry”. That probably had something to with the fact he survived World War 2 as a Jew.

Jonee > Jobjoris 08/19/2015 at 03:50

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Oh, yeah. I forgot about Max Tailleur. It’s good to know the Dutch were exposed to Jewish humor. I think it does keep us from getting too depressed. As my father says, “we’re the Chosen People. We just wish He’d choose someone else once in a while.” That’s funny he had a joke-line. There were comedians here like Jackie Mason, another Jewish comic, who did the same thing in the 80’s.

Jobjoris > Jonee 08/19/2015 at 06:16

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Max Tailleur’s fame even reached the other side of the Atlantic? Wow!

Your dad’s line is awesome. A bit like how we look at France:

“France is a great country. Too bad it’s inhabited with the French.”

Jacky Mason. Don’t know that one.

Jonee > Jobjoris 08/19/2015 at 13:57

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Tailleur is not really known here, no, but Jews were definitely aware of him. A lot of them didn’t like him, actually, because he made fun of being Jewish which is something we’ve come around on. I’m always interested in obscure (to us) old comedians. And, he had such a distinctive face. I don’t actually know a lot about him since I don’t think much of his stuff was ever in English. Here’s an old American newsreel about Amsterdam where he shows up and actually does tell a joke in English, but the narrator talks over him.

Jobjoris > Jonee 08/19/2015 at 17:12

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Hahaha, that’s some awesome footage! We still party like that you know ;-)

A distinctive face he had. With those eyes. Too bad “de Doofpot” isn’t around any more. There still is a bar but the cabaret-theatre on the Rembandplein has been gone for long.

I told you about Oostende recently, there you still saw joints like that 10 years ago.

Jonee > Jobjoris 08/20/2015 at 01:57

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de Doofpot is an awesome name. It looks like a fun place. New York City was a bit like that in the 60’s, but no more. It’s too bad it’s the same there now. It seems so European. It’s exactly the kind of place I’d want to visit. I guess it’s all weed serving coffee shops now.

Jobjoris > Jonee 08/20/2015 at 04:27

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Amsterdam is an amazing place. You won’t know what hits you. The water, the nightlife, the people. The cabaret-theatre part seems to be coming back a bit in the theatre, we even have stand-up comedians come over from the US. But a place like where Jerry Seinfeld puts on his show: no sir.

Jonee > Jobjoris 08/20/2015 at 13:15

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Everyone says it’s a great city. My brother loves it there. I almost stopped on my first trip to Germany back in 2001, but my traveling companion wanted to go to Paris, which is always fun. Soon, though. I’m working on it.

Jobjoris > Jonee 08/20/2015 at 13:49

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Does your brother live in Amsterdam??? Then he’s having a great time as we speak as Sail 2015 is going on!!!!

I’ll look him up next time I’m around. I used to go there every other week but that has been slow since the birth of our daughter...

Jonee > Jobjoris 08/21/2015 at 00:40

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No, he doesn’t live there, but he used to visit fairly often. I think he enjoyed the red light district. Right now he’s in Italy, actually. He has a gal pal from San Marino. Which is technically not Italy, but they travel around.

Jobjoris > Jonee 08/21/2015 at 04:48

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I know San Marino pretty well. It’s close to Rimini where I worked for a while, awesome microstate. I love Italian women. But he’s some sort of Nomad I understand.

Jonee > Jobjoris 08/21/2015 at 15:03

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He got divorced a few years ago and ever since then he’s become a traveller, yeah. He’s making the most of his freedom. I had another brother who died about 16 years ago who was a true nomad. He would work 6 months out of the year and travel the world the other 6 months. He loved to fish. He’d go to Thailand, New Zealand, South America. He eventually bought a little house in Panama. So, after he passed away, this brother kind of took inspiration from him. If I could afford it, I’d do the same.

Jobjoris > Jonee 08/21/2015 at 16:34

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That’s some story. So how did he die if you don’t mind me asking? That’s way too young to go!

Panama... Before or after Noriega? You’ve got some interesting family dear sir!

Jonee > Jobjoris 08/22/2015 at 02:25

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He had a congenital heart problem that we didn’t know was as serious as it was. He was only 45. But, he definitely made the most of those 45 years. He also grew pot in his basement.

After Noriega. My other brother and I went down there after he died to sell his house and boat. Really beautiful country and the people were quite friendly. Plus I saw a Gurgel car.

Jobjoris > Jonee 08/22/2015 at 04:09

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He grew pot in the basement: Are you sure he was in Panama and not in the Netherlands? 45 is way too young of course but it’s nice to know he lived to the fullest. Nice to know you saw a Gurgel as well. Why didn’t you buy that with the money you got from the house and boat?

Jonee > Jobjoris 08/23/2015 at 01:53

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I can’t remember if he ever made it to Amsterdam. How’s the fishing in the Netherlands?

The Gurgel wasn’t for sale, I don’t think. It was just parked on the street and I flipped out. My brother had no idea what it was and wouldn’t let me stay with it. I have a picture of it somewhere I’ll have to dig up. I also got to play with a monkey while I was there. That was as cool as the Gurgel.

Jobjoris > Jonee 08/23/2015 at 12:06

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Please do dig it up. For your next piece. On a Gurgel. Was it an X12?

Monkeys are cool. Some guy in El Nido (Palawan, Philippines) that lived next to our cabin had one walking around all the time. That was some amazing trip...

Jonee > Jobjoris 08/23/2015 at 13:11

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I’m pretty sure it was an X12, yeah. I guess those were the most common. It was really striking to see it in person. It certainly looked like nothing else around. Torch already did a Gurgel piece, of course. He beat me to it.

http://jalopnik.com/gurgel-may-be-…

When did you go to the Philippines? Living next door to a monkey sounds terrific. You’re as well traveled as my brothers.

Jobjoris > Jonee 08/23/2015 at 15:41

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Too bad Torch beat you but you could always focus on one special one. I’ve always loved the X12 but that one was not nearly as EPIC as the Gurgel XEF!

Philippines was around 2008. A friend of mine, now living in NY, married a Philippine girl and the festivities were over there. So two other mates and I went and did a small tour in the process.

I’ve seen stuff you could say. Best Asian experience ever.

Jonee > Jobjoris 08/24/2015 at 03:46

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The XEF is my favorite, too. The proportions of that thing are wonderful. I’ll try and figure out something Gurgel related. I don’t know of any in the States. I imagine there’s one somewhere. I’d love to drive one.

Wow, that sounds like it was epic trip then. I won’t ask you to elaborate.

Jobjoris > Jonee 08/24/2015 at 13:00

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There must be one. At least one. I’d love to drive one as well but over here the chances are zero. Maybe some buggy, that X12 I can imagine as being imported as a beetle-based kit-car.

It was epic. And best part was actually the people. All over Asia there’s people trying to scam you. In the Philippines there was only one. And he was Swiss.

Jonee > Jobjoris 08/25/2015 at 03:57

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Yeah, I wondered if he ever considered selling kits to America. There would have been some kind of market for it along with all the other kits.

I have a Filipino friend who’s a real nice guy, so I believe it. Plus they have a long history with westerners. I know about the Asian swindlers. Fortunately, I had my Thai girlfriend with when I was in Thailand. Once she spoke the language, we were ok.

Jobjoris > Jonee 08/25/2015 at 07:09

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If you see what kit-cars the British were driving there’s always a market for something obscure...

It’s probably due to the Catholic nature of the Philippinos. I never felt un-safe either, not even in Manila. I should have probably...