1965 Plymouth Belvedere A/FX Flexes 426 HEMI on Its Way to the Auction Block

It all started in 1964 when the company learned Ford planned to drop its single overhead cam 427-cubic-inch (7.0-liter) V8 in the Mustang and Mercury Comet for the 1965 racing season. Both cars were smaller and lighter than the midsize rigs usually used in the series. Fearing that the Plymouth Belvedere and Dodge Coronet may become uncompetitive, Chrysler gave its race-spec intermediates a radical makeover.

The cars gained several fiberglass parts, while the steel panels were dipped in acid to make them lighter. But the most intriguing change was to move the axles forward. The rear wheels were repositioned 15 inches toward the doors, while the front axle was moved 10 inches closer to the nose. This configuration created a shorter wheelbase, putting about 56% of the car's weight over the rear tires.

It also gave the Coronets and Belvederes a rather bizarre appearance, which prompted drag racing enthusiasts to call them "funny cars."

Not surprisingly, Chrysler chose to drop its then-new 426-cubic-inch (7.0-liter) HEMI V8 in the altered-wheelbase Mopars. These race-tuned units were notably more potent than the street version that arrived in 1965, enabling the beefed-up Coronets and Belvederes to cover the quarter-mile in the low tens at nearly 140 mph. Later in the season, a Hilbon fuel-injection upgrade took the AWB cars into mid-nine-second territory.

Chrysler built only 12 cars for the 1965 season. And needless to say, most of them were crashed and scrapped by the end of the decade. Of the six Belvederes assembled in 1965, only two reportedly soldiered on through 2024. The Sox & Martin version you see is just a replica, but it's quite the iconic rog.

Finished in the legendary red-white-and-blue livery that adorned all Sox & Martin racers, this Belvedere was also owned and raced by famed country musician Roy Clark. More importantly, it was purchased by Ronnie Sox himself after retiring from competition. Ronnie took his past pass down the quarter-mile in this rig in October 2004, less than two years before he passed away.

Although it's not a factory-built racer, this AWB is a sight to behold thanks to a complete restoration and the long-tube injection system popping through the hood. And the HEMI sounds vicious even at low revs.

The drag-spec Belvedere was recently auctioned off at Kissimmee 2024, where it changed hands for $121,000. Quite the bargain, given the rich history and the type of performance it delivers. Check it out in the videos below. The HEMI fires up at the 1:30-minute mark of the second video.