The Plymouth Fury is today a classic car nameplate that once got offered by the Chrysler Corporation from 1956 to 1989; the name was alternately applied to mid-size and full-size vehicles and was ultimately in production for an incredible 34 years. But this historic car had humble beginnings: From 1956 through 1958, the Fury was simply a sub-model of the Plymouth Belvedere. 1958's Plymouth Fury production only reached 5,303 cars.

Despite the striking finned styling of these sporty 1950s two-doors, the 1958 Plymouth Fury seemed destined to be the car that time forgot. Then in 1983, the Plymouth Fury got resurrected - the 1958 Plymouth Fury got selected to be the possessed, evil car in John Carpenter's movie adaptation of Stephen King's novel: Christine.

Just as protagonist Arnie Cunningham sees the beauty of the abandoned automobile, collectors the world over now seek out 1958 Plymouth Fury cars. Read on for our detailed look at how much a 1958 Plymouth Fury is worth today.

UPDATED DECEMBER 2022: We have updated this article with new bits of information and how much the famed 1958 Plymouth Fury is worth in 2023, we check in with the movie car from Christine and look at what its modern spiritual successor might be today.

As we will see, though rare, a 1958 Plymouth Fury isn't impossible to own and drive if you can find one for sale.

RELATED: Here's What Makes The 1970 Plymouth Sport Fury GT So Special

The First-Gen Plymouth Fury Was A Re-Badged Belvedere

1958 Plymouth Fury rear third quarter view
Via: Mecum Auctions

Before Plymouth committed to the Fury badge, they tested it out as a trim level of the existing Belvedere. This was not the last time Plymouth would use this strategy: the famous Barracuda began as a fastback version of the 1964 Valiant. From 1956 through 1958, Plymouth buyers seeking a sporty two-door vehicle could order a Plymouth Fury Belvedere.

1958 Plymouth Fury interior view
Via: Mecum Auctions

These early Fury cars only offered one color option. In 1956 and 1957, Plymouth Furys were white two-door hardtops with gold anodized hardtops. In 1958, they came in buckskin beige. This first generation of Plymouth Fury was a special trim level of the Belvedere with an MSRP of around $2,900 and up.

For this reason, the Fury boasted a special interior, bumper wing guards, and a V8 engine with 240 hp. For the 1957 model, the length and width of the car increased. The 1957 car was also endowed with taller fins. Check out our guide to 1950s tail fin cars.

1958 Plymouth Fury engine bay view
Via: Mecum Auctions

The 1958 cars got offered with a 350 cubic inch high-performance engine called the Golden Commando. This engine name would be re-used by Plymouth into the 1970s. Plymouth equipped base model 350s with two four-barrel carburetors for 305 hp.

Customers of this American classic car could opt for a Bendix electronic fuel-injection system rated for 315 hp. Unfortunately, the factory recalled the Bendix system, and these cars got refitted with carburetors. Automatic 1958 Fury transmissions could get operated with buttons on the dashboard.

The 1958 Plymouth Fury Enters The Film Industry As "The Possessed Car"

1958 Plymouth Fury side view
Via: Mecum Auctions

Stephen King has a way of turning the most wholesome life experiences into horrifying stories. A teenager's project to fix up a Plymouth should be a heart-warming experience. But in King's 1983 book, Christine, a high school student named Arnie Cunningham just wants to fix up an old car.

He pays $250 for a beat-up Plymouth Fury named Christine and begins to restore it himself. Over time, he begins acting differently, and his best friend and girlfriend both come to expect the car is influencing him. After school bullies trash the car, and they get run over one at a time. It's not a film for younger children even today, but it showcases the inherent personality and charisma of the American car which looks dark and brooding from a standstill even if you don't know its name.

1958 Plymouth Fury rear third quarter view
Via: Mecum Auctions

Stephen King wanted to avoid a car with a recognizable badge. He also just liked the name "Fury" for a possessed car. He wrongly described the 1958 Fury as a four-door and an automatic with a gearshift lever. He did specify that Christine's red paint was a custom job.

RELATED: Hollywood Star! 1958 Plymouth Fury "Christine" Movie Car Hits Auction

1958 Plymouth Fury taillight close-up view
Via: Mecum Auctions

Director John Carpenter adapted King's Christine into a creepy classic car film. At that point, 1958 Plymouth Furys in good condition were already rare. But shooting the movie would require multiple cars. Carpenter had to place advertisements in newspapers all over Southern California. He was able to buy 24 cars, many of them Plymouth Belvederes and Plymouth Savoys from 1957 and 1958.

The 1958 Plymouth Furys he did buy were of course painted Sandstone White. The film crew was able to assemble 17 full cars out of the 24 parts cars. They painted all the cars red and white. Unable to find Fury trim (namely the chrome rear fender emblems with the word "Fury") Carpenter dressed all the Christine cars in Belvedere "Dartline" trim.

Unfortunately, several cars got destroyed during filming. But at least two of the Christine Plymouth Fury movie cars remain.

1958 Plymouth Fury Worth In 2022

1958 Plymouth Fury rear view
Via: Mecum Auctions

The 1958 Plymouth Fury is a rarity in the used car space owing to its very low production numbers. Rarely do these pop-up for sale, and the asking price showcases this car's fame. The movie cars have been a raging investment estimated at around $400,000-$500,000 by Mecum. On September 19th, 2020 an original Christine movie car sold for $275,000 at Saratoga Motorcar Auctions.

1958 Plymouth Fury steering wheel close-up view
Via: Mecum Auctions

Of course the rest of us would have to settle for a 'standard' Plymouth Fury - there are currently around 19 listed on reliable classifieds site Hemmings of all years but none for the 1958 model year. Of the 1958 model alone, there are few cars to find. Classiccars.com features one at the time of writing for $32,000. Most cars are auction lots or classifieds with no price listing.

Hagerty suggests a 'good' example '58 Fury has a value of around $43,500, the lowest recorded price was $9,000; searching for 'Plymouth Belvedere' can help find more cars for sale considering that this model was essentially part of the Belvedere line until 1959.

Classic.com's auction value aggregator also suggests an average value of around $50,000 looking at the list of past auctions though this is subject to increasing values today.

Today there are approximately three Christine cars in existence depending on who you believe, and of the 5303 original customer cars many would have left this planet through a combination of crashes, breakdowns, rusting away in barns and getting crushed at the end of their useful lives. Cars also used to get made from far less rust-resistant materials.

Nowadays, the full-sized, RWD V8 car is quickly reaching the end of its era, at the precipice of the fully-electric vehicle age newer cars like the Dodge Challenger will have more in common with the Plymouth Fury than it ever did.

It's a palatable comparison really - the 2-door, full size, V8-powered rear-wheel-drive cars both even have quad headlamps; but most of all, the way the Dodge Challenger SRT Demon looks so evil earns it the right to star in the next interpretation of the Christine film.