Rare Hemi-powered Plymouth resurfaces after decades in hiding and earns six-figure valuation following full restoration.
A 1966 Plymouth Belvedere with a story as dramatic as its styling has emerged from the shadows and into the spotlight, now commanding a market value of $165,000—an astounding figure for a car once tucked away and nearly forgotten.
Originally purchased new by a Gulf of Mexico oil rig worker for his 17-year-old son, the Belvedere was equipped with one of the rarest engines of the era: the second-generation 426 Hemi V8. But what should’ve been a coming-of-age gift quickly turned into a legal quagmire. After the son was cited for speeding, the car and its title were seized and impounded by a Florida court—where it was presumed to sit in bureaucratic limbo for over a decade.
Dubbed "The Brow" for its distinctive hood contours, the car reportedly vanished from official records. Rumors later surfaced of a similar vehicle in the possession of an associate of a local judge. An advertisement in 1978 by a court commissioner for a nearly identical Belvedere added intrigue to the car’s paper trail.
Decades later, the original Hemi car resurfaced in the garage of a Florida man, well preserved and with just 36,000 miles on the odometer. The car was eventually traded to Florida Drag Racing Hall of Famer Ray Rappa, who embarked on a three-year restoration that preserved its factory authenticity while returning it to concours condition.
Today, the Belvedere is offered by RevMuscleCars, carrying an asking price that reflects its rarity, history, and Hemi heritage. Originally sold for just over $3,000 in the 1960s, its current valuation marks a more than 50-fold increase—proof that patience, provenance, and performance still rule the collector car world.
