MUST read:
Most of the SonoRamic Commandos were intended especially for that purpose: a quick, and safe, pass, perhaps without even dropping down into a passing gear. They weren’t race engines and could be ordered for virtually any kind of Plymouth, including heavy convertibles and station wagons.
The Plymouth version was supposed to be just the 361 CID mill and it was rated at 310 hp/435 ft.lbs torque (the identical engine for the new Dodge Dart came out at 320 hp, but Dodge must have been entitled to the ten extra horses because of its higher price). This engine option added a hefty $389 to the base price of any car, plus the additional $211 for the necessary
Torqueflitetransmission.
Supposedly, the engine was available only with the Torqueflite, but cooperative dealers in those days could often work wonders with the “999” option code. I must say I’ve never seen an honest ’60 Plymouth with a ram engine and the three-speed manual, but who knows?
Dennis Marines knows:
I was the proud owner of a black (red interior) 1960 Plymouth Fury with a 383 Sonoramic Commando and
3-on-the-tree. I have never heard of or seen another car like it, but I purchased the car in 1961 after I got out of the Army from my cousin, who ordered the car new. It only had 1200 miles on it when I purchased it. I lost very few street races and beat up on 409s and 389 Pontiacs regularly. The biggest problem I had was shifting into second gear. You had to be very careful when shifting it into second, but even if I had to slow down the shift, I was usually so far ahead of my competitor, that it didn’t matter. It never even had a tach in it.
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