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Last Of The Pursuit Legends: Ross Urtel’s 1977 MSP Plymouth Fury

Last Of The Pursuit Legends: Ross Urtel’s 1977 MSP Plymouth Fury​

The Story Behind this Big-Block Mopar Cop Car​


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If you’re a true gearhead, especially one with a soft spot for old-school police cars, you have to check out Chase Classic Motors‘ latest video on their YouTube channel. It spotlights a true legend—Ross Urtel’s 1977 Michigan State Police Plymouth Fury Police Pursuit. This isn’t just any classic cruiser either. It’s believed to be the last known surviving 7.2-liter (440 cubic-inch) 4-BBL Big Block V8 Fury Pursuit on the planet.

 
I was just at there shop open house yesterday, they are Mopar specialists but they agreed to bring my 1971 Catalina Freeway enforcer back to life. There are some interesting Mopar and non Mopar Police Spec vehicles in the shop, some interesting cars that showed up at the open house included a Shelby Shadow 5-speed, and a 1979? Not sure of the year 300 with T-tops. I had fun speaking with the people who took advantage to the open house.

I have nothing but good things to say about Ross and his Partner Eric. Thanks for giving the Shop and the MSP Fury some notice.

My wife is really looking forward to driving the Freeway enforcer 90+ mph on Woodward during the annual lights and siren parade that is the 1st official event of the Woodward dream cruise.
 
I was just at there shop open house yesterday, they are Mopar specialists but they agreed to bring my 1971 Catalina Freeway enforcer back to life. There are some interesting Mopar and non Mopar Police Spec vehicles in the shop, some interesting cars that showed up at the open house included a Shelby Shadow 5-speed, and a 1979? Not sure of the year 300 with T-tops. I had fun speaking with the people who took advantage to the open house.

I have nothing but good things to say about Ross and his Partner Eric. Thanks for giving the Shop and the MSP Fury some notice.

My wife is really looking forward to driving the Freeway enforcer 90+ mph on Woodward during the annual lights and siren parade that is the 1st official event of the Woodward dream cruise.

You missed me then... I was there on Saturday (just as the cancelled it because of the weather). We still hung out with a bunch of people at the shop and had our 1979 Chrysler 300 up there.

 
I was just at there shop open house yesterday, they are Mopar specialists but they agreed to bring my 1971 Catalina Freeway enforcer back to life. There are some interesting Mopar and non Mopar Police Spec vehicles in the shop, some interesting cars that showed up at the open house included a Shelby Shadow 5-speed, and a 1979? Not sure of the year 300 with T-tops. I had fun speaking with the people who took advantage to the open house.

I have nothing but good things to say about Ross and his Partner Eric. Thanks for giving the Shop and the MSP Fury some notice.

My wife is really looking forward to driving the Freeway enforcer 90+ mph on Woodward during the annual lights and siren parade that is the 1st official event of the Woodward dream cruise.

Your Catalina is pretty awesome... I couldn't believe how big those rear drums are on... there were the same used on the Cadillac Fleetwood someone said.
 
As a Police Officer who served from 1986-2016, my first car was a 1986 M body Plymouth Gran Fury, last car was a 2015 Dodge Charger Pursuit, with Ford C.V.’s inbetween for a few years. Loved the Mopar cruisers. Prior to being an Officer, I was a Police Explorer in the town I served in from 1979-86. We were able to do ride alongside with Officers, and my department back then was running the full size C body Gran Fury’s back then. My first ride along was in a 1977 Gran Fury with a 440! We ran a few of the Smaller B body Fury’s as unmarked cars, but ran the big boys in patrol. Wish I was a cop back then. Love the ‘77 Gran Fury’s!!!
 
I was just at there shop open house yesterday, they are Mopar specialists but they agreed to bring my 1971 Catalina Freeway enforcer back to life. There are some interesting Mopar and non Mopar Police Spec vehicles in the shop, some interesting cars that showed up at the open house included a Shelby Shadow 5-speed, and a 1979? Not sure of the year 300 with T-tops. I had fun speaking with the people who took advantage to the open house.

I have nothing but good things to say about Ross and his Partner Eric. Thanks for giving the Shop and the MSP Fury some notice.

My wife is really looking forward to driving the Freeway enforcer 90+ mph on Woodward during the annual lights and siren parade that is the 1st official event of the Woodward dream cruise.

I was in the Emergency Vehicle parade last year on a friend of a friends old brush fire truck. Great event.
 
Your Catalina is pretty awesome... I couldn't believe how big those rear drums are on... there were the same used on the Cadillac Fleetwood someone said.
Bob I miss spoke I was there Saturday not Sunday. I did see you and you 300 there, Very nice car, I don;t think I have ever seen one with Factory T-Tops before. but I probably have only seen 1 or 2 others in my life. And thanks for the kind words about my Catalina, and yes it has 13" front disc's and 12" rear drums as used on a Fleetwood of the same year. Here are the few pic's I took on Saturday, Ross told me Sundays Turnout was bigger, but we had Tickets to see the Tigers play on Sunday.
 

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Bob I miss spoke I was there Saturday not Sunday. I did see you and you 300 there, Very nice car, I don;t think I have ever seen one with Factory T-Tops before. but I probably have only seen 1 or 2 others in my life. And thanks for the kind words about my Catalina, and yes it has 13" front disc's and 12" rear drums as used on a Fleetwood of the same year. Here are the few pic's I took on Saturday, Ross told me Sundays Turnout was bigger, but we had Tickets to see the Tigers play on Sunday.
OMG, love photo 1. I owned a 1979 Newport and loved it. I also see behind it a C-body Gran Fury (‘75-77) or could be a 1974 C-body Fury.
When I started collecting Mopars, I had 3 old cruisers, a 1976 Gran Fury, 1980 Gran Fury and a 1985 Gran Fury. Loved them so much. I owned my 1980 R-body, same time as my Newport. They looked the same, but not they were so different.
 
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