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Ed Ober's "Black Beauty"
Ed Ober's "Black Beauty" is Faulkner's closest
neighbor. Ed transformed this white Sport Fury in rundown condition into the
astonishingly beautiful machine you see here...
Ed bought his first '59 Sport Fury right out of the service.
It had a standard transmission, Golden Commando engine, positraction rear,
with a radio and heater as the only amenities. Ed knew exactly what he wanted
the car for -- he wanted to race. And race it he
did, along with his friend who had a similar car with an automatic transmission.
Weekly, Ed would take the "A-Stock Standard" title at the Vineland
Speedway, and his friend would take "A-Stock Automatic".
But Ed's family was growing, and with much regret he sold
the Fury in 1966 for a family car, one that his wife Ruth could drive as well.
Wistfully, Ed would watch from his business property as
a white '59 Sport Fury would daily drive by. One day he found the owner, and
asked if he would be interested in selling. The man said his wife was still
driving it, but promised Ed he would contact him in the event he was ready
to sell. But that didn't happen; when Ed crossed paths with the man on a later
occasion, he had sold it to a young kid who worked in his shop. The kid ruined
the engine, and when Ed found the car the heads were off and the cylinders
rusted. Finally, the car was offered to Ed for sale.
In November of 1990 Ed took ownership of the remains and towed it home.
Fortunately, the car spent most of its life in Arizona,
and needed hardly any body work at all. It was largely complete (with the
exception of an air cleaner Ed procured from Tom Fox). Ed sent the interior
pieces to an acquaintance in Florida for reupholstery, and got to work on
the engine and preparations for painting. He titled the car in July of 1997,
and since then he and Ruth have driven the car to many a regional show, and
just for fun.
In 1999, Ed's Sport Fury took coveted First Place at the
Plymouth Owner's Club National Fall Meet, awarded 97 out of 100 points. Affirmation
indeed, of the quality in restoration of this fine "Black Beauty".
Find more recent pictures of Ed's car from the 2004 Berlin NJ Chrysler
Plymouth Car Show here
