Vehicle Description
Ask around, and I bet you'll find that your parents or even your
grandparents drove a car just like this 1950 Plymouth Special
Deluxe back in the early '50s. Rugged, reliable, and surprisingly
entertaining on the road, this was basic transportation for
millions of Americans. Today, it represents a cool niche in our
hobby: cars that are purchased for fun, not profit.
Basic black always looks great on cars like this, and the streets
were filled with similar low-profile cars throughout the '50s. All
those old photos you see have cars just like this going about their
business, parked by the curb outside a dry-cleaner or hardware
store, or churning up a cloud of dust on some lonely country road.
And they looked awesome doing it. This one was restored to a good
level, with amazingly straight sheetmetal, decent panel alignment,
and fit and finish that you just don't expect at this price level.
Clearly, this was something special to someone and they threw the
budget out the window when they were doing the work. It's got
plenty of age and use on it now, but we're not going to hold that
against it, because it shows an honest patina that works especially
well. The chrome and stainless is probably original, including the
bumpers, which could probably use some freshening. On the other
hand, the rest of the trim is stainless, so all you need to do is
buff it out.
With room for six, cars like this were part of family road trips on
America's fresh superhighways. The upholstery is black vinyl with
gray piping, which isn't quite correct but works rather well in the
plain-Jane sedan. It's simple, elegant, and dignified, which
encompassed everything about the early 1950s. The instrument panel
covers the basics, with a large central speedometer flanked by the
auxiliary gauges, and a row of switches just below, and it's all
original so there are some needs here. Plastics improved greatly
during the war, so the steering wheel is in good shape, although
the paint has obviously worn off in some areas. Matching black
carpets and lower door panels work with the monochromatic interior,
and a 3-speed manual gearbox offers easy 3-on-the-tree shifting.
There is no radio, but this car does have an optional
heater/defroster unit that has a cool set of controls under the
center stack. You'll also be pleased to see that there's a lot of
room in the trunk, which seems big enough to handle everything in
your first apartment!
Don't underestimate Chrysler's 218 cubic inch flathead six, which
delivers snappy performance around town and a pleasant 60 MPH
cruising speed on the highway. Virtually indestructible and with
plentiful parts availability, maintenance is a snap and this truly
is an old car that you can use every day without worries. It's
pretty much just as it was built, complete with oil bath air
cleaner, accessory oil filter, and bright red paint on the block,
and the owner reports that the engine was rebuilt shortly before he
bought the car several years ago. There's a big aluminum radiator
to keep it cool and the 6-volt electrical system remains, but
that's nothing to be afraid of with appropriately-sized battery
cables and good grounds. A recent single exhaust system offers an
authentic exhaust note and bias-ply wide whites have been fitted to
the original wheels.
Discover how much fun an old Mopar like this can be without a huge
investment. Dipping into a bygone era might be just what you're
looking for in your next old car. Call today!