Sometimes you see a car listed on craigslist that looks so nice, that whatever it is, you know you have a closer look. It might be cool to own a car with suicide doors. You know it won’t be nearly as nice as the pictures, but still, you cling to the fantasy of finding a car that looks as nice as the pictures. Luckily, this old Plymouth is across the country from me in Greenville, South Carolina, so I’m safe. The asking price of $6,500 is right between low and average retail and might even seem reasonable for a car that runs and sort of drives. The engine and transmission were rebuilt years ago. In 1947 car companies were mostly building cars that were warmed over versions of pre-war models so this Plymouth has that fat fender and running board look that some of us actually like. It hasn’t been driven since 1969, so it was only driven for about 20 years.
The interior is mostly complete, but the only restoration work inside appears to just seat covers. Given the deodorizers, the interior is likely smelly with either mold or rat droppings or perhaps both. It hasn’t been driven since 1969. At least there’s no landscape showing through the floor. It will need door cards and a lot more. From what we can see of the headliner, it looks a bit soiled but intact.
The dash appears to be really nice and complete. Just look at all that chrome!
This engine is said to have been rebuilt, but that was years ago.
Hopefully the brakes and clutch won’t take much to make right. If so you might have a car for about $6,500 that would be a great looking driver. As always, they never look as nice in-person as they do in the ads of course. The interior appears usable and could be redone as time and money permit. Of course, you’ll still have a stodgy old car, but hey, that’s just what some of us old timers enjoy!
I was born in 77 (so I’m not old and stodgy yet lol) but I’d love to find a car like this to drive in summer. Love the fat fendered plymouths as my dad had a 41 2 door street rod when I was growing up. I’d get this running and safe, put a good stereo in it and cruise.
It says car is in south carolina…but has new jersey license plates..??
Seller bought it from the original owner in New Jersey, and has never gotten it streetable.
Like the man in South Carolina said “CAR CAME FROM NEW JERSEY, IT WAS LAST ON THE ROAD IN 1969” So it’s yet another not quite finished project that he hauled, or had hauled home from New Jersy.
And Dusty, I love to see younger folks interested in old cars! And I’m talking about the car being stodgy, which doesn’t make me stodgy, I hope! LOL!
I gotcha now. I love the early 40s cars. All my buddies wanted Mustangs and Camaros growing up while I just always dug fat fender cars. Reminds of cruising w my dad back in the day. He liked to listen to the Beach Boys when we drove and I still listen to them too. One day I’ll get another early 40s car and take my ol man in memory on a cruise somewhere. I check this site everyday and appreciate it. Keep up the good work and thanks.
I always order the “stodgy package” on my daily drivers. The interior needs work, except the dash, but the body just needs washing and waxing.
In 1968 I was 15 and bought a 1948 Plymouth for $300.00, looks just like this one, had a great time in that car. Would love to have it back. If this one was just a little closer to Arkansas, I would be a buyer.
I sorta restored a 46 Plymouth Club Coupe years ago so I really like this car. I say sorta cause it had rust under the paint and other issues that I never really bothered to fix. It was the only car that I ever had as a project like that. I drove it as I worked on it. So dependable. Never left me stranded… anywhere.
Multiple pine tree air fresheners often means it stinks of mice.
Okay, I don’t know if this is a good car or not but back in late 1950’s my dad had one of these and I remember how much I loved riding in this. My dad was cool when it came to cars back then and this was a fun cruiser. Not fast, not flashy, but classy in blue collar papermill worker (give a holla to Kimberly Clark) sort of way.
One plus is that has a standard transmission and clutch rather than a fluid coupling. Much peppier.
I had a ’46 sedan almost like this one. I bought it from a guy over in El Paso, Illinois for the tidy sum of $50.00. Mine had the bumper guards
on the front and rear bumpers, with a center piece that ran across the two on the front bumper. I could see by the license plates tnat the car
hadn’t been driven since ’69 (I bought the car in ’74) and needed help
in just about every way. But the more I dug into the car, I found out
it wasn’t all that bad. Since I couldn’t park it at my house, I stored it
at my buddy’s place and went there almost daily to work on it when I
had time to do it. After about three weeks of work, my buddy and I
thought we had ‘er ready for a test drive but we couldn’t get the engine
to fire up and start. I was at my wit’s end when I called my Dad and asked for help. About fifteen minutes after he got there, he had it started and running well, much to my embarrassment. After that, he’d
come over to my buddy’s place to see how we were coming along.
After researching the VIN number, I found out that my car was built not
long after VJ Day. (About September of ’45)
It was painted a light Blue with a Gray mohair interior when it left the
Plymouth plant in ’45, but when I got it, it had been painted a darker
shade of Blue from a rattle can of rustoleum furniture paint. The interior
was dirty but servicable. The woodgraining on the dash was in great
shape for its age, and the wheel was a bit discolored with only one
small crack near the spoke on the left hand side. It was a great car
car the cash I spent on it. My buddy and I enjoyed that car all summer
long until I went back on the road to play music once again. Sure wish
I had kept it. I sold it to my buddy, and I hope he’s enjoying it.
I bought this car about a year and a half ago and am in the process of redoing the interior. It’s been a lot off fun so far. And it is drivable now. I’ve rebuilt clutch transmission brakes and water pump. Slowly bringing her back to awesomeness.