During its run between 1951 and 1964, the Savoy served either as Plymouth’s entry-level or mid-range full-size automobile. In 1954, Plymouth cars wore styling that was a departure from both 1953 and 1955, as an indicator that boxy cars were fast becoming a thing of the past. This 1954 Savoy looks to have been beautifully restored, or it could be a sharp original at just 51,000 miles. Located in Littleton, Colorado, this 4-door sedan is available here on craigslist for $6,900. Our thanks for the tip go to Mike F.
For whatever reason, Plymouth liked to name its cars after hotels in the 1950s. That was the case with the Plaza, Belvedere, and Savoy, with the latter being an upscale rent-a-bed in London, England. We understand that the paint colors used on the 1954 Plymouths were an advance preview of those also offered in 1955 (remember the days when you could get a car in any color you wanted, so long it was black?). We’re not sure of the hues chosen for this Savoy, with a lighter green on top and a dark shade on the bottom. But it looks good.
Plymouth was still only selling cars with inline-6 engines in 1954. Midway through the year, its displacement changed from 218 to 230 cubic inches with a gain of 10 horsepower. We don’t know when the seller’s car was built, therefore either of these powerplants could be residing under the hood. The Savoy 4-door sedan sold well enough at some 140,000 units in 1954.
The seller offers few details about this car and only one photo that doesn’t crop out part of the vehicle. We get the impression that the odometer reading of 51,000 miles is true blue and the car has no rust (or at least it doesn’t now). Automatic transmissions were still catching on in the mid-1950s, so this Plymouth has a “3-on-the-tree” manual. In 1954, Plymouth was still trailing behind Chevy and Ford in the sales race.
In 1954 the Savoy was the mid-level Plymouth, Plaza at the bottom and Belvedere at the top (I had a ‘54 Plaza coupe in black). Its body style was only slightly warmed over from 1953. The bigger restyles were after the ‘52 model, then for the ‘55 model. Two-color combos (actually light above dark of the same hue) were available from ‘53 on, possibly earlier. Tan over brown, mint over ivy green, etc. Colors like salmon over charcoal come out in ‘55.
AND its gone. Someone got a nice car for that price. Not everybody’s first choice for a classic car, but it looks fun just the same. Good luck to the new owner.
A friend inherited a ’54 Belvedere from his granddaddy. It was in rough shape, and the transmission (automatic) didn’t have reverse anymore. We drove it in the woods some, but he never got it back on the road.
I was luckier. I received my grandfather’s ’52 Buick Super and drove it for many years. Another friend found a ’55 Cadilac Coupe DeVille for $75. He did have to replace both the engine and the transmission, but both were fairly cheap back in 1971.
Nice car and a great deal. Have prices dropped that much for pre-1955 cars?
When my twin brother and I were 6 years old and we thought we were being helpful, decided to take apart the engine on our parents 54. They had recently got a new’59 Plymouth station wagon. We were not looked at as being helpful. Still remember how much work we had to do to get the head off. We were told that we broke the engine instead of being helpful. Yes, our backsides were very sore for a while after our dad got home.
So . . . you removed a cylinder head when you were six? Impressive! And I thought I was the cat’s pajamas because I pulled one at fifteen.
If only I could find a ’55 V8 Plymouth Belvedere in that shape for anywhere close to that price like Dad had when I was 5yrs old.
As Tom McCahill wrote in his road test of the ’54 DeSoto: “Solid as the Rock of Gibraltar and just as fast.”
My grandfather had that very car. I don’t remember much more about it.
Yep, the styles changed the next year.
I guess the eye of the beholder I never liked the looks of that style plymouth
1953 and 1954 were the nicest-looking years for Plymouth in the 1950s. And colour-combinations such as this one set them off to delicipusness. Wish I could own one like this!
Pre ’55 Plymouths were the ’70s&’80s Volvos of the early ’50s. Stodgy and reliable. Nothing to write home about but also, nothing to complain about. Ho-humm, just a Plymouth! I really like the 2 door wagons of this era. The sedans, not so much. I believe Dad had one of these when I was a baby laying on the front seat and kicked the car into second gear while we were flying down the highway. Rumor has it that I ended up on the front floor and Dad was not happy with Mom for letting me get into that position.
Plymouths turned ugly in 1955. Oddly, the 1956 facelift improved things a little. But then 1957 and later proved a nightmare across the board in Chrysler styling! Plymouth station wagons in 1953 and 1954 retained that frumpy earlier rear, instead of following the 1953 update in back which the sedans enjoyed. The high point in 1950s Mopar styling came in 1953. Dodge fared the best of the 1955 new Mopar bodies. But then Chrysler makes were mostly hideous from 1957 through 1962. Many other makes turned ugly in 1959. There has never been anything worse in American automobile styling, than the entire “rocket fins” era!