Long-term ownership is always desirable with classic cars, making this 1950 Plymouth Special DeLuxe Sedan something out of the box. Until recently, it belonged to the same family since the day it drove out of the dealership. It was a cherished part of their lives, and its overall condition is impressive for a car with seventy-three years under its belt. It needs a new home, with the owner listing it exclusively at Barn Finds Auctions.
Plymouth introduced the Special DeLuxe in 1933, with production continuing until 1942 when World War II intervened. Following an end to hostilities, production resumed satisfying the buying public’s desire to get mobile behind the wheel of a new car. The last car rolled off the line in 1950, a year when 350,290 buyers parked one in their driveway. This 1950 model belonged to the same family until recently. They treated it to a frame-up restoration in 2013. They used it sparingly following the restoration before placing it on stands in dry storage. The current owner located the car, returning it to its rightful place on our roads. Examining the supplied photos suggests this gem is rust-free, with the floors and frame among the cleanest I have seen on any car of this vintage (of course a closer inspection is always encouraged). Externally, the panels are laser-straight and rock-solid. The Black paint shines beautifully, although there are a few minor marks and scratches. None require immediate attention, and a reputable paint shop should have no drama touching up the faults while matching the existing shade. The glass appears virtually flawless, with no cloudiness or cracks. The chrome sparkles nicely, providing a welcome contrast to the dark exterior. The restoration included painting the wheels Red. Combined with the whitewall tires and immaculate hubcaps, they add a classy finishing touch to this stunning Plymouth.
Powering this Plymouth is a 217.8ci flathead six that sends 97hp to the road via a three-speed manual transmission. Although acceleration figures are largely irrelevant, Plymouth claimed a top speed of 83mph. That may not sound impressive by modern standards. However, the car’s ability to cruise effortlessly at 60mph while returning fuel consumption figures of nearly 20 mph makes it an accomplished long-distance cruiser. The owner revived this classic after almost a decade in storage, returning it to a roadworthy state. They describe its overall condition as almost new, meaning that if Plymouth dealerships still existed, it would not be out of place on their showroom floor. Its excellent mechanical health means it is ready to hit the road for some summer fun.
If this Plymouth has a highlight, its interior would be a strong candidate. The 2013 restoration saw this aspect receive plenty of attention, and the lack of use, once the process ended, means it hasn’t had a chance to become tired or worn. The seats wear their correct striped cloth covers, while the remaining upholstered surfaces feature Gray cloth that is spotless. There is no evidence of wear or abuse, and it is a similar story for the carpet. The dash is a thing of beauty, with rich timber and sparkling bright trim. The gauges are in as-new condition, while a factory pushbutton radio and clock add further luxury touches. The only cosmetic flaw I can spot is a couple of chips on the wheel. The owner indicates the radio doesn’t function, but the uncomplicated nature of it and the wiring harness means tracing the fault should be easy. The heater offers welcome protection from frosty winter weather for those in cold climates.
This 1950 Plymouth Special DeLuxe Sedan has survived for seventy-three years in beautiful condition. I can see no reason why it couldn’t repeat that feat, meaning it could be plying our roads on its 150th birthday. That raises a point to ponder. Family heirlooms come in all shapes and sizes, acting as a tribute to those who have come before. This Plymouth could make a worthy heirloom that could be passed from generation to generation. It has already done it once, so why shouldn’t it do it again? I can think of few things better than owning a wonderful classic, knowing that future generations can gain an insight into my automotive passion. If you find the prospect appealing, submitting a bid or two on this classic would be an excellent starting point.
- Location: Loveland, Ohio
- Mileage: 39,000 Shown, TMU
- Engine: 217.8ci six-cylinder
- Transmission: 3-speed manual
- VIN: 12466065
- Title Status: Clean
Bid On This Auction
CRC Enterprises LLC bid $15,600.00 2023-04-13 10:59:13
Naileman13 bid $15,500.00 2023-04-13 10:56:37
Paulsat bid $15,350.00 2023-04-13 10:49:28- CRC Enterprises LLC bid $15,200.00 2023-04-13 10:19:28
- Paulsat bid $15,100.00 2023-04-13 09:43:10
- CRC Enterprises LLC bid $15,000.00 2023-04-13 07:55:23
polecat bid $14,450.00 2023-04-12 18:49:19- CRC Enterprises LLC bid $13,000.00 2023-04-12 15:17:05
trenfrow53 bid $12,600.00 2023-04-12 09:18:48
wobby bid $12,500.00 2023-04-07 18:38:29- trenfrow53 bid $11,000.00 2023-04-07 18:26:07
- wobby bid $10,500.00 2023-04-07 13:55:10
- trenfrow53 bid $9,500.00 2023-04-07 09:33:37
- wobby bid $9,200.00 2023-04-05 19:18:59
Barry bid $7,001.00 2023-04-05 17:32:47
Todd J. bid $6,200.00 2023-04-05 17:00:21- Barry bid $6,000.00 2023-04-05 12:39:30
Trophest bid $5,500.00 2023-04-05 11:46:37
Papa bid $3,200.00 2023-04-05 11:26:30- Barry bid $3,000.00 2023-04-05 10:12:57
When’s the last time you saw a car that old that clean all over?
I’ve seen a lot of cars that old and that clean all over, it’s called “been restored”
She is a beauty though.
A beauty, even right down to the Mayflower!
Where is it?
In my garage if the $$$ were available.
It’s in Loveland, Ohio.
Many a Moon for me Bob. The pics
don’t do this car justice. To get the real WOW factor, it should be seen in person to see it in all it’s beauty. The last one I saw in this condition was 1968. The car belonged to an elderly lady who went to our church and I used to check it over for her on Saturday mornings when the ladies would gather to clean the church before the Sunday services. Didn’t have to do too much to either. Just check the oil, the water, and maybe clean and check the plugs once in a while and that was about it. Just being able to sit inside it and start it after cleaning a re-gapping the plugs was a real treat for me. Better than pizza, and a whole lot better than girls! I maintained it for her til I started playing music over the weekends and over the road when I got older. When I heard she passed away in ’72, I went to her funeral to pay my respects when her daughter handed me an envelope from the old
woman with my name on it. Inside, I
found $100 in cash and a note thanking me for looking after her baby
for nearly 3 years. I always used to thank her for the privilege of being the
one she chose to work on her car and
to maintain it for her. Quite an honor for a 13 year old motorhead with a disability. Worked on a lot of stuff
over the last 55 years, but the time I
spent working on the congregation’s
cars at church was the most fun I ever had. Didn’t make much money,
but the congregation appreciated it
and that’s all that mattered to me.
Nice write-up on a wonderful car. Don’t know about the “rich timber”, though. There was no actual wood trim used in the interior. Rather, a wood-grain paint process on the steel dash was used, an art that is hard to find today.
I think the Special Deluxe Plymouths of this era had a much “richer” looking interior – especially the dash and steering wheel – than the Ford or Chevy.
It’s not “wood grain paint”. It’s a process, using different paints and products, special brushes, graining tools and rubber “molds” (not the right term) to create areas of interest, such as a knot. It’s an almost lost art, but there are a few people keeping it alive. I tried to do this, and I learned several things: You have to be very talented, have a vision of what you want, be confident, and amazingly . . . the faster you work, the better it looks. I pretty much possessed none of the above qualities, and the harder/slower I tried, the worse it looked.
Back when mopar had coil spring ride under the front end, like they should have kept it all along…
It’s funny, the owners manual features the exact same illustration as the 1949 Plymouth manual, only with the 1950 front end changes made to update the car. The 49 Special Deluxe 4 door was my first car in 1976 bought with $200 worth of paper route earnings. The dash was another thing that looks to have stayed the same for 1950
49 and 50 Plymouths are the same body with a new grille and new tail lights. Dashboard is almost if not totally identical, and the engine is the same, The shape changed due to the new CEO K. T. Keller who wanted a boxy style so the driver could wear his hat.
Looking at that dash and steering wheel sure brought back a lot of old memories (I was a mere child then). This is really a nice looking car, and I’m not a Plymouth fan, but if I had the dough, I’d bid on this one.
Beautifully kept. I had a 1951 business coupe. An interesting touch that many people are not aware of is the radio. The silver push buttons can be pulled off. Under them is another small knob that allows some more fine tuning. Mine also had a chrome circular speaker with a mayflower ship on the speaker front. This attached to the rear shelf.
My father bought a ’50 Plymouth from the original 92 year-old owner in the early 70’s for a work car. I don’t remember a wood dash, so maybe it wasn’t the deluxe.
This car was designed when the maximum speeds were in the 50 to 55 MPH range. I have a 51 Plymouth with the same engine as this one. It topped out at about 60 MPH. Anything faster and I did not feel comfortable running the engine at those speeds. I installed an overdrive transmission and it allowed comfortable cruising at 65 to 70 MPH all day long. One thing to remember with these cars is that the brakes were designed for a car going 55 MPH, not 70+.
This is a real gem and if I didn’t already have my 1952 Plymouth Cambridge two door I’d be bidding on it. Mine, which I discovered on Barn Finds two and a half years ago isn’t in as nice shape as this one. It hasn’t been restored although I’ve done some work mostly mechanical to get it right. I’d say It’s pretty much a presentable survivor/driver at this point. I’m going to follow the auction. In my opinion this is a $15,000 car and whoever buys it will be quite happy. These old Mopars are still able for today’s roads although 65 mph on the freeway is about as high as you want to go. Just stay in the right hand lane. The real fun is on rural or suburban roads. Just a nice day and 45-50 with all the windows and vent opened. What more do you want?
Very, very sweet ride. My dad had one exactly like it when I was growing up, except his was gray. Interior exactly the same. It was his G.I. car that he was entitled to after the war; paid $900 for it. He had a choice between the Plymouth, a Chevy and an Olds. He always said it was an easy choice. Seeing this pic of a “brand new” 1950 Plymouth, I can understand why.
I would almost pay for it myself to have those chips on the wheel fixed. Such a tiny thing to prevent this beauty from being mint. They would not be there if this car WERE in a Plymouth showroom.
An honest survivor that was given a well deserved refresh. You can tell it was well cared for all its life. The engine bay is as spotless as its interior. Great find.
The Mayflower-logo connection was natural for Plymouth, but the car was actually named (by Joseph W. Frazer, then with Chrysler) for Plymouth Binder Twine to resonate with farmers.
It’s a shame but one sees it so often with classics, peeps have a car restored and then hardly use it in case it gets wet or worn.
This one will be a great buy for someone to enjoy.
The woodgrain dash, btw, was a 50s things on various cars including famously the Facel Vega HK500.
The reserve is off!
Ahhh . . . . the favorite phrase at the Mecum auctions!
What a beautiful car. Inside and out. I wonder what life was like in 1950? I was born in 1964 and I can still remember being a little kid in the late 1960’s, and early- mid 1970’s. This car looks so “ restful “, “peaceful “. I would love it if today was a little more restful and peaceful. Simpler. You know – maybe when I retire I’ll buy one of these “ peaceful “ cars and to go along with it I think I’ll get me one of those “ old fashioned “ telephones. Just like the old on the “Andy Griffith Show “. Nice article. Love the car!
Where is the radiater that belongs in this car?, the rest all looks correct. I would bid on it if the real one came with it.
Take another look, the radiator is in the pictures as it should be and connected to hoses.