We are at a crisis point for prewar automobiles that aren’t full classics or don’t have a little enameled badge that says “Ford” on their front end. It is getting harder and harder to place good cars from this period. As time has gone on, people’s connections to the average prewar car have quietly withered away. That is a shame, as there are some great cars out there selling for peanuts and looking for a home. A great example would be this 1938 Plymouth tudor slant back for sale on Craigslist in Sonora, California. This presentable Plymouth was to be treated to a restoration, but the Grim Reaper intervened. Now, this car is on the market and looking for a buyer with a $9,000 asking price. Could you get this Plymouth back on the road and spiffed up by summer? Thanks to T.J. for the tudor tip!
There is something magical about cars from the late thirties until World War II stopped production in 1942. Automotive styling in this period was elegant and flowing. Technology had developed to the point that most of them could safely travel 50-60 MPH in relative comfort. Even Ford had switched to hydraulic brakes by 1939, and everyone’s drivetrains had reached a point where they were reliable with proper maintenance. Customers could also count on the materials, fit, and finish being very good in comparison to later vehicles. For all of those reasons, prewar cars should be on everyone’s radar. Buyers today can pick up one of these cars at reasonable prices and enjoy driving them on public roads without issue.
The 1938 Plymouth you see here is a good representative of that era’s automobile bargains. Plymouth was Chrysler’s entry into the lower end of the market. Lower end did not mean cheap back then. Quality was on par with Chevrolet and Ford’s offerings. These cars were powered by the same 23-inch flathead inline six-cylinder engines as Dodge cars and trucks, with the transmissions and rear ends occasionally shared across all of Chrysler’s divisions. By 1938, Plymouth was one of the three bestselling automotive brands in America. Sadly, Plymouth’s removal from the marketplace in 2001 has resulted in many younger enthusiasts having no real connection to the nameplate.
The car you see here is a 1938 Plymouth tudor slant-back sedan that is being advertised as an all-original barn find. There is little information provided in the ad beyond the fact that the previous owner bought some new parts and placed them in the trunk. That person intended to restore the car, but death made that proposition troublesome. As for the car, we are told that there are some small dents and a hole in the floor on the passenger side.
We are also informed that the engine currently is frozen up. This is not a good sign, but perhaps soaking it in the solvent of your choice would get it moving again. There is some good news in the picture above. The car appears to have been treated to some new upholstery at some time. The seller tells us that it has a nice interior and headliner. The pictures we are given also suggest that the car is complete and is free from any modifications.
If you could get the motor back in service and you cleaned up a few areas, this could be a fantastic car for the first-time collectible automobile enthusiast. Parts are easy to find, and these Plymouths are an honest value. Hopefully, the rather lofty price doesn’t scare potential buyers off. Sooner or later, I think this car will sell for a fair price.
I love all the pre-war vehicles, but I worry about the availability of parts for the brands with fewer sales then and no reproduced parts now.
3 to 4K more like it.
Looks like pretty nice car.Had to get fair price with engine frozen.
I would and update the to a newer engine.
A fair price with a frozen engine is a lower price. That is fair because someone will have to do the dirty work of getting it moving again if it isn’t too far gone.
I am a millennial with a great love for all things “old” – almost as a rule. If I had spare cash I would snap this up in a heartbeat. It really checks all the boxes for me and mechanical is much easier to fix than body work. But here’s the rub: I work hard and make a wage that doesn’t allow for too many luxuries. At 9k I can’t justify a toy. This is the sticking point that makes me live vicariously via the pages of Barn Finds, daydreaming about 45mph cruising on local roads in a pre war car. A sub 10k classic probably isn’t a lot of money to a lot of people but it is to me as a blue collar 31 year old. Oh well, I’ll keep daydreaming.
never think of them as toys.. think of them as rolling saving’s accounts that you never lose money on .. .. I have 4 antique cars that I bought over the years.. I have around 50K in all four.. today .. they will sell for easily 100K .. just my experience..
Kudos and respect for the appreciation of history. I think we’re getting rarer as time moves forward and people seem content in leaving the past behind. I truly feel like I’m living in the wrong timeline, so acquiring relics from the past is my way of trying to escape to another time. However, it doesn’t work so well when you’re surrounded by people that don’t share this and feel the exact opposite. I say out with the new, in with the old and for them it’s everything new.
I hear you when it comes to money. Thanks to platforms like American Pickers and Barrett Jackson, the average guy who used to able to buy a house, an old car, some cool junk/antiques if he worked hard enough isn’t a really a reality anymore and it’s sad.
All I can say is just keep working at it and if you’re driving a brand new car and making payments on it, stop and buy something older and reliable. No payments, cheaper insurance, etc. Best of luck.
Attractive body style-however the frozen motor could be a Pandora’s box.
I would have to agree with a previous posting that an area of about $5K-ish
would be more in line with what might be the unexpected.
Being sort of an old Motörhead , I would not fret too much on the seized engine problem. Remember this was a running restored automobile. Everything is there, just need to look in the engine to find the problem. Highly doubt you’ll find anything broken/lodged that serious. This was priced fairly!
Where in the Craigslist ad does it say the previous owner died? It does say the car comes with a “tired” Chevy 235 six but why would anyone bother to replace a six cylinder with another six?
Agree, it doesn’t. Unless the ad’s wording has since been changed. Also, the comment before yours claims the car has been restored. Where does it say it’s been restored?
Pull that Chevy 6 and put in a slant 6 plenty of speed parts for those and lots of them still around
Beautiful car, as most 30’s and 40’s cars are. As said, it’s a shame more people aren’t interested, but a plus for those that are and want to buy one, especially in this timeline of otherwise crazy priced classics.
If it were running, I’d say this is a great deal, but as it sits, a bit overpriced. Regardless, I’m on the other side of the country and still don’t know how these flippers and dealers manage to do safe, long distance purchases outside of a bidding platform.
I’ll also say that I did purchase a vehicle that way that spent it’s life in this exact area of CA and it is unbelievably clean. Far enough away from the ocean to stay dry. If this Plymouth also spent it’s life there, I would bet it’s impressive. Original paint?
Looks like a ’38 P5 Road King slant back sedan. Road King was the cheaper line compared to the Deluxe P6. Not many slant backs were sold, most people preferred to shell out a few extra bucks and get the hump style trunk.
I took on a 36 Dodge (D2) slantback as a project a few years ago. Progress has been slow and finding some exterior parts has been frustratiing. My son and I got the engine to run so that was a bonus! My car is black which is okay but I’d prefer something more colorful like this green.