I’m not sure if the geographic location is right on this particular car, but if it is it’s pretty funny. Well, it is to me anyway. You will find this 1954 Plymouth Belvedere Convertible for sale here on Craigslist. Offered with a clean title and an asking price of $3,500, this Plymouth is located in Belvidere, New Jersey. A big thanks go to Barn Finder Bill W for locating this one for us.

This old Plymouth has emerged from a slumber that looks like it may have lasted for a number of years or more likely decades. The new owner is going to face plenty of work, but there are some encouraging signs that time may not have treated this old girl too harshly. As far as external rust and rot go it appears that the passenger side of the Plymouth may have borne the brunt of it. While there appears to be some rot on the driver’s side around the rear wheel arch and lower quarter panel, the passenger side adds to that with some in the front fender and it looks like a bit in the rocker. It doesn’t look that promising, but as usual with these old convertibles, it will depend on how things look on the underside of the car. While the mechanism is present for the soft-top, the top itself is now a distant memory. The mechanism is probably going to require a bit of work to get it operational again.

We don’t get any shots of the underside of the car, but this shot of the trunk shows some rot-through. I don’t see anything there that looks particularly horrendous. There is some rot that you can see here, but once again the worst of it seems to have afflicted the passenger side of the Plymouth. Working as best as we can with the supplied photos, the remainder of the trunk floor appears to be quite solid. We don’t get any shots of the engine and the seller indicates that it doesn’t run. I would like to know whether it turns freely.

The interior is going to also take some work, but there are some encouraging signs there. What I find really interesting is that this Belvedere appears to have been stored in an open-fronted shed on a dirt floor, but things are far better than I would have expected in such circumstances. Yes, there is a fair share of surface corrosion on metal surfaces, but some of the trim has held up far better than it would normally have any right to under such circumstances. The dash is complete but will need a full restoration. The dash pad appears to be complete and in great condition. The front seat looks like it will require a full refurbish and the door cards will require new upholstery, but the rear seat and trim look remarkable, and most of it may actually be able to be saved. My greatest concern is that all of the carpets appear to be in place, and this is a great home for corrosion-inducing moisture to be stored to perform its magic.

There’s no doubt that this Plymouth is not a project to be considered by the faint-hearted. In all honesty, it is impossible to tell whether this is a viable candidate for a restoration, but one thing about the ad gives me cause to hope. When the owner went to drag the Belvedere out into the light of day he inflated the tires and they not only held air at the time but continue to do so. This gives the impression that they aren’t completely rotted as you would probably expect after an extended lay-up. You know what they say: Where there’s life there’s hope.