The traveling salesman (or woman) must have been a popular profession in the 1930s as Plymouth and others built something called a “Business Coupe”. It was a 2-door automobile with no (or removable) back seat to make room for more goods to peddle. An example of this is the 1938 Plymouth P6 pictured here, which has just a front seat. Located in Round Rock, Texas, this Plymouth hasn’t been used in many years and has loads of patina. Ready for a restoration, the auto is available here on eBay where interested parties have bid it up to $2,900.
After a record year in 1937, Plymouth changed its cars very little in 1938, which helped sales dwindle in conjunction with a shrinking pre-war economy. Two models were offered, the P5 and P6, and the trim level was about all that separated them. The lesser cars were referred to as the “Business Line” which Plymouth changed to Roadking later in the model year as that name must have sounded too pedestrian. How could you tell the difference between the P5 and the P6? The former had no vent windows so that defaults the seller’s car as a P6.
We’re told that this single-owner auto has spent most of its life in a covered shed. Which suggests that the estimated mileage of 50,000 could be legit. These cars were powered by an L-head, straight-six engine with a displacement of 200+ cubic inches (good for 80+ hp). The seller says the motor cranks by hand, so there’s a reason for optimism in getting this old machine to fire up after 85 years.
The photos provided show very little rust except for the surface variety which the body wears in spades. We’re told the color is brown, but that’s also the color of rust. The interior is mostly a lost cause, but there’s not much there to have to redo. For a business coupe, we don’t see a ton of room behind the driver’s seat, so we assume access from the trunk affords ample storage. This Plymouth has the makings of a cool car, but if you go selling door-to-door, don’t put an Amway or Fuller Brush sign on the sides (who remembers those?).
My mom sold Amway in the early 70’s. Car is really cool.I’d get it running and do all the stuff to make it safe to drive and putt around on country roads with it.Wash with an sos pad ,dry it and wipe it down with at. Works good and protects if you like patina.I don’t like the clear coat patina look.
…wipe it down with at. What is at?
(cause I have a patina truck)
Automatic Transmission???
Artichoke Turnip ??
American Terraplane ???
Alcohol Turpentine ??
Take yur pick !
Should be ATF (Automatic Transmission Fluid) very common in the “Patina” crowd to preserve and protect the beloved “P”
Call BR-549
Yes, what is “at”?
Auto Trans Fluid
I made a human mistake I should have typed automatic transmission fluid. Must of missed the f on the phone. Oh well. Try it though it works good.
Had a 41 business coupe, the back was perfect for a mattress or sneaking a dozen friends into the drive in picture shows.
Rod it up
Late model v8 a/c power windows 5 speed stick 10 bolt rear 12 volt system new interior with 2.5 whites etc.etc.etc.
Come on now, really? I think just automatically going to that thought has run it’s course.
Had some old school car friends who also used the SOS pads and then after it dried used ATF or WD 40 for surface rust. Seemed to work well.
Fred McMurray drove one of these in “Double Indemnity” (1944) with Barbara Stanwick.
Wow! Somebody remembers!
And Humphrey Bogart drove one in The Big Sleep and High Sierra too.
These were solid, well built cars that
seemed to run forever. Makes me wanna do a portrait of this one in its
original paint just to see what it would
look like shiny and new. Must’ve been
very attractive in ’38. I liked the ’46-’48 models too. What I wouldn’t give
to have this one parked in the driveway of our new house.
Man, I just watched High Sierra yesterday. Bogie had that old Plymouth hauling the mail! Big dust cloud.
Bogart always drove a Plymouth. Why, because they were marketed as the working man’s car.
Interesting antenna on the driver’s side.
My ’39 Buick business coupe didn’t look a whole lot better when I towed it home, and now it runs fine with a homemade interior.
This could be a very cool ride!
Photos???
Don’t keep us guessing!
That antenna isn’t original, the factory antenna is under the right or left running board, can’t remember which
This car has great lines but looks like it’s rusty all over. Could be a real show winner but that rust gives me pause…
I LOVE the lines on this car, and compared to other Business Coupes I’ve seen on BF, this one appears to be a lower, more pleasing profile.
Bogart drove Plymouth coo-pays (as it was pronounced in the era) in more than one movie. Love this car.
Should have hit refresh before posting. My point was made (and more precisely) by KC
Gosh, my parents 1st car after the war was a 37 or 38 “businessmans coupe”. Told me they traded it in for a 47 Jeep SW when my mom was expecting.
1930’s Chrysler cars. Perfect lovely vehicles to drive Trustables I know what I am saying Ihave a 35 Plym coupe in Dajly Use It runs so smoothly !! It’s a TIME MACHINE When I drive it by the country roads (Argentina) I really feel that I am leaving in the thierties
Yes perfect observation. You get the same on a vintage boat when out of sight of land. Nothing has changed.
I would modestly restore this car with an “ inexpensive, simple, slightly newer drive train”. I’m talking like an in-line/ slant six engine and either a simple 3 or 4 speed manual or a 3 speed automatic. As simple as possible. Well built too. Then dress up the rest the way you like it. AND drive it all around the country, just like Maggy’s mom did in the 1970’s. Enjoy it and enjoy life. Keep it simple, well built, classy and above all – reasonably priced. Good luck to the new owner and thanks for a great article too.
“How sweet it is”; as Jackie Gleason used to say. Unfortunately this car looks like it would take $30 to $40 grand to put it back in show room condition maybe even more. It appears to need everything re-worked. Body panels, drivetrain, interior, suspension and electrical wiring, even the dash and gauges look like they need replenishing. While it would be a very nice car when finished it would be a project just to say it was done and to preserve its historical provenance.
God Bless America
I am wondering about the engine? No pictures. Also, are all the foot pedals present? I do not see the clutch pedal.
Good point about the clutch pedal. I’d like to see some underhood and chassis photos too.
I’m trying to contact the seller through eBay to confirm that the original VIN plate is on the body. He listed the VIN as “NA” in the auction.
I’m not a buyer for any vehicle without the original VIN tag, even if it’s just a parts car. They’re not worth the potential grief of title problems.
I received a quick and clear response through eBay: the original VIN plate is not on the car. The original owner removed it to put in a “safe place”. The sellers (the son and grandson of original owner) are still looking for it.
They do know the actual VIN because it’s on the title… but that isn’t good enough for me. Unless they find the VIN plate before the auction ends, I’m out. I doubt I’d win anyway. Even with the plate, the car isn’t worth much more than the current bid to me.
I wonder when they started stamping the VIN on the frame
It’s at $4,249 now. With three days left to go it will be interesting to see the what final bid is. Benny Bridges is correct.The whole clutch assembly is AWOL. Neat car though. As I’ve said before I like business coupes. Get it road worthy and enjoy or modify. The new owner will have fun with this one either way.
Carbob,
Not only is the clutch pedal assembly missing, I suspect a lot more iron is missing as well. One photo of the driver’s area shows bright sunlight coming up from the clutch pedal hole in the toe board. If looking thru that hole from the same angle, I would have expected to see the lower end of the engine block or at least the flywheel/bell housing, not bright sunlight reflecting off the pavement!
The reason there are no photos of the drive train, may be because there is no drive train, or it’s been removed. This is one of the reasons it’s important to open the hood and show what’s there!
If this is a true 1-owner car, while the car is 85 years old, the owner is probably over 100 years in age. So it’s possible the car is being auctioned by a grandchild who may never have even looked under the hood, just taking grandad’s word that the car has a 6 cylinder! [Pure speculation on my part, but it’s very possible the motor & trans are long gone.]
I had a friend who bought a 39 Plymouth Business Coupe like this one with better paint and it was running. He paid $5000 for it and put another $4k in brakes and engine and exhaust. The Business coupes are great models.
Atomic Turd?
Pre atomic turd.
I had a 36 in the late 60s paid $295.00 great car someone ran in to the rear fender total there car put a small dent on my car .
I’d make a nice mild street rod out of that, the price is reasonable so far too.
Late 30s to 50s year model business coupes from Ford, GM and Chrysler make great bones for a custom build. There were so many of them made so they’re not very rare.
this is from the ‘classic era’ to me (late ’30s to very early 50’s in merica, anyway) & as such has the beautiful rounded lines, just stunning. I watched one restored (as I stoped body work at a young age) at the garage. No thanks for me, all the roundness makes it hard on sanding machines (compared to straight) and my hands are too far gone for it. I’ll watch’n admire. Hope they dont leave it as this. I hate ‘patina’ unless light, the fake disgusting to me and by god messin w/it even worse (oils, kitchen soap pads, clear over, etc).
I don’t think that car is riding high enough, in front, to be missing the engine. That square of light is not where the clutch pedal arm goes through the floor, it will be at the same height as the brake pedal arm. I’ve never heard of anyone, back in that era, even into the ’50s and the ’60s, stealing VIN plates. What was granpa thinking?
I thought I was the only one who remembered Fred M.
In 1955 I purchased a 1935 Plymouth business coupe ( a barn find-for $45). I called it my NO car. No heater, No defroster fan, No radio, No Wind wings, No Automatic tranny, No directionals, and it hadn’t been driven in many years. There were little doors back where a second seat could have been. Open those doors and you’re looking into the trunk with a lot of storage space. Drove that thing for two years then went into the army. I left it up on blocks but when I returned only the blocks remained. My mother had sold the car.
“Mommy Dearest”