I’m going to stick my neck out a bit here, and say that I don’t think that an original 1937 Plymouth P4 either looked or performed like this one does today. This rather nice street rod looks like it needs very little, except for an enthusiast to buy and enjoy it. If this is a car that really attracts you, then you will find it located in Polk City, Florida, and listed for sale here on eBay. With a BIN of $16,500, this looks like the next owner might be getting a lot of car for their cash.

Starting with the outward appearance of the car, the owner rates the Silver/Grey paint as being a good 9/10. I have no qualms with that rating, as it does appear to be very good. The color is also a good choice for this car, as it really doesn’t look to be outrageous or out of place for a vehicle of this age. The trim and tinted glass all appear to be in good condition, and the only real fault that the owner picks is that the rubber on the running boards is looking a bit tired, and could stand to be replaced. If that’s the only visible fault, then it’s a pretty easy fix. The underside of the car is completely spotless and continues this car’s theme of immaculate presentation. If I was going to pick one thing that I would change about this Plymouth’s appearance, it would be the wheels. There’s nothing specifically wrong with them, but the style just doesn’t seem to be quite right for the car. The trouble is that I’m not sure what I would replace them with.

The interior trim probably isn’t going to be to everyone’s taste, but it does appear as though it is also in good condition. The carpet has a bit of a weird look, and it appears as though it has faded inconsistently. But otherwise, there isn’t a lot to fault with it. The combination of Grey painted surfaces and red upholstery always work well together, and there is no attempt made by the owner to hide the fact that the interior sports some nice, and very modern upgrades. The front seats have power operation, and that certainly wasn’t a standard feature of a P4 in 1937. Add in air conditioning, power windows, power locks, a tilt wheel, and what looks like a good quality audio system, and this should be a fairly comfortable beast.

Opening the hood of the P4 reveals that the original 201ci 6-cylinder engine and 3-speed manual transmission have gone the way of the Dodo Bird. In their place, we find a 350ci V8 that originally called the engine bay of a 1969 Camaro SS home. This is hooked to an automatic transmission, but it isn’t clear what type this is. Power steering and power disc brakes were never options on a P4, but they have found their way onto this one. The engine has been given a bit of an upgrade by the addition of an Edelbrock carburetor and intake, and this should potentially boost engine power beyond its original 300hp. The owner says that the car runs and drives well, with no noises, rattles, leaks, or smoke. He also says that the car is fast. Now, who would’ve guessed that? I must say that things are a pretty tight fit in the engine bay, so some of the servicing tasks might be a bit awkward. Still, sometimes we need to be prepared to pay a price for these sorts of performance improvements.

Street rods and customs are vehicles that people tend to build to their own personal tastes, so they tend to be unique and distinctive. I can’t think of a single person who has built one of these with the stated aim of blending into the background. They are built to stand out, and some will do it with more class and style than others. As with most of these cars, there are parts that I really like and parts that don’t thrill me that much. That the builder of this one has shoe-horned a decent engine under the hood and has then made sure that the rest of the car can handle this upgrade safely, is a reassuring thing. I really think that I could live with this Plymouth, and would be comfortable to drive it on a fairly regular basis. How about you?