The seller has this car listed as a “Sport Suburban,” but I think it may be a base model Plymouth Suburban rather than a top-line, woodgrain-side Fury-based Sport Suburban. This ex-Fire Department wagon is a 1969 Plymouth Suburban, and it’s listed here on Facebook Marketplace in Demotte, Indiana, and they’re asking $18,200. Here is the original listing, and thanks to Zappenduster for the tip!
The Plymouth Suburban is an interesting model, having started as a two-door station wagon and ending as a Fury-based wagon with four doors. The first models were pretty pragmatic, not that this dog-dish hubcap, black-steel-wheel ex-Fire Department wagon is overtly fancy in any way. They were made between 1949 and 1978, and in the 1968 through 1978 era, they were based on the Fury.
The seller says this ex-Fire Department wagon was always stored inside, and it only has 31,358 miles on it. It does appear to be in nice condition inside and out, but there is one dent in the front passenger-side door that they show in the photo gallery. Otherwise, I don’t see anything alarming on the body of the car. We don’t get to see the underside, though, and Indiana isn’t Arizona, so hopefully it wasn’t driven in too many snowstorms. Demotte, Indiana is around 40-50 miles south of Chicago and the horn of Lake Michigan.
As always, please click on the seller’s link in the first paragraph to see all of the photos and read their description. The interior looks like it could be taken out of a brochure; I don’t see a flaw in any of the photos they show in their listing. We don’t get to see the rear cargo area, unfortunately, and I mentioned there are no underside photos. Still, this is a great-looking car, in my opinion. The seats look perfect, both front and rear – very nice!
With power brakes and no power steering, this sure seems like a base model, not to mention this 318-cu.in. OHV V8 is backed by a three-on-the-tree manual transmission. I kid you not, this car has a three-speed manual with a column shifter. The 318 would have had 230 horsepower and 340 lb-ft of torque. The seller says it runs and drives, which is never a glowing recommendation, but it’s a good starting point at least. I can’t get past the asking price, however, no matter how cool and desirable this car is. Any thoughts on this Plymouth Suburban?
Thoughts? Thats a loaded question. First off, this looks like its in solid condition which is a huge plus. And while red line tires are a little more at home on a Road Runner, they really look great on this wagon. This was a very interesting order, 3 speed on the column, but a 318 V8, piwer brakes, manual steering. This would he a blast to take to a Cars and Coffee or take the kids/grandkids to ice cream. It looks great, and I don’t think I’d change anything. A tip of the hat to Zappenduster for finding this wagon, and of course Scotty, for writing it up. Wait…….. No drop top version? Just kidding.
Yes, but with no A/C, the kids in the back are going to roast with all that glass around them. SO, eat the ice-cream BEFORE getting back in the car!
(just my 2 cents worth)
Cool car, particularly with the manual gear box. Add on A/C would be a must!
Kids in the back would not roast, back in those days zyou rolled down the windows and hit 60mph, everyone was fine
Seen this one before…..the three on the tree is the tell tell…..not a fire department car – the fender tag could prove that…..Dodge hubcaps…..good luck – actually had a running 1956 New York State fire wagon that came to Texas early early….still was a hard sale………
Right on Dave. Cool wagon bigtime. If it was F.D I expect nice condition, the members understand maintenance and good work 👍
Nice vintage find.
“Any thoughts?”
Three-on-the-tree, V-8, long-roof, steelies with dog dishes, Plymouth. Absolutely checks all of my boxes!
What more can I say – Amen brother
Based on the pictures of the engine compartment I’d want to see what the undercarriage looks like. Were lights or sirens mounted on the roof? The ad is lite in information and pictures considering the asking price.
Steve R
That wagon needs a 440 and a Torqueflite.
Nothing needs an auto-tragic transgression, lol!
If anything I’d switch to a floor mounted 5-speed. Every new car, truck, and SUV from every manufacturer has an auto box. For me, a manual is that one extra thing that sets an old car apart.
Big car, I would think it would have those. Power steering would be another plus. I have always liked the wagons in the day. Our family always had one growing up.
What a sad recommendation to make, a manual shift wagon is iconic.
Curious looking at that engine picture did this car get repainted at some point.
Good job SG. Interesting car. The three speed manual is fun to see. I can visualize the chief pulling up to a fire call in this. In a small town, maybe one or two per day? Perhaps carrying some specialty equipment not on the trucks. Then using it to drive to the annual fire chief conference in Indianapolis.
Small towns usually didn’t have even two calls per day.
They are original only once. No 440. 3on the tree is good for me
You missed the radio delete.
Nit deleted. You had to order a radio. This one was equipped with a two way.
Whatever you do, don’t lose the three on the tree. That is all the charm of this.
Huge car! My cousin had one, it was a green color! Dark green! It was a 4 door tho!
My dad had one too. Traded his ’70 Caprice for it. I gotta’ say, I thought the Caprice was a much nicer car.
I wonder if it has the two-way tailgate? If I had it, I wouldn’t change a thing. Clean up the engine bay & the engine itself, maybe add power steering, install a hideaway stereo system (gotta have my tunes), call it a day & drive it. A head-turner for sure. Love the three-on-the-tree. A 21st century theft deterrent!
I think the 3-speed manual, would be the basic line on this wagon. Even the 340’s came basic with the 3-speed manual. I never seen one.
It has the 2-way tailgate. Look at the hinge on the upper left of the tail gate.
The 1969 Plymouth Suburban station wagon featured a versatile dual-action two-way tailgate that could either fold down flat like a traditional tailgate or swing open sideways like a door.
1) Dual Action: The gate could drop down for long cargo or swing open on hinges like a regular door to let passengers step inside easily.
2) Window Operation: On 1969–1971 Chrysler and Plymouth wagons, you had to roll the power or manual rear window down into the tailgate before you could swing or fold the gate open.
3) Interior Handle: The release handle to swing the gate open from the inside required lowering the glass first, though exterior chrome assist handles were provided on the sides of the opening.
Suburban….. i did not see a suburban, I did see a station wagon though. There is a huge difference between the two vehicles
Wonder if it’s still for sale in the 4 years since it was posted?
Pricey despite the condition and lack of mechanical details i.e. repairs, replacements maintenance etc. I like it but that’s a wad of cash.
What a fun find for a Chrysler kind of guy! (Not me. We used to make fun of them and there weird sounding starters when I was a kid and never got over it)😂 All GM or Ford in my Detroit neighborhood…
There is a big dent in the door (passenger side) that will need attention. I love the the three speed manual, that will keep a lot of potential buyers away. Perhaps the price is more negotiable for that reason. I’m not a wagon person, nor am I a Mopar fan but this car has charm. Even the vent windows have cranks. I’d add a/c and power steering, maybe one of the electric systems now available.
God Bless America
I would add the original factory A.M. radio and clock. I would keep the column shift, but I would look into adding air conditioning. I would expect the underside to be nearly spotless, and here is why. Fire departments hose-down their vehicles immediately inside of the fire-house after exposure to snow, slush, and road salt. Their vehicles get top-notch care and maintenance — including that 1940 fire truck they still have on duty. And those red line tyres are PERFECT! But THAT PRICE on a plain jane wagon needing additional things done to it, including repair of a dented door? NO thanks!
“Listed 4 years ago”?
We had these for Battalion Chiefs with a driver in the day. ( Automatics ). In those days the Batt Chief left first and led the parade. This was a large station in Seattle. 2 Engines, 1 Tillered Ladder and Aid car. As a rookie I was assigned to drive the Battalion Chief ( cranky old bastard ) and was expected to know the district, I was still learning. The old time driver of the first engine company to follow pulled me aside, said “kid if you don’t know the route on a alarm, just pull onto the street, floor it and this POS Plymouth will lurch then die, they have crap carburetors, and I’ll just go around you and you can start the engine and follow”. Lol. Never had to but it was comforting to have that trick in my back pocket!!!
Just look at her in all its basicness. Surely it’s more important to stop than to go and the FD gets there when they get there. There’s no pursuit happening. I love it, being a wagon and all, although I probably wouldn’t want it for a daily driver.
really cool plain jane wagon. love the radio delete. miles are so low most likely due to manual shift especially on the column. i would find a matching set of hubcaps and put a set of white walls on it. you won’t see another like this anywhere. 12k-15k would be a good buy.
Script: 1969 Plymouth Sports Suburban Station Wagon.
Original paint, original mileage
318 3-speed on the column
power brakes, manual steering
fire department vehicle
always stored inside
runs & drives
31xxx
located in DeMotte, IN
$18200 cash only, no trades
please call Tom @ [hidden information]
no texts please.
In the 70’s I can’t imagine my poor mother having to drive 6 kids in this thing. No ac – no power steering, no power brakes, 3 on the tree, no radio – 2 speed wipers – pretty sure she would have steered into a tree on the family vacation road trip where there was 8 of us…
Really love old wagons, especially Mopar ones and this one looks great overall. Interior looks like new almost. Not sure if it’s a repaint or not. The inner fenders would be body color not black wouldn’t they? Thought the engine bay would be a bit cleaner considering the rest of the car. Being in the state it’s in some underside shots would be welcome. Hope he’s got something besides an odometer photo to prove the mileage claim.
The red was perhaps a factory repaint, to match the fire department specification. Of greater concern to me, is the slight mis-match of the passenger’s side rear door (unless that is an optical illusion caused by a bright reflexion hitting that door).
Well, well, well.
Looking at the map, I see that the old Ponderosa Sun Club is still a going enterprise.
Ahhh, memories of a misspent youth.
*wink*