While many folks today associate Chrysler’s “Forward Look” campaign with the noteworthy 1957 model year, it really started with the overhauled 1955-56 products. Plymouth especially benefited from the modern changes, building more than 700,000 automobiles in 1955. The Belvedere was the top-of-the-line model, and 2-door hardtops like this one were quite popular. It’s a running project with a V8 engine and an automatic transmission. Located in a garage in Humboldt, Iowa, this Mopar from the ‘50s is available here on Facebook Marketplace for $3,500. Thumbs up again to “Zappenduster”!
The 1955 model year was one of the few times that Chevrolet, Ford, and Plymouth all offered brand-new cars at the same time. The Belvedere had arrived the year before and would remain a Plymouth staple through 1970, migrating from a full-size car to an intermediate in 1965. Virgil Exner was Chrysler’s head stylist, and he engineered the redesign that put Plymouth on the map. More than 47,000 Belvedere 2-door hardtops left the assembly in the double-nickel year.
We assume the seller has been working on this Plymouth and decided to move on. The 260 cubic inch V8 runs well but needs a left-side exhaust manifold and an overall exhaust package. It’s matched with a PowerFlite tranny, the year before Chrysler went the push-button route. Not much else is said about the mechanical status of the car, so you can turn your attention to the car’s cosmetics.
The body of this Belvedere may be okay, but the paint is not, and we can’t quite determine what the original color was (besides white). The interior is pretty rough, especially the driver’s side of the front bench seat, suggesting the vehicle was idle for a long time (or maybe some small critters set up residence inside the Plymouth for a while). If you’re looking for a good 1950s project, could this Plymouth be it? There are bound to be fewer of them left compared to a Tri-Five Chevy.
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