Plymouth broke out of the gate quickly in 1928 – a new brand on the rise. It offered advanced features, including hydraulic brakes and rubber engine mounts (cutely called “floating power”) at a reasonable price. The brand’s popularity launched it into third place in the US market by the early 1930s. The PA was introduced in 1931, a more powerful and cosmetically upgraded version of the Model U. Just months later, the PB arrived. Situated on a longer wheelbase, its restyled sheet metal deepened the fenders and shifted the headlights off the old bar-style mount. Yet another few ponies were on tap. Here on eBay is a 1932 Plymouth PB sedan, bid to $6300, reserve not met. It’s a project, so you’ll need to bring a trailer to Hampshire, Illinois to pick her up.

Plymouth’s 196 cu. in. L-head four-cylinder was essentially the same engine as in the PA but with a higher compression ratio, boosting output to 65 hp. The crank rides on three Babbitt bearings. A three-speed manual transmission brings power to the rear wheels. The seller notes that the engine hasn’t run in some time, though it does turn. The car rolls as well. All that said, many PBs have been renovated into hot rods, making original cars somewhat scarce.

Compared to the Model U, this interior is positively plush. Instrumentation improved, and the dash is wood instead of painted metal. Wire wheels were standard on the roadster and could be ordered with other body styles; twin fender-mounted spares were standard. The window cranks out – typical for the day. Mohair upholstery was usually grey or beige. Overall, this interior has held up pretty well given the passage of over ninety years.

At least ten body styles were available, from a phaeton to a roadster, business coupe to a four-door sedan. The two-door sedan was  second most popular after the four-door, with about 13,000 made. Paint options varied depending on the body style; for the two-door sedan, five colors were available – most of them paired with black fenders. This complete car might clean up well, leaving only mechanical items to attend to. Value is difficult to pinpoint. The PB is the most collectible of the early four-cylinders, and showing up at Cars ‘N Coffee with a Plymouth instead of a Ford is a mark of distinction. Still, a project car from the ’30s is not on everyone’s bucket list. We’ll see where the auction ends, but I’m guessing the seller will need to settle for a price very close to the current bid. What do you think of this sedan? Would you keep it original, or would you install a modern drivetrain?