Now, this one brings back memories of summers gone by. Two of my uncles had “River Places” in Virginia. They were nothing fancy but we had a blast there growing up with our cousins and their fellow “river rats.” In the 70’s, Plymouth’s like these were driven by teens (and some pre-teens) around the river cottage “neighborhood” to haul buddies and cousins and a trunk full of beach gear down to the boat ramp and beach area. Those old bulbous Plymouths were funky and frumpy (and slow), but there was a certain charm to them. Plus, who knows how many teenagers learned how to drive a three-on-the-tree on these old Plymouths. Here’s a solid-looking 1952 Plymouth Cranbrook that looks like it has the potential to be a good project car. The supplied photos are interesting. They could be right out of a movie where set designers and art directors fussed for hours to get just the right amount of dust on the car, place the proper garage props around it, and add dramatic side lighting to it just before the cameras started rolling. This Rip Van Winkle has been snoozing in a garage in North Wilkesboro, NC since around 1990 and is for sale here on Facebook Marketplace for $7,000. A big summertime shout out to Al Denny for sending this tip to Barn Finds.
The seller is a tad scant on history and details about this old Cranbrook, but shares that it’s been in the family since the late 80’s and, for reasons unknown, has been sitting in a garage since around 1990. It’s also described as “a complete car that would make a great project car to restore and get back on the road.” Chrysler Corporation cars of this era never won any awards for their sleek styling. They were boxy and tall and influenced by Chrysler’s president, K. T. Keller, who was in his 60’s, a bit old school, and didn’t want a driver’s hat to touch the headliner. I’d like to see what this Plymouth would look like after a good washing. I’m not seeing any rust or body damage on its black painted exterior, it appears to be all there, and the trim (it was the top-of-the-line model, so there’s a bit, but not over-the-top), chrome, glass, and lenses look good. The wide whitewalls and full wheel covers are a nice touch as well.
I’m very impressed with the condition of this old Plymouth’s interior. The car’s mileage is listed at 36,796 miles, but nothing is mentioned if that is original or not. The gray metal, chrome, and glass instrument panel and large white steering wheel are so early -50’s and appear to be well preserved. This one was ordered from the factory with an optional heater but without a clock or radio, and the electric windshield wiper switch sits atop the dash. One photo shows a red blanket on the front bench seat, but it must be for protection because another photo shows more of the front seat and its fabric is in very good condition. There are black floor mats visible, but no photos are shared of the rear seat, door panels, or headliner.
Under that dusty hood is the reliable 217.8 cubic inch Plymouth Flathead Straight Six. It could generate 97 horsepower at 3600 rpm when new and is mated to a Synchro-silent 3-speed manual transmission. Nothing is mentioned if it turns over or not and the mileage is listed at 36,796. So, lots of questions to be answered with this one, starting with its originality, what the underside looks like, and if it’s just been sitting untouched for 33 years. I’m hoping this old Plymouth will find a new owner willing to make it roadworthy again. On the (dusty) surface, it appears to have a lot of potential.
VERY solid for it’s age, and the tires still hold air after 30+ years in the garage?!! Unreal. They are even period whitewalls from around 1960 or so. I think the 36K miles noted might be original–this car is so rust-free, and without any damage that I can see. A good starter project for someone entering the hobby! And cheap to operate.
I owned a 1950. We took it along the Gulf in 1982. No radio. The wipers are vacuum not electric. I drove it 50. It was super quiet. Great car.
I learned to drive on a similar 49 Plymouth, three on the tree. Battleship grey and stodgier looking than this one, it seems the design got better with a little age, but the bumpers on the 49s did end up on a lot of custom cars, and I always liked the Mayflower hood ornament, even if the Plymouth name wasn’t for the rock, but a twine company, so the story goes
you are right the 1949 bumpers where very popular in the 50s and early 60s nice looking bumpers
I love this car! Sign me up! I love the whole thing, all 97 horses and all! It really does look like an awesome restoration project to me. THIS ONE wouldn’t take too long to bring back to life and be able to take to car shows AND cruise it around town! I think IT IS worth 7k, (or close to it). It’s BEFORE my time but it’s so unique and different that I just love it. I’ll bet – someone “ could “ have no more than 10k (ish) into this beauty and come away with an AWESOME head turner! I’ve already talked myself into it…. Great article!
P.S. – Aaaaaaaah – no touchscreen.
Interior looks like 36,000, engine looks like a 136,000, but then engine compartments tend to get crusty after sitting for a long term. Dandy old car, I don’t think the price is bad at all. Would be nice to see it clean.
Electric wipers were available in ’52. I have them in my ’51. This is an easy project as parts are readily available as the basic engine was still being offered in industrial equipment until the early 70s. There is a lot of help available through the P15-D24 forum and through the Plymouth club.
Funny thing is, vacuum wipers were still being used long after electric ones came around, I never could figure that one out.
I could never figure that one out either. Our ’51 Ford vacuums would come to a complete stop if acceleration was anything other than very gentle.
I think it has to do with where the car was built and whether there is much snowfall in the area where the car will be used in winter
There was, apparently, mistrust of electric wipers – if they were stalled with a sudden glop of mud or snow, the gears would strip or linkage break. I actually had a car (a Yugo, I know)n that had stripped its nylon wiper-motor gears.
Same reason air wipers were in large trucks and buses until the last twenty years. An air motor could be stalled and not break anything.
You and I seem to think
alike .
Good hearing from you !
both my 1956 Chevy bel aire convertible and 1958 Impala with a 348 had vacuum wipers we lived on a hill and they would stop going up the hill first electric wipers I remember was my parents new 1960 impala
My ’49 Dodge Coronet had electric wipers. My ’52 Chevy Styleline Deluxe had
vacuum wipers which were a PITA when driving on an upgrade during a heavy rain.
Seven GRAND?? What are these people smokin’? Craiglist is now a scammer’s paradise with all sorts of rusty abandoned junk with ridiculous asking prices – I can’t imagine ANYBODY will buy a $7,000 car that requires $25,000 worth of work to be a $8,000 car when you’re done!
You are waaay off base, maybe you should look into collecting Matchboxes or something. But first, maybe check into an anger management class.
You and I seem to think
alike
seem
I collect Bentley and Rolls-Royces – at least the prices have some relation to value.
For what it’s worth, Yblocker, I’m with you and MikeG.
Chinga-Trailer, sorry to disappoint you but I don’t think you have any clue what this is valued at. And I agree with Yblocker for you to take an anger management class.
Seven thousand is the new one thousand,.
Brings back sweet memories of riding in the back seat of my grandmother and grandfathers 51 Plymouth. All 5 of us kids fit in the back with room to spare. Grandpa didn’t drive fast but it got us to the ice cream store with no problem. If I only had the space, I’d be tempted to make it mine. Wouldn’t take much to get it on the road from the look of things.
One of the best deals going! The owner isn’t asking a ridiculous price. The body looks A1 from the pictures. I would love to own a mid 1940s to mid 1950s body style car of ANY make.
Our across the street neighbor had one in the early fifties. He was the developer of the neighborhood, so I assumed grey Plymouth’s were favored by rich people for their subtlety. On a boat to Hawaii in 1963, the only magazines on board were National Geographic’s from the thirties to the fifties. In one from the thirties was a full page ad warning of the danger of an all steel body. A fireman was telling a man that his family survived because they were not trapped in a steel bodied car. After the problem of steel roofs making a horrendous drumming noise at speed was solved, fabric roof inserts were disappearing, and this ad was fear mongering to protect a dying industry.
An ad from 1950 depicted a sharply dressed young businessman smiling at his new Plymouth. The caption read, “A car should kindle a light in an owner’s eyes.” It had never occurred to me that anyone ever thought a ’50 Plymouth was beautiful.
“Subtlety” is a term that well-describes Plymouths of this era. Their rather nondescript, slab-sided bodies always attracted me. Even as a young boy playing with toy cars on the kitchen floor, I preferred the ones that resembled these unpretentious automobiles. Unsurprisingly, I suppose, I developed into an adult whose aesthetic inclinations bend strongly toward the understated, or “subtle.”
The first new family car I remember was a dark green 1954 Plymouth Savoy. Same body as the featured car, but with one piece windshield. Lot of memories. By 1961 when traded the outer rockers and rear quarter panels bottoms were rotted, virtually nonexistent, typical for a Canadian car of those times.
The writer says, “They [photos of the car] could be right out of a movie where set designers and art directors fussed for hours to get just the right amount of dust on the car [ . . .].
Indeed. Just last week I watched “The Hitchhiker,” a 1953-released film in which this very car could have served as a main character–dust and all! The resemblance between the two cars is remarkable. Here’s a link to the Internet Movie Cars Database (IMCDB) so that you can see for yourselves: https://www.imcdb.org/m45877.html.
This was my first car. Three on the tree two. The tidy sum Of $75.00 out the door. At 16 it was perfect. Jim C
Arfeeto, yes that’s a good film. William Talman just a few years before he got the gig on Perry Mason as Los Angeles D A Hamilton Berger during the show’s long run……& the old Plymouth is pretty cool too (filthy or not) Ha!!
So Wm. Talman DID pay Berger! I suspected so while watching the move and suggested it to my wife. But she rejected my insight out of hand. Wait till I tell her! HA!
Seriously, Talman played a helluva convincing villain in that film, right down to the sinister droopy eyelid.