Island Hopper: 1951 Plymouth Cranbrook Belvedere

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This beautiful 2-door Plymouth Cranbrook Belvedere has spent the last 30 years cruising parades and car shows at the Ohio islands in Lake Erie. In 2016 it was transported back to the mainland and is now for sale here on Craigslist in Lagrange, Ohio for $8,500.

I was surprised to see the name Belvedere attached to this model but Plymouth used it with the 2-door hardtop coupe. Speaking of the hardtop, the black and yellow paint scheme along with good chrome on this Plymouth looks great.  The seller says that the tires are good but 28 years old and says that everything works. It has the original flat head six cylinder engine and 3-speed on the column. Since the speed limit on Put-in-bay is 35 mph, this would be a perfect cruiser!

The Mohair interior looks good without any rips or tears. The interior of these cars were designed to be practical allowing the driver to sit upright wearing a hat! The 1949-1952 Cranbrooks were known to be reliable but not big sellers because of their conservative styling.  Still, this is a good looking car that is in nice condition and belongs in someone’s collection who will take care of it!

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Comments

  1. John C Cargill

    Nice car. I like that era of Mopar.

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  2. Irish Bill

    Good looking car and priced reasonably. You sure could not restore one for that money if someone gave you car.

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  3. Tommy Smith

    Why do so many people put those crappy fender skirts on cars that were not designed for them… It ruins the original look… Otherwise the car is very nice would love to have it.

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    • mike

      Its kind of like why do so many people put those “Crappy” 22 inch wheels on cars and make them worse by painting them Black that were not designed for them… It ruins the original look… Otherwise the car is very nice

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  4. ROTAG999

    Love the Flathead 6 not sure i have seen this 2dr hdtp body style before not a fan amazing how this and a 50 Chevy look so much a like.

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    • Slick51

      Actually if you look at a 50s Chevy or Pontiac they look very different than this. They have a much nicer roof line and fenders are sleeker.

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  5. Rustytech RustytechMember

    I have always thought these looked a little dumpy from the side and back, they needed to be a little longer I think. From the front they look great. Once the Hemi was introduced they were also a hot performer. This car looks great, and looks reasonably priced.

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    • KarlS

      Of course it would be the mid sixties before any Plymouth got a hemi.

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  6. Gaspumpchas

    Nice turnkey car!! Somebody willl have a ready to go cruiser!!

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  7. stan l.

    That is a beautiful Plymouth my friend had a 53 Plymouth Cranbrook this one is super nice compaired to his it really needed a little TLC the 2 Cars look basically alike in the front the back is slightly different it has been said it would look without the Fender Skirts & it would indeed

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  8. Solosolo UK KEN TILLYMember

    It’s at times like this, when such a beautiful car is advertised for sale, that I wish that I lived in America. (UK roads are very narrow for US cars,) I would be driving this car home by now!

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  9. Ben T. Spanner

    My Father bought a 1951 Dodge 2 door hardtop in December 1955, to replace a wrecked 1951 Dodge Wayfarer convertible. It was this same rare body style.

    The Dodge was joined in January of 1956 by a 1955 Desoto 2 door hardtiop. Four years difference in age, but very different.

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  10. Roger

    1951 was the first year for the turn the key starting and ignition system in Chrysler products,back around mid 1990 I was in search of an old car to use as a driver/fix up as you go car and one that I tried out was a ’51 Chrysler Saratoga club coupe with the new for ’51 Firepower Hemi engine tied to a Fluid Drive transmission with supposed to be original 24,000 miles,I remembered it running around town when I was a kid and the owner then acquired it after the older lady owners demise,it was a pretty nice old car but it had a lot of issues needing corrected at the time so felt his price of $2500 was a little steep,today I wish I wouldve bought it.

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    • Frank

      1949 was first year for key start ignition.

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  11. Del

    Please chip in and buy it for me. Perfect mate for ny 68 yellow Satellite coupe.

    You guys can do it ?

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  12. Rick McKee

    There is one like this, not as nice but under six grand at Country Classic Cars. com.

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  13. Mark S.

    These Plymouths and there dodge cousins were avalble with body for only two years. 51-52. In the US they were Belvidere, and cornet with a 217 cid. In Canada they were Mayfairs with 218 cid. And considerably lower production numbers. The 51’s were two tone roof and body with a stainless surround. The 52’s were two toned roof and back one colour and the body sides and hood another colour. They were the only two years where the hard top had removable rear fenders. In 53 the bodies changed completely. With back fenders were no longer removable. In 50 there were no hard tops 51 being the first year. I have a 51 Mayfair Canadian only And in the 7 years I’ve owned it I’ve seen online only two Belvideres and one other Mayfair besides my own. The truth is they are quite rare Canadian ones more so there seems to be more wayfarer Convertables around the there are hard tops. I’ve been working on mine since 2010 and I can tell you that this they are as simple as a lawn mower. Great project car.

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  14. RNR

    My first ride in a car (home from the hospital) was in my Dad’s ’52 Belvedere. I’ve been MoPar or No Car ever since!

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  15. LAWRENCE

    Tommy Smith….take a break…..

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  16. Bob

    Just to clarify a few items—Chrysler built an assembly plant in the early 60’s in Belvidere, Illinois and ever since then there is a part of the population who associate the Plymouth model name Belvedere with that town. Nothing could be further from the truth—the model designation is in no way related to the name of the town nor has it ever been. Amazing how some cannot understand this. Using this logic I guess that Chrysler forgot to name a car “The Hammtramick” as they also built cars there !!!

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  17. Brad

    I MUST have this car .

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  18. Doc

    I own a 51 Cambridge, which is the lower model. Great car, and really under appreciated by the collector market.

    As far as I know, “Mohair” wasn’t an option for the seats, nor should the seat backs be leather (or vinyl as the case may be). There were a couple of different fabric pattern options, but they were all wool.

    Also, the Cranbrook model should have a clock in the dash– this one has the delete plate, so unless it was special ordered, this has been swapped out.

    My example came out of Kansas, and was delivered without ANY of the available options except the large hubcaps (instead of the dog dish hubcaps). Radio delete, heater delete, clock delete, etc.

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