The phrase “1950s Suburban” might call to mind idyllic planned neighborhoods, manicured lawns, and moms baking cookies, but this customized 1951 Plymouth Suburban in Murrieta, California downright savages that peaceful image. Its ripped away front clip, angry red 400+ cubic inch V12, in-the-weeds stance, and gray primered body will have your HOA wagging fingers all over the place. This rolling menace to society could be yours for $9500 and a click of Buy It Now here on eBay. It looks like the same car our Jim ODonnell covered here in December of 2021, but it’s definitely undergone some work since then. Thanks to reader T.J. for spotting this insane twelve cylinder hot rod.
Once you get the V12 up front running, you’ll have room for several more in the rear. With a ’96 Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck front sub-frame, stock-looking V12, and manual transmission, this lightweight Plymouth might become an almost practical mode of transportation for a family of starter fluid-inhaling gear heads. Cannibalizing a pickup instead of a Chevy Suburban seems like a missed opportunity.
The rear axle also came from the donor truck, and should provide sturdy conversion of torque into forward motion. A four-link suspension with air bags offers adjustable ride height, and four wheel disc brakes should haul this crate to a stop when your neighbor’s Labrador strays into the cul-de-sac.
Seagrave began fitting the Pierce-Arrow luxury car-designed V12s to their fire trucks in 1935, according to Wikipedia, and continued doing so with their own engineering changes until 1970. Displacements ranged from 462 (7.6L) to 906 cid (14.8L). Seagrave engines included redundant ignition and heavy-duty cooling systems to endure long hours of idling and pumping water without the benefit of fresh air flow. Careful choices in transmission and rear-end gear ratios would be necessary to keep the low-RPM V12 it its sweet spot for spirited driving and longevity in a motor car.
This completely different car at stationwagonforums gives an idea of what the ’51 Suburban might look like when finished and roadworthy. Does this half-baked V12 Suburban have you running in fear or reaching to click Buy It Now?
i love it
It was only a matter of time, someone would put a fire engine motor in a passenger car. I happen to have had experience with the Seagrave V12. My old man’s business partner had a Seagrave fire engine with this motor. I don’t remember the dual intake, but clearly for the “wow” factor, as it’s not what I would consider a high performance motor. The V12 mass, plus a flywheel that probably weighed a ton, was needed to move and operate the machine, and not in any way performance minded. Probably red lines at 4 grand, and properly geared, could move the earth, but here, just for looks. Someone pixxed away a lot of cash here, if that was an issue. I mean, go the Allison route for a real impression.
I had a 51 Plymouth that e made into a Woodie Wagon. It was very nice and the wood looked factory because of the skill of my friend that did the wood. That car got more attention than just about any car I have had. Needless to say I like them very much, I was also a firefighter for 31 years, and the absolutely would never consider a Seagrave engine for a car I was building.
I don’t know a huge amount about the Seagrave engines, I noticed the dual ignition system on the first one I saw of course it was in a firetruck, I have never seen that type of induction on one before? The seemed to be low HP, low RPM and hi torque built to run slow and last a very long time. They are rather fascinating to me!
Seems like most of the big ticket items are done on this. That motor looks like it was just rebuilt or painted nicely anyway. The custom frame and drive train are fabed up. Not sure if that driveshaft is up for the task though. At the price its at now, the owner has way more money into it than the asking price. Looks like a cool project.
I’m really not sure what the point of this is?
I agree that someone is loosing $ on this one
The frontal red boat anchor does nothing for me but the rest of the plan looks decent
Good luck
So , use the engine for what it’s worth : a boat anchor
And lower the price to $2500 and someone will finish it their own way
I think it has potential but there are obviously many missing parts
Another abandoned big idea project coming to a junkyard near you.
i6, i8 – pretty nice in my book. Any ply suburban or it’s copy (the wolwo duette) are a step better. This thing is one man’s dream, not mine.
Somea da kids round here clear over rust’n 3/4s gone paint. Often they go over it all w/Brillo pads 1st. Makes no sense to me either.
Putting the 2 together certainly is creative…
Rather see more rest0 on the mod.
Just another piece of crap that someone is trying to make money on.
Won’t be short on torque!
Why?
geez ! read the article.
Who paints carburetors? The first time they get fuel in them, before the carb gaskets can swell and stop fuel from leaking, the edges of the painted carb parts will start to peel. Why? because gasoline is a very efficient solvent against paint, especially if it’s fresh!
And they even painted the mating surfaces red where the valley cover mounts to the block. Good luck scraping that gasket off the block once it’s been torqued down for a few years!
When I still operated a restoration shop, if I ever saw a mechanic painting parts like this, he would be looking for a job, because these are basic “no-no” rules to follow. I would be concerned the car owner was not really familiar on how to build a rod, and I would go over this car very carefully, as new paint can hide so much!
So in 1 year the motor was painted and for that the price almost doubled? Is there a good reason some would go through the trouble to make it shiny without making it run? Current owner can throw paint but all other fabrication work was by previous owner. $4,500. for paint!
Expensive yard art.
Having said that, at a reasonable price?would be a cool project. I’d think you could find someone to fab a more modern/effective intake manifold and save the painted carburetors for another piece of yard art. Nice body and awesome fabrication as a starting point.
But at current asking price one would at lease like to know the motor runs.
Let’s hope a new owner actually knows how to do more than paint within the lines.