In the late 1950s, the Savoy was the entry-level model in the full-size Plymouth line-up, positioned like the Chevy Biscayne or Bel Air. They were popular for fleet purchases as basic transportation and many served as taxicabs. This 1959 Savoy was not only once a taxi, but it was also powered by a Perkins 4-cylinder diesel engine! Located in Poulsboro, Washington, this interesting piece of Americana is available here on eBay where the starting bid is $10,000 (no takers so far).
Plymouth built more than 458,000 cars in 1959 as part of the recovery from an economic recession the year before. The ‘59s had tweaked styling based on the 1957-58 “Forward Look” cars that set the industry on its year. About 182,000 units were the Plain Jane Savoy and – of those – more than 84,000 were 4-door sedans. We don’t know how many of them ended up being Yellow Cabs, but it probably wasn’t a small number.
Supposedly diesel-powered cabs were all the range in Europe, and this may have given Plymouth and Perkins the idea to produce U.S. versions. We don’t know whether Perkins sent Plymouth the engines or if Plymouth sent Savoy’s to Perkins without the basic 230 cubic inch L-head six which was standard in those days. Perkins was big into the diesel world back then and the P4 motor is what Plymouth got, packing a sluggish 60 hp. They were all about miles between fill-ups, not getting from Point A to Point B quickly. You could identify a 1958-62 Perkins Savoy by the Perkins logo on the tailfins.
We’re told this car has been featured in the media on occasion. It wears blue/green paint, so we assume there is some yellow or a drab color hidden from its taxi days. We’re told it has a “3-on-the-tree” manual transmission though it’s hard to find a shifter in the photos provided. The seller has owned this car for years along with several other collectibles and is starting to thin the herd. The seller says the car is worth $35,000 (insured value) and maybe 20 of them are still in existence. If you’d like to be its fourth owner, “time’s-a-wastin’” as Snuffy Smith would say!
Wow, at first I’m thinking, ok, someone went and dropped a Perkins Diesel in it, but then to learn Plymouth actually sold these with Perkins Diesels is really something else. I had no idea they ever did that. I learn something new everyday on Barnfinds. Perkins has been around a long time, and I know they make diesels for construction equipment. I think someone told me they made diesels for sail boats as well. Ive only ever heard good things about them. I cant believe the condition of this car. Just look at the plain seats and rubber floor mat. If its original, its in tremendous condition. And the exterior too, how many of these succumbed to rust years and years ago?
If you look at the ad there is one shot you can see the shifter for the 3 speed on the column. This is a great find. I’d live to just drive it to see what its like.
Driveinstile – I had the misfortune to work on a couple of Perkins powered sailboats; not the engine, but the boat was literally built around the engine. Had to disassemble the engine to take it out!
Perkins dieses in Massey Ferguson farm tractors, another usage.
three pedals are visible in the pictures.
I never knew that these existed. I’m not a huge fan of the 1959 Plymouth, but it is definitely interesting.
60hp is gonna take you years to get from point A to point B. And you can forget driving this thing on the highway. I’d just buy it for the body and stuff a 440 in it with all the power accessories.
Yes, wow! Imagine driving this thing with the column shift through city traffic 8 hours a day. It must have had some heavy-duty clutch.
You have to remember, not 10 years earlier almost every vehicle had a manual transmission. Fleet operators were looking to save money wherever possible.
I agree about the clutch. I would imagine it was probably geared fairly low due to the low horsepower. If its geared low you could practically slip the clutch at an idle to get it going. This is if its geared low and at that point could really only be used in a city setting. Maybe someone whos seen or driven one can chime in.
Great for Cuba. My son went to Cuba not long ago, and had a wonderful time. He said, the people were friendly, great food, and all the taxis were 50’s and 60s US cars, mostly DeSotos, and all had Perkins diesels. I think cars were shipped without motors and the diesels installed. I don’t ever recall a diesel Plymouth here. The 4 cylinder Perkins shown here was a gutless thing, but diesel fuel was a lot cheaper and more plentiful than gas, and were relegated mostly to the city. It’s one reason European cities had such poor air quality. I wouldn’t waste my time with that boat anchor oil motor, and the car itself could be attractive to someone, if it was more user friendly. Also, I’ve never seen a fender badge like that behind the gas filler door, for good reason. It says “Perkins Diesel”. That in itself has got to be pretty rare. Would have been a great junkyard find. Apparently the “experts” claiming 20 left, have never been to Cuba.
We hd a ’59 Fury & I immediately noticed that the “Plymouth” name badge by the gas cap is of an older year.
Savoy became the entry level full size Plymouth in `59, because the Plaza model was dropped after `58.
Plaza had previously been the choice for taxis and squad cars.
In `57 & `58 Plaza Business Coupes, although actually 2-door sedans, the back seat was optional and had fixed, one piece rear passenger windows that did not roll down.
I had a `57 Plaza Club Sedan with the optional Sportone side trim, which was also available on Savoys in `57 & `58.
Had a 61 Willis Jeep with a Perkins Diesel in it that realistically would have not hit 55 mph wide open, but it would’ve hit top speed towing a loaded Semi hauling coiled steel! No speed demon by any version of the words, but the Torque was unmatched by anything gas powered and with a say 2.31 ratio rear end would’ve pulled this Plymouth just fine! Cuba still has many of the Perkins powered Desoto’s and other Chrysler corp cars still on the road today and even though they are smelly and noisy so are most women that are 65+ years old, and I’ll just bet those Perkins Diesels have a lot less upkeep and are much more loyal and reliable in the end lol.
My wife wants your phone number- she’d like to give you a call…
In 1968, Checker also offered a factory option Perkins Diesel. It was a 4-236, same as was used in Massey Ferguson farm tractors. A sleeved engine, built to last.
We had 2 of these ’59 Savoys as high school driver’s ed cars in 1960. One was a lot slower than the other….maybe was a diesel. We all wanted the “faster” one (relatively speaking). Of course driving any car at 15 y.o. was cool…..
In the late 70s they were putting the perkins diesel in alot of cars because of the price of gas. I remember the story of a new mustang in 1979 getting one installed and the mpg it was getting.
This is cool, full stop. I’d love to have it!
If memory serves, I think Perkins diesels made their way into Bobcats and small ag equipment maybe forklifts as well.
Reefer trailer motors too. From what I remember, it was a lot more popular in the industrial area. Generators, portable welders, and such, all used Perkins motors.
Yes, forklifts definitely…
Sellick and Manitou, to name a couple. Worked on those for many years.
We pulled my dad’s 350v8 out of his 1977 blazer and put a perkins 4 cylinder and trans out of a furniture truck in 1981 when I got out of the service. It was a giant 4 banger. It actually ran great. He pulled an airstream with it all over the country when he retired. The only thing I remember being a problem was the hydraulic clutch selenoid going out occasionally.
Drag racin’ time! Line this up against an old non-turbo Mercedes diesel. Elapsed time measured in minutes not seconds? Seriously though this is a neat find. Like other people have said here; I never knew that these existed. A gear head can get educated on BF. GLWTS.
Plymouth’s use of Perkins P4 diesel engines goes back at least to 1954. I have photos of 1960 Perkins powered Plymouths; one comment I have to make is all are 4-door sedans, which would fit with their taxi heritage.
Jim, an article about these diesel Plymouths in the Bulletin? I wonder how many members are like me and have no idea that these existed.
Very few! The diesel taxis were only in larger cities and most customers were probably not aware of what was under the hood….just get me to the station on time! And all were probably “ridden hard and put away wet” so few have survived.
I wasn’t aware of the Plymouth & Perkins connection but love Exner’s Forward Look cars. I’m loving all these comments about them!
There was a few 6-354 perkins put in 60’s dodge trucks too
International trucks, too.
Very few! The diesel taxis were only in larger cities and most customers were probably not aware of what was under the hood….just get me to the station on time! And all were probably “ridden hard and put away wet” so few have survived.