I like this car! It’s really nothing special unless you consider the fact that it’s over three-quarters of a century old and it’s in great shape. It’s a great Business Coupe body style, especially pertinent if a future hot rod is on the horizon. Of course, it’s a perfect representative of an original 1938 Plymouth coupe too, so why do anything to it? I’ll say this for it, I like it better than most of what parades around as a new car or truck (and that’s mostly trucks) today. T.J. found this Blanchard, Idaho resident’s listing for us and it’s available, here on craigslist for $17,000.
As with most automotive manufacturers of the era, multiple body styles existed for Plymouth, one of course, being a single bench seat coupe such as this find. It seems completely impracticable today, but Plymouth sold about 43K coupes, divided between the standard and DeLuxe trim lines, in ’38. As to which trim level our subject car is, I’m not certain, perhaps someone with a keener eye for vintage Plymouths can help answer that question. Regardless of its model or trim level positioning, this example is straight and true with an old, but very presentable finish. The chrome plating is looking a bit thin but it still shows well enough and the grille appears to be mishap-free.
The seller tells us that the 210 CI engine was rebuilt and has experienced only 500 miles of use. Regrettably, there is no included image and I believe that the correct displacement is 201 CI, not 210, and it’s good for 82 HP. We’re told, “runs excellent“. The mileage recording is 53K miles and the seller suggests, “Showing 53k miles on odometer…. may have rolled over, but may be original miles as well” – try to have it both ways, I guess. A three-speed manual transmission makes the rear-wheel-drive connection.
The interior is probably not exactly as Plymouth originally planned but the red velour upholstery is a nice surprise. It appears to be a recent reupholstering job and- the seller refers to it as “very clean“. The matching door panels look great as do the dashboard and clear engine gauges. Throw in a new rubber floor mat, add in turn signals, and you have an excellent, close-to-period-correct environment.
As for what to do with it, I’d say nothing, it’s fine as it is (but then I usually say that when I find a mostly original car from this era). I’m sure, however, there will be a temptation to ditch the flathead and go for something more sporting. That leaves with just one question and that’s pricing, what do you think, priced right, or not quite?
Price, obviously not for what the original owner of this car wanted. Poor old fella, probably still warm in the grave, and the car he loved for decades is going to get violated. His little lady. Probably what he drove in high school, such memories around it. Who is to blame for these occurrences? Did he not raise his children and grandchildren right? Did he not spend time with them and help them cultivate love for the car so he could go to his grave knowing she would have a safe and loving home? Maybe the kids are just spoiled money hungry jerks. So many times I wish when I read of something like this, would be that I was younger and of great affluent means so I could rescue the innocent cars of yesteryear. Poor little Plymouth!
????? Where is any mention of the original owner and what his final wishes were ? This car could have had 10+ owners in all the years its been around , and I’ll bet the guy that sold it in 1948 or so wasn’t thinking , ” gee, I hope in 75 years nobody puts a red interior in my Plymouth and sells it for a lot of money”
Take a deep breath, Grant. It’s just a car.
Holy Censorship Batman!.. Grant, someone edited your post! If it was against standards, why not delete it, but to censor it and then put it back up as if this was your whole train of thought? People, this makes Grant seem like an old sour pus, when in reality, he appears to be a charming and clever writer, but you would never know that by reading what is left here of his original post. We need a ruling here by a wise and elder site statesman. Howard, where are you? Your wisdom is once again needed.
I love the car just as it is even with the redone interior. I would love to have it more so to keep it from befalling to other atrocities. Many thanks for breathing fresh life into the original power plant.
This Plymouth probably needs to be left alone as it is and sold to someone who wants her as it is. It’s priced abit high for someone wanting to do a custom build and maybe that will save her from that fate. Great find for Craigslist.
I agree, this car looks great, and leave it alone. Enjoy the car for what it is, not what you want it to be. This car is just 4 years older than I am, and I sure don’t want anyone tinkering with me because it doesn’t fit today.
Why put red interior in this? The old girl should have repro gray broadcloth installed. Otherwise, very nice car.
I agree – If I had the money and was looking for a car like this, the interior would have to be changed back. I do like the fact that the car does not have huge whitewalls on it ; Base model cars would have looked just like this.
I agree Terry should of been original mohair interior if this what it came out with
i really like it; if i had $17 Grand laying around, i get it and drive as is; juat what i need…
Although I’m a UGA fan, the red seats with black interior may have to make way for Grey colored seat covers and door panels. It’s a small cabin business coupe so not so bad. Unless trunk was also done in red.Oh well great for GA game days.
I’m very tempted, as the styling is perfection.
How does one make this mechanically better
while not sacrificing originality? Don’t want to
ruin this by hot-rodding it, so perhaps seeking
out one in a lesser condition is the answer…
However; the interior goes!
Very nice old Plymouth. ‘ Don’t like the red upholstery but I could live with it. That black dash has been done so nicely, I could almost live with it too. But not quite. I’ve harped on this topic before, but I’ll do it again. The beautiful original faux wood patterns on the dash and window trims are gone forever.
Or is there a shop that can reproduce those original patterns? Am I the only person upset by this?
OTOH, try putting a ’38 Plymouth in this condition for $17,000. It’s worth the price.
Allen
Allen… I think you will find that this is the standard model, and further, that the standard 38 Plymouth dash was not the ‘faux wood’, but rather, black is appropriate. Yeah, I will agree that I like the deluxe dash better. I’ve recently had a standard 38 Plymouth, and the little details that separate a standard from a deluxe, bothered me. Primarily because our family car was a deluxe, which my parents bought new.
Is it autographed by Humphry Bogart? He drove one in High Sierra. “Here Pard. Here Boy”.
Darn it !!! I was going to post the very same mention of Bogie you made, perhaps not verbatim but pretty close. Of course in black& white movies colors are to guess at, but I would guess that Bogie`s was a shade of drab green.
The golden age of Hollywood…it is almost impossible to refrain from saying that they don`t make them like they used to …Bogie and the Plymouth
Bogie’s car (allegedly personal car) was (and is) a 1937 Deluxe coupe. It is displayed at the Lone Pine Movie Museum. Green, as noted above. Not that any of this matters.
According to the IMDB cars database, Bogie drove a 1938 Plymouth Deluxe in “The Big Sleep”.
Bill, here is the Plymouth at the Lone Pine Museum that is allegedly Bogie’s. I have no idea if this is the one used in the ‘Sleep’ movie. In general, it is claimed that he drove his own car in movies.
First of all I like the three speed column shifter. That was a new gadget at the time. and most youngsters these days couldn’t shift it. Drive that flat head 6 until it needs rebuilding then maybe put a 225 slant 6 in it or a 318, anyway the red don’t bother me. I can still shift gears and sit on red seats. My dad used to drive old Mopars the engines were good for about 25,000 miles. Living in the hot south I like my a/c though, so occasional driving on fair weather days would be the norm for a car like this, don’t think I’d spend the extra cash for that upgrade. I really love the body style of this car.
God Bless America
As I have already posted in other occasions I am a lover of those mid thierties Plymouth cars. I have a ’35 coupe in almost DAILY USE The engine is SO SMOOTH in top gear It´s a whisper !! Very very trustable cars they certainly were ans still are !!!
I would put a set of port-a-walls on her and just drive it.
Floor shift. Had a 37 Dodge just like this. Very good shape but now…….one of the new owners left it outside all the time. A friend bought it and will hot rod it. It’s now a rusty, dented mess. Sad.
I had a 39 Plymouth sedan that had a split front windshield. that was the last year for the split window and 1st year for the headlights in the fenders.. did the 38 come with a 1 piece window?