Wow! That’s all I could say when I first spied this 1960 Plymouth Custom Suburban – these just don’t turn up that often and rarely in this condition. This wagon is stunning in all of its early ’60s Mopar eccentricity. Admittedly, Ford and Chevrolet wagons of this era aren’t encountered too often either but they make appearances much more often than any of the ChryCo siblings. This beauty is located in Granada Hills, California, and is available, here on craigslist for $19,500.
Full-size Plymouth station wagons were available in three different trim levels in ’60, starting with the Deluxe (including a two-door version), moving on up to the Custom, and then topping out with the “Sport” Suburban Wagon. While the specific trim level of our subject car is not disclosed, the quarter panel trim indicates that it’s a Custom variation, one of, according to Allpar, 17,301 six-passenger versions. Total Plymouth production for all three station wagon trim levels amounted to 58,992 in ’60. And while 58K is a pretty healthy number, it pales compared to Ford’s 171K and Chevrolet’s 212K station wagon output – probably one of the reasons these Plymouths are seldomly seen today.
Little is said about this Suburban’s past, it is said that the body is great and the paint is in “very nice shape” so perhaps it’s original. There is no evidence of damage or misalignment to its curvaceous body and the extensive trim is all in place and shining brightly. The same goes for the bumper’s chrome plating – it’s very strong and there’s no indication of parking lot mishaps. Rust? Not hardly! While it’s always best to perform an in-person inspection, this Plymouth doesn’t appear to have a thing out of place.
What’s under the hood? Good question and the seller doesn’t elaborate other than to state the obvious which is an eight-cylinder engine. It appears to be a 230 gross HP 318 CI V8 and not a “Golden Commando” 361 CI “B” block. There was a more rugged version of the 318 available, one equipped with a four-barrel carburetor, but the included engine images just aren’t that revealing. Optioned with a push-button actuated Torque-Flite automatic transmission, this wagon is claimed to “run and drive great“.
The interior, including the headliner, is all new and it looks like it. The late ’50s/early ’60s tri-tone upholstery is perfectly representative of the era and get a load of that steering wheel! It looks like the one used in the Batmobile. The same goes for that instrument panel pod – apparently, Virgil Exner’s influence was felt inside too. Throw in the excellent condition of the door panels and the carpet and it’s safe to say that the interior’s condition matches that of the exterior. It would be helpful, however, to get a glimpse of the cargo bay.
Considering all that is here, the ask on this Custom Suburban seems reasonable. You could always keep looking, of course, if an early ’60s Mopar station wagon floats your boat, but where will you ever find another example that is as nice?
An absolutely gorgeous wagon in and out, and probably worth all of $20k. The condition is outstanding with a perfect exterior color and a beautiful two-tone interior. And just look at the space-age dash behind that fabulous steering wheel! I’m a FordGuy but I’d certainly make an exception for this beautiful long roof. I can see this wagon attracting a lot of attention and think it will sell pretty quickly; it’s simply an awesome wagon.
Now I know who’s to blame for those Quartic Allegro steering wheels!
That steering wheel would probably melt straight thru the palm of your hand on a hot day! Chrome? Steel? Aluminum? No matter, probably gets WHITE HOT.
Hell, I can still remember the metal skinny trim throughout the 60s and 70s era vehicles would wake you up in a hurry if you placed your hand or a thigh in the wrong place.
That steering wheel is missing it’s original clear/glitter filled factory hand grips.
They commonly cracked as they aged, and someone removed the broken portions.
I had a 60 Belvedere and noticed the missing clear plastic on the wheel as well. They all cracked from the sunlight. Unless you want “grill marks” on your hands you better get a “neckers knob”!
Qualityrestorations dot com in San Diego, CA beautifully re-casts these clear glitter steering wheels to better-than-new.
“metal skinny trim would wake you up in a hurry if you placed your hand or a thigh in the wrong place.
That was a safety option to keep you from falling asleep at the wheel.
Cockpit straight out of the Jetsons or lost in space.
The instrument panel seems to say “take me to the moon.”
That steering wheel is very Googie. Love it.
The speedo is the coolest part IMHO, the way the slots about the #s fill up as you accelerate. Mom drove a ’61, great memories!
I think they changed color, too, as the speed went up. I was much younger when this was new but that is my recollection. It never fails to make me smile when tastes from different times run smack into a new aesthetic. Were this for sale now, would you buy it, or the corresponding Chev or Ford?
Stunning find! When cars were art! I loathe boring modern automotive design, so boring a sad, IMHO.
Be an amazing vehicle to be out in the desert in on a warm summer night, instrument panel illuminated, V8 engine rumbling.
Heaven help any kangaroo that got hit by the massive Plymouths front chrome array
Been re-watching Coldwarmotors on Youtube restoration of a ’60 Fury coupe, and he came across a very similar (might have been Dodge) Suburban 9 passenger! It was in pretty bad post crash shape though. Fantastic 60’s designs, too bad this steering wheel isn’t complete, but great find to see here!
Not only is it a spectacular wagon it’s also wearing a fantastic color combo in and out IMO. If it’s the correct hue for 1960 I found it should be code A Buttercup Yellow (sounds like a very similar Chev color…?).
Now I tried to find another ’60 Plymouth in this color and apparently it’s not very common – the only pic I could find of an actual car not only a model car was this Belgian ‘vert http://www.ritzsite.nl/fotgal_piwigo/picture.php?/4846/category/233/432 which looks to be much more yellow than the featured wagon. I know pics can be deceiving and that there are different light conditions between LA sun and a Belgian exphibition center, however any Mopar experts here on BF who can tell me which of those hues are closest to the actual OE shade?
We had one of these when I was a kid, a 9 passenger version in sky-blue instead of yellow.. until one day we got T-boned by a pickup doing 60 on a residential street. My little brother & sister were actually ejected but landed on soft grass & came away with only cuts & scrapes. Angels must’ve been watching over us that day!
I owned a 60 Fury for 27 years and sold it to a car broker who shipped to B udapest in Hungary about 4 years ago. I wonder where my baby is now!?
Absolutely stunning, so outlandish, and as for the Belgian convertible, well, yes please!
Love this wagon! All this beauty needs to look period perfect is a set of WIDE whitewalls (skinny whitewalls appeared in 1962). I would be sorely tempted to install A/C – I’m not a total purist!
Those scallops on the tail fins reminds me of US Navy JATO(Jet Assisted Take Off)! Definitely space age hints all over this wagon!
It’s a minor detail, but it appears that whoever did the paint re-installed those tailfin trim “scallops” backwards and left-hand side to right. They are supposed to be pointed end forward and the trailing edge angle parallel to the angle of the fins.
I thought the same thing. They just don’t fit my ‘memory’ this way.
Chev haven’t built the car that I would rather have than this wagon, and the only Ford I would take before this car is a ’58 Ford retractable roof convertible.
Bare in mind I’m only 64 but looking back it’s amazing to me how these beautiful Mopar’s are/were so drastically overlooked!
I love this era of Mopar. What a beauty! I think the asking price is very fair. But I would have to inspect it before buying and as usual it’s on the other side of the country. Someone is going to get a really nice old car. GLWTS!
The engine appears to be a wide block 318. All big blocks ( 361, 400, 413, 426 Wedge and Hemi and 440) have the distributor in the front of the engine. All early Hemi’s and small blocks have the distributor in the rear. I’m sure I forgot a few, fill in as needed please.