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Some old MoPars are a bit different in Queensland


BobT-47P15

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Guest Nelsons Ply
This is a 1959 Chrysler Royal AP sedan.

Ap2Brad.jpg

A 1956 Plymouth Belvedere. Looks like our 1954 model.

wply54.jpg

1940 Dodge ute.

40utebr.jpg

Link to a Chrysler club website with some pictures.

Nice pictures Bob

Looks like you got the more than one picture thing figured

out.Still working on it.

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Guest rockabillybassman

In the 50s, Australia found itself with surplus bodies, at least Chrysler and Ford did, dunno about GM. Consequentley, they used them up making some hybrid models. Example: an Aussie 1959 Ford Star model is what we know as a 56 Customline, with a couple of minor cosmetic changes. Also, my 55 Savoy looks like that 59 Chrysler without the fins and a different grille. New Zealand for some reason stuck with the American models and years. My 55 Plymouth Savoy is unknown to folks in Aussie.

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In Australia it was not so much to do with excess bodies, more to do with import tariffs and the Australian government wanting to consolidate the local auto industry.

In Chrysler’s case before 53 a lot of the vehicles were brought in from Canada in a knock down form and then assembled in (South) Australia. Companies like TJ Richards were contracted to make a lot of panels to be used to finish off the cars and trucks.

In 53 when a lot of the US and Canadian models were updated Australia got a lot of the tooling used in Canada and stated using them here so as to increase the locally made content of the cars and trucks.

Also Chrysler imported engines (from KEW) and the electrics (Lucas the Prince of darkness) from England.

The end result of all this was that Australia produce a hybrid of cars and trucks from 53 until 62 based on pre 53 US and Canadian (don’t forget that a lot of Canadian cars were modified and rebadged versions of US cars) designs.

After 62 though a lot of the cars and trucks (the truck side at this stage tying up with International) were still based on US designs but started to develop a more unequally Australian look.

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