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Small hubcaps on a '54 Plymouth


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Posted

Seems there was some question not long ago about whether they used the small hubcaps on a '54 Plymouth. Evidently they did....at least on the cheaper model, the Plaza. Link to an ebay ad with some pics: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1954-PLYMOUTH-PLAZA_W0QQitemZ230091218033QQihZ013QQcategoryZ6387QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

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Posted

Bob,

The small hubcaps could have come on all the 50's & 60's cars. Full wheel caps were really an option. Most dealers just ordered the cars with the full wheel caps from the factory for their stock. Just like they order the accessory packs already included on cars today when you see it at the dealer. If you read the new car stickers, many times half the stuff on the cars are listed as extra options. The price at top is the actual price, at the bottom is the total with all the options already installed by the manufacture.

Posted

Greg's ride is one slick P15 too.

Tim, my 53 had factory full wheel covers and no hubcap clips on any of the 5 rims. Guess they were being frugal with those clips. I've heard that 53 was a model that nearly didn't come out, due to the timing of retooling at the end of the Korean War. Plan B would have been to make the 52 body style for one more year. Sorta like 48-49?

Posted

I'm glad they made the newer model in 53/54..it was time for a styling change and a few things did carry forward. The loss of the split windshied and the non-bolted rear fenders were the drastic changes in the body. My 54 is actually a 1/2 year prduction as I read the history on Plymouth...it is the 230 with Automatic tranny. Did not get PS or PB though..the power steering would be primo addition. I have a set of 53 full dish caps here somewhere..drivers quality if anyone is interested...I liked the ship embossed on them and was going to put them on one of my cars but have since went another direction.

Posted

Its the 52s that almost didnt get built because of the war. The 51-52s ended up both being P23s with no separation in years.

Posted

Tim,

Where were you last fall?? I just bought a set of 53 Plymouth full wheel covers for my P15!! By the way, there is a difference between the 53 and 54 full wheel covers. The 53 is almost like a full moon with the ship. The 54 has like a flat dish cut in the center, then the ship in the center of that with paint around the inner dish, leaving the ship natural stainless. Found that out when looking through my books. Prior to that I thought 53 & 54 were the same. Here's the 53 cap. Not a very good picture but you can see them hanging on the wall.

Posted

At one time back in the 70s I owned this turquoise & white 54 wagon, which had overdrive, and full wheel covers. Of course I sold it and made maybe a couple hundered on it. It drove good and was really in pretty good shape. The buyer took it home & parked it under a carport where it sat for the next 30 years.....until the carport caved in on it. They had taken the engine out to rebuild but never put it back in the car. I looked at it maybe 3 years ago and it had so many problems, I did not want to mess with it. At the same time, it was not the worst thing you ever saw. In the picture, it is sitting at an area old car parts dealer's for sale. I think someone from the Kansas City area bought it and hauled it home.

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When in college in the early to mid 60s I had a pink & white four door Belvedere like this one (which is for sale in Kansas City) (has little hub caps).

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When I owned the 54 pinkie, the paint was oxidized big time and a wax job would not hold a shine for very long. And the engine was about worn out....it used a fair amount of oil. Drove OK though. Finally bought a nice 54 Chevy 210 two door and sold the old Plym.

Posted

Those with the ship and the rings around them are either 50 or 51-52 depending on the ship design. Hard to explain but the 50 kinda sticks out a little more and isnt as defined as the 51-52. The 54 full wheel covers are either wire or with the blue and red crest in the middle.

Posted

Canadian '53 Plymouths came with small or full size hubcaps. My '53 Belvedere came with the full size and they are different that the ones on US cars. Just the ship in the centre with a small ring around it. Painted red between the ring and the ship. Just a minor difference between the US and Canadian models. Car also has the 228 CID long block engine in it. Car is also all original including paint.

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Posted

The caps are different for sure..I like the crest on the 54..red and blue painted..to be so much the same in body style there was so many difference between the years trim wise...I have a set of 10" caps and full trim rings for my P15..at least that is what is planned so far...I have never but never beeen fortunate enough to locate a set of full dish 15's for the 52 model..

Posted

Tim I think thats cause we are hording them. Not that they are all mint but I bet there are 5-6 sets of 4 in the archives.

Posted

This Plymouth was for sale a year or so ago here in Joplin, owned by a local artist. Probably could have bought it for $1200. It ran, but still needed work. Has full wheel covers. The best thing about it was that swamp cooler. I don't want to insult anyone's sensibilities because several of you have great looking 52, 53,54 Plyms......but I didn't buy it because I think that's about the homeliest car I ever saw. Just my opinion of course.

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Posted

Bob..can't put the 52 in the same class as this..basically it shared the guage cluster only...rest is different....this car is one that grows on you with time...the coupes are a bit sleeker in the fact there is no rear vent..saw two 54's at the last swap meet that were for sale.

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