Why a P15-D24 ?

[Barabbas]

I was raised Mopar--51 Plymouth, 57 plymouth Wagon, 62 Belvidere wagon and on. When I was 16 my Dad paid $75 for a 52 Cambridge "barn" special for my older sister and I to share. It had a good interior but badly oxidized paint with plenty of pigeon deposits. It also ran really rough at first--so my Dad and I measured the compression and discovered a blown head gasket. "Change it" he said--he told me the bolt tightening patern and walked away. Now I had never used a socket set up to that point in my life--so I was a little intimidated--but a few hours later she was running great.

So it was nostagalia that made me choose my 52 Cranbrook---makes me smile every time I drive it

[Don Coatney]

Yesterday I was having lunch in a local slow food eatery. I had my P-15 parked out front. As I was eating a nice lady stopped y my table and asked what year my car was. I replied 1948. She then asked if it was a ford or chevy as if that was the only two cars built in 1948. I replied it is a Plymouth and she did not know what to say for a couple seconds and then replied her dad had a 53 Plymouth and that Plymouth did build good cars too.

Then as I was leaving an older gentelman asked me whet year the chevy was as he once had one just like it. I just smiled and told him it was a 1948. He then asked me if that was my personal car? I was not sure what his question was and I was going to tell him it was my impersonal car but I just smiled and told him the chevy was my personal car.

Why is it that the general population only remembers ford and chevy? Plymouth production numbers were not that far behind.

[Plymouthy Adams]

Folks tend to remember the cars that cost them the most headaches over the years...

[48P15Annie]

That's beautiful, Kyle. My grandfather's car is being well-love by my uncle who learned to drive in it. I got many of my grandfather's power tools. They are 1930's era Craftsman and DeWalt professional series... about a million pounds each, underpowered, bulky to the point of overfilling my shop. And I cherish every second I get to spend using them.

Annie's beautiful... it's great to hear how much your grandfather got to enjoy her before he left her for you.

Thank you very much!

I too have most of my grandpa's tools. He didn't have very many. He was never one to work on cars a whole lot, but he could tell you everything an anything about the details and differences etc etc. I'm the same way.

Nice story Kyle.

Thanks for sharing.

Thank you!

And you're welcome

Edited October 22, 2010 by 48P15Annie

[Reg Evans]

Ever since I can remember I've liked the look of 30's - 40's cars. Not sure why because my father and older brothers weren't in to them at all. My dad always had a modern car for the times and they were usually Fords or Oldsmobiles and when it was time for my older brothers to get a car they always picked out the newest car they could afford.

I built my first set of wheels using a soap box derby coaster I traded a bicycle for.

Other kids were building sleek aerodynamic coasters but I came up with this design. Notice the dual side mounts,hood ornament,and trunk rack. I made 2 working head lights out of tin cans,flash light bulbs and a battery pack. For additional down hill speed I made a compartment up front that would hold a number of bricks.

When it was my turn (3rd of 4 boys) to get my own car I spotted this car in the back yard of a neighboring town. It was just a bigger version of the coaster I had built 5 years earlier with it's dual side mounts,hood ornament,headlight buckets and a trunk rack. Plus it had the added bonus of an engine and brakes. No more dragging my wheels back up hill. Well.... usually anyway.

Guess I've always loved the look and feel and sound and smell of old cars.

[greg g]

So Reg, just a guess but were you a fan of the Beach Boys????? Or did you set the style of Untucked shirt, pegged high water jeans, chucks, and bushy hair??? Guessing that was taken in 66/67.

That pic looks like it coulda been a study for one of their album covers. Move to beach add surf board and three or 4 of your similarly attired good friends.

[Frank Elder]

As you all well know, my P-15 came from my grandfather. But that does not mean I do not have a deep love and passion for these cars, because I surely do! I will begin on why my grandpa wanted the car...

My grandpa always wanted another old car since he sold his '39 Buick Century Series 60 in 1992. But my grandmother was so frugal, she wouldn't let him get a car. She passed away in December 2005 and by June 2006 he had an old car! He looked for a while, until he came across a dark blue 1948 Plymouth for sale in Canton, Ohio. This car struck a nerve with him, because he and my grandma went on their first date in my grandpa's first car, a 1940 Plymouth sedan. So, being somewhat similar, he wanted this car! He called my dad up, and said "Do you and Kyle want to go look at a car?" Of course, we said "YES!" He came and picked us up for the 4+ hour drive to see the car. It was okay though, because he had a big comfy 2002 Lincoln Town Car Cartier L extended wheel base. Anywho, he loved the car in person just as much as the online pictures, and I loved it too! They wanted a little too much for it, so we went out to lunch and thought about it. I pretty much talked him into it He had made a deal though with them..."Find and send to me: an exterior sun-visor, dual chrome mirrors and a flare out fender extension and I'll pay your price." And they accepted. I rode home in the "new" Plymouth with my grandpa that day, and until the day he died, he always teased me about falling asleep on the way home.

I loved Annie from the moment I saw her! I always looked forward to seeing her again and going for a ride. The 5th owner of Annie, who also gave her that name, had sent my grandpa a large framed 48 add, and it had a dark blue sedan on it. And on the back of the frame, my grandpa wrote "To Kyle: Rich the previous owner of Annie sent me this. It's yours because you loved Annie too. Gramps", for me to have when he was gone because he knew I loved her. I have that add hanging on my wall. Along with another one, that I had gotten him. Less than a week before he died, one of my dad's sisters called him and said we(his 3 sisters) all want him and I to have Annie. The last bit of communication my grandpa understood, was when my dad sat down next to him, and told him that we were taking Annie for him and she would be well taken care of. He smiled and gave my dad a thumbs up, for it was his only movement.

If it was not for my grandpa, I probably would not even be able to pick out a 46-48 Plymouth at a car show. But that doesn't mean I love these cars any less. You don't see many, if at all, at car shows around my area. I have the only (and nicest) one and I love to show her off. My dad doesn't have much interest in the car, only the fact it was his father's. He is a "Muscle Car" guy That's why he came right out and said "Annie is yours" because, he too, knew how much I loved that car. That car means more to me than anything else I own. It is my number one prized possession, and I will NEVER let anything happen to her. Annie will always be with me.

Very touching, I didn't know your grandpa from Adam, but after reading your very well written story I find myself wishing I did.

[48P15Annie]

Thank you, Frankie! He was a good man.

[49 Dodge Dude]

That is a cool picture!

[123.gramps]

Last year in High School and my first car, 48 ply CC. Paid 35 bucks for it cause the guy that owned it couldn't make it run. 20 bucks later, new head gasket plugs and alcohol I had my memorie maker!! Few years ago decided to give up corvettes and found a 48 Ply CC in a barn in upstate NY. My son and I went up, checked it out and gave it and a family of mice, a ride home. several years later, my riide is like new, offenhauser intake and fenton headers, sound and runs great!! My time machine I share with family and remember what it was like to be young again.

[BobT-47P15]

Sounds nice, gramps. Got a picture you could post??

[Greenbomb]

Reg: great picture! I always wondered where those pants ended up!

[Dubster1]

My 1st. plymouth was a 41 business cpe. it cost me $40 and I enjoywd it for a while and then went to a 48 4 dr (with a couple of fords and an olds in between) and really liked that car. I have never seen a dash I like better than 46 to 48 plymouths. fast forward 50 years and I now have a 42 cpe. It needs a lot of help, but I hope to have it driveable soon.

4$$

[pflaming]

The following states are represented in this post: NC,MN,PA,NY,FL,AL,TX,MO,IN,CA,MI,WA,TN,GA,NE, and Belgium. Sixteen total, so far.

I'm working an a '53 Pilot-house. My first mo-par was a '50 Ply fastback, my day bought if for me without my knowledge, in '57, I was not happy but it was a car, it served me well. Drove it from Western NE to CA and back in '58 with no problems.

[Dogdy dude]

I did an endurance rally a couple of years back in a 4 cyl Essex. Great car, but for long distance driving not enough speed, and when going thru or stopping in unfamiliar territory, no secure storage space for the tools, spares, and luggage. Plus open car driving is nice, but I did most of the trip with the roof up (except for a sand storm, but that is another story) as protection against rain or to stay warm.

So a D24 Business coupe is what I want, huge trunk, mechanically uncomplicated (easy to fix) engine compression ratio under 7 to 1 for running low octane gas,and decent ground clearance. I like the low maintenance fluid drive clutch idea too. And like greg_g said, "Wanted a 40's car but no buggy springs, no torque tube, with full pressure oiling, no history of overheating, nice design, and wouldn't have to put a chevy engine in it to get it down the road dependably."

Now all I need to do is find one!

If any of you more knowledgable folks can think of a reason why a D24 would not be suitable for long distance running, please share your wisdom.

[hkestes41]

I was raised around cars. My dad owned a body shop and did a lot of custom work including my mom's chopped/channeled shoe box Ford. He also built and raced the old dirt modified coupes/sedans and built ran a 41 Willys Gasser for a few years. No matter what he built to race everything was Mopar powered. So, I guess you can say it is in my blood.

Mowed yards when I was a kid and when I was 14 I plunked down my entire "life savings" for a 48 Plymouth business coupe. Drove it all the way through my Junior year of HS with the flathead until I spun a bearing. Then bought my Grandfathers 68 Plymouth wagon, pulled the 383/727 and shoved it in the 48 following a very stout .060 over, 10:1 compression rebuild. Used the old Direct Connection catalog that had recipies for parts that worked well together.

Then I got the Muscle Car bug, bought a 73 318 Cuda. Yanked the 383 out of the 48 put it in the Cuda and had one of the fastest street cars around Joplin Mo. Traded the Cuda for a 33 Plymouth coupe with another 383. Before I could the coupe completed, my wife and I started a family and cars were way down on the list.

Fast forward to a couple years ago, I'm driving a 2000 Camary (yawn) when my youngest turned 16. I gave her the Camary and bought my current 48 Plymouth club coupe which is now my daily driver, and I am a happy man.

Edited October 28, 2010 by hkestes41

[Uncle-Pekka]

For my part, it was a decision based on evaluation of cost vs. characteristics I was looking for.

I've been hanging around the car hobby most of my life. In high school age I helped my father when he restored a 1960 Rover 100, an english sedan with extraordinary "f-head" six (=inlet OH-valves, exhaust valves in block).

I got "hangaround" membership in local classic car club and was there to arrange gatherings and cruisings ever since. My first car, bought in 1979, was a 1964 Peugeot, which I re-conditioned and drove for eight years. I admired american cars all that time, but had no money to buy me one no sooner but 2005 at age of 43.

Having followed the scene and scanned Hemmings & other market places, I realized from the start that my favorite, 1946 Cadillac, was out of reach due to price tag. (Also same era Chevrolets, Buicks, Old's and even Pontiacs were surprisingly dear compared to condition. Ford was of no interest.)

Actually, the 1941-48 Chrysler has been almost equal to Cadillac in my books.

I was looking for a Chrysler, when I came across this driver D24 in LaGrange, Illinois, most reasonable priced compared to condition. The seller was a trustworthy fellow, a car nut with 1950 Hudson and 1940 Chev', who needed to sell the Dodge to finance the restoration of the Chevy.

I found a forwarder who took the Dodge to Finland loaded with spares you fellows and the seller helped me to purchase before the shipping. When it arrived the brakes leaked and tank was full of rust gunk, but I managed to drive it home 180 miles from the Port of Kotka to my home town. I've been driving and working on it ever since. I am very satisfied with it. The 230cid L-head is a reliable power plant, handling is much better than fords or chevys of the 50's I've driven. Fluid drive is fun too, even if I sometimes would prefer a hydramatic of my original dream.

After the purchase of the D24 the USD was devalued vs. Euro and as I knew the practise & people to import thus I went for more. Some of you noticed my poor luck Cadillac story, a rotten 1961 flattop, which I finally was able to trade for a nice fine condition 1977 New Yorker Brougham. Last summer I imported my 3rd american, a 1951 Nash Statesman. NY is huge with all options, Nash has small 184cid L-head and 3-in-tree manual - For a summer cruiser I prefer my Dodge over these two later acquisitions.

To summarize: I belive I am a D24 guy and will stay that way - You have to bear with me

Edited October 28, 2010 by Uncle-Pekka

[Charlie Olson]

I pretty much thought I was all done with old cars and trucks, when, in 2003, I was surfing the web and came to a site called the North West Classic Auto Mall. I was scrolling through their photo ads when I discovered a 1946 P15 four door sedan that a "tinker man" had made into a 1946 Nash Suburban 'wannabe'. I contacted him and when I heard his story about how he had designed and fabricated the car, I just had to have it; mainly because it was the least expensive "woodie type" car I would ever find. I have been a Furd/Chebbie guy all of my post 14 years of life and once I obtained the lowly Plymouth, I soon realized it was probably the most fun/unusual/attention getting car I have ever had. Since 2003, PLYWOOD and I have had many amazing experiences. The car has been published twice in the National Woodie Club, WOODIE TIMES, including this month's (11/2010) issue, which is about my Route 66 Fun Run and an epilogue about the famous crash in CA, on 9/16; and once in the POC The Bulletin, the same month as Young Ed's wedding article. I am not personally aware of any Woodie in the entire world that has been in a featured article, in the Woodie Times, more than once. PLYWOOD is the most fun, all around, vehicle I have ever owned, simply because it is such an unapologetic, humble realization of some one's Woodie creative dreams. My two Ferraris, my six Chevies and my four Fords never received the attention, thumbs up, horn honks and friendly conversations that PLYWOOD has. That is my story...............

Edited October 29, 2010 by Charlie Olson

[pflaming]

Charlie, that's a beautiful car, sorry about the fender. Is that a restored woodie or did you 'fix' it. Don't matter to me, it's an eye catcher. 20 years ago I had a swept side 1/2 ton, nice. My daughter took it to college in Santa Barbara. It sat on the Westmont parking log with all the Bemers, Mercedes, etc., but they all wanted to talk to her about the truck. It came home with a lot of sand in it!

[RobertKB]

My dad had a new '53 Plymouth I remember as a kid so that is why I searched for a '53 Plymouth and bought it in 1975, the same year I got married. The car is original including paint. I also still have my supportive wife who understands my MOPAR addiction. So, I don't actually own a P15 or a D24 but I am Chrysler flathead addicted. Sorry for the number of pictures but each one is worth a thousand words as they say.

As a teenager, my neighbour had a Plymouth P15 club coupe and I really wanted one. Didn't find one but I did find a Plymouth based Canadian Dodge D25 coupe in 1976 and restored it.

Also bought a '38 Chrysler in 1981 and restored it.

Recently bought a '41 Dodge but may move it on as restoration is getting expensive.

[oldodge41]

Back in March of 1990 my daughter was born. By June I was really bored hanging around home all the time since my wife and I had always been on the go the 10 years we had been married. I was always a car guy and was going to look for an old car to fix up. Something that kept me with the family but off the couch. Talked to my Dad about my plan and he said we should do it together. Neither of us could really afford to do it alone and he needed a project too. We found a "50 Ford p.u. to buy but the deal fell through last minute. Dad had looked at a '41 Dodge Cpe. but hadn't had the cash to buy it. He asked if I was interested, I didn't know what it looked like but could tell he was interested and I always had Mopars so we called the guy and he still had it. Wasn't at all what I expected. I was picturing more what a Model A looks like. But something about it appealed to me and we bought it. It was bad! People laughed, but we didn't care. After about 3 wash jobs you could tell there was a solid car under there. Had sat in a tool shed along side a barn and a corn crib for 26 years but we wanted a project and we got one. It is no 100 point show car but I am very proud to say it is 100% family redone. I have 3 sisters and 2 brothers and everyone helped in some way. We did everything within the family and our means. My brother in law could weld, my brother could paint and my sister made the upholstery. Dad and I did some of everything, lots of everything actually. Every Saturday and a lot of Sundays the whole family gathered at Dads while we worked on the car, the wives would cook big meals and take turns watching the kids and socializing. We started in September and had it on the road the following Easter. It wasn't "done" then and is still not "done" today. But man have we had fun with it. We have since done other cars and sold them, some I miss, some I was glad to see go but I have kept this one and intend to keep it as long as I can. None of the others stirred up the memories this one does.

[old rat 49]

Robert B. You pull the Teardrop (saw the Little Guy) with your old cars ? I'm really pleased with the responses to this thread. Love the stories.

[RobertKB]

Robert B. You pull the Teardrop (saw the Little Guy) with your old cars ? I'm really pleased with the responses to this thread. Love the stories.

No, that is actually where the car was sitting when I bought it so not my teardrop. Normspeed, who used to be a regular on this forum, has a teardrop he pulls with his '53 Plymouth wagon. A year or so ago he did a round trip from New Mexico to Florida and back.

[1940plymouth]

In Nov of '88 my oldest son came home with a 1940 Plymouth P10 Business coupe that he bought in Sidney,NY, it ran, but was rough, and I do mean rough. In Jan of '89 he went in the Air Force, so we parked the Plymouth in the cow barn across the road, filled up the crankcase and cylinders with oil, and there it sat until Feb of '90 when he came home with orders to Germany. I told him I would buy the Plymouth for what he paid for it, he agreed. That late winter and spring a good friend of mine and I got it running again, went thru the brakes to get it road worthy, and in May of 1991 I put it on the road for the first time since 1974. I am the second registared owner of the Plymouth, but not the second owner naturally.

I have always liked the split windshield vehicles as long as I can remember. My first car was a 1951 Ford 2dr sedan while in high school, then in 1977 I bought a 1951 Chevy half ton pickup for 200 dollars, put it on the road, picked my wife up at the Hosp in Norwich at her lunch time, in it, needless to say she wasn't very happy. I drove the old Chevy for about six months, then sold it for what I paid for it, and that was it until I bought the Plymouth. This time money was better and my wife didn't mind.

My Grandfather Drown had a late '20's Dodge pickup, then a new 1937 Plymouth car, then a new 1950 Plymouth, I don't remember the previous two vehicles, but I do remember the '50 Plymouth.

When I was born in 1948 my parents had a '41 Dodge which I came home from the hosp in, that was the last MOPAR that my Father ever owned.

In the past 20 to 22 years my wife has been very understanding and even very helpful at times with helping me on the "Wayback Machine" as I like to call the old Plymouth.

I have enjoyed this thread very much, not to mention this site also:)

Bob

Edited October 30, 2010 by '40Plymouth

[old rat 49]

More !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Tell your story. Inquiring minds want to know.

Edited November 8, 2010 by old rat 49