Why Did You Get The Car(s) You Have?

[JerseyHarold]

What brought you to this corner of the vintage automotive universe? Was owning a vintage Mopar a long-time goal or a spur-of-the-moment purchase?

I got my '52 Cambridge because it's a carbon copy of the one my father had (only 1200 VIN's apart). My '51 business coupe happened because the dairy company in the town where I spent summers in the late fifties (Stapleton and Penchansky in Woodridge, NY) had two of them. For me, they keep the good old days alive in my head. The '66 Sport Fury convertible was too good a deal to pass up, so my bargain-hunting instinct propelled me to make the deal.

What's your story?

[wallytoo]

learned to drive on a '52 b-3-c, and have liked pilothouses ever since. ended up with a bigger b-1-f, but with the dump body, i've put it to use for work.

[1940plymouth]

My sister works in the Post Office in Woodridge.

My oldest son bought my Plymouth in 1988, went in the Air Force a month later, I bought if from him shortly afterwards. Had a '51 Chevy pickup about ten years previous to the Plymouth

[Robert Horne]

My two Uncles traded a 36 Plymouth Coupe back and forth a few times, when

I was a little boy. The younger Uncle kept the 36 for over 40 years.

I loved the one seat, floor shift, little car from day one.

I got lucky & found a pair of 38s for sale in 1986 and brought them home.

[rockable]

Cause my Mom worked at the Chrysler-Plymouth Dealership owned by my Uncle and his Dad. I grew up riding in and lusting over Mopars. I hung out in the shop with the mechanics after school. I listened to Nascar on the radio. Plus, there was Richard Petty, Sox & Martin, Garlits, Muldowney, Cotton Owens, Buddy Baker, etc. etc. I grew up in the South.

[JIPJOBXX]

To bond with my twin boys but they became bonded with a Nintendo game system. But that OK as they both are great young men and I have a rare car.

[Young Ed]

I think this says enough.....

[52b3b Joe]

I was raised around old mopars. My dad is a DeSoto guy, he bought his 41 desoto in the early 70s. Over the years he had two 1956 DeSotos, a 1960 DeSoto, and a 54 Chrysler New Yorker two door hardtop. I found my truck around the corner from me and couldnt say no.

[BobT-47P15]

Probably because my father bought a new 46 Plymouth fourdoor after

WWII.....he once said it was the first one sold in our town at that time.

I remember riding in it and thought it was neat.

Then, when I was a senior in high school, a fellow who worked at a

filling station owned by a friend's Dad, had a P15 convertible. Had

never seen one before......thought it was really cool because it had

the top with blind quarters (no rear side glasses).

It also had a Dodge truck V8 in it. My friend would borrow it so

we could go cruising around town.

I decided I was going to find a car like that after I got out of college.

It took a while to find......there evidently had not been many of them

around my area. Mine was parked inside a small garage building on

the premises of a salvage yard at the edge of Springfield, MO.

The man let me make payments on it. Once it was paid for, I took a

set of wheels and tires, plus a tow bar and pulled it home (70 miles

back to Joplin).

It looked like this. I still like the looks of those cars.

[RobertKB]

Let's see pictures of everyone's cars! I'm showing all mine from the rear end.

1953 Plymouth - My dad had one when they were new. I was four and loved that car. I looked for a long time for one and got my '53 in 1975 when I was 26. Got my wife then, too, and still have her. My dad still enjoys driving my '53 and he is now 92.

1948 Dodge D25 Club Coupe - Neighbour had a P15 Club Coupe and I wanted one and the D25 is basically the same. Took a while to find a coupe and it needed lots of work but I enjoy the car now as much as when I got it in 1976.

1938 Chrysler - by this time I had Mopar addiction. This car was a 19 year project and finally got it finished for my daughter's wedding in 2004. Still have the car, two grandsons, but not the son-in-law.

1941 Dodge D21 - Picked it up cheap and figured to make a few dollars on it. It keeps calling me and I may yet answer the call.........or sell if the price is right.

Edited January 10, 2012 by RobertKB

[1941Rick]

I had a 34 chev hot rod pick-up.....wifey did not find it comfortable so I sold it.....while driving down the highway a couple of months later she spotted a nice looking coupe for sale....I went back and checked it out and it was a 41 P12 buisnessman coupe....brought it home and guess what........she still does not find it comfy

[T120]

..Perhaps envious of the attention you get while in the driver's seat from the younger

chicks

[hkestes41]

Have always been a Mopar fan. My dad raced dirt modifieds back in the 60's when I was a kid and also ran a 41 Willys Gasser for a while. All were Mopar powered. Then when I was early teens, my uncle who lived next door and was 7 years older than me had a very quick 70 roadrunner followed by a 47 Plymouth club coupe.

So when I was 14 I used my entire fortune (yard mowing money) to purchase my first car, a 48 Business Coupe. Ended up putting a 383/727 in it. Then had a 73 Cuda that I built a 383/727 for that would scream. Traded it for a 33 Plymouth coupe with a 318. Then my wife and I started a family and I drove boring a$$ family cars for about 18 years until my youngest daughter needed a car. Gave her my Camry and bought my current 48 Plymouth Club Coupe. Would have prefered another Business Coupe but was being practical and have a back seat.

[yourpc48]

Had a 48 d24 out of high school (85) and figured out that it was one of my favorite cars. I went looking for one and put an ad on craigslist. A little gal emailed me and said her husband had a 47 Plymouth and wondered if I was interested. I went and looked and a couple weeks later I had it in my driveway on the trailer at a discount (thanks to a major freeze and the gal wanted to use that space in the garage to park). The long front fender was what I was looking for but the P15 has really grown on me.

The 70 F100 was something I got on the cheap about a year ago. It has a lot of rust that I didnt know was there but it makes a good hauler.

[Dan Hiebert]

When I was in High School I read an article about a State Marshal in California who restored and upgraded a 1936 Dodge for his police car (I'm curious what became of that car). That got my attention, and except for when I was in the Army, then living in New Jersey before I joined the Border Patrol, I've always had an "old" car in the stable. In order - 67 Ford Fairlane station wagon, 66 Chrysler Imperial, 55 Ford F-100, 54 Chevy sedan (the only one I discovered I didn't like after I bought it, but it was cheap), 52 Ford F-3, 48 Dodge D24 (still have it), 56 Ford Country Wagon, 54 Willys station wagon, 56 Ford Mainline 2dr (to put the Thunderbird engine out of the wagon into), 60 Ford F-100, 76 Ford Torino station wagon (put its driveline into the F-100), 37 Terraplane (still have it), and a 63 Ford Falcon (gave it to my daughter, but still working on it). I guess you can call that eclectic, but the one car I've had and enjoyed the longest is the D24, just something about MoPar that catches my fancy. I kind of like the challenge of fixing them up and keeping them running more than actually driving them, I get bored when there's nothing to fix. Perhaps a bit wierd, but there it is. Maybe that explains why I've never brought myself to buy a "finished" one.

[oldmopar]

Mostly in the beginning because they were close and priced right but then as I had built up a supply of spare parts it just made sense. Not much emonitional attachement to cars in the past, my father was a salesman and went through a lot cars. I have had about a 1/2 dozen Mopars in this age group over the past 10 years sold most of them. Right now I have the only have the 52 suburban from this era been keeping that as I like wagons. In addition to the 52 Plymouth suburban other wagons I have are 67 Plymouth belvedere, 62 Willys wagon, 1977 Impala ,98 taurus (newer but still a wagon) all wagons are on the road. I also have a 3 dodge trucks a 58 w200,69 w300,76d100. Oh my 1st car was a 59 Plymouth but no plans for one of them I am not a fan of fins.

[Mark D]

I've always had a very strong attraction to automotive design of the late 30's and 40's, and knew someday that I would have to have something from that era as a project car. Both of my grandfathers where hands on guys, neither afraid of taking something apart that needed fixing. I guess I inherited that inquisitiveness from them. My moms dad started his career in the 30's as a auto mechanic and had his own garage in Chelmsford Mass. He was partial to Packards and Checkers for their reliability. When I found this out it started my search and that was 24 years ago.

Initially I was searching for a Packard and learned through the process that a good affordable starter car would be hard to find so I broadened my sights and started to learn more about mopar products. 40's Mopars are all my wifes great grandparents drove and we've got more than a few photos around the house showing them off. I think what sealed the deal in my mind was the fact that the 218 had served Chrysler for such a long period of time, so I knew that parts would be easier to obtain. And the fact that hardened valve seats meant no special gas additives was a bonus as well.

I literally spent 20 years looking for a car, some years aggressively and other years not so much so. Last spring I received a little wind-fall of cash so one night I decided to take a peek on craigslist to see if I could find an stock '40 or '41 coupe in the area for sale. With nothing found, I expanded the search parameters and ended up finding what was posted as a '48 sedan. The pictures of the car where intriguing enough to get me to drive an hour down to Providence RI from central Mass to see the car. When I arrived I found a car that was in great shape, needed a little attention, but overall had been kept in relatively original condition.

In hind sight, I could have probably driven the car home that day if I had the cash with me, but I ended up renting a trailer from U-haul and pulling her home. On the ride home cars where passing me on the highway with old ladies smiling and little kids waving and giving the thumbs up. It was then that I realized I made the right decision. Later that night I sat in the driveway marveling at my new passion. My wife came out and saw me sitting there and said, "she looks like a Ruby". I cracked open my beer and made it official with a proper christening on her fender. From there on in she was to be known as Ruby.

I've had the car for almost one full year now, but feel I've owned it for much longer. I've got big plans for her in the future, and now that I've hung out here for a while and with some of you guys in person I know exactly what it's going to take to get her to where I want her to be. But it's all quite achievable over time and since she's a great driver, I get to do the upgrades and enjoy the ride at the same time. In the past year with help from another P15'er, I've found she is actually a '49 first series car, #4030 from the end of the line, likely made sometime during the third week of January of that year. She is remarkable for the fact that she is so well equipped with such a late VIN number. I've had some great discussions at car shows this past year talking about that.

I paid $4,900- for this car, and the smile hasn't left my face since the first time I sat behind her wheel. Heck, I've been on vacations that cost more, and most of those vacations only lasted 7 days and the memories are long faded. I intend to own this car for a long time to come, so I figure I've already got my monies worth. From here on in its all bonus time.

I still haven't given up on that coupe... One of the these days the planets will align again and another remarkable car will grace my stable.

[Plymouthy Adams]

just like them is about all I can say..I would think the 49 that my dad owned may have more influence than anything else..ole Plymmie was what I called it..name stuck..that car would go anywhere in any weather..

[busycoupe]

I had a 65 Mustang convertible for a few years about 10 years ago. I fixed it up so that I could drive it, but it was at the point that if I wanted to take it to the next level it was going to need lots of expensive body and engine work. I sold it and bought a 71 Triumph motorcycle to play with. After a few years of playing with motorcycles I decided to get another old car. I liked the looks of the late '30s Plymouth coupes and started looking around for one I could afford. While I was looking I stumbled across my D24 business coupe on craigslist. It is far from a perfect car, but the price was right. I bought it in April 2007 and it has kept me busy ever since! It always gets a lot of attention when I take it to a cruise or show because it is usually the only '40s Mopar there.

Dave

[wayfarerstranger]

THEY just happen to be the cars in TIM ADAMS garage that day when i stole them , you just settle for what you can steal !! 9 in one day that was a good haul !!

[falconvan]

My 48 was a gift from a friend and my 49 was $400 bux.

[Cpt.Fred]

after 10 years of driving and working on Opel (GM) cars from the 60s i decided

i 'd like to try american iron, and i didn't want unibody any more.

when i started browsing i originally looked for a 50 Buick Sedanette because i really dig the shark teeth grille,

but then i saw this photo on oldrides.com:

and that was when i instantly decided i really should own this very car, without knowing anything about it.

i did not regret it yet.

[Plymouthy Adams]

on the small roads in most burgs in Germany..this has to be an in your face automobile to most other commuters..I am sure you get more than your share of looks as you cruise about..

[Oldguy48]

My first car (a P15) was originally purchased new by my grandfather. After my grandfather gave it up for a Studebaker Lark (a 1961 I think), it became our family car. Off I went to a nearby community college, and the car became mine for commuting. I ended up selling the old girl when she got sickly, and can only assume it has had a date with the crusher. Decided I really wanted to find another P15, and since I wasn't getting any younger...the search began. Using "Cars on Line" I found my P15. That was over 5 years ago. Just got it running and street legal this summer. Much more to do, but I can drive it now. And it's a blast to drive. My 89 year old Mother got a real kick out of it when I stopped in at her assisted living facility and took her for a ride.

[Plymouthy Adams]

THEY just happen to be the cars in TIM ADAMS garage that day when i stole them , you just settle for what you can steal !! 9 in one day that was a good haul !!

should have kept your mouth shut Chance..my camera caught the perp in the act..that gorilla mask you were wearing sure did work...!!!!!