Intro & Question on 50 Plymouth Business Coupe

[alsancle]

Hi All,

I'm a car guy from Massachusetts. My first car was a 49 Plymouth Special Deluxe 2 door that my dad bought for me when I was 12 (for 600.00). It had 9k original miles. We put a FM/8 track in it along with a fenton dual carb intake. I drove it through high school until I graduated in 1982 and it was passed down to my brothers. I'll be honest and admit I had a love/hate relationship with it. I really wanted a GTO which is what I eventually saved enough money to get. However, it was the only car around like it and was in really nice shape. I was also smart enough to appreciate that my dad paid for it.

Besides the fact that it was such a good deal, my dad had some specific reasons for getting me this car. First, it wasn't a speed demon so I was not going to kill myself in a drag race. Second, although it wasn't a huge car it was made of real metal. With the 3 on the tree I became proficient with a standard transmission (by the time I was 13). Finally, there was no hiding around town as everyone knew who you were.

So here I am with a son who will be turning 15. I think about the reasons my dad had for getting me that car and I'm thinking I will do the same for him. However, I'm thinking Business Coupe instead of the 5 passenger body styles. Mostly because I think they are cool, but also because you can't jamb 6 teenagers into the car. He is not in to cars much although he's a good kid who will humor his dad and come to shows with me. My car got sold off after the last brother was done with it (25k miles, 1500.00) but I was thinking this could be something he could keep.

I've been watching the market for about 6 months. My number one criterion is rock solid. My dream car would be a south west car with original paint. Would anyone car to comment on this car? It is a bit more than I wanted to spend, and frankly too nice for a 16 year old (although not as nice as the one my dad got me). I like that it has the overdrive.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1950-Plymouth-Business-Coupe-/261154959268

thanks, A.J.

[Young Ed]

As much as I love old cars I'd have a really hard time giving my son one for everyday use. With an inexperienced driver and a car not even close to modern for traffic etc. If you really want it the car on ebay looks great. Only flaw I saw at all and its completely minor and fixable is they painted over the fender welting. I say go for it but share it with your son and let him have something modern for everyday use. If you want to limit passengers go for a pickup.

[austinsailor]

I agree with Ed. Unless you live out in a small town out in the middle of nowhere and he'll never go to a bigger town, there is no way I'd let him loose in that as a driver. I'm not sure who'd be more at risk - him or the car.

I've driven in Boston and with 50 years driving experience in every manner of vehicles from clunkers to old good drivers to bigger trucks with trailers, I'd be pretty worried about driving that in the bigger cities.

And, as much as I hate to admit it, the modern safety aspects far outweigh the heavy metal the older ones have.

Having said that, buy that car! It would be a fantastic Sunday driver for you and your son to share. If you're lucky your son won't have any interest and you'll get it all to yourself!

Gene

[RobertKB]

As much as I love old cars I'd have a really hard time giving my son one for everyday use. With an inexperienced driver and a car not even close to modern for traffic etc. If you really want it the car on ebay looks great. Only flaw I saw at all and its completely minor and fixable is they painted over the fender welting. I say go for it but share it with your son and let him have something modern for everyday use. If you want to limit passengers go for a pickup.

Ditto.

[alsancle]

Hey Guys,

thanks for the responses. We live about 40 miles outside of Boston in a suburban setting. No roads over 40 mph. I wouldn't go near Boston with this. It would be an around town car only and would never see the highway. Basically to school and back. Also, a April to October car as it wouldn't see snow.

Do you really think driving conditions have changed that much from the 80s? Granted I wouldn't want him using hand signals like I did.

I was originally on the truck bandwagon but he really thinks the business coupes are cool. I'm a sucker for him showing interest in the old stuff. If it needs to be a summer weekend car, than it may become more about me and I'll go for a wayfarer which I always wanted anyways.

A.J.

[Reg Evans]

A.J. ,

Here's a 49 Wayfarer for about 1/2 the price.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1949-Dodge-Wayfarer-Business-Coupe-Very-Nostalgic-Great-Character-Nice-Solid-Car-/181059438009?_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&forcev4exp=true

[mrwrstory]

A.J. Sounds like you got it "dialed"! Best of both worlds w/your boy interested in older stuff and limitations on where it will be driven. I'd bet his buddies would think it cool. And in time, if he lusts for something different, he will have road experience and you will inherit his cast off old Plymouth.

[Don Coatney]

This one is not exactly what you are looking for but it is 2/3 the price and in your back yard.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1946-Plymouth-Special-Deluxe-Four-Door-Sedan-Balfour-Green-/290842817659?pt=US_Cars_Trucks&hash=item43b795347b#v4-36

[Young Ed]

AJ let me add this too. I got my license at 18 in 1997. My Dad did and still does have many old mopars. For a very brief period I drove to work in his 54 plymouth 4dr. We paid $50 for it and I and my best friend fixed the engine. So in other words it was no where near the car that the business coupe is. Then winter came and it went in storage and by spring I had a more modern car to drive daily. I would drive the plymouths to car shows. Even talked him into a 63 Falcon convert. That one didn't last long-great looking car but a dissaster to keep running. When I turned 21 he bought me a jigsaw puzzle of a 46 dodge 1/2 ton and the rest is history as they say.

[greg g]

One thing I would strongly recomend is an upgrade to disc brakes in the front if you purchase a car like this for your son. the conversion is about the same price as redoing the originals but gives you a much more dependable and safer system along with an upgrade to a dual reservoir master cylinder. But please keep in mind that there are no seat belts, no airbags, no collapsable steering column, etc. And like any teenager your son will stretch the limits of any restrictions placed on him. Around town will beomce around the county, arount the county will become lets go to Worcester. and then who knows. Your statement about not into cars causes me some concern, as an older car is going to require more attentions to maintenence than some more recent choices. Hey if you want the car buy it for youself and let him drive it when he wants, but for him bombing around, I would get something a bit more modern with all the safety goodies built in, and your idea of limiting seats for riders is smack on, so a small pickup is a good idea. Let him get some experience and develope some deivng skills before turning over the old iron.

[alsancle]

This one is not exactly what you are looking for but it is 2/3 the price and in your back yard.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1946-Plymouth-Special-Deluxe-Four-Door-Sedan-Balfour-Green-/290842817659?pt=US_Cars_Trucks&hash=item43b795347b#v4-36

I've been watching that one. The snow belt location is a bit worrisome and would require very careful inspection. Of course, any remote purchase will require careful inspection I guess. I would like to be able to personally look at both.

I can't argue with any of the other points being made. Definitely agree on the dual master and potentially adding the disk brakes. Also agree on the point about how hard it is to go back to an old car once you've gotten used to a new one.

[roadworthy]

I wish my dad had been even remotely interested in old cars when I was in high school. I always wanted to have a project to work on with him, still trying to convince him...

[busycoupe]

I again emphasize the safety concern. Most of us grew up in the days before air bags, collapsable steering columns, crush zones, etc, and lived to tell about it. But if you give a young man a car it is difficult to limit where or how he drives, and yes he will probably make mistakes. When my son was 21 he was riding with a friend on Storrow Drive in Boston in the friends then new Dodge neon. They crashed it on one of the exit ramps near Kenmore square. Totalled the car, but because it had air bags they both walked away. With good late model cars available for the same money as a driveable classic I would opt to give my son a modern car with modern safety features.

Dave

[Scruffy49]

Make him earn it...http://i558.photobucket.com/albums/ss28/VPOINT/Mopar%20junk%20yard%20pics/IMG_1083.jpg That's in a boneyard in Maine. Sold whole only.

The name of the yard is "Ayotte's Used Auto Parts" pronounced A - OTS ! 207 539 4888 and ask for Vinny.

My stepson's first classic was a 56 or so Ford Squire 2 door estate car, little English wagon. 1.4L 1974 Datsun running gear with a 1.2L sourced cylinder head. 40+ mpg if he kept his foot out of the pedal. And of course, being a high school kid, it got ruined...

[Don Coatney]

My dad bought me my first car (49 Plymouth) when I was about 13. It became a field racer until the engine let go. When my youngest son turned 16 I bought him a raggedy old van for about a hunderd bucks. It took him about six months to knock it down but fortunally nobody got knocked up. My daily driver at the time was a cherry 69 furd pickup. I had rebuilt the engine and transmission in that truck and it was mostly rust free. I was given a company truck to drive so I let him drive my pickup. About a year later I woke up and looked out the bedroom window to find the front end of my truck all smashed up with the fender rubbing the tire on a right turn. That was the last vehicle I bought him.

[alsancle]

I understand that it would be better to let him work for the car. Also, I get what you guys are saying about kids beating the crap out of stuff. When I was a kid I would beat the tar out of the family cars, but was respectful of my dad's antiques (he was very open to letting us drive them) and the Plymouth. I'm hoping my kid would be too.

[Merle Coggins]

A.J. ,

Here's a 49 Wayfarer for about 1/2 the price.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1949-Dodge-Wayfarer-Business-Coupe-Very-Nostalgic-Great-Character-Nice-Solid-Car-/181059438009?_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&forcev4exp=true

Hey!!! That one is listed in my town. If only I had a little more ready cash and room to keep it...

Odd that it is in Waukesha, but he lists a western WI phone #.

Merle

[BobT-47P15]

A.J. Check your P Ms for a note and some pics on a 51 coupe that

may still be for sale near here. Pretty nice and less than the one on

ebay, as I recall. Bob

[90lxfive0]

My dad bought the 50 special deluxe coupe I have now when I was 12 as a father/son project car. I never drove it to school or anything like that, just spent a lot of time working on it with my dad. We ended up selling it because I got my 72 skylark convertible when I was in college and he had his 68 vette. We both always regretted selling it. Long story short I bought the same car back in the fall. Im 26 now, and I plan on having that car for the rest of my life.