Convertibles

[pflaming]

Last night I was surfing the new format and viewed the gallery of cars. I found only 3 convertibles all pre '50's. Are convertibles scarce or rare and what is the difference between scarce and rare?

[RobertKB]

Convertibles generally make up only a small percentage of any year's production. Combine this with the fact they are more prone to being rotted out by the weather when they are older and the top deteriorates, I would say they are scarce. Ones such as yours would not likely be restored if they were four door sedans, but because they are "open" cars, their chances of being restored are higher as they are in demand. Just my two cents worth and probably not worth much as the penny is now history in Canada. http://www.starnews.ca/news/article_bffe1148-7543-11e2-898e-0019bb30f31a.html

Edited February 23, 2013 by RobertKB

[Don Coatney]

Advertising hype. A rare car is scarce to some and a scarce car is rare to others. You should know that a used car salesperson will say anything to up the price of a sale.

[Plymouthy Adams]

as you found three in one search..not rare..just uncommon and lower production as Don says means fewer originals..fewer survivors..supply anhd demand...but those that just have to have the convertible..its again..pay to play..

[BobT-47P15]

The P15 convertible production of 46-early 49 totalled only a bit over 15,000.....just above 5,000 per year. 

I don't know what the total production for all models was in this time.

 

I have seen, around here, a couple P15 verts in salvage yards years ago.  Mine had been in some sort of accident and

been mostly repaired, but was in the possession of a salvage dealer (being kept in a garage) when I found it.  It was

run down.   

 

An area fellow I know kept looking for a convert and finally just a few years ago......bought one at a farm sale that

had been chopped off in the rear and made into a sawmill.  So.....at least in this part of the country they are

scarce.  And, as with most things, the price has steadily increased on them over time.   

[Young Ed]

Bob I believe total P15 production was 1.1mil.

[CaptainGTX]

While I don't have 1953 Dodge model year production, in calendar year 1953 Dodge produced nearly 300,000 cars.  4,100 of 1953 model year cars were convertibles, or about 1.4% of production.  So they were pretty rare to start with. 

 

My first car bought in 1964 was a 53 Coronet sedan and I had never seen a convertible until I bought mine three years ago.  So far I've been able to locate only seven others nationwide.  Mine is the only one listed in the WPC roster, so I know it's pretty rare.  My first car had rust when I bought it and the only likely reasons the convertible survived are that it lived its entire life in a dry climate plus was stored in a dry garage for 45 years.  Otherwise it would have ended up as a kitchen appliance like so many others.

 

Incidently, they made fewer 1954's (2,000), but there are six in the WPC roster.  Most 54 convertibles were Indianapolis pace car replicas, so were special to start with.

 

Rich 

[captden29]

Flame, Robert is correct about the fact that they will rot faster when left out, as in the old junkyards. as soon as the top goes, so goes the rest of the car.they are considered more valuable and desirable by collectors, and convertibles will be restored even when in extremely poor condition. usually a sedan or 2 door of the same year becomes a donor car for a very rotted convertible under restoration. but, to answer the question, they tend to be rare or scarce for any car, any year, some more than others. I own a 1954 Chrysler Windsor deluxe convertible and only 500 were produced. the 54 new Yorker conv had a run of about 750. but, being Chryslers they do not command the prices of many other 50.s convertibles. ironically, a gentleman only 15 miles from me has a 54 Windsor conv., restored and beautiful. mine is a survivor, but in decent shape and I drive it often. you can see it on my profile. it looks a lot better in that picture than in real life. it is all factory original except I put the wire wheels on. hope you can find one you like, it took me 5 years of searching to find the exact one I wanted. capt den

[pflaming]

Capden, I found one last December, it is in the front garage. I can't start on it until I have my truck a daily driver and my study guide on Frankenstein ready for a publisher. My truck and my vert are in the attached photos. The truck is essentially done and the study guide is with readers. But I'm getting edgy.

[Dave72dt]

Just noticed the forklift in the 'vert's background.   Looks identical to the old Clark forklift I had.  If it's the same model , it had a Continental flathead 6 cyl hooked to a 2 speed trans with reverser, and a 49 Chev 1 ton dually drive axle.   Unusual finding one that old still working.

[blucarsdn]

My P8, '39 Plym conv is typlcal of the low numbers of surviving open cars from the '30's,'40's, and later..According to the stat's for the POC, there were 5,100 P8 convertibles made in 1940, only 36 are know to exist.. I know of four more that do not belong to the POC.

Theres an old saying in the antquent car cirlcles.. If the top goes down, the price goes up.. Convetibles are very expensive to restore.. Many of the body parts and trim pieces are strickly convertible.... Bill

[blucarsdn]

Regressing a little bit, having made my first contibution to the 'New P15-D24 Forum". I noted that I did not have an avatar, I just corrected that, taking a look at my profile at the same time.. Did not make any changes to same..

For the record, my life during the past eighteen months has been filled with challeges, of the health nature.. I am pleased to report that the problems I encountered have been dealt with and are behind me.. I am back in the "fast lane of life"

My 39 Plyn conv is in the upholtery shop geeting the upholstery and the top finished up.. Quite a feat concidering I have been working on the car since 1998..

I am continuing with my plans to have some of the more scarse convertible parts made... I now have 20 sets of the return spring for the top.. I am not sure if the '40 and later had these springs, they are about 13'5 long, working like a garage door spring to assist with the lifting of the top.

I also have 12 sets of special made stainless steel shoulder bolts for the top assembly..... Bill

 

[DCurrent]

I for one feel very fortunate to be the owner of a p15 convertible. I really had no intension of even looking at a Plymouth convertible. I was thinking more along the lines of Chevrolet, Buick, or some other make out of production. Then I got the sticker shock! Holy smokes convertibles were in a whole different category when it come to prices. After a little homework and price comparison I had pretty much dropped the idea of owning a drop top. As they say when the top goes down, the price goes up. The more desirable the car also drives up the cost. I'm probably not schooling anyone here I'm sure. I guess I just wanted to say that I'm glad I kept my options open. At first the idea of Plymouth just didn't strike me as what I was looking for, but after seeing the car in person I was hooked. I just loved the lines of the late forties Plymouths. I had no idea that my little 48 Plymouth could be so much fun. It is just as I had hoped it would be.

 

 I have owned it for just a little over a year now, and with every drive I feel fortunate to own it. Within the last year I have learned much about the little car and the Plymouth brand in general. It's great for the younger crowd (me) to join such a group and forum such as this to feel welcome into the classic car hobby. I hope that some day My son or daughter too will have an interest in maintaining and keeping it for future generations.

 

Darren   

[steve3050]

For a few years I wanted a Plymouth convertible, and I finally took delivery of a 1953 last November. Going in, I knew it would be a project. It was a car that drove—almost—and it needed a lot of help after apparently being driven less than 1000 miles in a decade. Work had been done on the body and the floors, although most of it wasn't carefully done. I have been working on the car all winter. So far I have taken care of wheels, tires and some engine tune-up issues. Right now the subject is brakes. Then it’s on to shimming the body mounts to hopefully cure a door fit problem. The last major item should be repairing the top mechanism (already begun) and the installation of new top material, which I’ll get done by a shop. I would rate the interior as ok. Up to this moment I have driven the car only once around the neighborhood for 15 minutes. I can't wait to drive it this spring. Once it's drivable, there will be many things that need to be fixed, such as the gas gauge, seat belts, heater, original type temperature gauge, and paint touch-up. The car is a Hy-Drive, which I think will be interesting, although I have read a lot of positive and negative opinions about it. The books say only 6301 of the '53 convertibles were made.

[pflaming]

Steve, we've to to compare notes. I too have a 53 Ply convertible. I'm in Calif., where are you?

[moparbenny]

somewhere i have it written down how many '51 sportabouts i have seen, if i remember right it was less than a dozen..when you factor they only made 1002 i don't expect to see to many. benny

[BobT-47P15]

Jim Benjaminson has made a listing over the years of P15 convertibles he has encountered, including mine.

I don't know how many he has on his list.

 

John Teee in Cape Girardeau, Mo has a P15 convert.......his father in Calif (who recently passed on) had a

matching black and white one.  Claybill may still have a ragtop.  And a couple others on here. 

 

I had a Dodge Wayfarer convert back in the mid 1960s.......have not found another around here since.

Also in the late 60s or early 70s - found for sale but did not buy a 54 Plym convert and a 55 DeSoto convert.

Have not seen any more of those offered in this area since.  I missed out on the only 1947 Dodge convert

I ever found here by not staying in closer touch with the owner, who finally decided to sell and I didn't know.

 

So....around here in southwest Missouri......the old MoPar convertibles are whichever you want to say......rare

or scarce.  However, this has always been more like farming country.....and converts were more often sold

in big cities and resort areas.    

[Andydodge]

Theres a 46-48 Dodge Convert on US ebay at present......andyd

[Andydodge]

Flame........its ebay # 261175057403, 1947 Dodge Convertible, Buy it now for $4900.......it looks to be pretty complete, albeit not in great condition, it appears that the floors/rockers are RS, but all the moldings, jewellery etc including the radio & clock are there.........upholstery is a bit RS also but it looks like a reasonable star, if you had a good rust free 2dr sedan or coupe for the floors, rockers & front seat it would help......lol.........I have 1940-1948 Collector Cars as a favourite ..........andyd...  

[pflaming]

Tried to find it, but haven't learned how to work ebay. Yet $4900 it think is a bit steep, Being a Dodge helps. IMHO. I bought mine for a lot less then that. My seller lowered his price when I started laying $100 bills on the fender. 40 of those puppies might buy it but I'm guessing ebay doesn't have a fender.

[Young Ed]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1947-Dodge-Convertible-/261175057403?ru=http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_sacat=0&_nkw=261175057403&_rdc=1&forcev4exp=true

 

This seller goes all over MN and the Dakotas and gets vehicles to resell. He's had some nice dodge trucks over the years.

[pflaming]

The first number on a Nebraska license plate indicates the county. The numbers were assigned according to population a the time, with the smallest number to the largest county. #1 is Douglas County - Omaha, #2 is Lincoln County where the state capitol is. This car came from the Omaha area, which has a very wet, humid climate.

 

Looks like it has the elusive radio and also a double heater. I wonder what heaters were in it. I went out to my convertible and the heater is intact under the hood, but the core/shell under the dash is GONE!. This build may get interesting before it is completed.

Edited March 3, 2013 by pflaming

[Young Ed]

I would suspect the factory fresh air dual heaters. The underhood setup looks the same as whats on my plymouth. Besides the heaters it has a back up light, factory turn signals, and it appears to have a clock. Don't forget those bumper overriders..........