'37 - '38 Plymouth question OT

[John Reddie]

 

The windshield, for the fIrst time, was fixed in place. Since it could not be cranked open for ventilation, the windshield didn't need an exterior frame, so such frames were found only on the convertibles and Westchester Suburbans.

 

Above is a quote from the Allpar site regarding the 1938 Plymouth cars. I went to a show today and saw this car there that was listed as a 1937 Plymouth. It had the crank-out windshield and windshiels frame but was certainly sporting a '38 nose. I know that most probably somewhere along the line, someone substituted a '38 nose onto the car but the owner was not aware of this occurring. I am wondering if anyone here has ever seen a '38 Plymouth that was originally fitted with a crank out windshield. I never have but I suppose it could be possible, an early model perhaps.

john R

 

[Young Ed]

John I seem to recall an article in the plymouth bulletin questioning the incorrect shape windshield in a promotional shot. Perhaps they did use up some leftover 37 bodies at first?

[John Reddie]

You are right Ed and I actually was the one who asked Jim B about that. There was a member in Chile who had and probably still does have a '38 sedan wIth the crank open windshield and frame. I recall that his had a different type of crank than the standard type that the '37 Mopars used with the little flip down handle. His was a tee handle similar to some of the Fords of that time. Probably a replacement at one time. When I was growing up in the '50's, these cars were plentiful and I never saw a '38 Mopar with a windshield that opened. Kind of interesting.

John R

[Young Ed]

Or maybe a truck crank? My 46 uses a T handle.

[TodFitch]

For what it is worth, the '36-'48 Plymouth parts book shows a number for the windshield regulator for '36 and '37 and a "not used" indication for '38.

[DonaldSmith]

I looked at some '38 Plymouth photos on line until I saw how they would vent the cabin if the windshield didn't crank open.  There it was, a vee-shaped cowl vent, as in later years.  And the back edge of the hood was vee-shaped, too.  

 

The next question for inquiring minds is whether the '37 and '38 grilles had the same back edge profile, so that a '37 hood, with a straight back, and a '38 hood with a vee back, would both fit the '38 grille. 

[Robert Horne]

I looked at some '38 Plymouth photos on line until I saw how they would vent the cabin if the windshield didn't crank open.  There it was, a vee-shaped cowl vent, as in later years.  And the back edge of the hood was vee-shaped, too.  

 

The next question for inquiring minds is whether the '37 and '38 grilles had the same back edge profile, so that a '37 hood, with a straight back, and a '38 hood with a vee back, would both fit the '38 grille. 

No..

[B-Watson]

Checked the 1938 Chrysler Corporation parts book and section 23-AF for Plymouth states, "The swing type windshield (Export) changed at the following effective points."

 

For US-built P5 the change occurred at -

4dr sedan - body 3194

2dr sedan - body 6385

4dr touring sedan - body 1496

rumble seat coupe - body 1194

business coupe - body 5204

 

US-built P-6 :

4dr sedan - body 879

2dr sedan - body 528

4dr touring sedan - body 48560

2dr touring sedan - body 20160

rumble seat coupe - body 2139

business coupe - body 11629

4dr LWB sedan - 321

 

Canadian-built P-5 - all models except the 4dr touring sedan were built with the stationary windshield.  The change for the touring sedan occurred at serial number 9381442.

 

For the Canadian-built P6, the change for the 4dr touring sedan ooccured at serial number 9349880 and the rumble seat coupe at 9351679.  All other models came with the statinoary windshield at body #1.

 

The section does list parts for the regulator that opens and closes the windshield. 

 

The same was entered for Dodge (D8, D9, D10), DeSoto (S5) and Chrysler (C18, C19), but the swing windshield was apparently used on export models. 

 

From what I can see in photos, the 1938 Plymouth hood at the rear edge was a straight line.  The vent was a rectangular shape.  The 1939 models had a V-shaped hood vent along with the rear edge of the hood due to the two piece, V-shaped windshield. 

[Robert Horne]

No..

My apology for the short "no", had to go check something, like my short, old timer memory.

 

Here is my 37 four door, with a 38 front clip.        The 38 hood fit good onto the 37 body.

 

The front of the 37 hood, and the 38 hood, is where they differ.