New 1947 P-15 owner

[Mortimer452]

More pics here:  http://imgur.com/a/9RT04

Good evening all, proud new owner of a 1947 Plymouth Deluxe 2dr Sedan, picked this up as sort of a "barn find" yesterday.  Been sitting for the better part of 20 years.  Previous owner said they did start it, took it down the driveway & back once a few years ago.

Looks darn solid for the most part, floors are good, trunk pan is good, inner fenderwells in fair shape, but the gas tank looks like swiss cheese. Fortunately, a replacement gas tank was included.  Tires hold air but are pretty weather-checked.  Looks like under all that dirt is pretty decent paint and chrome, but won't know for sure until I get it cleaned up.  I'm not sure at this point what's original and what's been restored, the seats definitely look recovered to me, but I don't know enough about these cars to be sure.  I'm thinking this might be an older partial restoration maybe from the 80's or 90's that's just been sitting for 20 years.

Cranked the motor over by hand this afternoon, not frozen, didn't feel too loose or clunky either.  Plan on pulling the plugs, lubricate the cylinders, change all fluids and hopefully try to fire it sometime this week.

I know old cars well, been a Mopar fan all my life, I can tear down and rebuild a 318 with my eyes closed.  Grew up in a Pontiac family (my dad still owns two 1967 GTO's), but this old girl with a flat six is new territory for me.  Any advice or parts resources you can offer are much appreciated!

 

[Andydodge]

Nice looking car, welcome to the best mopar forum around, these guys know their stuff.........suggest getting a Workshop Manual at least and a Parts Manual if possible and read them cover to cover, also go thru any and all threads on here as there is lots of info that you'll find that you didn't really know you needed but once known of will help immensely..........anyways welcome from downunder.....Andyd  

[rb1949]

Good find. That's a great start for a fun cruiser. Questions welcome as you learn.

[White Spyder]

Nice find, looks like a good bath and fluid service should give you a nice start on a great car. 

[1949 Wraith]

Very nice car. It looks like it has been well cared for. Dual exhaust?

[46Ply]

Looks pretty solid!

[48Windsor]

Wow, looks very nice! Have Fun. I noticed you're in Ks. Where you located. I just started on a 48 Chrysler Windsor.

Edited February 14, 2017 by 48Windsor

[mmcdowel]

What a find!  Please send pics after you get her cleaned up.  Coker's sells a product that will clean those whitewalls......don't use bleach or whitewall cleaner!

[casper50]

If the tires have cracks in them I wouldn't use them period.

[junkers72]

I see dual tailpipes

[junkers72]

That car looks great. With or without the as found dirt

[dale]

That IS a great find.. Most all seem to be four doors.  Make sure to post when you get her running and shined up..

[Fastback50]

Great find!!  So envious of those that are not in the Rust Belt lol...

[Mortimer452]

1 hour ago, jxc330 said:

Great find!!  So envious of those that are not in the Rust Belt lol...

Actually this is an Iowa car, which makes the lack of severe rust pretty amazing, generally the further north you go the worse they get.  Must have spent most of its life garaged.  I suppose "rust free" is a bit of an exaggeration - there's a bit of the cancer on the underside frame-to-body mounts, a few spots on the inner fenderwells, rust bubble here and there around the wheelwells, but the frame & mechanical connections (springs, steering) are very solid.

Learning as I go here.  Spent quite a bit of time online & at parts stores trying to find an oil filter . . . tuns out it probably doesn't have one

[Fastback50]

14 minutes ago, Mortimer452 said:

Actually this is an Iowa car, which makes the lack of severe rust pretty amazing, generally the further north you go the worse they get.  Must have spent most of its life garaged.  I suppose "rust free" is a bit of an exaggeration - there's a bit of the cancer on the underside frame-to-body mounts, a few spots on the inner fenderwells, rust bubble here and there around the wheelwells, but the frame & mechanical connections (springs, steering) are very solid.

Learning as I go here.  Spent quite a bit of time online & at parts stores trying to find an oil filter . . . tuns out it probably doesn't have one

Even still, looks to be in great condition!  My '50 literally has parts of the undercarriage that can just be knocked or pulled off lol.  It's a loooong work in progress   

On the oil filter issue, typically these just have the bypass type (heavy metal canister on driver's side of engine), but you can get WIX filters for it still.  If you do a search on here you'll find plenty of articles on that.  I believe earlier years didn't come with even the bypass filter though, so yours could be one of those.  This is a great place to learn a lot and meet some really nice folks.   

[Jerry Roberts]

"   Spent quite a bit of time online & at parts stores trying to find an oil filter . . . tuns out it probably doesn't have one  "     Your oil filter canister is near the rear of the engine , up high on the drivers side , and can be seen in your photos . Very nice car and the paint even shines under all of that dust . 

 Like this

[Young Ed]

19 hours ago, Mortimer452 said:

Actually this is an Iowa car, which makes the lack of severe rust pretty amazing, generally the further north you go the worse they get.  Must have spent most of its life garaged.  I suppose "rust free" is a bit of an exaggeration - there's a bit of the cancer on the underside frame-to-body mounts, a few spots on the inner fenderwells, rust bubble here and there around the wheelwells, but the frame & mechanical connections (springs, steering) are very solid.

 

Judging from this photo I'm saying the car has had some new floors/rockers welded in. I don't see the holes for the factory sill plates. 

[dale]

Whats the difference between the Deluxe and the   Special Deluxe.  I noticed the dash.

[DrDoctor]

   The Special DeLuxe had more “creature comforts” than the DeLuxe, such as (I’m quoting here from a data sheet I got in a package of documentation with our car upon purchase): [sic] “Special Deluxe (P-15C) Standard equipment included: All 8 rear spring leaves are tapered, with rear leaf spring covers. “Special Deluxe” emblems in front of front doors of sedan. “Special Deluxe” emblems in front of doors of Club Coupe. Two interior sun visors. Automatic interior dome light. Two wipers. Stainless-steel windshield frame. Oil bath air cleaner. Sway eliminator. Chrome ash tray. Glove box lock. Full circle chrome horn ring. Stainless steel door trim bead. Stainless trim bead between rear fenders and body. Front door arm rests, assistance strap, and coat hook. Front loop-pile carpet. Rear loop-pile carpet. Pile, or pin striped broadcloth, upholstery. Moveable rear vent quarter window on sedans. Roll-down rear quarter window on Club Coupe. Rear ash tray on seat back of sedans. Rear ash tray in each rear arm rest of Club Coupes. Ten inch hubcaps.” Further, 2-door sedans didn’t come with Special DeLuxe trim-out, only the basic Deluxe.

   I whole-heartedly agree with the others – that is an incredibly nice car.

   Lastly, where in Kansas are you located? My wife and I are originally from differing parts of Kansas. I did my under-graduate studies, my post-graduate, and my doctorate education and training in Kansas, too.

   Thx.

[DrDoctor]

 PS – I also started with my first practice in Kansas. I’m finally retired, and we plan on leaving the Atlantic coast in a few years to return there. Thx.

[greg g]

What you have is a pretty uncommon body style the two door sedan was the least produced style not including verts and woody wagons.  Having one that is a deluxe makes that number even smaller.  You might do deluxe owners a service and photo document the interior.  Differences include door trim panels and trim, arm rests were options, wood grained accessory switch panel of lower dash, horn bottom, lack of horn ring, the cloisonne mayflower badge on the dash center is unique to the deluxe.  The carpet is not stock and was not available on the deluxe.  You seem to be missing the two stainless trim pieces for the doors. These are a three pointed star that was attacked centered in the circle of the embossed pattern on the door trim cards.  Also you might want to check a couple items to make sure your's is 47 production and not 46.  The reflectors on the rear tail light bezels were clear/white on 46 also the covers on the door locks are round stamped skeet stock for 46, and were cast figure 8 shape 47 and forward. 46 and early 47 used 16 inch wheels, late 47 and on had 15's.  Head lamp trim pieces rear edge wasturned under in 46, turnebout 47 and on.The mayflower in the center of the horn bottom should be highlighted with orange paint in the background.

If you have ever had a Briggs and Stratton apart and back together, you are fully qualified to work on a flathead six.  The only items to worry about are making sure you maintain the connecting rod pairs and mind the offset, and do yourself a favor and put the engine at tdc for number one cylinder and mark the allignmentof the oil pump as it needs to be indexed correctly to maintain tdc rotor position as the pump drives the distributor. Also not the position of the valve guides, both exh and intake use the same part but one is installed with the rounded end up and the other down.  Pictures are your friend.

 

 

Edited February 15, 2017 by greg g

[Mortimer452]

1 hour ago, The Dr's In said:

   The Special DeLuxe had more “creature comforts” than the DeLuxe, such as (I’m quoting here from a data sheet I got in a package of documentation with our car upon purchase): [sic] “Special Deluxe (P-15C) Standard equipment included: All 8 rear spring leaves are tapered, with rear leaf spring covers. “Special Deluxe” emblems in front of front doors of sedan. “Special Deluxe” emblems in front of doors of Club Coupe. Two interior sun visors. Automatic interior dome light. Two wipers. Stainless-steel windshield frame. Oil bath air cleaner. Sway eliminator. Chrome ash tray. Glove box lock. Full circle chrome horn ring. Stainless steel door trim bead. Stainless trim bead between rear fenders and body. Front door arm rests, assistance strap, and coat hook. Front loop-pile carpet. Rear loop-pile carpet. Pile, or pin striped broadcloth, upholstery. Moveable rear vent quarter window on sedans. Roll-down rear quarter window on Club Coupe. Rear ash tray on seat back of sedans. Rear ash tray in each rear arm rest of Club Coupes. Ten inch hubcaps.” Further, 2-door sedans didn’t come with Special DeLuxe trim-out, only the basic Deluxe.

   I whole-heartedly agree with the others – that is an incredibly nice car.

   Lastly, where in Kansas are you located? My wife and I are originally from differing parts of Kansas. I did my under-graduate studies, my post-graduate, and my doctorate education and training in Kansas, too.

   Thx.

Thanks for the info!  We live just outside city limits SW of Wichita.  I was born here, but most of my family is from out west (Meade, Garden City, Liberal)

[Niel Hoback]

I have a Special DeLuxe trimmed 2-door sedan in opposition to the last sentence in the description of differences. However, I'm not sure, but I don't think the 3 passenger coupe came with Special DeLuxe trim.

[classiccarjack]

15 hours ago, Mortimer452 said:

Thanks for the info!  We live just outside city limits SW of Wichita.  I was born here, but most of my family is from out west (Meade, Garden City, Liberal)

I was born and raised in Manhattan KS!  I try to drive out 1 to 2 times a year to visit my mom.  San Diego has been good to me and I wish that the folks out here were more kind.  No one waves at you out here.  Well, that is if it isn't their middle finger....  LOL

If I drive one of my old 1930's Mopars out there to see my mom, I will try to let it be known.  That way if you would like to meet, we can swap some stories and admire our vehicles.

 

 

 

[48Windsor]

I'm in ROSSVILLE, about 25mi. W of Topeka. IIf you don't mind a Chrysler, would like to hook up to swap lies also. 

Tom B