Business coupe vs Club coupe

[First P15]

I’m new so my apologies for questions that are elementary but how can I tell if I have a club or business coupe. Title says 48 coupe vin is P15.....Will the vin tell which one it is and how do I check the vin

Edited April 21, 2019 by First P15

[Don Coatney]

Do you have a back seat?

[Plymouthy Adams]

a coupe can come without a back seat...lol        the best manner to determine business coupe is not only no back seat but a large package and bulkhead panel just behind the front seat.....there will not be any room whatsoever for a seat in a bz cp …..some ASC's had jump seats but that would also incorporate the bulkhead.

[Andydodge]

Plymouth used the short roofed Coupe from 1940 to 1948, in 1940 & 1941 it was the only coupe body that Plymouth had and is mostly known as a Business Coupe that came with just the single bench front seat, however there were some Plymouth coupes in 1940 & 1941 that came with the Auxillary Seat Coupe option or ASC........these had the same short roof as the Business Coupe but had a pair of folding rear seats.....my 1941 Plymouth ASC Coupe was one such Coupe, see attached pics, the seat back lifted up to the horizontal which allowed the seat bases to fold into the back of the cabin wall, then the seat back was dropped back but it allowed a large carry space where the seats had been...........in 1942 Plymouth introduced the Club Coupe which had a longer roof and rear side window as compared to the coupe body used in 1940/41 which then allowed a full sized rear seat and this longer roofed coupe body continued from 1942 to 1948.............Plymouth continued to use the short roof coupe body as their Business Coupe from 1942 to 1948, which still only had the single bench seat.............trust this helps.........easy way for me is.......is your cars roof the same size in side profile as mine............the rear side window is the key..........short its a business coupe......long its a Club Coupe and should have a rear seat.........regards from Oz.............andyd

[Plymouthy Adams]

P15 bz cp rear bulkhead and package tray

[First P15]

5 hours ago, Don Coatney said:

Do you have a back seat?

Yes

[First P15]

Thanks to all who replied. Especially thanks Andyd. This info helped a lot. Your coupe looks awesome. The color is almost exactly what we plan to have ours painted. Will be doing full restoration to original other than going to 12v electrical 

Will be posting pictures as we progress

[greg g]

the p15 number should be on the engine block just below the head above the generator.  P15 is the engineering code for 46 through early 49 Plymouths.  There should be a serial number stamped into an oval or rectangular plate on one of the A pillars.  the serial number wa assigned to a completed car as it left the assemblyline in consecutive order as dictated by the build card.  A facsimile of the build card can be obtained from Chrysler Historical dept upon receipt of the serieal number and a check for the research fee.  the build card will tell you all the options on the car when and where it was built and what dealership it was originally sent to.  VIN numbers were not in common usage till the late 60's early 70's.  check you ownership paperwork and see if the engine number or the serial number was used . Engine swaps were common maintainence for these cars so your engine number in the car maynot match the paperwork if an engine swap was done an not reported.  is your car a deluxe or special deluxe?  good luck with your project.  you found the right place forquestions, but explre this website thoroughly as ther is a lot more information here than just the discussion list.

[Robin (UK)]

A couple of other details that will help...
The business coupe has flat rear window glass. A club coupe will have a larger, curved rear window.
Business coupes have a swage line that runs from the doors along the rear 3/4 panels above the stainless trim towards the rear lights. The swage line on the club coupe goes along the doors then around under the rear window.

Edited April 22, 2019 by Robin (UK)

[DrDoctor]

The red one’s a business coupe, and the blue one’s a club coupe. The business coupe has a small quarter window, and a longer more horizontal trunk lid, while the club coupe has a longer quarter window, and a shorter steeper sloping trunk lid. Further, the club has a rear seat, whereas the business coupe doesn’t.

[Young Ed]

one other piece I didn't see mentioned-the rear side window on a business coupe is fixed and rolls down on a club coupe