Plain Jane

[allbizz49]

So, i have been eyeballin' this car for a few years now.  It has been sitting next to a shop in my area that I work in. I retired from doing auto body and paint after 20 or so years and took a job for the county doing road maintenance in 2017. I'm not sure if it's a good or bad thing because there are so many old cars and trucks sitting everywhere. I want to buy them all. This particular Plymouth just spoke to me, something about it. I left a note on the gate one day and sure enough, the owner called and said, 2,500 and it's yours. One of the nicest friendliest people I've ever met. I couldn't pass it up. It has not a lick of rust anywhere. Floors, trunk, rockers, all solid. The underside is so clean and solid, looks to not have been driven much. He said the motor and tranny had been rebuilt at some point. He did take the tank out and have it boiled and lined. I have a Mike's carb kit on the bench already and I will try and start it tomorrow. I never name my cars but this thing is so basic and stripped of trim I'm calling it Plain Jane. Sorry for the long post but I'm pumped to get her on the road. I will update it as I go.

[Tom Skinner]

You know the old Rap - Jane.... Jane..... reminds me of a high school flame. L.O.L. 

Nice Car, good luck with her!

[allbizz49]

Engine shots

[Marcel Backs]

looks like you hit a home run. great buy!

[Worden18]

Awesome!  Get Jane going and drive!!?

[greg g]

Lóoks like an early Men in Black vehicle for the predesesors of agents  J and K.  Is it's a business coupe as in no back seat?

[BobT-47P15]

That was going to be my question as well Greg.....about having a back seat.  Definitely the lower line model....which is not a bad thing. 

I lookedup some pictures and it looks like this one is a Cranbrook model.....1953.  Here's one picture i found.

 

 

 

[allbizz49]

Thank you for all of the positive comments! It's not a business coupe, it has a back seat. I have a 49 Plymouth business coupe that is a full on 100% nut and bolt redo. I got this to be a daily hopefully while I'm doing that one. It's a Cambridge which I believe is the lowliest of models. That is most of the appeal for me. Just stripped down and basic.

Edited March 7, 2021 by allbizz49

[RobertKB]

Great to see another ‘53 Plymouth. I’ve owned mine for 45 years and it’s my favourite car of my three old Mopars. Looking forward to updates on yours. It would certainly appear the motor has had work based on the colour. 
Great buy!

Edited March 7, 2021 by RobertKB

[keithb7]

Cool little car. Congrats. You found the right place to come and hang out. We’re all pretty infatuated with these old Mopars. 

Edited March 7, 2021 by keithb7

[DJK]

Congrats on a great purchase. Please replace the plastic fuel filter with a metal one.

[Booger]

You scored bro! That for sure is a Plaza Please dont rat rod it out

[Plymouthy Adams]

club coupe....does not look butchered or missing parts...this body style sorta grows on you over time...

[Sniper]

Nice find, but for some reason an Aerosmith song is now playing in my head.  I have a 51 Cambridge and in 51 it was the midline series.  By 53 I think the Belvedere was top line and pushed the Cranbrook and Cambridge down one level each.  I love basic no nonsense cars myself. 

[allbizz49]

Fuel filter will be replaced with a metal one. I can see remnants of old fuel in this one. The motor at some point was rebuilt. It's too stock to do any mods to it. I lower every vehicle I own but this one is staying as factors as humanly possible. She just needs to be put back in service as is. Thanks for all of the positive feedback.

[moparfun]

Nice find, looks like it'll be a nice driver

[knuckleharley]

5 hours ago, DJK said:

Congrats on a great purchase. Please replace the plastic fuel filter with a metal one.

Or/AND carry a fire extinguisher.  I carry one,and it saved my 48 Plymouth coupe from burning to the ground one day when it backfired in the carb and caught on fire.

[wagoneer]

A question for you on your trailer truck combo to haul it home - I just purchased a 51 1/2 ton that needs hauling back quite a ways.
 

Any special considerations in truck and trailers to haul it? Does the car start or did you have to winch it on the trailer?

[Young Ed]

The red engine certainly speaks to the engine at least having been out of the car and something done to it. Hopefully they did a good job and you'll have a great runner

[knuckleharley]

8 minutes ago, Young Ed said:

The red engine certainly speaks to the engine at least having been out of the car and something done to it. Hopefully they did a good job and you'll have a great runner

Ed,just out of curiousity,what was the factory color for the flat 6's of the 40's and 50's ?

 

First one my family owned was a 51 in the late 50's,and the engine no longer had a speck off paint on it anywhere. I now own a stock 55 Plymouth parts car with the original engine in it,and not a speck of paint anywhere on that one,either.

 

Was this because their paint sucked,and couldn't stand the heat? If not,what did cause it?

[allbizz49]

Did a little interior rummaging this morning. Found this and a the original small service manual.

Edited March 7, 2021 by allbizz49

[allbizz49]

Rear brakes are dragging a bit, used a come a long to yank her up. It's pretty light actually. My brother towed it for me. He has a 2017 ford f150 ecoboost. Towed it no problem, 

[Young Ed]

7 minutes ago, knuckleharley said:

Ed,just out of curiousity,what was the factory color for the flat 6's of the 40's and 50's ?

 

First one my family owned was a 51 in the late 50's,and the engine no longer had a speck off paint on it anywhere. I now own a stock 55 Plymouth parts car with the original engine in it,and not a speck of paint anywhere on that one,either.

 

Was this because their paint sucked,and couldn't stand the heat? If not,what did cause it?

Not sure what caused that but they were originally silver. That one looks more like chrysler red which is more the v8 era(and what I painted the one in my project because having everything silver is boring)

[allbizz49]

Once on the road and driving, I'll clean it up and paint it. Won't be silver and definitely won't be red/orange. 

[greg g]

I believe sears roebuck rebuilds were red.check on the driver's side of the block for a brass tab or remains of one fastened with a river.  Also, what's the number stamped into the block above the generator?