For you long-roof Plymouth fans...

[Bob Riding]

I found this "Drive Report" article in the "Special Interest Autos" Dec '82 issue, now called "Hemmings Classic Cars" magazine. Looks like the authors put 'er though her paces!

 

Their only suggestion for improvement was "Probably the only thing that would have made the Suburban more useful was the addition of rear doors"

1982 SIA Article P17_P18 Suburbans.pdf

[Bob Riding]

Here's an additional picture from the article that I couldn't get to fit from the original article under the 3 MB file limit. I enhanced and colorized it for fun!

[Plymouthy Adams]

anyone suggesting the iconic all metal Plymouth Suburban needed rear doors is encouraged to see a surgeon for removing his butt from off his head...two door wagons regardless of make or model will always be in demand and sought after by folks who take their older cars serious and make them personal and unique to themselves and sad that the 61 was the last of these...very few folks seek out a more door to build...but a  more door wagon has merit over the 4 door car sedan.  HOWEVER...I have a couple two door cars here and found a couple 4 door donors for parts....in this case, dang but the 4 door post sedan is more eye appealing...so there are always exceptions and I have the itch to build the 4 door sedan...

 

 

this article was great compared to the drivel they write today and even Hagerty articles I no longer even look at....they are so one side and wrong on the average.

Edited January 26, 2023 by Plymouthy Adams

[Sniper]

Nice article, makes me want one, lol.

[Veemoney]

Enjoyed reading thru the article. I could see myself banging my head during loading and unloading but I learn quick and wouldn't change a thing. 

[Plymouthy Adams]

2 hours ago, Sniper said:

Nice article, makes me want one, lol.

years ago I snatched mine out of your Texas back door.

[Booger]

A twelve pack and a sawzall. Behold the Plymouth Plaza pickup!

[Los_Control]

38 minutes ago, Booger said:

A twelve pack and a sawzall. Behold the Plymouth Plaza pickup!

Just saying, a 12 pack & a sawzall got me kicked out of the trailer park .... careful what you wish for.

 

[DJ194950]

Well just maybe if the the truck had been yours, things would have come out different and you would have welcome to stay??  ?

 

DJ

[Bob Riding]

3 hours ago, Sniper said:

Nice article, makes me want one, lol.

I have an extra...bought for a parts car, but it's so solid that I didn't want to tear it up. 

[DJ194950]

2 minutes ago, Bob Riding said:

I have an extra...bought for a parts car, but it's so solid that I didn't want to tear it up. 

Appears to also be a 1952?

 

I do not want or need but someone here might.

 

DJ

[Bob Riding]

1 hour ago, DJ194950 said:

Appears to also be a 1952?

 

I do not want or need but someone here might.

 

DJ

Yes, it's a '52 and probably because we are in dry central CA, no rust through, even solid rockers. Stock year motor

[Young Ed]

Love the long roofs but mine is a little newer. I was hunting for a vintage family hauler and ended up with a 64 belvedere 6pass

 

[Bob Riding]

50 minutes ago, Young Ed said:

Love the long roofs but mine is a little newer. I was hunting for a vintage family hauler and ended up with a 64 belvedere 6pass

 

Picture please!

[Young Ed]

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Loren]

12 pack and a Sawzall.

 

When I was a little kid we had a 49 Mercury two door club coupe. It was blue and looked exactly like the James Dean Merc that went over the cliff into the sea.

My Mom was pulling out of a driveway just in time for a speeding drunk in a new 54 Ford to T-bone her. The impact “printed” the front end of the Ford so deeply into the side of the Merc that you could tell what kind of a car hit it.

Much like the print of a bird on a window.

My Dad decided he wanted the wreck and got it back from the insurance company.

Since the damage was on the driver’s side he didn’t have to look at in front of the house, only the neighbors did.

With the driver’s door wired shut, you got into the car in a “peeking order” driver first.

I think the fact that the accident was so bad and the car was still driving, people thought it had just happened and my Dad was fleeing the scene.

He did drive rather fast all the time.

After a while I think that began to bother him.

He came up with this wild idea of sawing off the roof to make it a pickup. He never said it but so modified everyone knew it was a recycled wreck.

That never would have happened if he hadn’t had a friend in the boat business who had an air powered reciprocating saw ( this was before Milwaukee invented the Sawzall ).

Now sawing off the roof at the rear ( now gone ) seat opened new possibilities for mischief!

He would seek out those folks who were careless in their parking and literally slip the Mercury between two cars taking up three spaces. Then he’d exit the car by climbing over the seat out the back. Yes he was that kind of a guy. In driving, today we would say, he had no filter, he spoke his mind with action.

Just like most people now days who own pickups, he never once carried anything in the back.

I think he liked that car. How do I know? The one and only time I ever saw him change oil in a car was that Mercury.

Happily I figured it out as a child that you are not responsible for the behavior of your parents.

12 pack indeed.

[Bob Riding]

3 hours ago, Young Ed said:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Great looking wagon. 6 or 9 passenger? Do you know how many are left?

[Bob Riding]

Great looking wagon. 6 or 9 passenger? Do you know how many are left?

[Young Ed]

30 minutes ago, Bob Riding said:

Great looking wagon. 6 or 9 passenger? Do you know how many are left?

6 passenger 318 with push button auto. No idea how many were made or are left. I believe somewhat unique is the turquoise interior. 

[moparfun]

They are cool

[Bob Riding]

3 hours ago, Young Ed said:

6 passenger 318 with push button auto. No idea how many were made or are left. I believe somewhat unique is the turquoise interior. 

According to the Standard Catalog of Chrysler, there were 10,317 6 passenger and 4,207 9 passenger wagons produced in 1964.

[Young Ed]

23 minutes ago, Bob Riding said:

According to the Standard Catalog of Chrysler, there were 10,317 6 passenger and 4,207 9 passenger wagons produced in 1964.

That across all trim levels?

[pflaming]

My long roof will go back to a daily driver today. Very anxious to find out how it drives. 

[Bob Riding]

19 hours ago, Young Ed said:

That across all trim levels?

Nope. That's just Belvedere. The others:

• Valiant V-100   10,759
• Valiant V-200   11,146
• Savoy 9 pass     3,242
• Savoy 6 pass    12,401
• Fury 9 pass        4,482
• Fury 6 pass        3,646

 

[RNR1957NYer]

23 hours ago, pflaming said:

My long roof will go back to a daily driver today. Very anxious to find out how it drives. 

Been following the story of your Suburban, Paul - keep us informed how it goes!