1940 Plymouth Deluxe Flathead 6 cyclinder, 3 speed on column, all original, interior is original.





The Plymouth automobile was introduced on July 7, 1928. It was Chrysler Corporations first entry in the low-priced field, which at the time was already dominated by Chevrolet and Ford. Plymouths were actually priced slightly higher than their competition, but offered standard features such as internal expanding hydraulic brakes that the competition did not provide. Plymouths were originally sold exclusively through Chrysler dealerships. The logo featured a rear view of the Mayflower ship which landed at Plymouth Rock. However, the Plymouth brand name came from Plymouth Binder Twine, chosen by Joe Frazer for its popularity among farmers. Plymouth Binder Twine was a common household item that was used to tie up various items.

The origins of Plymouth can be traced back to the Maxwell automobile. When Walter P. Chrysler took over control of the troubled Maxwell-Chalmers car company in the early 1920s, he inherited the Maxwell as part of the package. After he used the companys facilities to help create and launch the Chrysler car in 1924, he decided to create a lower-priced companion car. So for 1926 the Maxwell was reworked and re-badged as the low-end Chrysler 52 model. In 1928, the 52 was once again redesigned to create the Chrysler-Plymouth Model Q. The Chrysler portion of the nameplate was dropped with the introduction of the Plymouth Model U in 1929.




Great Depression, 1940s and 1950s
1948 Plymouth Special De Luxe Coupé
1949 Plymouth 4-door sedanWhile the original purpose of the Plymouth was to serve a lower-end marketing niche, during the Great Depression of the 1930s, the marquee helped significantly in ensuring the survival of the Chrysler Corporation in a decade when many other car companies failed. Beginning in 1930, Plymouths were sold by all three Chrysler divisions Chrysler, DeSoto, and Dodge . Plymouth sales were a bright spot during this dismal automotive period, and by 1931 Plymouth rose to the number three spot among all cars. In 1931 with the Model PA, the company introduced floating power and boasted, the economy of a four; the smoothness of a six. In 1933 Chrysler decided to catch up with Ford and Chevrolet with respect to engine cylinder count. The 190 cu in version of Chryslers flathead-6 engine was equipped with a downdraft carburetor and installed in the new 1933 Plymouth PC, introduced on 17 November 1932. However, Chrysler had reduced the PCs wheelbase from 112 in 284.5 cm to 107 in 271.8 cm , and the car sold poorly. By April 1933, the Dodge divisions Model DP chassis, with a 112 in 284.5 cm wheelbase, was put under the PC body with DP front fenders, hood, and radiator shell. The model designation was advanced to PD and the car was marketed as the DeLuxe 1933 Plymouth. This car sold very well and is the 1933 model most commonly found in collections. The PC became the Standard Six. It had been the Plymouth Six at introduction, and was sold through to the end of 1933, but in much lower numbers. It is consequently in the minority in collectors hands today. In 1937, Plymouth along with the other Chrysler makes added safety features such as flat dash boards with recessed controls and the back of the front seat padded for the rear seat occupants. The PC was shipped overseas to Sweden, Denmark, and the UK, as well as Australia. In the UK it was sold as a Chrysler Kew, Kew Gardens being the location of the Chrysler factory outside London. The flathead 6 which started with the 1933 Model PC stayed in the Plymouth until the 1959 models.

In 1939 Plymouth produced 417,528 vehicles, of which 5,967 were two-door convertible coupes with rumble seats. The 1939 convertible coupe was prominently featured at Chryslers exhibit at the 1939 New York Worlds Fair, advertised as the first mass-production convertible with a power folding top. It featured a 201 cu in, 82 hp version of the flathead six engine.


1954 Plymouth Station WagonFor much of its life, Plymouth was one of the top-selling American automobile brands; it together with Chevrolet and Ford were commonly referred to as the low-priced three marques in the American market. Plymouth almost surpassed Ford in 1940 and 1941 as the second most popular make of automobiles in the U.S. Through 1956, Plymouth vehicles were known for their durability, affordability, and engineering. In 1957, Virgil Exners new Forward Look design theme, advertised by Plymouth with the tagline Suddenly, its 1960, produced cars with much more advanced styling than Chevrolet or Ford. 1957 total production soared to 726,009, about 200,000 more than 1956, and the largest output yet for Plymouth. However, the 1957‱959 Forward Look models suffered from poor materials and build quality and inadequate corrosion protection; they quickly deteriorated and greatly damaged Chryslers reputation