Projects 49 Plymouth 4 door....... cool?

My sons and I are possibly looking at acquiring a 49 Plymouth 4 door.
I've never owned one and know nothing about them.
This is supposed to be a runner/driver, however there seems to be a clutch/transmission issue. It has a straight six with a manual three speed with OD.
Quoted, "At first the clutch only slipped after i drove it up my driveway after it had sat last winter. I had moved it around several times after that and it didn't slip but i only moved it from one side of the yard to the other. I went to move the car a few months ago but now i cant get it into gear. The car is in neutral and will fire right up. I had my father look at it and he said it could be a linkage or something but i know almost nothing about that type of trans".
I did a search here on the ol HAMB and found a few posts on how Plymouth have "unique" transmissions.
Should this scare us off?
Next, can a 49 Plymouth 4 door look good?
We have found a bunch of pictures of stock ones, ones with different hubcaps, but none with what we would call an "attitude". There are plenty of 2 door pictures that don't look bad.
I have attached a picture of the car.
Comments, answers, sense of direction, advice.. welcomed.

 

First, make sure there is fluid in the transmission. I got my first car in 1964, it was a '50 Plymouth coupe. I drove it home 45 miles from the lakes one day in second gear. It wouldn't shift. Found out the tranny was bone dry.

 

I think they are cool. Keep the flattie, swap in a T5 and enjoy. Check out Blueskies website...he built a nice 50'.
http://www.50plymouth.com/

 

Well they can be cool and fun. Price is always lower than a Ford or Chevy , But if you like it and can work on it, go for it. I have a friend with a 2 door dodge with a 383.

 

If your boys like it, it's cool. That's all that matters.

 

I have a soft spot (in my heart/head) for '49 Plymouths.......really very good cars for the period. Arguably superior in many ways to both Ford and Chevys of the day. They rode and drove very good, the (Briggs) bodies were very well constructed and the drive trains durable.

The transmission is only 'unique' in the way the shift linkage works. It is what is called 'selector type', also used by GM on Pontiac, Olds and Buicks from the '30s through the '60s. Not a big deal at all, unless you want to do a floor shift conversion. That IS doable, just requires a little ingenuity.

If the car does, in fact, have an overdrive transmission, that is quite a bonus. They weren't offered by Mopar until 1952 models and are sought after units by Mopar enthusiasts.

The cars are fairly simple to work on, sturdy and reliable vehicles. Parts are readily available.

If it's a basically sound car, it has a lot to offer for a beginner's project.

Ray

 

If you like it, get it, but don't expect to flip it for a big profit, think long term hold/driver. I'd yank the power train & drop in a 318/904 & 8 1/4....

 

I agree with George ,if you like it ,get it
Usually lower resale, lots of engine and running gear parts , very little aftermarket Sheetmetal
Compared to fords


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It will need a chop, but they can look good


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My '48 coupe is essentially the same car under the sheet metal and I drove it for a couple of years with the stock 6 with manual transmission. Not real fast but dependable as heck. I'd bet the transmission issues you speak of with your car-to-be are minor and would go away with a clutch replacement and linkage adjustment - both within the realm of those with modest mechanical know-how as long as they have patience and an appropriate shop manual. If it runs well and the price is reasonable I'd not hesitate. A mild lowering job and a set of whitewalls are all it'll need to look really good.

 

Heck, the car in the picture looks pretty darn nice. I would put wide whites (proper size, those look to big) on it and drive it. You won't see many at car shows and they are nice driving cars.

 

No money would be changing hands. Might be loosing a motorcycle for it. I'll post more pictures tonight.
Current thought process is for it to be a daily driver. My boys have their driver permits and what better way to learn and take their license test in, than an older car with class.

 

Be sure to check in over at www.p15-d24.com as well for detailed info.

.

 

I've got a soft spot for the Plymouths. Mine's a 48. I still love it as much as the day I bought it. So much fun.

 

I have a 51 more door and its cool as can be, to me it is anywho

 

Pictures as promised.
Turboroadster, do you have pictures of your ?

 

That car is screaming for a set of skirts.

 

To me it would be cool for a 2k ish bike but not so much for a 10k one.

I will add, I like it for its original looking condition, the black and I find it more interesting because its a 4 door.

 

KOOL1 not cool, but KOOL
Hell yes it's Kool!

 

All Plymouths that year came with conventional 3 speed manual trans, no automatic or other trans was available.

The "unique" trans was Fluid Drive, never used on Plymouths except in 1953.

It sounds like the linkage is gummed up or rusty from sitting. It should not be too hard to fix if you have some mechanical savvy. It is also possible the clutch is stuck together and won't release after sitting all winter. If it was slipping, it probably needs to be replaced anyway.

As for whether 49 Plymouths are good looking or cool, they didn't used to be but in recent years some guys have taken a shine to them as the supply of Fords dried up. There are quite a few Plymouth and Dodge fans represented on this board.

They were a very well made car, better in some important ways than their immediate competition. The engines are simple, long lived, and easy to work on but not known for neck snapping horsepower. In good condition they have plenty of power for all normal driving but you won't mistake one for a Hemi.

Parts are not expensive or hard to get. Most available from your local NAPA store, I mean things like brakes, fan belts, spark plugs, etc.

They are a good car, not very complicated or hard to work on. If the looks don't scare you off, you can have a lot of fun for not very much money.

Will leave you with 2 thoughts: left hand threads on the left side wheel bolts, and 6V + ground electrics. Neither are a problem if you know about them, but both have caused a lot of grief to the uninformed.

 

A bit more about the car......
"Yes im sure its a overdrive it has the t handle under the dash and its
wired up on a switch so I can be cut on in any gear and driven like a six
speed. Im sure it came out of a newer model, and the owner before me drove
me around a few miles before I bought it and he had everything working. I have replaced the rear wheel cylinders on it and have
> new ones for the front as well. The man who had it before me put new tire
> on it and had a new radiator put in as well. The charging and starting have been rebuilt as well"

Hope to actually go see the car once the snow is done.

 

I'll take the bumpers!

 

Good little cars,I've a 2 door I drove in the 70's to high school,drove the shit out of it,blew head gaskets all the time,finally pulled all the head studs and ran a tap thru the holes and cleaned everything up ran like a watch for many more years,its sitting here hoping to get a go thru some day.
The linkage may just be jammed up,you'll need to shift those in a nice clean H pattern don't get sloppy if you do then they'll jam.

 

sure!

 

I think it's a nice car!

 

From my experience with these little Plymouths I would say the clutch is stuck to the flywheel and will shift while engine is stopped. I own several Plymouths of this vintage. I will also say that the clutch is not worn out but probably in decent shape! They don't seem to stick together after they are worn out and oil soaked etc. I usually just start them and let them warm up then start them in gear and hold the clutch to the floor and try to break the clutch loose by leaving clutch on floor and accelerating and decelerating etc to break it loose.( best to be in an open area at this time!)
Bought an 1949 Chevy truck with a small block Chevrolet and three speed that clutch was stuck, previous owner told me that clutch was scattered and it would not release and transmission would not go into gear! Loaded it on my trailer tied it down with chains etc, drug it home dropped in battery fired it up in neutral and let it warm up while still chained down. Killed engine put it in third gear and fired it up with clutch pressed in, disk popped loose and transmission shifted great. Unchained it and drove it around in pasture! Then pulled into shop set the SBC out on the floor and put in an Cummins 6BT 727 Tourqueflite and 3.07 rear end and drive the pee out of it the SBC Chevy still sitting in floor with the old Chevrolet SM 420 transmission behind it.Of course you have to remember I have only been messing with this old stuff about 60 years or so.............

 

Turboroadster, I really like the visor. My 50 Ford had both the skirts and visor.
Thanks everyone for their thoughts, opinions, and general help.
I'll keep everyone posted what happens.

 

Nice looking car. I like the skirts.

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If you have a car with the clutch stuck from sitting see if you can get at it through a plate on the bottom of the bellhousing. Have someone hold the pedal down and slip a knife blade between the clutch plate and flywheel, and the other side between the clutch plate and pressure plate. You can turn the engine over 180 degrees and do it again to make sure it is free.

Have done this on several old cars and trucks, never had it fail.

One time I cut a hole in the bottom of a Nissan 4 wheel drive truck bellhousing with a hole saw, to avoid taking the trans and transfer case out.

 

I think they are cool.