Ok guys...I recently came across a neat little find that I couldn't resist. Some of you might think I am crazy but I feel pretty good about this deal. A year or so ago I stubbled across this bone stock 1932 Plymouth Tudor Sedan. It is California car and super clean. Yes, it has a small few bumps and bruises but overall it is in fantastic shape. It has been owned by the same family since new until the gentlemen selling it purchased it from the estate. It had some really rare items that would go with the car.....the original hood emblem, original cigarette lighter, original tire chains for snow, ribbons from car shows dating from 1963, and a complete documented history of the car. When I first found the car I fell in love with it but the timing was just not right for me drag home another vehicle. At that time I had just purchased a barn full of old parts and 3 Barnfind 1929 model A's. I posted about that experience on an earlier thread that you can check out if you have a free moment. https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum...ool-not-to-share.1031574/page-2#post-11681358 I let the opportunity to purchase the Plymouth pass by. I have kicked myself every day since then for not purchasing that Plymouth. I had kept tabs on the car for a little while and was heart broke when another fellow old car guy told me that it had sold across evilbay close to a year ago. Many sleepless nights I found myself awake mumbling to myself..."you dummy, what were you thinking. You are an idiot. You should have bought that car". This past week as I was perusing through some local classified ads I couldn't believe what I was seeing. To my surprise, there it was again. My Plymouth!! I quickly picked up the phone and gave the gentleman selling the car a call. The phone was answered by deep voice saying "Hello". I quickly announced myself as the young man who came and looked at the car a few years back. The man on the phone remembered who I was . Things were off to a good start. This time I was determined to not screw this one up. I asked if I could come look at the car and he agreed. I grabbed my keys and instantly headed out the door. I drove down the same path as I did a year earlier. I arrived to find the garage open and the back of that beautiful Plymouth smiling at me. As I walked in the garage it was almost has if time had stood still since the last time I had seen her. Nothing had changed. Maybe a little more dust had settled on the car but other than that it was exactly as I had remembered it. I asked ...Do you think she'll start? The Gentleman responded...."not sure, haven't tried in about 8 months but, I've had the battery charger on it, let's give it a try". Once again to my surprised..the Plymouth fired right up. It was almost like that old Plymouth was talking me, saying...buy me, you need me, you can't live without me. Oh great here we go again. How in the heck I'm I going to make this happen. The car was extremely reasonably priced...in fact, I couldn't believe someone hadn't bought it already. I told the gentleman, I was told that you had sold this car about a year ago. His reply, "yes, about 5 different times. Multiple guys committed to buy it but then never showed up with the cash. I am so sick of guys saying that they are going to buy it when they don't have the money." Right then and there I was saying to myself....you are going to buy this car today but you don't have the cash to do it. How are you going to do it.....never mind how, just get committed..you will figure it out". I had $1000 bucks in my pocket to put this deal together. What I'm I doing? I looked that man straight in the eye and said, I am the guy that is going to buy this car. I want this car. I wanted it the first time I saw it and am amazed that you still have it. The first time I saw it I wanted it but I didn't have the cash. This time is different. I reached deep in my pocket, pulled out 10 bills and laid them down in front of him, then looked him straight in the eye and said...I'm your huckleberry. He then looked right back at me and said "that's nice but where's the rest of it"....Good question, I thought silently to myself. I don't know, in fact I have clue where it is but I'll find it, I just need a little time. I gave him my best poker face and said, listen, this is the down payment give me a week and I'll come back with the rest. He looked at me with a smirk and said..."sure you will". Again, I reaffirmed my statement. One week and stretched out my hand. He slowly pulled his hand out of his pocket and grasped mine...It's a deal. SWEET! I walked away, got in my car and thought to myself.. what have you done?. I Immediately drove home and started listing stuff on classified ads to sell. This is where one of the barn find 1929 model A's comes into the equation. I told myself that I would never sell this Tudor but there was just something about that Plymouth. I pulled up a few pictures of the old Model A on my computer, shed a few tears and put her up for sale. I was motivated and didn't have the time sit on it so I priced it at what I felt to be fair price for both parties. The next day I had a gentleman show up with a trailer. I knew he was a serious buyer. As I walked him into our old barn where the A was sitting he looked over at me and said "I'll take it". I replied, I thought that is what you were going to say . Money exchanged hands and after about an hours worth of hard labor the Model A was loaded up and on its way to its new home. YES!! BOOM! I had the cash I needed. The next day, I drove over to the visit my new Plymouth. I knocked on the door and that same deep voice who answered my phone call greeted me at the door. I looked at him and said. I couldn't wait a week, I've got your cash. He looked at me like I was crazy....(which to me is a compliment). He invited me in and gave me the title to the car. We then walked back out to the garage to gaze over my new purchase. I am stoked! I basically just traded a 1929 Model A Tudor for a running, driving 1932 Plymouth Tudor. The only problem is ...I am a hot rodder but I don't know if I can bring myself to hot rod this survivor? Am I Crazy?
Duke, Cool story and cool car! I say just lower it to get the stance right, then maybe a set of appropriate wheels and tires and drive it. You can hop up that Plymouth motor with dual carbs, and dual exhaust and put a T-5 s speed in it and it will drive really nice. You'll need to change the rear out for something with around 3.70 gears and it will be a great running car!! I wouldn't mess around with the body at all. Here's a picture of the 38 I used to have and the original engine with the hop up mods I mentioned above. It ran awesome and did hiway speeds with no problem. Good luck!
Like what was said, I'd hop up the original engine, put a better tranny behind it, maybe different rear end? Put a dropped axle under and get it nice and low all around, put appropriate steel wheels and tires on it and drive it. Keep all of the original parts that were taken off clean and orderly so it can be put back if need be Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Congratulations,the Plymouth is a sweet ride,a good friend of mine drove one for a number of years,it was a great driver and his son still has it. HRP
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