1958 Plymouth Cabana

In the 1950s, the world was focused on what could be. Thoughts of the future and what it might look like were common around the world. In the United States, some cars began to reflect the near obsession with futuristic ideas, changing technology, and all new looks. Some models, however, never quite made it. The Plymouth Cabana is one such example of a classic car that would never come to be.

Introduced in 1958, the Plymouth Cabana was a station wagon which easily reflected the futuristic feel to automobiles. This concept car had large tail fins which were topped off with a large glass window which covered the rear end of the car. That particular window also served as the rear side windows. Nearly akin to a car from the cartoon The Jetsons. A large windshield was reminiscent of a bubble and gave the driver a huge range of vision. Today, few cars offer the large glass windows such as these.

Unfortunately, the Plymouth Cabana never went into production, and it remained a concept car, however, it is fun to imagine what it could have been. What do you think of this concept classic car? Do you wish it had gone into production? Let us know what you think by leaving a comment in the area below.

Like what you see? Follow us on Twitter, Like us on Facebook, and Follow us on Youtube. Don’t forget to find information or look for your favorite car on our website!

1964 Plymouth Valiant

As the 1960s moved along, cars slowly transformed from the “bubble” looking designs of the 1950s, and became more angular and elongated. Power under the hood increased, and so did speed. The Plymouth Valiant was no exception to this. Introduced in 1960, the Valiant was not considered to be a Plymouth model until 1961.

After a record year in sales in 1963,, the changes for the 1964 model were more focused on performance and reliability than its outward appearance, though it did feature a restyled front end. Horizontal bars, a Valiant medallion, and a new grille gave the 1964 model a new look. Additionally, Taillights were rotated so that they were vertical rather than horizontal.

To help with performance, the Valiant got a 4-speed manual transmission with a flood shifter, and a block V8 roared. With a 180 horsepower rating, the Valiant was able to compete with the Ford Falcon, though it never outsold its competition. Several body styles were available, including a 2-door convertible, 2-door hardtop, 4-door sedan, and a 4-door two seat station wagon. In addition to the manual transmission, a 3-speed automatic transmission was available for those who preferred it.

The Plymouth Valiant was replaced midway through the 1976 model year, but the decision was unpopular as it left the production plant to design a much less desirable model, the F-body. Bankruptcy was a near miss for Chrysler in the late 1970s, and many believe this decision contributed to its financial woes.

Like what you see? Follow us on Twitter, Like us on Facebook, and Follow us on Youtube. Don’t forget to find information or look for your favorite car on our website!

The Plymouth Plaza

 In 1954, Plymouth rolled out the Plymouth Plaza, which they priced under their more pricey models, while offering options that had been reserved for those more expensive models. The Plaza came in 2, 3, and 4 door sedan versions. A “Silver Special” Plaza was rare, and only offered in 1958. This special edition Plaza had silver paint on the roof and a stainless steel spear on the front fenders and part of the doors. A  few other final touches to the model made it one of the rarest classic cars, especially because there is no true way to know just how many silver specials were produced.

The Plymouth Plaza had a style that is often associated with 1950s-era vehicles. With an elongated hood and sparkling bumpers, the car epitomizes the image most people bring to mind when thinking of classic cars from the post-war era. Large windows and a generally long vehicle, no matter the body style, made this fit perfectly with most people’s idea of a 1950s classic car.

During its first year of production, a power steering option became available for $139.75, as did a 110-horsepower 230 cubic inch engine, 3-speed manual transmission, semi-automatic transmission, and automatic transmission options. The Plymouth Plaza weighed in between 2,889 and 3,122 pounds, depending on the body style.

After only four years of production, the Plaza was discontinued after the 1958 model year. The short-lived model was so accurately portrayed the style so popular after WWII was very much stuck there and never made it to the flower power days of the 1960s.

Like what you see? Follow us on Twitter, Like us on Facebook, and Follow us on Youtube. Don’t forget to find information or look for your favorite car on our website!

Plymouth & The Great Depression

The history of the automobile industry is intertwined with the history of our country from the period just preceding the turn of the 20th century onward.

Motor vehicles started to become more of a reality and less of a dream during the end of the 1800s, and automobile ownership was brought within reach of ordinary Americans with the introduction of the Ford Model T in 1908.

During the earlier days of automotive manufacturing there were a couple of events that had a big impact on the evolution of the industry.

Not too long after the automobile started to take hold the United States fell into the Great Depression, which began with the stock market crash of 1929. This obviously put a damper on the spirits and capabilities of the auto buying public.

In a stroke of luck that is rather hard to fathom, Chrysler decided to introduce a lower end offering just before the depression hit in the form of the Plymouth. The first Plymouth was made available for sale in July of 1928. At the time Ford and Chevrolet had a stranglehold on what we would now call economy cars, and Chrysler wanted a piece of this market share.

Little did they know that their higher-end Chrysler offerings would be in little demand during the economic crunch that the country would be suffering through. At a time when some automotive manufacturers were going out of business the success of the Plymouth division kept Chrysler afloat during the Depression years.

In fact, by 1931 Plymouth was the third highest selling automotive brand in the United States. By 1936 Plymouth sales eclipsed the half-million mark at 520,025 units.

These days we can look back on Plymouth as a defunct division of an existing company that stopped producing cars in the United States in 2001. But the fact is that if it wasn’t for its Plymouth division Chrysler may have never made it through the Great Depression years.

Like what you see? Follow us on Twitter, Like us on Facebook, and Follow us on Youtube. Don’t forget to find information or look for your favorite car on our website!

Third Generation Plymouth Barracudas

Of all the classic cars that are out there people who have a specific affection for Plymouth automobiles often gravitate toward the Barracuda.

A lot of people think that the first pony car was the Ford Mustang, and it is true that the class of vehicle was named after the Mustang. However, the Barracuda, which was considered to be a pony car once the term was coined was introduced first. The Plymouth Barracuda was released on April 1 of 1964 which predated the debut of the Ford Mustang by a couple of weeks.

The Plymouth Barracuda remained in production through the 1974 model year, and the car went through three different generations during that time.

The final one began in 1970, and during the final generation the Barracuda was offered as either a two door notch-back coupe or a two door convertible. They were built on the Chrysler E-Body platform and this new incarnation of the Barracuda was the brainchild of automotive designer John Herlitz.

There were a number of different engine options available in the third-generation Barracudas starting at the bottom with the 198 cubic inch slant-six. Starting in 1969 the Barracuda was offered with a high-performance trim package and these vehicles were called the ‘Cuda. The ‘Cuda was available when this new generation began as well and the standard engine in the ‘Cuda was the 383 cubic inch V-8 that was rated at 335 hp.

The Plymouth Barracuda is always going to be a favorite of classic Plymouth fans and it certainly made its mark during the classic era of the American pony car. If you have any experiences with a Plymouth Barracuda that you would be willing to share with other classic Plymouth fans by all means leave a comment below and let us hear your thoughts.

 

Like what you see? Follow us on Twitter, Like us on Facebook, and Follow us on Youtube. Don’t forget to find information or look for your favorite car on our website!

The Plymouth Fury

There is a certain mindset that seems to come along with ushering in a brand-new year. Perhaps the first thing that comes to mind is the hard-core reveling that is done by many people.

Partying hard to welcome the new year is a tradition for a lot of folks and as long as it is done responsibly there is certainly nothing wrong with knocking back a few potent potables with your friends and family.

In addition to the above there is often a sense of renewal that goes along with celebrating the new year, and this is all the more profoundly felt when we are entering a new decade. There is a certain excitement that goes along with this, the idea that we are entering into a whole new era full of bright possibilities.

The American automotive industry has reflected this, oftentimes reshaping the landscape as the new decade dawns. For Plymouth, the end of the 1950s and the beginning of the 60s included some innovations, and one of these was the introduction of the classic car, the Plymouth Fury as a model in its own right.

The Fury was a subseries of the Plymouth Belvedere from 1956 to 1958, but became its own nameplate in 1959. Plymouth introduced the Sport Fury at its top-of-the-line vehicle, offered as either a two-door hardtop or two-door convertible. The standard Fury of this era was second on the pecking order to the Belvedere.

1960 represented a new look for the Fury with a sleeker body style. The most powerful engine that was available during 1960 and 1961 was a 383 cubic inch V8 that was rated at 330 hp. The cars were offered with either a three speed manual or a three speed automatic transmission and weighed in at between 3330 and 3640 pounds depending on the body style.

The Plymouth Fury remained in production all the way through the 1978 model year and it is one of the most iconic nameplates in the history of the brand.

 

Like what you see? Follow us on Twitter, Like us on Facebook, and Follow us on Youtube. Don’t forget to find information or look for your favorite car on our website!

Buying And Selling Classic Plymouths

Classic Plymouths can be hard to find if you are going to be limited by geography.

There are only so many rare and collectible Plymouth motor vehicles in any given town, so traditionally it could be a long-term process to constantly scour all available resources in the hope of finding the right car.

The Internet has changed the way that people shop for all types of products. It can eliminate the constraints that used to exist regarding geography. However, certain types of things could seem to be difficult to buy and sell over the Internet.

On the surface, you may think that classic cars fit this description. However, where there’s a will there’s a way, and if you are a classic Plymouth fan you are definitely going to want to explore the extraordinary marketplace that exists on the Fossil Cars website.

FossilCars.com has literally thousands of classic cars for sale, and if you are a fan of classic trucks they have them too. Classic Plymouth fans will find that there are so many possible purchases on the site that the only limitation is going to be the size of your wallet.

But guess what? You don’t have to have cash on hand because Fossil Cars can connect you with classic car finance options that are efficient and affordable. Getting the car to you is not going to be a problem either because the site also connects clients with classic car transport services.

And if you are concerned about getting exactly what you are paying for, that’s not an issue because Fossil Cars can hook you up with reputable and accredited classic car appraisers.

Shoppers can find everything they’re looking for on this site, but if you have a classic Plymouth that you want to sell your ideal partner is sitting there waiting for you with all the resources necessary to facilitate a quick and mutually satisfying sale.

Check out the site for yourself and by all means, swing back here to leave a comment and let us know what you think!

 

 

Like what you see? Follow us on Twitter, Like us on Facebook, and Follow us on Youtube. Don’t forget to find information or look for your favorite car on our website!

The Heart of America Region Chapter of the Plymouth Owners Club

If you are a classic Plymouth fan you are part of a special breed of collector car enthusiasts. Plymouth automobiles are a true slice of Americana, especially when you are talking about the vehicles of the classic era.

Cruising down the highway with no particular place to go in your perfect Plymouth taking in the sights and sounds of the roadways has always been an experience that is uniquely American, like baseball, jazz, and apple pie.

The heartland of America is a hotbed of classic car enthusiasts, and there are many car clubs to participate in if you want to have the opportunity to network and hang out with people who love collectible American cars as much as you do.

There’s nothing like being able to share your knowledge, learn new things in your own right, participate in a marketplace where people are buying and selling cars and parts, and otherwise rub elbows with like-minded folks.

With the above in mind, classic Plymouth fans who live in the vicinity of Kansas City, Missouri would do well to consider joining the The Heart of America Region chapter of the Plymouth Owners Club.

They got their charter back in 1990 so you know that they’re going to be around for the long haul. If you join up you can participate in their monthly cruises, and the club organizes road trips as well that can give you something to look forward to throughout the year.

There is also a monthly newsletter circulated to keep members aware of everything that is going on that would be of interest to regional classic Plymouth fans.

If joining this fantastic group of dedicated Plymouth fans sounds like good idea to you, you can get all the information you need by visiting the The Heart of America Region website.

A Look At The Plymouth Duster

When you are a teenager looking for your first car you are probably not going to have a lot of experience with regard to the reputation of the vehicles in your price range for reliability.

That’s where your motorhead uncle comes in, and there are certain cars that were around during the 1970s and 1980s that had a reputation for reliability. One of these was the Plymouth Duster, a car that is a favorite of many classic Plymouth fans.

In 1968 Chevrolet introduced the Nova which was a downsized economy car, and of course Ford and Chrysler wanted to follow suit. To this end Ford came out with the Maverick for the 1970 model year and the Plymouth division of Chrysler introduced the Duster. The 1970 Duster was offered in just one body style: a two door semi-fastback coupe.

There were two Duster models initially available to the public in 1970. One of them was the simple standard Duster, and then there was the Duster 340. The standard Plymouth Duster was offered with the good old reliable slant-six that your uncle was so fond of in either a 198 cubic inch or 225 cubic inch configuration. Later on in the year Plymouth introduced the Gold Duster which was available with either a 318 cubic inch V8 or the 225 ci slant-six.

The Plymouth Duster sold quite well from the outset with a total of 217,192 units produced for the 1970 model year. The 340 performance models are a pretty good find as only 24,817 of them left the assembly lines.

The first generation of the Plymouth Duster remained in production through the 1976 model year and many people were sorry to see them go. However, the Duster reappeared from 1985 through 1987 and was then revived again from 1992 through 1994.

 

Like what you see? Follow us on Twitter, Like us on Facebook, and Follow us on Youtube. Don’t forget to find information or look for your favorite car on our website!

The Early Plymouth Barracuda

When you mention the term “pony car” the first model that is going to come to the minds of most people is going to be the Ford Mustang.

There are other cars that were added to the pony car niche after the success of the Mustang was so stunning, but after all, the Mustang was the only “horse” in the race. If the breed was going to be named after a horse the Mustang must have been the very first pony car, right?

The answer is actually surprising to a lot of people. The Plymouth Barracuda wound up being considered to be a pony car after the term had been coined, and of course the designation did come about as a result of the popularity of the Mustang.

However, the Mustang was introduced on April 17 of 1964. The Barracuda, which would be Plymouth’s entry into the pony car race, made its debut on April Fools’ Day so it is in fact technically the first pony car.

In a manner of speaking the first wave of the Plymouth Barracuda could be described as a hybrid of the Plymouth Valiant because it was built on the Valiant platform and as a result shared a lot of the Valiant’s features. What set it apart was the fastback body with a lot of glass in the back, an extremely distinctive feature that immediately caught your eye on the roadways.

The most powerful engine available in the 1964 Plymouth Barracuda was a new offering for Chrysler, a 273 cubic inch V8 with a two barrel carburetor. Of course this was a different era and it’s all relative, but it is kind of weird to think that the 1964 Plymouth Barracuda carried a sticker price of around $2500.

The first generation of the car lasted from 1964 through the 1966 model year. We will have much more to say about the Barracuda in future posts, and if you have anything to contribute please feel free to add comments and share your experiences with this American classic!