My first Plymouth... 52 Cranbrook

i've wanted an old car for a long time and when i found this on craigslist i couldn't pass it up. it's a 52 cranbrook w/a 230 flat head 6 w/ a 3spd. only down side is no title, however i have already found one. i know like i need another project.
it actually runs and drives pretty damn good. the guy bought it to rat it out but lost interest. he replaced the rear brake line, all the shocks, new plugs and points and a new battery. it starts and runs perfectly.
it needs the usual rust/rot repair but actually less then my 68 k20. i'm going to see if i can pull the driver door rather then replace it, i'm really partial to the matching patina.
here are a few pics. plans are to get it road worthy, clean up the interior a bit and just drive it as is.









more updated pics to come.

 

sweet, looks like you got a bit of work ahead of ya!

nice to see some more 4 doors

 

i did manage to fix a few things. i worked out a few of the major dents, pulled the driver rocker out from looking like a >, put a "new" exhaust on, fixed the bent ass steering arm that was jacked up by a forklift or something, damn thing was bent in a 45*.
on her way to the shop


BIG dent

much much smaller dents









orig seat!


worst parts of the floor


cool radio box i found under the dash

 

Ooooffff... looks almost like a Flintstone mobile. Deffo a cool car but more rust than I'd like to deal with. But parts are around and they're pretty easy to work on.

Bob

 

It can be fixed ... That'll make a cool daily driver

 

hey for $300 bucks i'm not bitching

ha bob look at the floor in my 68 and i paid $1000 for it. i think i'm up for the challenge.





but that was an easy fix...

 

and the new junk pile exhaust. got it up as tight as i coudl so when i lower nothing hits.

 

i think i'll call it frankenfloor. wow does weling thin rusty metal suck. almost done though. just a few more small patches and i need to rebuild the bottom of the panel that goes around the pedals.

 

If you got that for $300 and it runs and drives, you did pretty good even though there is some rust. Well worth that price.....

 

I like your exhaust.

What's with the muffler? ha, ha, just kidding.

 

ha i put it on there then my girl tells me it's too quiet... she wants it loud.

yea i figured it was a god deal too. hey it's only metal. so far i've got about $450 into the car including buying it. but it still need tires. i did find a killer deal on some new www, 5 for $250!

 

I dig it. Try to resist the temptation to over do it...

 

Looking very, very good! Glad to see you're not afraid to tackle the rust work yourself. Keep up the good work!

 

That exhaust wouldn't pass here. It has to be behind the passenger compartment.

 

Looks like you got a good deal nothing that a little sheet metal and welding won't take care . Check NAPA for mechanical parts.

 

I'm going to be following this thread closely as I got a 50 Special Deluxe almost identical to yours...including the swiss cheese floor. I don't have the resources you have in the way of welding but I'm going to learn and get her going. I have no plans to do anything except drop it a little, straighten out the exhaust and brakes, patch the panels, lose the bias plys for www's and drive the hell out of it!

If you need parts I may be able to help depending on what you need as I got a ton of extra parts when I bought mine. Good luck and keep posting pix!

 

The stock engine would be a 218, Plymouth didn't get 230 until late 54. What it the engine mumber??? Is on the block just above the generator.

 

Nice find! check out www.grandcanyontuberadio.com on your Motorola

 

Gotta love the old Mopars.

 

I'm pretty sure that's a '51. I'm no expert, but I had a '51 and it looked exactly like that.

 

P.s. I think the six was 217.8 c.i..

 

Sweet find and should be a fun build. One piece of advice. Go ahead and rebuild the Master Cylinder while you have the floor cut up. It'll keep you from having to lay on the ground to get it out. Also reuse or recreate the access hole for the master if you haven't already done it.

 

51, 52, whatever it takes. They are the same body style, same grille, just a subtle difference with the rear tag light.

 

yep thats a 51 i have the same car but a 2 door, i think every cranbrooks floor looks like that......im starting to think they came from the factory like that let me know if you have any questions or need any parts for it im into mine 2 years now

 

excellent thanks guys.
i've looked at tons of pics and the 51-52s are so very close to the same. i'm just starting to read up on these things, the plymouth stuff is all new to me. never had a car where you have reverse thread on only one side of the car haha.

and pete i did actually cut the notch in the floor where the ms is. i will have to look into where to find parts for it. thanks for the heads up.

i did find a factory turn signal switch in the junkyard tho that i will be putting in when i rewire everything.

i am in need of a few things. i'm looking for a set of tail light lenses and also front marker lenses. also a dash clock if anyone has that haha.

 

I have a special place in my heart for the '52 Plymouth. In my second year of HS my dad bought one new. Grey cloth interior, Maroon paint. Every time one of us drove it, he inspected it for 'pecker tracks'.

 

Love those '49-'54 Mopars! You've done great work so far. Don't forget to check Blue Skies Plymouth for inspiration! He's here on the HAMB.

 

yea i was looking at some of his stuff. super clean but he is in a different ballpark with that thing lol

 

Hey pasadena hot rod ,Does that aply for lakepipes also ?