54 dodge coronet suburban how rare?

Hi Folks,

Saw a 54 Dodge Coronet Suburban for sale today. Talked to the owner and he said it was pretty rare. I have never seen one but have never looked for one either. Car has been in the family since new and still has original ***le.

It has the 230ci Straight 6 with the standard 3 speed on the tree. She started right up but has been sitting for a bunch of years so the normal go thru would be needed.

Body well she has some dents and dings, repainted in the 70's and probably some bondo hiding here and there. Rear tail gate has rot at the bottom but does work. Floors though not Fred Flinstone would need work.

Everything seems to work and she has that old car smell.

Asking price is 5k but is open to offers. Think I would need to get it lower than that.

Looking for some info on these models and is there a good parts source out there. I imagine other than the 2 door wagon body style she is just your average everyday Dodge.

Thanks looking forward to any info.

 

Pretty rare. Dodge was not doing well in sales that year. Station wagons were just becoming popular, maybe 1 in 10 Dodges were wagons. Most of them got used by painters and contractors, farmers and small businesses and were junked years ago.

Condition sounds average or below. It's hard to say just by a description but it sounds wildly overpriced.

 

1954 Dodge Coronet Suburban, 6 p***enger, 2 door wagon...9,489 built.
1954 Dodge Coronet Sierra, 6 p***enger, 4 door wagon.........1,300 built.

 

About 3 to 3.5K would be more like it based on it's condition you can find estimates on cl***ic car sites like Hemmings.com this might be fun to check out: http://www.jaylenosgarage.com/colle...dodge-coronet-suburban/index.shtml#item=84119 The 241 Hemi with overdrive would probably make it closer to the asking price of 5K.

 

Dodges aren't as popular as other makes, which means while parts won't be too bad, there's no repro market, so the parts that are scarce or unobtainable, you'll either have to fabricate or they'll be big money.

 

Thanks Folks,

Pretty much right on the money that I was thinking price and condition wise.

I did find the Jay Leno video, neat car.

Gonna give it some thought, it has been for sale for a while, and if I decide to make an offer and can get it right I'll post it here.

Now if it was a Ford Wagon the decision would be easy.

Tbone

 

I've got a mostly complete 2-door one out in the yard here if you do end up getting it. Lots of good parts.

---John

 

Go a photo?,not sure if I've ever seen one. HRP

 

You could do a road trip and drive this home http://phoenix.craigslist.org/evl/cto/3882224921.html And then post your adventure with pictures of the trip home on the HAMB!

 

Ford Wagon? Look here,scroll down to post#74 http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=816296&page=4

 

Here's a pic I found on google images. It's not the one I was looking at.

 

The Plymouth versions, fully restored, can top fifty grand.

 

Chrysler product wagons of the '50s are going up in value from what I have seen.

 

The '53 and '54 Dodge wagons are Plymouth body based cars as were the 2 door hardtop (Diplomat) and Convertible models. They are on a shorter wheelbase than other Dodge models of the same year. The ch***is components/engine/trans are regular Dodge/Plymouth stuff. So, for doors, quarter panels, tailgates, roof, gl***, etc., you can source parts from a Plymouth. Grille and other trim are same as Dodge sedan.

5k seems like a LOT of money for car as described.

Ray

 

Without pics this thread is as worthless as my Carlton Sheets get rich on real estate DVD set. I even got the free ginsu knives...

 

Haaahaaa, I know, forgot to take pics and ask the mileage.

Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!

 

Where are you getting that number from? Show me one example of one selling for even half of that.

 

We had the same year Plymouth convertible in decent shape and had a hell of a time selling that. Still have a parts car up there. They're not $50,000 cars by any means.

 

They are going up in value, but not up by THAT much. I would also like to see the $50,000.00 version, please.

 

I believe you are looking at what is basically a Plymouth Body with Dodge front sheet metal and trim. Plymouth made a few more of them, so the Dodges were fewer in number. A friend had a coral rose and cream 54 Plymouth, 2 dr. he sold it for a very nice price a few years ago. Decided to keep his 47 Plymouth woody and sell the pink thing. Not a bad car comfortable back seat, sliding rear windows are a neat feature. Ask fi it has fluid drive. As a Dodge it may more likely to be FD, but maybe not if its based on Plymouth running gear. The three speed trans was insalled behind the fluid coupler as well as the semi auto.

 

I asked about it being a fluid drive, I had a 50 Meadowbrook with one, and he said it was just a straight 3 speed. Not sure if he understood what a fluid drive was though.

I am still going back and forth with the little voice in my head. Currently I have a Model A project but the Dodge could be on the road very shortly. But I am a ford guy, **** I am just an old car guy and like them all

 

They make nice mild customs:

 

Here is my Plymouth:




As stated before its a Dodge front clip on a Plymouth body. Mechanical parts are easy to find, and suprisingly body panels are not too hard to find either. Weatherstripping and trim are more difficult.

 

Thinking I would just make it road worthy and stick and old surfboard out the back window and call it done.

Ultimate nirvana, since a hemi was an option, would to drop in and old school hemi with the supporting drive train of course.

Oh and the original owner was a speed boat racer so she has a trailer hitch so an old wooden speed skiff in tow would be the bomb.

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1953-Dodge-...Parts_Accessories&hash=item56580d9f1f&vxp=mtr

This guy has been advertising this package for about 3 years...
http://www.ebay.com/itm/TWO-1954-Do...alvage_Parts_Cars&hash=item2e97bbfe7c&vxp=mtr

 

It's parked in Jay Leno's Garage!

 

Another one is at the NHRA Museum in Pomona, I heard it too was valued at 50K.

 

Here is my ultra rare one of 988 54 Dodge Coronet Sierra 4 dr with a 241 hemi and 3spd w/OD. It was a special order, stretched at Iona Coach in Iona, MI.

 

The only Dodge or Plymouth suburbans I remember seeing back then, were the basic models. And even at that, I would say that amounted to about two or three, about the same as the number of Cameos I saw back then.
In 1960, a close friend had a pristine, top of the line, 54 Dodge convertible. The interior was very pretty, and the trim made the car look like Cinderella compared to the basic models.
He was a real Dodge nut, and had a modified Chrysler 6 with dual 2 bbls and an overdrive transmission.
It was a very pretty car, and one I wouldn't have minded owning.
Bob

 

Hey murfman,
That red Dodge was Wally Parks "Safety Safari" NHRA Tow car.
That's where about half of the $50,0000 value comes from!