Hey guys, Im looking at buying a 1939 plymouth coupe thats in need of restoration. Fenders and everything are sitting in the trunk but the body and frame seem to be in good shape. Its missing windows and running boards and headlights and such, so im turing to you guys to point me in the right driection for parts. It still have the original 6 cyl in it but im sure we will hot rod it and change most of the drive train. ~Jason
I'm not exactly sure what you're asking for here. I guess for that kind of MoPAr stuff I'd check with Plydo. They specialize in MoPar rod stuff. They might be able to help you out although in my experience with them their customer service was TERRIBLE. The gl*** should be just flat gl*** if I'm not mistaken. That should be pretty easy and affordable for any gl*** person to make up if they have the patterns. The cl***ifieds section here is also a great place to find things like those missing running boards. Jay
glad ya mentioned plydo they are still around and have a ton of NOS stuff called em about 2 weeks ago to make sure they still existed
Something to keep in mind is that this is a transitional year (first year for headlights in the fenders and last year for running boards). Many parts are '39-only, like the grille, headlights, etc. '40-'41 and '46-'48 cars share many parts and parts are easier to find. There's very little in the way of re-popped parts. You can get re-popped running boards, I paid $650 for the ones for my '39 coupe from PlyDo (which I believe is no longer in business). I suggest you make a call to Flat top Bob at Owens Salvage (Alliance Vendor). Owens is a great source for parts and a pleasure to deal with. You're doing the right thing by checking the depth before you jump into the pool. Dave
E-bay, junkyards, swap meets like Fall Hershey if your doing a straight up 100 point resto. later shawn
My first car was a 1941 coupe, running boards will interchange with '40-'41, but fenders, headlights, grill, hood, trim are all special to the '39 and won't interchange with '41&'40. We got the doors to fit off a '40 (they had to be worked over) but nothing else would match to my '41. So good luck.
contact me i have a pair of headlights and some spare parts for a 39 plymouth you can have YOU PAY SHIPPING.
You going to "restore" it or you going to "hot rod" it? Two different directions, best to deside which way you plan on going. Disc brake conversions are available from www.rustyhope.com and several others. The 39 Plymouth was the first year for independent suspension, it was a decent setup, but there is room for improvements. Many body parts like doors and rear fenders, trunk lid interchange with Plymouth Business coupes from 37, 38 and 39. Front fenders, grills, and hoods are year specific. Front suspension is pretty much the same from 39 to 49, and maybe farther. Rear was pretty well unchanged from the mid 30s until the mid 50s, I think. The frame is big and boxy, that can rust out at the bottom of the front crossmember and at the kickup at the rear axle. If you don't want to deal with the front end, a Dodge Dakota pickup splices in nicely about the firewall. The original wheel bolt pattern is 5 on 4 1/2", which was standard Mopar bolt pattern through the performance years. I had a 39 plymouth business coupe until last year, if you think your going to p*** on it, you could PM me with the info, might be interested in getting another. Cheap would be a requirememt.... Gene
Hello everyone, Thanks for the quick reply's, all the support is awesome. We are going to hot rod it if we buy it. I built a kit car a few years ago and have a newer turbo dodge so the old cars are kind of new to me. I was curious on brake conversions and improvements on front suspension and thing like that. Thanks for the info on the body panels that will fit and not fit. Anymore help is appreciated! thanks ~jason
For what it's worth...I think that a beginner could make a better choice of a first car to hot rod. Early MoPars are cheap to get into but need everything to bring them up to modern driveability standards...and virtually none of it is exactly bolt-on. A '40s or '50s vintage Ford or Chevy will cost more to buy initially, but there's a much greater chance that you'll actually finish the project... Just my $.02
There is a '39 Plymouth rumble-seat convertible for sale locally that is just killing me. Must....resist...urge....to...buy...more...projects. The guy seems to have a lot of extra parts, maybe he would sell some. Here's the link: http://www.hemmings.com/cl***ifieds/?op=display_ad&id=702427
I'll echo that sentiment. We had a 39 plymouth coupe years ago and didn't get to far on the build....then one day I was looking at the hamb and the car showed up here, with a different engine, etc in it but the same primer splotches. I guess a few other people who had it didn't get to far on it either.
Im looking for a project but it seems as if i should be looking for something different. Any reccomendations on what to start looking for? It seems that with the amount of customizing on the plymouth I should be looking for another project. Thanks again
As long as the car is solid I wouldn't p*** it up for something "easier"...get the car and a 70's or 80's Volare or Diplomat for a donor, sell the front frame and suspension from the donor car, drop the slant six and rearend into the '39 and piece it together from there...if the car is rotten, p*** it on to someone else...
Another great parts reference is www.robertsmotorparts.com ...the best upgrades are a dual master cylinder conversion and front shock relocators, the rest I'd leave stock except for the slant 6 and rearend upgrade from the donor vehicle...
That would be the one I had. I got it road worthy, drove it to the HAMB drags in 07, and put a bit over 8,000 miles on it before the engine went out in my 4x4 truck. My choice was to sell the coupe to fix the 4x4 or drive the coupe through winter. Putting a snow plow on the coupe would have ****ed, so down the road it went. If the op is going to p*** on the 39, please PM me the info, I'm not afraid of it. Gene
True, not many repop parts out there for old Mopars, however the '39 is not as popular as earlier models. That famous eBid website is about to become your good friend, and you won't have as much compe***ion for parts as for earlier years. The rear fenders and trunk lid from '37-'38 will fit a '39, just by filling or drilling a few holes. If you need some of the stainless grille pieces, let me know.
You can get sheetmetal parts from the PlynouthDoctor, but ya better have deep pockets and like Black P15 coupe stated " this is a transitional year " head light buckets are tuff to find when I was doing my 39 I couldnt find any and had to make them . the frames will rot out some @ the front cross member , the cowl lower corners , the rear pan, trunk, floors , rockers , lower door skin/s , cowl vent , body fenders mount location and other parts are just a few that I had replaced . just about every part has a radius up and down and front to rear so making your own sheet metal patchs isnt going to be EZ . I used the original IFS and made up a disc brake set up to fit the spindles along with a rear steer GM rack & pinion . The 39 is a nice looking car but do your research before you jump. As far as Plydo ..... I wouldnt deal with them , save time and money and make it yourself . If you Google 1939p7 and look for the wrongshop "project 1939p7 " you could see what I had to do.
The Jalopy Journal
