I have the opertunity to trade my f100 for a 1952 plymouth coupe barn car with 50 k on the flat head 6 what should I look out for on this thing besides the normal rusty floorboards?
Keep in mind they have positive ground 6V battery and left hand threads on the left side wheel nuts. They were a good reliable car for their day, I can't think of any special weak points. Just the problems that would confront any car that passed its best before date when Cher was a virgin. You probably already know the comparative value of the vehicles.
If you are looking to do an engine swap, fitting a V-8 is difficult due to the placement of the steering column & box. Need to offset the engine to the passenger side a couple of inches. If looking to run the stock powertrain, they are tough & reliable. Is it a Fluid Drive? Kinda neat but seriously slow. 3 spd manual is better. Parts readily available for the flathead.
Well it boils down to if you like the '52 Plymouth better. If its like my '50 Plymouth heres some things to look for: Rockers (inner and outer) Floors and bracing Bottom trunk lip (Where weather stripping goes) Wiring (mine was all hacked up and had a crappy 12v conversion done with bare wire and whatnot, original cloth wire was in shambles) Does it run? My car had a cracked exhaust manifold Transmission/clutch operable? Is the car complete? These early Plymouths dont command much in terms of price...so keep that in mind as well.
oops forgot to say that owners says its running and drivable flat head 6 with 3 on the tree multi carb intake???
I believe these are uni-bodies. so dig deep into the amount of rust in the floor boards and rockers. otherwise, it all comes down to what you want.
This is probably irrelevant but back when i first started drivng (at the ripe old age of 14) I worked as a stockboy/ warehouseman for an independent wholesale distributor. When i wasn't helping with deliveries on the truck I stayed in the warehouse, cleaning up, putting stuff away and, best of all, making 'special" deliveries using the bosses '52 Plymouth 2-door. (the slant back with huge trunk.) These were to customers who weren't on that day's regular truck route. Naturally since the boss was out on the truck, I would make those deliveries as rapidly as possible so I could drive the car up to the gas station where all my older friends hung out. I learned to speed shift the Plymouth and get a big patch in 2nd gear and was soon showing off for the crowd. It wasn't long before somebody wanted to race and I soon had a reputation as a "gunfighter". That Plymouth beat the socks off every Ford I came up against. (Damn good thing I never broke it -that would have been VERY difficult to explain.) I later determined that Plymouth actually had a close ratio transmission with a tall 1st gear-you couldn't light the tires but you could run faster than the fords in 1st then when you shifted into 2nd there was big screech of tires and off it went. We never ran more than about 4 blocks so I don't know what would have happened on top end. Ah!, the good old days.
Damn, I never would of thought to look for those things I'd keep the f100 or sell it and buy something else.. Those early plymouths arent hot rods and when its time to sell you cant get rid of them.
Like I said..get one if you want one. Cause unless its a convertible they aren't very appealing to the average Joe who only knows what a '57 Chevy is.
What about the F100? If it's a piece of shit, trade ! Even if it's not, do you want a car or a truck?
The plymouth is just a grocery getter, what kind of Effy are we talking about? That '68 in your album? Isn't that an F-150? I may trade that one for it is I didn't need it to haul stuff.
what about this plymouth? http://www.shopeshop.org/ramchargers.swf here are a couple of bad pics from the sale add
I love plymouths. I have a 54 savoy. Your 52 always had a weird looking roof in my opinion. But when chopped well they look killer. THE flat head 6 is tough as nails. I have The same set up and only swapped out The Rear end. 70mph down The hwy no problem. 22 mpg. Do you want a rig with a back Seat or not.
I'd sure like to see what that Ford F 100 looks like, tough to unsee a Plymouth once you see one. Bob
Coupe? That looks like what I always knew as 2 door sedans. The little Plymouth coupes of the mid 40s to '52 only had 3 windows in a little short top, shorter wheelbases..no 1/4 glass. Unless the ford truck is a real piece of crap, I wouldn't entertain it. If the plymouth really was a coupe, I'd be a LOT more inclined to swap. Love those little coupes
I'd never trade the '67 Ford in your profile for that Plymouth! The Ford is a much more desireable truck, and better looking too!
Who offered the trade? If it was the Plymouth owner it most likely was because nobody would give him cash for the car, a situation you will be in if you swap the F 100 IMO. Bob
what year is the f 100?? did i miss it? and yes imho that is a 2dr sedan,but thats just my op.chrysler did some odd things back then.
would I look stupid if I did it up late 50's early 60's, C / gas? style? v8 of some type raised front, ladder bars ,towel city or hurst slicks mag wheels, moon tank on the front, red or blue tinted glass
Yep, back then, back beyond then, after that and right up to present day, but Goddamnit, Mopar or nocar!
No auto trans in 52 Plym, 1st one was the weird Hydrive 53s then the 54s got the more conventional Powerflite 2 speed auto.
It wouldn't look any more stupid that a fence post. The absolute best thing that could be done with it is a sleeper grocery getter, the cars had rotten lines to start with. They were grocery getters at best. Leave it stockish looking and spend you dollars on drivetrain, some cheaters like the the towel city cheaters but not the pie crusts so as not to give it away. Clean and simple inside and snake 'em at the light. These are the tires I am talking about.
I wouldn't do it,but thats me,I feel you would be stuck with the car for some time if ya decided to sell,(not much demand for them- as F100's)even rough one bring better cash around here,
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