Well, i finally broke down. i felt like a chump without a running driving car. so i bought one. i really am a chevy guy. more specifically a 46-58 chevy guy, but these plymouth p15's have been really peaking my attention lately. i looked at a couple on CL but i missed out. they both had stock drivelines etc, which i know nothing about, and i REALLY did not want a manual transmission. so last week i saw this on the HAMB. it was a 'finished' car at one point. actually it was a '90s 'custom' complete with toyota door handles and side view mirrors, bumper deletes and little LED marker lamps. the guy i bought it from (51shoebox) shaved the door handles and removed the molded lakes pipes. it has a late model Pontiac 350/350 combo and a chrysler 8.75 rear. power drum brakes and rack and pinion steering with a butt ugly late model chrysler tilt column. the front is cut coils and the rear has removed leafs, blocks and air shocks. 14" wheels with g78 bias ply remingtons. i think the suspension and steering could use a little help. the interior is clean. pretty much like new grey cloth/velour type reproduction interior. the cool part is there is no back seat so they added the cover that goes between the seat back and package tray. the body work is a trip. they somehow customized the contour or shape of the fenders and reshaped the rear wheel openings. funky headlights need attention. all nosed, decked, shaved, filled and otherwise. the most interesting part of the car, which attracted me although i'm still not sure if its ugly or not, is the grille. its all hand formed square stock in a custom surround. i think it looks like a 41 buick. in current form its kinda garish, but i think once chromed with bumpers and valences in place it will fit like a glove. it drives OK. a little bump steer, and it definitely drives like a lowered car. probably could use an alignment and brake adjustment. somebody mixed products in the master cylinder (looked like oil and vinegar dressing) so at a minimum a teardown and flush is in order. (this is the 4th car this year that has come into my shop with fluid contamination. watch your labels.) the booster shows signs of MC leakage so maybe i'll just do a complete swap with new lines and everything. who knows. i bought it as an around town driver/project. the immediate plans are to get it all in primer and get the rear and door glass in it ASAP. after that i'll start chipping away at all the little bodywork stuff and small details that don't cost much. they rushed the bodywork as is evidenced by the sanding marks visible in the paint. elbow grease should solve that, one panel at a time. the big picture is to get it on 15's and 6.70 firestone WWs, paint it the same metallic green, and if i decide to hold on to it, change the column out for an ididit straight column and limeworks shifter. magnetic door solenoids would be nice. i'd like to put dropped uprights and discs on the front as well as a new set of springs. the rear is just right, and depending on the era i decide to go with, the nose might need to come up just a touch. a set of teardrop skirts would be excellent if i decide to go early post war. i've spent so much time and energy on 49-52 chevys that i feel like i'm learning chinese as i'm finding out who offers parts for these things, but that's part of the fun i guess. all in all i don't think it will take much to restyle this thing back to a more traditional sensibility. this is about what i'm feeling right now...
Yes!!! I'm stoked for you! I feel ya on the 49-52 Chevy thing but I agree... There is something cool about those mopar products. Posted from the TJJ App for iPhone & iPad
I'm into the Mopar stuff. Good find but tough to find parts as they are no where near as popular as the other brands. Boy, they really changed the front end! I like the stock suspension as long as you use radials and good shocks.
Definite potential there. The bumpers on the maroon example appear to be '50 Dodge units, seems like they work nicely on there. Sounds like you have a good plan for it as well, I look forward to updates.
Nice staring point. I look forward to seeing your progress on this. Posted from the TJJ App for iPhone & iPad
Please keep us posted on your progress. We could always use another P15 build thread! That could be a nice car...hell its not that bad now and I'm sure you will improve it. When it comes to the front end I kind of dig it and it could be alot worse... this is what I'm dealing with.
Certainly a nice base to start with. The grille treatment kinda grows on you (green one, that is); resembles early '40's Olds/Pontiac. Good luck with the project!
Dyn-no-mite! The more I read, the more I like! Your inspiration car is one of my favorites. I find it sad that it eventually evolved into 60's show car absurdity.
HAMB'er Rot n' Kustom photo shopped this version (by request), just to see what the grille might look like cut down. The Olds caps and other changes were his ideas. GreenPlym01 by DaveTartaglia, on Flickr
I had a set of the Olds caps for my 48. Went back and forth several times on those and the stock caps. Finally found a guy that liked the Olds caps a lot more than I did.
Ya but he forgot to chop it ! It looks like its gonna be a fun little car that you get the bonus of being able to drive while you pick away at it.
I've always liked the maroon (I think) one that you showed as an example. Less might be more on that car with just the mild custom treatment with the single color paint job being right on. Chopped would look good but not really a necessity.
I love these old plymouths. I still think from personal views that they just asked to be chopped. The roof line has always bothered me because they look like they have such a big head. Just my opinion but check out my build thread on here. Mines now chopped and can give ya some other ideas maybe.
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