Our instagram was hacked. 🤬 So we are starting over again. Sorry to trouble you, but could you refollow the ‘@realcarwizard’? instagram.com/realcarwizard/ Thanks 🧙
Watch out for keyloggers! They’re nasty. I have some software that can help you detect it! It’s how most social media/email accounts are “hacked” these days.
The patina on that car is *PERFECTION!!!* I'm so glad you're not going to paint it. It's just beautiful as it is. Clean it up, get it running like new, and you'll have something that will definitely turn heads at the local cars and coffee. I love this car!!! It's a beautiful example of an unmodified, unrestored, untouched survivor. Please keep it forever! Or sell it to me if you don't. :-)
Even the "economy" brands were pretty nice in many ways. A little nicer interior or a revolutionary trans. and slightly bigger engine in the higher spec. cars. Not much else is markedly different.
Of all the cars that I had seen in your Chanel, the old Plymouth is the one I like the most. You are right on not changing anything and preserving the car the way it is. Great video.
This flat head 6 engine was so good and dependable and trouble-free that it was used from 1937 to 1959, even after becoming quite outdated, when the famous slant six replaced it.
Australian 54 Plymouth savoys were made in 12V and the same style went until 56. We also got a utility version. This looks to be a really great find Wizard.
Plymouth rock is a myth created more than a century afterwards. If they'd actually tried to land at Plymouth rock they all would have died in the attempt as it's far too rocky there to make a landing.
@@MrWoodyBalto The story goes that an old man in his 90's suddenly remembered that when he was a kid, an old man in his 90's showed him the rock and said he saw them landing there when _he_ was a kid..... Anywho, it's the rocks out in the water that would have killed them, not the beach pebble....
It was intended as a low priced car for someone who just wanted reliable transportation. There were many thousands of these cars on the road in their day.
@@1575murray Evidently built very well back then. You could replace/repair the oil pump without removing the whole engine. Can't even do that on a lawn mower these days.
Fifties cars speak to me also, since growing up in the Fifties. I used to daily drive a 1953 Buick Straight Eight, a 1950 Studebaker Champion, and a 1955 Plymouth Savoy. All great cars.
I had a 1950 champion too. Three on the tree with over drive. I discovered that the overdrive worked on all 3 speeds, a six speed, ole, warmed up my 16 year old hart.
The only problem with these old vehicles--they were just not safe...no seat belts, single master cylinder brakes...and a frontal collision could leave you impaled by the steering column...so, not practical to use nowadays.
@@wythewinchester3236 Wow, I never discovered that little trick. I do remember a handle you could pull and if memory serves, it seems as if all the gears were lower.
I love it. I was born in ‘56, and as a gearheaded kid, these were the cars I saw every day. I was fascinated by the swooping lines and the chrome, and I really envied the adults for their ability to drive these amazing machines. I’m still an enthusiast today, and cars like your Plymouth still evoke the same feelings for me. This one’s a very lucky survivor!
Two of my favorite cars sitting side by side-Plymouth and Studebaker, built when manufacturers took pride in what they built,unlike the soulless appliances of today.
When I was a child we had a 51 Plymouth Cranbrook, very similar to your Savoy. Seeing your video brings back many fond memories. We had the car until 1967 and at the time it had 140,000 miles on it. The car was very easy for the owner to self-service. As I recall, my father never had to take it into a repair shop to do maintenance. He traded it in on a 1967 Valiant Signet and although a good car, it was never as comfortable to ride in as the Cranbrook. I remember the back seat in the Cranbrook was like sitting on sofa, while in the Valiant, it was much lower and you always rode with your knees up in the air as it was so much closer to the floor. As a toddler, I remember my Dad getting annoyed in that I liked to stand up in the passenger side and hold on to the defroster vent so that I could see over the dash. The dash had grey imitation wood grain paint and I did a great job of wearing that off as I held on.😉 I hope you keep and enjoy the car, and thanks for the continually great content!
My sister and I grew up riding in a '53 Cranbrook, same color as Wizard's Savoy survivor. We loved to sleep in the rear window ledge as the car rolled down the road (don't think the troopers would care for that now.) Grandpa (an auto mechanic) put a lot of lead into the rocker panels when they rusted out.
What a lovely little princess. So amazing that there are old cars like this still out there, in such fantastic original condition. I'd enjoy seeing a future POV video when she's back on the road. Great job Wizard!
You did very, very good by this beautiful car to leave it intact, and to not force a repaint. Too many people wouldn't do that. There is some beauty to the fact it has aged naturally, without rust. For a car this age, it's simply unheard of, and let me say you got a great deal on the car. If it were me, I would preserve the paint just like you're doing. Well done, Wizard.
👍 so true, i'd never repaint a car like that. If it doesn't need panels replaced due to rot, then there is no need to ruin that factory surviving paint. Even the dents don't need to be filled, it just shows how loved the car was that it survived with such little damage. Some people can't even get their new car home and drive it a week without giving it more damage than this has!
"Back when America was real" What he actually means is when America was full of Americans. Now it's an empire filled with the third world. There is nothing magic about America. Bringing non-Americans into America changes America into the third world. The reason why Mexico looks like Mexico, is because it is full of mestizos. America looked like Europe because it was filled with people from Europe. This is why so many of our cities look like Lagos.
Certainly agree that the originality of this car is so much of its charm. But... that twin white stripe spare tire is without doubt a cast off from a '70 or '71 something... the only years that had that feature.
What a great, honest vehicle. I'd drive it daily in the summertime, a guy over here in Austria has a 56' DeSoto, drives it very often. Love how it friendly pops out in traffic nowadays.
If there is a big regional/national MOPAR car show within a few hours of Wichita, Wizard should enter this thing in the original/unrestored class. Blows my mind how nice it is, I'm sure anybody trying to restore a similar vintage Plymouth would take 1000 photos of this car, body, interior, under hood, under carriage, its a real good template on how it came from the factory, what you should be aiming for.
The ship is "the Mayflower", Wizard. My Dad had a '53, which he traded in for a '58 Studebaker wagon ( a Commander or President? I can't remember). I hated the Studie, because I thought he was going to get a '57 Chevy we had looked at...much Cooler...I was nine years old. the Studebaker had a rear facing third row seat ( which made me car sick), and a speedometer that looked like a bathroom scale. Love your videos...keep 'em coming.
I learned to drive on my father's 1954 Plymouth Savoy four door sedan with Hy Drive transmission. Wonderful find. Thanks for keeping it so original and for the trip down memory lane. The ship emblem represents the Mayflower that brought the Pilgrims to Plymouth, Mass. Harold in Iowa
Wizard that Plymouth Savoy is an excellent buy in that condition for that price. When you started describing the mechanicals I was able to keep up, unlike today's technology. Good job.
If people would just drive sensibly and follow reasonable speed limits, cars like this could still serve us just as well, with maybe a few safety upgrades because why not (actually they'd be fine as is if people weren't idiots). Todays cars are far too complex, over-designed over-powerful, expensive, and almost impossible to work on. Examples of great design are the heater core and external oil pump...why not?!
@@bullitt79 they are cheap and they are out there. get yourself one. to me a sensible speed limit on interstates would be 100 miles per hour, then again, i am german :)
My dad's buddy had one that sat behind his shop for years. Same color too. I've loved cars since I was young and that particular car always had a soft spot in my heart
A real car for a change! Nice! I'd re-do the rusty rear section of the exhaust with some 2" and a resonator at the back, so it would only make a quiet hissy sound, and no radio. Only that sweet engine peacefully singing, the perfect way to relax after a busy work day.
They were popular fleet taxicabs in some areas, usually a tip off to a sturdy, economical car. The high roof was another Chrysler "iron rule": A "civvy" driver must remain at ease while his hat remained where a hat rightfully belonged.
Another way of saying that was the head of Chrysler, K.T. Keller at the time remarked "We build cars to sit in, not piss over." That held until Virgil Exener took over styling.
What a beauty. A timeless classic. When I was in high school back around 1970 or so a friend of mine bought one just like that in pale yellow. A fine car it was. Within six months he wrecked it. Even back then I thought it a real shame to destroy such a fine car. Nice to see one in such good condition. Great find Wizard! 😀
Excellent choice of the Plymouth. You will find it is a better built car in many ways than its chief rivals of 1954. The oil bath air cleaner lasts the life of the car, nothing to buy or replace but a little oil. Clean out the base when it gets half full of dirt, and refill with 50 weight oil. You can get a quart of 50 from your auto parts store, one quart will last you for many years. Light oil can slosh around and get sucked into the motor. If you drive on paved roads you may only need to service it every 5000 or 10000 miles. Swish out the filter element in cleaning solvent but do not blow out with an air hose, that can make channels in the filter medium. Let it drip dry while you clean and refill the base then pour a little 50 weight over the filter and put it back in. The Plymouth and Dodge shared the same engine but Dodge got a slightly longer stroke for 230 cu in vs 218. The Chrysler/DeSoto block looks the same but is bigger, 25 inches long at the head vs 23 1/4 for the smaller engine. Not sure about the Plymouth but DeSoto and Chrysler had a tin shield between the fuel pump and the exhaust manifold, just a piece of sheet metal bent into a J shape. It helps prevent vapor lock, especially important with today's light fuel that is very prone to vapor lock. You may want to make one up from a piece of aluminum or tin. The ship symbol represents the Mayflower that brought the Pilgrims to Plymouth Rock. Did you notice if the rear axle has grease fittings for the bearings? Chryslers did. When you grease them only give them half a shot, you don't want grease working thru the seal into the brakes. But they do need a little grease now and then, often overlooked because other cars don't bother with such niceties. They are easy and cheap to keep on the road, most parts like brakes, tuneup, etc are still available thru NAPA and other good auto parts stores. Andy Bernbaum is a specialist in these cars for hard to find parts. You should have some nice rides in that car. If you keep it full of fresh oil and grease it will last pretty much as long as you want it to. Engine may need an overhaul around 50,000 to 80,000 miles but they are a simple engine and parts are available and cheap. Vintage Power Wagons has good deals on engine parts, Dodge Power Wagons used the same engine. Good luck and have fun with your new Plymouth.
I'm a semi geezer, remember pop's '50 Dodge very well. By '55 or so I knew which cars were cool & which were not. My uncle bought a new '55 Chevy with 265 & two years later he moved across street to work at Ford dealership. The Chevy had to go. Pop bought the '55 & uncle bought a new '57 Fairlane 500 with 312...
That's not a "yacht" on the front emblem! That's the Mayflower, from which the pilgrims landed on Plymouth Rock in 1620. Be careful with that hand brake on the drive shaft. If you ever have to jack up the car to replace a rear tire, be sure to chock the front wheels. Once you get one rear wheel off the ground, the other one can turn, and the car can roll off the jack.
I totally understand that you wanted it, older cars doesn't ask that much from you, they are usually simple and honest. I've been hooked on early 70s gm/lincoln sedans since I saw ' The Irishman' and my dad bought a 73 Cadillac DeVille 472 a few months back. The radio doesn't work but everything else does. It's like sitting in a spa that's moving, such a lovely car to cruise around in. And EVERYONE gives a thumbs up.
I really enjoyed this one. That flathead engine design in various displacements was used from 1926 to as late as 1964 in some Australian Chryslers. I have some fond memories of helping my dad work on our 1947 Plymouth flathead. That's where I first started learning a little about engines and mechanical things. Cool video. It was great to relive those old memories.
I learned to drive in one of these except it was a wagon. Same color called "seafoam green". An added "cherry bomb" muffler made for a great driver for a teenager.
When you see the basic stuff on this car, it makes me want an old car again. So bloody simple to work on. That heater box in the engine compartment was genius . How many of us have screamed when the heater matrix has started leaking knowing you have a 2 day tear down for just a heater core. Oil pump on the outside, nowadays everything is internal so costs a fortune to repair. Mr Wizard do not sell it just keep it forever. Regards from the UK
My first car was a 1955 Plymouth. Got it when I was 20 and it was 19 years old. Had fun doing my own work on it and removing parts from old Dodges & Desotos in auto graveyard parts sources.
The Car Wizards has the coolest walk on RUclips! I'd love to see a continuous loop video of him just walking around with Pantera's WALK as the background music. Maybe if this post gets enough thumbs up The Car Wizards will make such a video!
Beautiful! Would that I had such a magnificent example of rolling automotive history. All metal, too! No flimsy bits of cheap plastic garbage and weird lines to be found anywhere. Well done, Wizard.
Great find! Ditto for the Studebaker! This is a later production car, the early production Savoy did not have spears on the doors, only the Belvidere did, so it probably has the 230 6 cyl. Hy-Drive cars had the 218. That trans was not normally available on the later cars, although as a kid I used to see a 55 with it. And no, the DeSoto used the "big block" 6, 250 cubes in 54. What I would do with the batteries is connect one cable to one battery, the other cable to the OTHER battery. That way, you will be using BOTH batteries while cranking, not just one of them at a time. This car will crank fine, as you have the proper THICK battery cables. The people who have starting troubles with 6 volts are the folks who insist on using thin battery cables, dirty connections, and a puny Group 1 battery. PS: A factory radio is available, and most of the Belvederes and many of the Savoys had one.
Thank you for showing us this great old survivor, and for keeping her honest. 6-volt, oil-bath, glass bowl on fuel filter - wonderful details. Are they vacuum wipers? Can we hear the horns? We assume the dimmer switch is on the floor. I grew up in a '53 Plymouth Cranbrook (the more basic trim - no fancy chrome controls for handbrake.) It was this color, or close. The rear window ledge is ideal for a little person to sleep on. Love this car and the Lark. You are correct - this is the height of cool. Dramatic history. 7 grand was a steal. Great that it belongs to someone who can fix it up (while keeping the original spirit), drive it, and appreciate the history. Congratulations.
Probably my favourite style and time period for American cars, this. And that dash is style all the way. You quickly get very used to only having one mirror like that. You just turn your head instead, which has the added benefit that you always check your blind spot.
Definitely a pre-bloat motoring example before the stretch out, forward look of the late 1950'ies. By 1957 the land yacht was becoming the norm at Chrysler, Plymouth, Dodge and DeSoto. Also, compared to a 1957 Plymouth, the 54 has coil springs and link pins up front versus the later torsion bars with ball joints and this Savoy has a front to rear chassis as opposed to unibody.
You have a real gem there. My first car was a 1948 Plymouth coup. The 54 sedan that you have is the best original condition Plymouth that I've seen. I'm 77 years old and my hobby was buying and fixing those old cars. When I retired I built a oversize two stall garage so I could continue with my hobby. I don't rework those old cars now but I do work on the newer ones that we own. The older models were so easy to work on and problems were easily diagnosed. Thanks for sharing this vid, it brought back some pleasant memories. Ray
Those were tough rugged cars. They were often used as taxis back in the day. That flathead was used for many years and also used In stationary power plants. The brakes are tricky to adjust and the rear drums are usually a bear to remove. I love it!
Chrysler actually kept on building those flathead sixes into the early 1970s for industrial/agricultural/stationary use, long after they stopped installing them in cars, which isn't bad for something that was still fundamentally late 1920s technology. Not hugely powerful, but durable, understressed, torquey, and very smooth. Also, these cars were only about 3,000lbs, so 100hp is perfectly fine for normal driving, slow, but not unusably slow
Unlike the loose leaf brakes on other makes, Chrysler products had precision brakes that worked great but needed to be adjusted when relined or repaired, once they were set up correctly they only needed the occasional, very simple, minor adjustment to take up wear.
You are making me feel like an antique! I was 2 when that car was new! PS In 1977 I had a 47 Dodge that had a torque converter and a clutch pedal (Fluid Drive)
Grew up in dad's Chrysler/Plymouth dealership in the 50's. Mom drove a 53 Cranbrook 3 on the tree countless times from Chicago to small town home in W. PA. Three kids, bias tires, no seat belts, drum brakes 85 hp, @ 60+ on the interstate. Anyway, Savoy mainly used 218 & later production 230 engines for an extra 10hp in the Savoy. Your car looks like the upgraded Belvedere interior. Those cars road very nicely for mid-priced cars. They also sold Studebaker Lark, Hawk & Avanti during those years. I actually drove a flat head 6 Lark wagon to High School. No power, nothing cool except the AMC style reclining seats & WLS 890 on the radio. Enjoyed your videos on both those cars.
I daily drove a '49 with the 218 from 1998 to 2018 year-round, and still drive it frequently. It is an incredibly dependable engine and parts are usually in stock at the local parts store. The stock rear end on the other hand was troublesome and parts were difficult to find. I finally did change it out for one from a '92 Cherokee, which was a nearly perfect fit.
Hi, I love the video! I have a 1949 Plymouth That I'm working on and it runs like a Swiss watch, even with 93k on it! While I admit the old Plymouths weren't as stylish as the GMs' or as fast as the Fords of the times, they were, in my opinion, much better engineered, and gave more standard features than the others. The Mopar 218 6 cylinder engine, if taken care of, is practically indestructible, and was used for many, many years, even in industrial applications. My only gripe is why are so many modern mechanics so terrified of the point and condenser ignition system? First thing they do is "put in a Petronix" when they work on an old car. I'm not a professional mechanic by any means but I have had many old cars over the years and I have NEVER had a problem with a point and condenser ignition system. They are not hard to understand or work on, just sayin'! Anyway, you have a really nice old Plymouth, I hope you get a lot of enjoyment out of her!
The ship is the “Mayflower “ or “Speedwell”bringing pilgrims from Plymouth, England to New Plymouth, America. I’d go for the “Speedwell”, good name for a car.
That ‘54 was born the same year as me, which makes me feel ancient! The interior yellowing is definitely nicotine stain, perhaps from a pipe smoker which wouldn’t leave long term odors like cigarettes. It wouldn’t take much to detail the interior to showroom condition, although I couldn’t tell from the video on my display if the chrome switches or trim are pitted. What a great find, Wizard. 👍👍👍
My Aunt worked at Chrysler's Engineering Center in Highland Park Michigan back in the 50s and had a dark green '54 like this one. A neighbor in Detroit owned a red '54 Convertible that was her "Baby" until she traded it in '66. W P Chrysler wanted a symbol for reliability and durability, he decided on the Mayflower ship when Plymouth was introduced in 1928. The last of the K T Keller Plymouths. The '55s were all new with a V8. Great memories.
Mine was a 1951 with the 6 and three speed on the column. Has an oil bath air filter. Careful, this engine has a weak bottom end. I put the pistons and connection rods through the block in the late 69’s. Still drove it home on 4 cylinders and hole in the block. I loved my car, cost 25.00 dollars to buy. Not plants of room to put a big block.. When was the last time a person can set on the fenders, inside of the engine compartment and work on the engine. It May have grease nipple on the water pump. It may have two wheel cylinders on the brake drums and parking brake on drive shaft.
My Dad had a '51 Chevy 2dr first car. He snuck it out one day before he had his license while his dad was out of town, to drive up and down the alley. He couldn't resist trying to "get rubber" in first gear. He popped the clutch and blew out first gear...uh-oh, dad will kill him! Him and friend remove floor panel inside and remove 3 speed tranny (that's how they did it...easy peasy) and head to Vermont street junkyards looking for a tranny to replace with before dad got home. First junkyard says he thinks he's out, but if they can find one it's $10 bucks...but none to be found. Next yard, guy says "yeah I've got some, they're $20 bucks". My Dad says "WHAT?!! Guy up street only charges $10!!" Owner says "yeah, I only charge $10 too, when I don't have any" LMAO! My dad loves telling that story. They paid the $20, and got it installed, and grandpa didn't find out till years later. Priceless.
I have a friend who lives just down the block from me, and he has a very nice 1954 Plymouth Belvedere with its original two-tone paint (black roof over a light green body) and 230 six-cylinder engine. The car is solid as a rock, wonderful interior (apparently some of it was replaced) and runs like a top with somewhere between 12,000 and 13,000 miles. A true survivor!
This is wild, I never expected you to get one of these. I have a 53 Belvedere with Hy-Drive and hopefully I can learn a lot from you to apply to my car!
I sure hope I never have a wheel bearing issue like that, goodness gracious! If you need any specific/special parts for this, look up Andy Bernbaum auto parts, he specializes in all Chrysler products from yesteryear.
All of those I remember working on back in the 60-70’s had ball bearings in the axle. So, I think that bearing has been replaced at some point. It should have a grease fitting in the axle housing to keep the bearing lubricated. I did upgrade the ball bearing axles to tapered roller bearings because the id and od was a standard size...
That would be the correct bearing for that year Plymouth. Each axle has one tapered roller bearing, and a thrust block between the side axle gears. Shims are used between the differential housing and the brake backing plates to achieve a 0.003 - 0.008 inch bearing clearance. Many other brand cars used the same design. Once ball bearings were introduced the thrust block was no longer needed. Dave Packard
Means alot that you featured this body style! I own a 53 business coupe and my dad has a 2d 54 savoy with Hydrive. They are robust, simple, honest cars that offer alot of joy for not alot of money. Sure they're slow, but I'm not shy to boast how my business coupe repeatedly spanked a buddy's automatic 240d Benz...
The trick to removing the hubs on those old Mopars ( as explained to me by an OLD Dodge mechanic ) is to loosen the axle nut ( as well as the lug bolts ) a bit, then drive it around until it all starts to rattle ( or clunk-a-clunka, as the case may be… ) . Great video!
Gorgeous car! Just the right patina in and out. I'm with you to keep everything original. I collect antiques and can't stand when collectors want everything stripped down and made to look beyond brand new. I love patina that shows the passing of time. it's expected. I'm also a huge fan of the '49 through '54 cars. The "stodgy" look is so appealing! They had a sense of high quality about them. They still retained a lot of art-deco touches of the 1940's too.
Back in 1980 when I was twenty I bought a 1951 Dodge Coronet four doorwith that engine idling I could stand a nickel on its in and it would stand on its end on its side without falling over while that engine was running absolute true story
have a '56 savoy. flat head 6, 3 on the tree. easy to work on k car of the 50's. king pins and pivot joints can be a bugger to do though, mine was converted to 12v with an old delco reme alternator instead if that huge generator and regulator riveted to the firewall, a stereo fits nicely in the glove box to hide it.
I have a local guy here in SLC that will rebuild my old Generator. I want to just mod a few things on mine. I am doing suicide doors on mine and will lower a little to make it more mob like of the day.
Lovely old car. I completely agree that the patina enhances it and that you should leave it as is and just clean and wax it. Are you going to give it a name?
A trip down memory lane for me.I began working as an apprentice mechanic at a Chrysler Plymouth dealer my senior year. The year was 1954. It was the summer before the 55's came out so the 54 was current. I was always called to do the valve adjustment on all the flat head_Plymouths. Imagine pulling the wheel and inner fender and waiting till the engine was warm to work under the exhaust manifold. This was in the summer in Mississippi. Somehow I don't think I would want to do it again. You do not want to neglect valve adjustment as you will not want to do a valve job. Two 1/2 thin long wrenches and a long 10 thousands gauge is all you need. Hope you can fit under the wheel well! OBTW, think the fender mirror was not standard equipment.
While you were introducing it, I was thinking "all I'd do is get rid of the points with an electronic ignition, give it a few more amps with an alternator, and drive it" and here you are doing exactly that. I couldn't agree more with what you're doing! Let it live, and tell its story, but no one wants to adjust points! Perfect.
I missed out on one of these in the late 80's and it was sold for 50 bucks...would have been a great car. Gawd, that was over 30 years ago. This car is my age, 67. My mileage is way higher.
Very cool car which is a car my father drove, actually a 53 Plymouth it was. He bought it new and kept it until about 1960. My brother, my mom and dad and I went to the Sierras, Lake Tahoe, in it and we spent a lot of happy times in it. By the way, your other video of the 1960 Studebaker Lark also came into our family from my Grandpa. That was my brother's first car. It was the VI. We tried to do all the maintenance ourselves, and that kept us busy. Thanks for the history lesson. Brings back lots of memories.
Those old flatheads were smooth dependable engines. Not high tech but tougher than a pine knot! That was built back when they remembered that a car was supposed to be a people mover that was supposed to be and not a sardine can. I am a large guy and lot of the newer cars do not have enough head room, leg room, foot room, enough room for your left leg in the drivers compartment. It is amazing when you set in one of those old cars how comfortable they were. They are amazing and I love them. Thanks for keeping them alive! Ut breaks my heart to see a survivor like that get butchered into a resto rod! They deserve to live on so people can see how they were.
I was going to say just that. Plus everything you ever need to know about repairing the car is available on RUclips, ‘Tech’ in the old Chrysler filmstrips knows it all.
Nice to see Wizard buy a car that really fits him. It's a 4 door, it's underpowered, it's undesirable and it was Cheap. Sorta boddles the mind when you see the cars that come through his shop.
I kind of like these "un-restored" cars. Yeah restored cars are nice (especially if the person restoring it uses all period-correct parts and tries to make it as original as possible) and they are likely hot items, but also having an "unrestored" car shows that it was used. It didn't just sit in someone's garage and only be driven on Sundays. This car was probably someone's daily driver (and back then, people probably only drove maybe 6,000-9000 miles a year on average, which is about alf of what people drive now (so about 12-18k per year). And yeah 30k is really low, so maybe it was a Sunday driver or around town car, but the body is not in bad shape at all, and for $7k overall, I think you got a great deal. I've seen worse cars go for more (ones with rust, dents, didn't run ,etc). What always kinds of surprises me about these older cars (cars from the 60's and earlier) is how they were designed and the parts were machined. Technology back then is nothing like what we have now, where a computer usually does most of the machine work, to precision (hundredths of an inch for example) where as back in those days, people did things more by hand, with some automation, but less precise. But if you just think about the complexity of the designs that they had to do, and without computers. OK so cars from this era probably aren't super complex compared to today's cars, but back then, they were top of the line, newest designs of the era.
yes, but your full size only has 1000 amps. My smaller batteries have 1000 amps each. Totaling 2000 cranking amps, and they fit in the space of 1 full size.
@@CarWizard Okay, that part makes sense. These cars do crank slow. Also wondering...if those are 6 volt each, isn't that putting 12 volts though the system? I'm not trying to discredit you or come down on your setup...just trying to understand it better! I've looked at a LOT of old Plymouths over the years, and have never seen a set up like that, so it's new to me.
@@Hazus00 as he says in the video, they’re wired in parallel. If he wired in series it would be 12v. Parallel keeps the voltage the same but still gives access to the amperage and capacity from both batteries.
@@CarWizard 6V systems work fine when new but once corrosion creeps into those connections you'll soon know the reason for 12V systems. I2R losses. Leave the 6V starter in there and convert the rest to 12V and you'll be much happier. I say this from my experience: a kid growing up in a family where we had nothing but a '65 Volkswagen bug throughout our family time, who was always interested in electricity, who later got a degree in electrical engineering at a highly accredited university and owned a '60FLH (6V panhead converted to 12V) then went on to do industrial service. I still cringe when I think about the 6V we left in the VW. It caused our family a lot of misery. That is a beautiful car; love it.
You can fix a carb. Good luck fixing a modern car when the computer dies and there are exactly ZERO replacements out there because they quit making them due to revisions and outdated technology. No one makes the ECM for a 1985 Buick Regal. If yours dies you have to find a good one in a junk yard and hope it works. You will always be able to rebuild/fix/tune a carburetor. Always.
@@joe6096 i have 6 corvairs an a 79 caprice with carbs,, but you can get a aftermarket fuel injection for your regal ,,i have a holly one on my 56 331 ..not a bad job
@@MZRFaith A carb is a hunk of metal with holes placed in it to get the right airflow for the fuel/air mixture. It can't really get much basic and easier than that. About the most intensive it gets with a carb is if you need to change jetting size or change your metering rods, or to clean your idle circuits out with a very thin wire, but all of that can be accomplished with simple tools and basically no money compared to EFI. EFI does have it's advantages to be fair to it, it's far better with cold starting, but that's about it. Carbs are far better from an ease of mind standpoint, to me.
I got to do some work on a late 40's chevy at one shop, then had a short drive. Cars of that era were just right for someone wanting an old car, modern enough to have good electrics and brakes, old enough to feel like an old machine when driving, and they're nice to drive. They didn't need power steering and brakes because they were designed to not have them and be drivable. The clutches weren't too heavy and they shifted easily, all around nice driving cars. I hope you keep and use that old car, take care of it and enjoy what it was like to drive back then, it took a little thought and effort, not like now when people think they're watching TV on the road.
Our instagram was hacked. 🤬 So we are starting over again.
Sorry to trouble you, but could you refollow the ‘@realcarwizard’? instagram.com/realcarwizard/ Thanks 🧙
Watch out for keyloggers! They’re nasty. I have some software that can help you detect it! It’s how most social media/email accounts are “hacked” these days.
Is a 200k 4Runner a bad idea?
@@fubarexress6359 if they don't use vpn everyone can have their passwords outside their shop
I’m a sucker for inline-6s, but even tho this engine sounds just as beautiful as the car looks👍💯
2fa
Yes Mrs Wizzard, Mr Wizzard needs that in his garage. I’d like it!
The patina on that car is *PERFECTION!!!* I'm so glad you're not going to paint it. It's just beautiful as it is. Clean it up, get it running like new, and you'll have something that will definitely turn heads at the local cars and coffee. I love this car!!! It's a beautiful example of an unmodified, unrestored, untouched survivor. Please keep it forever! Or sell it to me if you don't. :-)
Not a chevy or caddy exactly . That's a keeper. All the mouldings and trims are there . Beautiful .
Junk it
@@bilbobaggins4710 Come on Dildo, don't be silly.
Even the "economy" brands were pretty nice in many ways. A little nicer interior or a revolutionary trans. and slightly bigger engine in the higher spec. cars. Not much else is markedly different.
@@gregorytimmons4777 Doesn't have the "Chrome plated fins" of the Blvedere, you read hat right.
Of all the cars that I had seen in your Chanel, the old Plymouth is the one I like the most. You are right on not changing anything and preserving the car the way it is. Great video.
It's the simplicity that makes these beautiful automobiles so wonderful
Imagine going back in time with a fuel injection setup for one of those lol. Bring a turbo and a haltec
No stupid sensors or ABS bull
,no computer chips
We need some car makers to return to these principles
This flat head 6 engine was so good and dependable and trouble-free that it was used from 1937 to 1959, even after becoming quite outdated, when the famous slant six replaced it.
Australian 54 Plymouth savoys were made in 12V and the same style went until 56. We also got a utility version.
This looks to be a really great find Wizard.
Just like the British!
That ship would be the Mayflower that landed at Plymouth Rock.
Haa
That is what I was about to say.
Plymouth rock is a myth created more than a century afterwards. If they'd actually tried to land at Plymouth rock they all would have died in the attempt as it's far too rocky there to make a landing.
@@MaverickBlue42 As a kid I visited "Plymouth Rock" and I renamed it "Plymouth Pebble". I had bigger rocks in my back yard in NJ.
@@MrWoodyBalto The story goes that an old man in his 90's suddenly remembered that when he was a kid, an old man in his 90's showed him the rock and said he saw them landing there when _he_ was a kid.....
Anywho, it's the rocks out in the water that would have killed them, not the beach pebble....
This car is so underrated. May be that's why it was so cheap but it sure is a cool car.
It was intended as a low priced car for someone who just wanted reliable transportation. There were many thousands of these cars on the road in their day.
@@1575murray Evidently built very well back then. You could replace/repair the oil pump without removing the whole engine. Can't even do that on a lawn mower these days.
STOP CALLING THINGS UNDERRATED!!!!!!!!
@@SonnyGTA What dialog should one be using?
@@SonnyGTA What dialog should one be using?
Fifties cars speak to me also, since growing up in the Fifties. I used to daily drive a 1953 Buick Straight Eight, a 1950 Studebaker Champion, and a 1955 Plymouth Savoy. All great cars.
I had a 1950 champion too. Three on the tree with over drive. I discovered that the overdrive worked on all 3 speeds, a six speed, ole, warmed up my 16 year old hart.
The only problem with these old vehicles--they were just not safe...no seat belts, single master cylinder brakes...and a frontal collision could leave you impaled by the steering column...so, not practical to use nowadays.
@@curbozerboomer1773 not the way the lunatics out on the road drive today anyway.
@@wythewinchester3236 Wow, I never discovered that little trick. I do remember a handle you could pull and if memory serves, it seems as if all the gears were lower.
Loved the 1953-1955 stude 2 dr coupes, They are still stylish today , especially with the V-8.@@wythewinchester3236
I love it. I was born in ‘56, and as a gearheaded kid, these were the cars I saw every day. I was fascinated by the swooping lines and the chrome, and I really envied the adults for their ability to drive these amazing machines. I’m still an enthusiast today, and cars like your Plymouth still evoke the same feelings for me. This one’s a very lucky survivor!
Two of my favorite cars sitting side by side-Plymouth and Studebaker, built when manufacturers took pride in what they
built,unlike the soulless appliances of today.
Absolutely agree! And I've recently-ish gotten a '52 Commander Land Cruiser and that thing is an absolute pleasure to drive.
When I was a child we had a 51 Plymouth Cranbrook, very similar to your Savoy. Seeing your video brings back many fond memories. We had the car until 1967 and at the time it had 140,000 miles on it.
The car was very easy for the owner to self-service. As I recall, my father never had to take it into a repair shop to do maintenance. He traded it in on a 1967 Valiant Signet and although a good car, it was never as comfortable to ride in as the Cranbrook. I remember the back seat in the Cranbrook was like sitting on sofa, while in the Valiant, it was much lower and you always rode with your knees up in the air as it was so much closer to the floor.
As a toddler, I remember my Dad getting annoyed in that I liked to stand up in the passenger side and hold on to the defroster vent so that I could see over the dash. The dash had grey imitation wood grain paint and I did a great job of wearing that off as I held on.😉
I hope you keep and enjoy the car, and thanks for the continually great content!
My sister and I grew up riding in a '53 Cranbrook, same color as Wizard's Savoy survivor. We loved to sleep in the rear window ledge as the car rolled down the road (don't think the troopers would care for that now.) Grandpa (an auto mechanic) put a lot of lead into the rocker panels when they rusted out.
@Car Wizard
The ship in the badge is the Mayflower landing at "Plymouth" Rock.
What a lovely little princess. So amazing that there are old cars like this still out there, in such fantastic original condition. I'd enjoy seeing a future POV video when she's back on the road. Great job Wizard!
Rammstein I see
You did very, very good by this beautiful car to leave it intact, and to not force a repaint. Too many people wouldn't do that. There is some beauty to the fact it has aged naturally, without rust. For a car this age, it's simply unheard of, and let me say you got a great deal on the car. If it were me, I would preserve the paint just like you're doing. Well done, Wizard.
👍 so true, i'd never repaint a car like that. If it doesn't need panels replaced due to rot, then there is no need to ruin that factory surviving paint. Even the dents don't need to be filled, it just shows how loved the car was that it survived with such little damage. Some people can't even get their new car home and drive it a week without giving it more damage than this has!
"Back when America was real" What he actually means is when America was full of Americans. Now it's an empire filled with the third world. There is nothing magic about America. Bringing non-Americans into America changes America into the third world. The reason why Mexico looks like Mexico, is because it is full of mestizos. America looked like Europe because it was filled with people from Europe. This is why so many of our cities look like Lagos.
As Jay Leno says, "original and un-restored." Original is always best! Each car has it's own story.
Certainly agree that the originality of this car is so much of its charm.
But... that twin white stripe spare tire is without doubt a cast off from a '70 or '71 something... the only years that had that feature.
Jay would call your car a '' Good ol Girl ''
I was going to say if you want to sell it call Jay Leon.
What a great, honest vehicle.
I'd drive it daily in the summertime, a guy over here in Austria has a 56' DeSoto, drives it very often. Love how it friendly pops out in traffic nowadays.
If there is a big regional/national MOPAR car show within a few hours of Wichita, Wizard should enter this thing in the original/unrestored class. Blows my mind how nice it is, I'm sure anybody trying to restore a similar vintage Plymouth would take 1000 photos of this car, body, interior, under hood, under carriage, its a real good template on how it came from the factory, what you should be aiming for.
The ship is "the Mayflower", Wizard. My Dad had a '53, which he traded in for a '58 Studebaker wagon ( a Commander or President? I can't remember). I hated the Studie, because I thought he was going to get a '57 Chevy we had looked at...much Cooler...I was nine years old. the Studebaker had a rear facing third row seat ( which made me car sick), and a speedometer that looked like a bathroom scale. Love your videos...keep 'em coming.
Good purchase....nice to see that some are not turned off by a 4 door......great piece of history. No chip shortage for this car.
8:02 I, too, continue to forget 2001 was 20 years ago. This ride is pushing 70!
I learned to drive on my father's 1954 Plymouth Savoy four door sedan with Hy Drive transmission. Wonderful find. Thanks for keeping it so original and for the trip down memory lane. The ship emblem represents the Mayflower that brought the Pilgrims to Plymouth, Mass. Harold in Iowa
Wizard that Plymouth Savoy is an excellent buy in that condition for that price. When you started describing the mechanicals I was able to keep up, unlike today's technology. Good job.
If people would just drive sensibly and follow reasonable speed limits, cars like this could still serve us just as well, with maybe a few safety upgrades because why not (actually they'd be fine as is if people weren't idiots). Todays cars are far too complex, over-designed over-powerful, expensive, and almost impossible to work on. Examples of great design are the heater core and external oil pump...why not?!
@@bullitt79 they are cheap and they are out there. get yourself one. to me a sensible speed limit on interstates would be 100 miles per hour, then again, i am german :)
What a wonderful old car. So glad it was you that bought it.
For a car from 1954 it looks close to brand new, amazing, clearly has been cared for and not left out in the sun.
Oh wow, what a time capsule! She's a great find, and infinitely repairable.
That's a cherry Savoy! Glad to hear you're not planning to LS-swap it or something.
Or a Mopar 440 crate engine (I know it doesn't fit, but performance addicts are nuts, y'know)
My dad's buddy had one that sat behind his shop for years. Same color too. I've loved cars since I was young and that particular car always had a soft spot in my heart
A real car for a change! Nice! I'd re-do the rusty rear section of the exhaust with some 2" and a resonator at the back, so it would only make a quiet hissy sound, and no radio. Only that sweet engine peacefully singing, the perfect way to relax after a busy work day.
When I bought my 84 GMC Vandura a few years ago, It had 60,000 original miles. I know how you feel, I love it. Mike
They were popular fleet taxicabs in some areas, usually a tip off to a sturdy, economical
car. The high roof was another Chrysler "iron rule": A "civvy" driver must remain at ease
while his hat remained where a hat rightfully belonged.
Another way of saying that was the head of Chrysler, K.T. Keller at the time remarked "We build cars to sit in, not piss over." That held until Virgil Exener took over styling.
The Gentleman's Gazette crew would definitely agree with you!
My 1960 Belvedere roofline was meant for the Fedora of the time.
True on the hat.
I'm really loving these survivor "barn finds" and I hope you keep getting more!
What a beauty. A timeless classic. When I was in high school back around 1970 or so a friend of mine bought one just like that in pale yellow. A fine car it was. Within six months he wrecked it. Even back then I thought it a real shame to destroy such a fine car. Nice to see one in such good condition. Great find Wizard!
😀
I had a friend just like yours but he did it to a mint condition Rambler Rogue. Such a cool car, and he had zero appreciation for it.
Excellent choice of the Plymouth. You will find it is a better built car in many ways than its chief rivals of 1954. The oil bath air cleaner lasts the life of the car, nothing to buy or replace but a little oil. Clean out the base when it gets half full of dirt, and refill with 50 weight oil. You can get a quart of 50 from your auto parts store, one quart will last you for many years. Light oil can slosh around and get sucked into the motor. If you drive on paved roads you may only need to service it every 5000 or 10000 miles. Swish out the filter element in cleaning solvent but do not blow out with an air hose, that can make channels in the filter medium. Let it drip dry while you clean and refill the base then pour a little 50 weight over the filter and put it back in.
The Plymouth and Dodge shared the same engine but Dodge got a slightly longer stroke for 230 cu in vs 218. The Chrysler/DeSoto block looks the same but is bigger, 25 inches long at the head vs 23 1/4 for the smaller engine.
Not sure about the Plymouth but DeSoto and Chrysler had a tin shield between the fuel pump and the exhaust manifold, just a piece of sheet metal bent into a J shape. It helps prevent vapor lock, especially important with today's light fuel that is very prone to vapor lock. You may want to make one up from a piece of aluminum or tin.
The ship symbol represents the Mayflower that brought the Pilgrims to Plymouth Rock.
Did you notice if the rear axle has grease fittings for the bearings? Chryslers did. When you grease them only give them half a shot, you don't want grease working thru the seal into the brakes. But they do need a little grease now and then, often overlooked because other cars don't bother with such niceties.
They are easy and cheap to keep on the road, most parts like brakes, tuneup, etc are still available thru NAPA and other good auto parts stores. Andy Bernbaum is a specialist in these cars for hard to find parts.
You should have some nice rides in that car. If you keep it full of fresh oil and grease it will last pretty much as long as you want it to. Engine may need an overhaul around 50,000 to 80,000 miles but they are a simple engine and parts are available and cheap. Vintage Power Wagons has good deals on engine parts, Dodge Power Wagons used the same engine.
Good luck and have fun with your new Plymouth.
Being a legit geezer, this car/vid brought back some great memories of past cars...thanks, M&M Wiz.!
I'm a semi geezer, remember pop's '50 Dodge very well.
By '55 or so I knew which cars were cool & which were not. My uncle bought a new '55 Chevy with 265 & two years later he moved across street to work at Ford dealership. The Chevy had to go. Pop bought the '55 & uncle bought a new '57 Fairlane 500 with 312...
That's not a "yacht" on the front emblem! That's the Mayflower, from which the pilgrims landed on Plymouth Rock in 1620.
Be careful with that hand brake on the drive shaft. If you ever have to jack up the car to replace a rear tire, be sure to chock the front wheels. Once you get one rear wheel off the ground, the other one can turn, and the car can roll off the jack.
I've been watching your channel for quite a while and this is the first car you've shown that I'm envious of. Lovely motor, lovely colour.
I totally understand that you wanted it, older cars doesn't ask that much from you, they are usually simple and honest. I've been hooked on early 70s gm/lincoln sedans since I saw ' The Irishman' and my dad bought a 73 Cadillac DeVille 472 a few months back. The radio doesn't work but everything else does. It's like sitting in a spa that's moving, such a lovely car to cruise around in. And EVERYONE gives a thumbs up.
I came home as a newborn in a 1953 Plymouth. Brings back many memories.
I really enjoyed this one. That flathead engine design in various displacements was used from 1926 to as late as 1964 in some Australian Chryslers. I have some fond memories of helping my dad work on our 1947 Plymouth flathead. That's where I first started learning a little about engines and mechanical things. Cool video. It was great to relive those old memories.
I learned to drive in one of these except it was a wagon. Same color called "seafoam green". An added "cherry bomb" muffler made for a great driver for a teenager.
When you see the basic stuff on this car, it makes me want an old car again. So bloody simple to work on. That heater box in the engine compartment was genius . How many of us have screamed when the heater matrix has started leaking knowing you have a 2 day tear down for just a heater core. Oil pump on the outside, nowadays everything is internal so costs a fortune to repair. Mr Wizard do not sell it just keep it forever. Regards from the UK
A STOCK old car like that is a time machine. Thats what makes it cool.
Memories from my childhood. My father bought a 1954 Dodge Coronet, new, that looks much like your Savoy. Truly a land yacht. I like that Savoy!
My first car was a 1955 Plymouth. Got it when I was 20 and it was 19 years old. Had fun doing my own work on it and removing parts from old Dodges & Desotos in auto graveyard parts sources.
The Car Wizards has the coolest walk on RUclips! I'd love to see a continuous loop video of him just walking around with Pantera's WALK as the background music. Maybe if this post gets enough thumbs up The Car Wizards will make such a video!
Dude, I was thinkin' about him doin' a ZZ Top impression...
I have a 1913 Steinway piano, that was restored in the 80’s! Imagine what this piano has been through...
Beautiful! Would that I had such a magnificent example of rolling automotive history. All metal, too! No flimsy bits of cheap plastic garbage and weird lines to be found anywhere. Well done, Wizard.
Great find! Ditto for the Studebaker! This is a later production car, the early production Savoy did not have spears on the doors, only the Belvidere did, so it probably has the 230 6 cyl. Hy-Drive cars had the 218. That trans was not normally available on the later cars, although as a kid I used to see a 55 with it. And no, the DeSoto used the "big block" 6, 250 cubes in 54. What I would do with the batteries is connect one cable to one battery, the other cable to the OTHER battery. That way, you will be using BOTH batteries while cranking, not just one of them at a time. This car will crank fine, as you have the proper THICK battery cables. The people who have starting troubles with 6 volts are the folks who insist on using thin battery cables, dirty connections, and a puny Group 1 battery. PS: A factory radio is available, and most of the Belvederes and many of the Savoys had one.
I was 4 years old when that came out. The first car I remember my parents having was a 1950 Plymouth convertible.
I was six.
Thank you for showing us this great old survivor, and for keeping her honest. 6-volt, oil-bath, glass bowl on fuel filter - wonderful details. Are they vacuum wipers? Can we hear the horns? We assume the dimmer switch is on the floor. I grew up in a '53 Plymouth Cranbrook (the more basic trim - no fancy chrome controls for handbrake.) It was this color, or close. The rear window ledge is ideal for a little person to sleep on. Love this car and the Lark. You are correct - this is the height of cool. Dramatic history. 7 grand was a steal. Great that it belongs to someone who can fix it up (while keeping the original spirit), drive it, and appreciate the history. Congratulations.
Probably my favourite style and time period for American cars, this. And that dash is style all the way.
You quickly get very used to only having one mirror like that. You just turn your head instead, which has the added benefit that you always check your blind spot.
Definitely a pre-bloat motoring example before the stretch out, forward look of the late 1950'ies. By 1957 the land yacht was becoming the norm at Chrysler, Plymouth, Dodge and DeSoto.
Also, compared to a 1957 Plymouth, the 54 has coil springs and link pins up front versus the later torsion bars with ball joints and this Savoy has a front to rear chassis as opposed to unibody.
Whether on the land or on the water, one thing is for certain: Wizard loves his yachts.
You have a real gem there. My first car was a 1948 Plymouth coup. The 54 sedan that you have is the best original condition Plymouth that I've seen. I'm 77 years old and my hobby was buying and fixing those old cars. When I retired I built a oversize two stall garage so I could continue with my hobby. I don't rework those old cars now but I do work on the newer ones that we own. The older models were so easy to work on and problems were easily diagnosed. Thanks for sharing this vid, it brought back some pleasant memories.
Ray
Those were tough rugged cars. They were often used as taxis back in the day. That flathead was used for many years and also used In stationary power plants. The brakes are tricky to adjust and the rear drums are usually a bear to remove. I love it!
Chrysler actually kept on building those flathead sixes into the early 1970s for industrial/agricultural/stationary use, long after they stopped installing them in cars, which isn't bad for something that was still fundamentally late 1920s technology. Not hugely powerful, but durable, understressed, torquey, and very smooth. Also, these cars were only about 3,000lbs, so 100hp is perfectly fine for normal driving, slow, but not unusably slow
Unlike the loose leaf brakes on other makes, Chrysler products had precision brakes that worked great but needed to be adjusted when relined or repaired, once they were set up correctly they only needed the occasional, very simple, minor adjustment to take up wear.
@@11sfrTrue!
Love this car. The Plymouth company name from the colony, The sail logo is the Mayflower clipper.
And the school kids did not say you drove a Plymouth; you drove a Mayflower!
You are making me feel like an antique! I was 2 when that car was new! PS In 1977 I had a 47 Dodge that had a torque converter and a clutch pedal (Fluid Drive)
Grew up in dad's Chrysler/Plymouth dealership in the 50's. Mom drove a 53 Cranbrook 3 on the tree countless times from Chicago to small town home in W. PA. Three kids, bias tires, no seat belts, drum brakes 85 hp, @ 60+ on the interstate. Anyway, Savoy mainly used 218 & later production 230 engines for an extra 10hp in the Savoy. Your car looks like the upgraded Belvedere interior. Those cars road very nicely for mid-priced cars. They also sold Studebaker Lark, Hawk & Avanti during those years. I actually drove a flat head 6 Lark wagon to High School. No power, nothing cool except the AMC style reclining seats & WLS 890 on the radio. Enjoyed your videos on both those cars.
WLS! We in NorthEast Texas listened to WLS also!
The old good times when a car was built to last , such a beauty ! And sounds amazing
I daily drove a '49 with the 218 from 1998 to 2018 year-round, and still drive it frequently. It is an incredibly dependable engine and parts are usually in stock at the local parts store. The stock rear end on the other hand was troublesome and parts were difficult to find. I finally did change it out for one from a '92 Cherokee, which was a nearly perfect fit.
50 yrs old? Almost 70! Beautiful piece of Americana.
Hi, I love the video! I have a 1949 Plymouth That I'm working on and it runs like a Swiss watch, even with 93k on it! While I admit the old Plymouths weren't as stylish as the GMs' or as fast as the Fords of the times, they were, in my opinion, much better engineered, and gave more standard features than the others. The Mopar 218 6 cylinder engine, if taken care of, is practically indestructible, and was used for many, many years, even in industrial applications. My only gripe is why are so many modern mechanics so terrified of the point and condenser ignition system? First thing they do is "put in a Petronix" when they work on an old car. I'm not a professional mechanic by any means but I have had many old cars over the years and I have NEVER had a problem with a point and condenser ignition system. They are not hard to understand or work on, just sayin'! Anyway, you have a really nice old Plymouth, I hope you get a lot of enjoyment out of her!
Absolutely love that you are keeping it original!!!!! Thanks for the great, well-balanced content Wizard.
The ship is the “Mayflower “ or “Speedwell”bringing pilgrims from Plymouth, England to New Plymouth, America. I’d go for the “Speedwell”, good name for a car.
That ‘54 was born the same year as me, which makes me feel ancient! The interior yellowing is definitely nicotine stain, perhaps from a pipe smoker which wouldn’t leave long term odors like cigarettes. It wouldn’t take much to detail the interior to showroom condition, although I couldn’t tell from the video on my display if the chrome switches or trim are pitted. What a great find, Wizard. 👍👍👍
Don't worry my man I was born in '38!
@@johnchristmas7522 Thanks, Dad! 😉
@@Primus54 Your welcome son!
Looks like a oil bath air cleaner, nice rig! Love the prism on the dash to see traffic lights
I love the way she says her garage.
My Aunt worked at Chrysler's Engineering Center in Highland Park Michigan back in the 50s and had a dark green '54 like this one.
A neighbor in Detroit owned a red '54 Convertible that was her "Baby" until she traded it in '66.
W P Chrysler wanted a symbol for reliability and durability, he decided on the Mayflower ship when Plymouth was introduced in 1928.
The last of the K T Keller Plymouths. The '55s were all new with a V8. Great memories.
Mine was a 1951 with the 6 and three speed on the column. Has an oil bath air filter. Careful, this engine has a weak bottom end. I put the pistons and connection rods through the block in the late 69’s. Still drove it home on 4 cylinders and hole in the block. I loved my car, cost 25.00 dollars to buy. Not plants of room to put a big block.. When was the last time a person can set on the fenders, inside of the engine compartment and work on the engine. It May have grease nipple on the water pump. It may have two wheel cylinders on the brake drums and parking brake on drive shaft.
My Dad had a '51 Chevy 2dr first car. He snuck it out one day before he had his license while his dad was out of town, to drive up and down the alley. He couldn't resist trying to "get rubber" in first gear. He popped the clutch and blew out first gear...uh-oh, dad will kill him! Him and friend remove floor panel inside and remove 3 speed tranny (that's how they did it...easy peasy) and head to Vermont street junkyards looking for a tranny to replace with before dad got home. First junkyard says he thinks he's out, but if they can find one it's $10 bucks...but none to be found. Next yard, guy says "yeah I've got some, they're $20 bucks". My Dad says "WHAT?!! Guy up street only charges $10!!" Owner says "yeah, I only charge $10 too, when I don't have any" LMAO! My dad loves telling that story. They paid the $20, and got it installed, and grandpa didn't find out till years later. Priceless.
Did the bottom end let loose when trying to run high RPM? Those things were over 4" stroke so did not like high RPM. Maybe 3600 tops.
I have a friend who lives just down the block from me, and he has a very nice 1954 Plymouth Belvedere with its original two-tone paint (black roof over a light green body) and 230 six-cylinder engine. The car is solid as a rock, wonderful interior (apparently some of it was replaced) and runs like a top with somewhere between 12,000 and 13,000 miles. A true survivor!
This is wild, I never expected you to get one of these. I have a 53 Belvedere with Hy-Drive and hopefully I can learn a lot from you to apply to my car!
I sure hope I never have a wheel bearing issue like that, goodness gracious! If you need any specific/special parts for this, look up Andy Bernbaum auto parts, he specializes in all Chrysler products from yesteryear.
I have the 1960 Belvedere, with the BIG STABLILIZERS.. hahaha 318 Torqflight Poly
Absolutely LOVELY survivor car. This car has SOUL, I adore it.
All of those I remember working on back in the 60-70’s had ball bearings in the axle. So, I think that bearing has been replaced at some point. It should have a grease fitting in the axle housing to keep the bearing lubricated. I did upgrade the ball bearing axles to tapered roller bearings because the id and od was a standard size...
That would be the correct bearing for that year Plymouth. Each axle has one tapered roller bearing, and a thrust block between the side axle gears. Shims are used between the differential housing and the brake backing plates to achieve a 0.003 - 0.008 inch bearing clearance. Many other brand cars used the same design. Once ball bearings were introduced the thrust block was no longer needed.
Dave Packard
Means alot that you featured this body style! I own a 53 business coupe and my dad has a 2d 54 savoy with Hydrive. They are robust, simple, honest cars that offer alot of joy for not alot of money. Sure they're slow, but I'm not shy to boast how my business coupe repeatedly spanked a buddy's automatic 240d Benz...
A bicycle could outrun a 240d
@@jacobt1027 the way I undressed that thing, this isn't an unreasonable statement 🤣
NOTHING is as slow as a Mercedes diesel, except for a smaller displacement Mercedes diesel.
I love some of those old Larks. I remember them wheelyin off the line, in hot, rod magazines.
The trick to removing the hubs on those old Mopars ( as explained to me by an OLD Dodge mechanic ) is to loosen the axle nut ( as well as the lug bolts ) a bit, then drive it around until it all starts to rattle ( or clunk-a-clunka, as the case may be… ) . Great video!
That's the way I was taught how to do it!
Loved this video so much! I really dig modern performance cars, but I REALLY enjoy learning about vintage cars. Keep doing what you do
Gorgeous car! Just the right patina in and out. I'm with you to keep everything original. I collect antiques and can't stand when collectors want everything stripped down and made to look beyond brand new. I love patina that shows the passing of time. it's expected. I'm also a huge fan of the '49 through '54 cars. The "stodgy" look is so appealing! They had a sense of high quality about them. They still retained a lot of art-deco touches of the 1940's too.
Back in 1980 when I was twenty I bought a 1951 Dodge Coronet four doorwith that engine idling I could stand a nickel on its in and it would stand on its end on its side without falling over while that engine was running absolute true story
I love the paint. The patina is perfect.
have a '56 savoy. flat head 6, 3 on the tree. easy to work on k car of the 50's. king pins and pivot joints can be a bugger to do though, mine was converted to 12v with an old delco reme alternator instead if that huge generator and regulator riveted to the firewall, a stereo fits nicely in the glove box to hide it.
I have a local guy here in SLC that will rebuild my old Generator. I want to just mod a few things on mine. I am doing suicide doors on mine and will lower a little to make it more mob like of the day.
that little car is outstanding! i wish there was a basic car like this built now.
Lovely old car. I completely agree that the patina enhances it and that you should leave it as is and just clean and wax it. Are you going to give it a name?
Many Plymouths were named Priscilla, after Priscilla of Plymouth Colony.
A trip down memory lane for me.I began working as an apprentice mechanic at a Chrysler Plymouth dealer my senior year. The year was 1954. It was the summer before the 55's came out so the 54 was current. I was always called to do the valve adjustment on all the flat head_Plymouths. Imagine pulling the wheel and inner fender and waiting till the engine was warm to work under the exhaust manifold. This was in the summer in Mississippi. Somehow I don't think I would want to do it again. You do not want to neglect valve adjustment as you will not want to do a valve job. Two 1/2 thin long wrenches and a long 10 thousands gauge is all you need. Hope you can fit under the wheel well! OBTW, think the fender mirror was not standard equipment.
Now that is a beautiful car! From back when cars had style and you could tell them by make model and year from a distance.
Nice buy!
While you were introducing it, I was thinking "all I'd do is get rid of the points with an electronic ignition, give it a few more amps with an alternator, and drive it" and here you are doing exactly that. I couldn't agree more with what you're doing! Let it live, and tell its story, but no one wants to adjust points! Perfect.
I missed out on one of these in the late 80's and it was sold for 50 bucks...would have been a great car. Gawd, that was over 30 years ago. This car is my age, 67. My mileage is way higher.
Very cool car which is a car my father drove, actually a 53 Plymouth it was. He bought it new and kept it until about 1960. My brother, my mom and dad and I went to the Sierras, Lake Tahoe, in it and we spent a lot of happy times in it. By the way, your other video of the 1960 Studebaker Lark also came into our family from my Grandpa. That was my brother's first car. It was the VI. We tried to do all the maintenance ourselves, and that kept us busy. Thanks for the history lesson. Brings back lots of memories.
It is so round, shiny, comfortable, has a big back seat, and a round front! A Wizard twin! Luv it.😁 🙃
Those old flatheads were smooth dependable engines. Not high tech but tougher than a pine knot! That was built back when they remembered that a car was supposed to be a people mover that was supposed to be and not a sardine can. I am a large guy and lot of the newer cars do not have enough head room, leg room, foot room, enough room for your left leg in the drivers compartment. It is amazing when you set in one of those old cars how comfortable they were. They are amazing and I love them. Thanks for keeping them alive! Ut breaks my heart to see a survivor like that get butchered into a resto rod! They deserve to live on so people can see how they were.
The agents at Cold War Motors will be very envious of your Savoy.
Yea. Do Scott even have a 54?
I was going to say just that. Plus everything you ever need to know about repairing the car is available on RUclips, ‘Tech’ in the old Chrysler filmstrips knows it all.
That's a keeper.. you really are the car Wizard congratulations
Nice to see Wizard buy a car that really fits him. It's a 4 door, it's underpowered, it's undesirable and it was Cheap. Sorta boddles the mind when you see the cars that come through his shop.
I kind of like these "un-restored" cars. Yeah restored cars are nice (especially if the person restoring it uses all period-correct parts and tries to make it as original as possible) and they are likely hot items, but also having an "unrestored" car shows that it was used. It didn't just sit in someone's garage and only be driven on Sundays. This car was probably someone's daily driver (and back then, people probably only drove maybe 6,000-9000 miles a year on average, which is about alf of what people drive now (so about 12-18k per year). And yeah 30k is really low, so maybe it was a Sunday driver or around town car, but the body is not in bad shape at all, and for $7k overall, I think you got a great deal. I've seen worse cars go for more (ones with rust, dents, didn't run ,etc).
What always kinds of surprises me about these older cars (cars from the 60's and earlier) is how they were designed and the parts were machined. Technology back then is nothing like what we have now, where a computer usually does most of the machine work, to precision (hundredths of an inch for example) where as back in those days, people did things more by hand, with some automation, but less precise. But if you just think about the complexity of the designs that they had to do, and without computers. OK so cars from this era probably aren't super complex compared to today's cars, but back then, they were top of the line, newest designs of the era.
That battery set up is a bit mind boggling. You can still get a "full size" 6 volt top post battery. I get mine for my 1948 from NAPA.
yes, but your full size only has 1000 amps. My smaller batteries have 1000 amps each. Totaling 2000 cranking amps, and they fit in the space of 1 full size.
@@CarWizard Okay, that part makes sense. These cars do crank slow. Also wondering...if those are 6 volt each, isn't that putting 12 volts though the system? I'm not trying to discredit you or come down on your setup...just trying to understand it better! I've looked at a LOT of old Plymouths over the years, and have never seen a set up like that, so it's new to me.
@@Hazus00 as he says in the video, they’re wired in parallel. If he wired in series it would be 12v. Parallel keeps the voltage the same but still gives access to the amperage and capacity from both batteries.
@@derekheld1427 Ohh okay. Gotcha. Thank you! Makes sense now.
@@CarWizard 6V systems work fine when new but once corrosion creeps into those connections you'll soon know the reason for 12V systems. I2R losses. Leave the 6V starter in there and convert the rest to 12V and you'll be much happier. I say this from my experience: a kid growing up in a family where we had nothing but a '65 Volkswagen bug throughout our family time, who was always interested in electricity, who later got a degree in electrical engineering at a highly accredited university and owned a '60FLH (6V panhead converted to 12V) then went on to do industrial service. I still cringe when I think about the 6V we left in the VW. It caused our family a lot of misery.
That is a beautiful car; love it.
Thanks Wizard and Mrs. Great looking old car.
For a guy that says he hates working on carbureted engines, seems like most of his personal cars have carbureted engines…
carbs are easy to keep going
You can fix a carb. Good luck fixing a modern car when the computer dies and there are exactly ZERO replacements out there because they quit making them due to revisions and outdated technology.
No one makes the ECM for a 1985 Buick Regal. If yours dies you have to find a good one in a junk yard and hope it works.
You will always be able to rebuild/fix/tune a carburetor. Always.
@@joe6096 i have 6 corvairs an a 79 caprice with carbs,, but you can get a aftermarket fuel injection for your regal ,,i have a holly one on my 56 331 ..not a bad job
@@MZRFaith A carb is a hunk of metal with holes placed in it to get the right airflow for the fuel/air mixture. It can't really get much basic and easier than that. About the most intensive it gets with a carb is if you need to change jetting size or change your metering rods, or to clean your idle circuits out with a very thin wire, but all of that can be accomplished with simple tools and basically no money compared to EFI. EFI does have it's advantages to be fair to it, it's far better with cold starting, but that's about it. Carbs are far better from an ease of mind standpoint, to me.
@@MZRFaith Back when people knew How to work on cars, instead of being told via computer. Using sound, smell and elbow grease to know what's going on.
I got to do some work on a late 40's chevy at one shop, then had a short drive. Cars of that era were just right for someone wanting an old car, modern enough to have good electrics and brakes, old enough to feel like an old machine when driving, and they're nice to drive. They didn't need power steering and brakes because they were designed to not have them and be drivable. The clutches weren't too heavy and they shifted easily, all around nice driving cars. I hope you keep and use that old car, take care of it and enjoy what it was like to drive back then, it took a little thought and effort, not like now when people think they're watching TV on the road.
Beautiful car and what a condition 😎
I don't think you can find todays Fiat-Chrysler car on that shape or even working condition after 50-60 years 🤔
There will likely be some hemi Chryslers and Dodges left.