I'm 70 years young my first car was a 1952 Plymouth Suburban I paid $25 for it had 200,000 miles on it which at the time was way too much. It went through a quart of oil every other day. It was a blast! The head liner was bamboo a few months after I bought it my friend said lets put a rebuilt engine in it I had to order it because the war was going on and they were still using that engine back in the late 60's 2 weeks later they gave me a call to tell me it was ready to pickup. $147.50 complete with the head drove it all through high school. Loved it whish I still had it today.
As a kid growing up in the 50's and 60's I could never understand the reasoning behind a two-door station wagon. My dad owned a 56 Belvedere Suburban wagon in pine Green. We all drove in that thing from Michigan to Arizona when we moved there in 1959. It was a real chore climbing in and out through just two doors on that wagon the whole trip. He traded that one in not too long after we moved to Phoenix and he got a 1960 Ford wagon that was a canary yellow. I remember how happy we kids were when dad bought the Ford because it had 4 doors. He never really cared for the Ford as much as he did the Plymouth he had. I remember him telling my mom that the Ford was harder to drive, steered like a tank, and if you accelerated too fast the torque would run you right off the side of the road. All I remember about that was Mom telling my dad that well. "If you wouldn't have been so cheap and skipped getting power steering you wouldn't have this problem". LOL In fact, he disliked that Ford so much the only kept it for a year and then traded it in for a new 1961 Pontiac tempest wagon. The only thing I can say about that car is he either got the biggest lemon ever made. Or that particular model of Pontiac was just a piece of junk. It constantly had issues. Vapor locks, overheating, transmission problems, excessive front tire wear. It just wasn't a good vehicle at all.
I feel the same way about the two-door wagon situation it makes sense for a sedan delivery but to have two rows of seats with only two doors kind of weird.. but I would totally drive one of those ramblers from the 50s I meant to put that in there as far as competitor but it’s not really a competitor because the Rambler was cheaper.. I saw one at a car show and I wanted to do it so bad I have never seen a two-door Rambler wagon in person and man I just really wanted to do it.. but the owner never came back I left my information with him on his car but he never called me
Safety of having only 2 doors so the kids in the back seat wouldn't open a back door at speed, fall out, and get run over by an 18 wheeler. But you could also have the versatility and practicality of the wagon without kids flying out the back doors. Yeah, I always dug the Rambler Cross Country wagons with their luggage rack. I know you already did one of those Jay but I'd love it if you found another one.
Fear not I plan on covering all of the orphan cars and every single body style that I can find, The goal is to cover all of the ramblers all of Nash offerings =) going to cover all of the cars that never got covered
Chicago is the band I loved on Plymouth on the key and the steering wheel in the center it’s a mayflower ship reminding us of Plymouth rock and where The mayflower landed that was its symbol on most Plymouths
You got the band half of the equation thank you so much for filling us in on all of that I didn’t know that the center of the steering wheel column or steering wheel hub I should say that was the meaning behind it great information thank you so much for sharing that =)
Growing up I remember my dad really liked his Mopars. The first was a 1946 Plymouth coupe, then he bought a 1953 Chrysler Saratoga with a 331 Hemi and Fluid drive, then we had a 1957 Plymouth Belvedere. then for some reason we had a string of Chevrolets and our last Mopar we had since he was no longer driving mom was, so we got a 1978 Plymouth Horizon the last car they ever owned before their passing.
Great review! I have the 53 sedan version. It definitely gets a lot of attention when I drive it around since no one recognizes what kind of car it is. These 53/54 plymouths never show up at car shows and they are mostly forgotten about by even most plymouth enthusiasts. They seem to be the ugly step child of the 50s mopar, but I still love mine!
My friend had a 52 Chrysler Saratoga he let me drive it he had a semi automatic I could not believe how nice that car road it rides like a mid 80s Lincoln it just sails down the road so smooth curb hugging weight.. it just glides almost it a great car but got terrible gas mileage he sold it when gas prices got bad he has also had the hemi and it just pulled like you wouldn’t believe
@@allenwayne2033 I understand that Chrysler was a bit late in redesigning their postwar vehicles which was why GM and Ford vehicles were so much more contemporary looking than the Chrysler cars of the day.
WOW JAY! RARE! Think about this… Minimum Wage in 1954 was ….. 75 cents a hour! 3 quarters an hour. Based on 40 hour work week thats $30 a Week before taxes and only $1560 a year before taxes. $2,200 was a lot of money. I still remember my Moms dad telling me how he bought a House in our city in 1955 for $1,200 2 bedroom 1 bath cottage in a new development back then. Cute, Nothing fancy 1/4 acres with a nice driveway. Those homes now are over $300K - $400K Appraised. Most have additions added on and garages.
Unloved, underpowered and unappreciated, I agree with the comment that the styling is reminiscent of Nash. I think it is an attractive car, it has grown on me over the years.
I should have put a picture of what Nash it was reminiscent of but glad you see it as well.. if I remember correct dodge makes a version of this wagon that has the red ram hemi =)
The vents in the visor or Gillette air through if they didn’t use the vents anything over 60 miles an hour would pull the visor off even though there is a vent at the top in the back it’s not enough airflow that’s why they put those there
These are really great looking wagons. The interior looks so nice and spacious too! I've seen these in vintage advertisements, but seeing them up close detail on here, gives me a whole new perspective on them!🤩😎👍
I seem to remember this Plymouth as a sedan in my childhood having VERY dark green or blue tinted glass ...it must have been the top model. It made the car stand out from the crowd for sure. Usually with a very light baby blue duco.
I love the 50s era too I was thinking the early 50s is like Lionell train era with car designs idk how to describe it but lionell trains come to mind when thinking about early 50s cars =)
Almost time for your happy new year. Thanks for putting out these great shows, man, finding and appreciating as well as giving a shit is your gift. The sort of gift that comes in handy for a family man. Keep them coming. (PS, get a flashlight for the pedals, please.) I often imagine the folks working on the clays when you describe the style lines and creases.
I love your comment going to share it as well as some others on reflection episode, thank you it really means a lot I really try =) glad you can see that
If not mistaken the term “ Suburban “ was used for any station wagon or depot wagon in which there was access with a hatch and seats could be put down for items .
The Hy-Drive transmission was actually introduced in 1953 and continued into the 1954 model year. After February 1954 PowerFlite was introduced replacing Hy-Drive.
Thank you for that correction I’ll change the title I was a little confused the hy-drive Was there a semi automatic unit power flight is there automatic transmission question was Plymouth last one to adopt to the automatic transmission 1954 seems kind of late
@@What.its.like. Chrysler Corporation was late to the party on automatics. Ford and the independents (except Packard) bought transmissions from Borg Warner and GM Hydra Matics early in the 1950s. When Chrysler introduced the Torqueflite across all lines for 1957, they were the best in my opinion.
@@n.mcneil4066 I agree and owned two cars equipped with that transmission. One was a hemi. My observation was that Chrysler got it right with the Torqueflite after lagging behind the market for years with no automatic at all.
@@What.its.like. This car seems to have a standard three speed manual transmission with an optional overdrive. Without the overdrive the top speed is somewhere about 50-55 mph due to the limitations of the flathead six cylinder engine which dates back to the 1930s. The overdrive was eliminated by the early 1960s with the introduction of four speed transmissions.
Excellent video of a very nice car. Nothing pretentious or flashy about this car. Just basic and reliable transportation of the era restored to perfection.
Greetings Jay, this beautiful Plymouth Belvedere wagon has been restored to perfection!!! The interior colors are stunning as is the paint!!! Way back when, Chrysler products were built with quality in mind & were ment to last!!! Thanks for sharing another exciting video of a car from the fifties!!! 👍👍🙂
This wagon was absolutely gorgeous I got a bunch of cars in the pipeline I’m going back to Classic Automall tomorrow goes to shoot 20 cars I’m going to have a whole lot more time to do it I think there’s gonna be a really interesting Packard video coming tomorrow Packard limo =)
Yes, now I see the Nash resemblance. Seeing these on the road in the 60's, they certainly looked plain and lackluster. I would certainly be proud to drive this one around town. 😀
Nice review of a wonderful Plymouth. Keep up the good work. I personally don't see any Nash in this or any Chrysler product of the era. These were well built, well designed cars. So were Nashes. But each had their own design philosophies. One final comment. In my quest for correctness, I swear I will go to my grave trying to correct the following error (and it seems to be universal): THE REAR AREA OF ANY AND ALL VEHICLES BEHIND THE MIDDLE SEAT THAT IS ENCLOSED AS PART OF THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT IS NOT A TRUNK!! A trunk is a separate storage compartment enclosed and protected by a metal, lockable lid. The area behind the second seat in ANY WAGON STYLE VEHICLE is simply referred to as the CARGO AREA. Station Wagons, SUVs, CUVs, crossovers, etc etc have cargo areas accessed by some type of gate or door. These gates are not trunk lids. I have a trunk lid and trunk on my personal 4-door SEDAN. My brother has a cargo area and a lift gate on his compact SUV.
Nice review! ... but...The 230 cu.in. engine alone wasn't "optional" for Plymouth. The 230 engine was strictly for the Dodge division until-- February 1954 ("mid-year") when Plymouth finally received the Powerflite transmission as an option. This required the extra horsepower to compensate for the inherent loss (load) of the Powerflite offering. It was simpler to just transition to the 230 cu. in. engine altogether, beyond that date. Dodge maintained a small published horsepower edge against Plymouth until the end of the flathead in for passenger vehicles 1959. ( That made Dodge buyers know they were getting a bit more H.P. than Plymouth, for their money.)
Another fine review Jay. The split front seat was designed so the front seat passenger (Mom?) could scoot towards the driver's side allowing full forward extension of the seat, easing access to the rear seat. Was used on 2 door sedans and hardtop as well. I didn't know that the Dodge engine was optional in '54. Of course, Plymouth offered an OHV V-8 in '55. I've never seen a Belvedere trim version. It's actually nicely trimmed, inside and out.
J, As a suggestion, when you get under the hood, or even in the pedal box.. could you get a flashlight, or even a head lamp. For us older people with lower vision? Thanks so much. Your channel I watch immediately when I get the notification
in Florida any station wagon would say suburban on the registration and SUV say truck so if you own a 24 chevy suburban it would be registered as a truck
10:30 I believe it was K.T Keller who was president of Chrysler at the time, he decreed that the cars had to have enough headroom for the driver to wear his hat. If you check some of the period print ads for the '56 Plymouths you might find some that compare the beltline of the '56 Plymouth coupes and sedans to the brim of the more fashionable men's hats of the time.
Dad had a 51 Suburban in gray, Gramps a yellow black top 51 Belvidere. My first car a 54 Savoy 2dr light green/dark greet roof. No fond memories, slow cars.
The 53 Plymouth (and Dodge) were very dumpy cars. Effort was made to jazz them up a bit for 54, and Plymouth in particular got very colorful interior (and exterior) trim. Arguably the interiors were a step above - or at least more interesting than - what you could get in rival Bel Air or the new for 54 Ford Crestline sedan. Non-Suburbans also got little finlets at the rear, an the passenger cars grew about an inch. In 54 you could still get Hy Drive, but finally PowerFlight - fully automatic, though still a 2 speed.
Ironically that’s what I had was the crescent line but crescent line does not make a wagon and some manufacturers like Chevy didn’t make a two-door wagon.. ford did make a two door wagon called the ranch wagon but it’s more in line with plaza trim..
Pierce Arrow used the Suburban name in the 1920s. GM did not buy the right to the name until 1986 or thereabouts. My mom had a 1953 plain jane version of this wagon when I was a child.
Always thought these cars were kind of frumpy. What an unbelievable change for 1955. The stylists came to the front and engineers had to take a back seat. From ‘55 on Mopar could match anyone for styling
Exner changed Chrysler they were firing on all cylinders in the mid 50s that’s my favorite era of Chrysler but looking back at the early 50s frumpy maybe but they aged well and you never see these wagons or any wagons from Chrysler during this time period.
The split front seat back was a clever design since it was split on the passenger side, and, supposedly, was safer to enter and exit on the passenger side than on the driver's side
That’s what crazy about it I would think the bigger seat would be on the passenger side because it did allow more access to get in and out, when did, because I was always under the impression/heard it was a law to not exit in the street drivers side in the city had to get out the passenger side that’s why the door lock was only on the drivers side.. I say it every now and then but haven’t for a while should start saying that again anyway back to the point, when did they start putting key locks on drivers side. I have a 52 Chevy that doesn’t have a key lock drivers side but I also owned a 67 mustang at one point and that car did have key locks on both sides
1:28 _Four to see instead of three_ was a Studebaker advertising slogan in the late forties touting its lowest price trim level Champion Custom as an alternative to the lowest price models from Chevy, Ford, and Plymouth. I see no mention here of the new-for-1954 Studebaker Conestoga two-door station wagons, available as Champion 6 or Commander V8 models and all trim levels. Nobody asked, but I would choose the Studebaker Commander over the big three or the Jeep-based Willys wagon.
Hi Justin, I love that wagon. the 2 door makes it more collectable I think and the optional right side mirror makes it complete. the color is nice also. I wonder why the put the after market water temp gauge in there instead of fixing the one in the dashboard. anyway its a wonderful car.
I doubt a new one ever looked this good. Has the wierd 1950s pastels inside. Wish you would state asking price. These cars are often ignored at Barret Jackson.
It’s linked in the description I believe if you wanna see the price I don’t work for any of these dealerships they’re just nice enough to let me come and review their cars =) www.bluelineclassics.com/cars-for-sale/1954-plymouth-belvedere-wagon
I’ve been looking for one they have one for sale down at classic auto Mall I hope I can get there before they sell it.. I’m not sure when the next time I couldn’t even get down there it’s going to be
Commenting on the visor slits. These were very common in Australia up until fuel economy ruled the day, in the transition, they all had angled slits for air flow through, till they disappeared altogether. Maybe it is aerodynamic, but why? Till they ceased, they were good sunshades. (imagine getting into a car which is 75C after a day at the beach, and the vinyl seats would burn patterns into your skin. OUCH.
The 'Suburban' name is interesting in its use. AU +US= Station/ Wagon, UK= Estate car. But I have never heard the name suburban used like that. The last GMC's imported to Australia were savaged by the press, for all the right reasons. (Bus, truck, ambulance with body roll and zero handling)
Watched this one again. Circus peanuts... That's what the interior color reminds me of. To me, I wouldn't put those outside and inside colors together. On maybe a white car. Sure
I kinda liked those colors together, I wouldn’t think to put those colors together or textures and I can see the circus peanuts thing How did it look in hi def on your new tv
My dad’s 53 Plymouth had a weird transmission that shared lubricant with the engine. The first time he had the oil changed it took way more than the expected 4 quarts, probably 8 or 10.
The "Hy-Drive" transmission was indeed offered starting in 1953. It was a stop-gap manual 3 speed transmission with an actual _torque converter_, as a modern fully-automatic transmission uses.....It was_ not_ like the simple "fluid coupling" used in earlier Chrysler Corp. vehicles. The larger 230 cu. in. engine (that Dodge had used since the forties,) was not an "option," but a replacement of the 217 engine in Feburary 1954 due to the (finally) introduction of the fully-automatic 2 speed "Powerflite" transmission for the Plymouth division. The 230 engine was used for the six cylinder Plymouths from that date until 1959. (The flathead engine did continue in production and was used in agricultural machinery, as an air compressor. (Three cylinders firing with three cylinders compressing air.) Among other uses, it powered the U.S. military Dodge 3/4 ton trucks into the 1970s.
@@dennisdaly907 The torque converter required more cooling than the previous fluid coupling which was air cooled. The torque converter used engine oil which was circulated through the oil pan to cool it. Hence the big oil changes.
@@n.mcneil4066 I don't think the "Hy-Drive" torque converter relied on the common oil sump to cool itself....It was essentially the same as the Powerflite torque converter, which was air-cooled at the time under discussion.
I do believe the National Hot Rod Association used one of these and a trailer to go to the events in the 1950's. It's on my Ed Roth "life Story" DVD, but I'm not about to pile through 2+ hours of video to find it. 😩 Again, another awesome review Justin. Keep it up! (Sadly, there is no model kit of this out there.)
A very-very- very nice example. I wouldn't mind having this one today.And asking only 32,900 -Hmmmm, but the wife would kill me - - - - or I'd have to sell my 73 911T Targa. Oh well, one can dream.
This is a very nice and beautiful exhibit, but I remember seeing these cars when I was young and was not impressed with the body style. I thought it looked very utilitarian, even agriculture like. Boring and boxy body. Man,, I am really being mean about this car LOL! I am very surprised that an OVH engine was not available unless I missed something. I was wondering Jay when you were going to feature one of these cars and hear your take on them. I really enjoy the format you follow, very structured. Keep up your fine work!
Glad you dig the channel it took a little while to get to this format but I’m with you I dig this format I try to keep everything new and fresh by doing a slightly different intro every time.. that’s the only part of the structure that I’m not totally happy with is the intro I love getting into it but I don’t know what to say in the very beginning it’s OK the way it is but I need something more with a bang to hold peoples attention more.. it’s getting there though and I really appreciate it =)
@@What.its.like. Actually I think your enthusiastic intro is great. I really like when you shift from the pedal box, to a faster tempo explaining the instrument panel, I'll tell you something I hate. I am very disappointed when a high end car uses those stupid idiot lights. I am an engineer and that really bugs me! I have another item that may be of interest. I think years ago Ford's wiring was six volts but the polarity was reversed, meaning the positive pole was ground referenced. I fail to see why that was done. But if you review an older Ford, check it out. It may be just a myth. Anyway, I really look forward at the end of the day to sit down with a cold beer and watch your videos. Life is good Jay!
@@willobillo633 That is so strange. I am an electrician also but for the life of me I cant figure out why this is done. The only thing I can come up with is maybe the body of the car may offer better equal potential grounding, but that is it. Despite my afore mentioned comments I would love to have a 1948 Plymouth!
Thank you I shoot that with a different camera that camera that the glove box test is done with that is what shoots all of the instrumentation there isn’t sound so I figure out what the buttons do and record it when putting video together =)
I'm not certain about the origin of Suburban as a generic term. But certainly, Station Wagons came first. Early Wagons were all woodies, so could it be that Suburban was coined as a term for a non-woody Wagon?
In the 1950s you needed headroom for your fedora or hat Indiana Jones style The vents in the visor or Gillette air through if they didn’t use the vents anything over 60 miles an hour would pull the visor off even though there is a vent at the top in the back it’s not enough airflow that’s why they put those there
An obvious high dollar repaint on a low mileage survivor. GM and Ford had it above and beyond what Plymouth offered. This is a nice example but the paint, rechroming and showroom detailing don't give you the appearance or appeal of what the actual car was like. It was transportation and utility that showed it's age and wear within a year or two. This particular one is a beautified example with what appears to be an original interior. I guess you guys are just too young to know or remember what the "real" ones were like.
Eh so complain about cars being original you’re complaining because it’s over restored doing this long enough that it’s impossible to please everybody.. and some just like to complain I guess
I named my dog as a teen after. Then that stupid butler show of the same name came out in the mid 80s so I always had to verify 🙄 This was one of Virgil Exners first total control designs for Chrysler and I think handsome. Surely more svelte and trim than either Ford or Chevy's Should've sold much better than they did but Ford and GM were literally pushing cars on dealers whether they ordered or not and Chrysler was caught in the middle. An all out sales war at the time. I luv the colorful Fifties. And chrome!
Chicago - Beginnings?
Congratulations you’re the first one you just beat somebody else by one minute =)
Great job knight guy 👍
I'm 70 years young my first car was a 1952 Plymouth Suburban I paid $25 for it had 200,000 miles on it which at the time was way too much. It went through a quart of oil every other day. It was a blast! The head liner was bamboo a few months after I bought it my friend said lets put a rebuilt engine in it I had to order it because the war was going on and they were still using that engine back in the late 60's 2 weeks later they gave me a call to tell me it was ready to pickup. $147.50 complete with the head drove it all through high school. Loved it whish I still had it today.
That’s awesome what color was yours I’m a sucker for the wagons =)
@@What.its.like. Green
Yes. I see the 1980s suburban in there!!!
1954 Plymouth wagon is only came with 2 door and 6 cylinder engine. For 1955, Plymouth Suburban also came with 4 door wagon, plus a V-8 engine.
As a kid growing up in the 50's and 60's I could never understand the reasoning behind a two-door station wagon.
My dad owned a 56 Belvedere Suburban wagon in pine Green. We all drove in that thing from Michigan to Arizona when we moved there in 1959. It was a real chore climbing in and out through just two doors on that wagon the whole trip.
He traded that one in not too long after we moved to Phoenix and he got a 1960 Ford wagon that was a canary yellow. I remember how happy we kids were when dad bought the Ford because it had 4 doors.
He never really cared for the Ford as much as he did the Plymouth he had. I remember him telling my mom that the Ford was harder to drive, steered like a tank, and if you accelerated too fast the torque would run you right off the side of the road. All I remember about that was Mom telling my dad that well. "If you wouldn't have been so cheap and skipped getting power steering you wouldn't have this problem". LOL
In fact, he disliked that Ford so much the only kept it for a year and then traded it in for a new 1961 Pontiac tempest wagon. The only thing I can say about that car is he either got the biggest lemon ever made. Or that particular model of Pontiac was just a piece of junk.
It constantly had issues. Vapor locks, overheating, transmission problems, excessive front tire wear. It just wasn't a good vehicle at all.
I feel the same way about the two-door wagon situation it makes sense for a sedan delivery but to have two rows of seats with only two doors kind of weird.. but I would totally drive one of those ramblers from the 50s I meant to put that in there as far as competitor but it’s not really a competitor because the Rambler was cheaper.. I saw one at a car show and I wanted to do it so bad I have never seen a two-door Rambler wagon in person and man I just really wanted to do it.. but the owner never came back I left my information with him on his car but he never called me
Safety of having only 2 doors so the kids in the back seat wouldn't open a back door at speed, fall out, and get run over by an 18 wheeler. But you could also have the versatility and practicality of the wagon without kids flying out the back doors. Yeah, I always dug the Rambler Cross Country wagons with their luggage rack. I know you already did one of those Jay but I'd love it if you found another one.
Fear not I plan on covering all of the orphan cars and every single body style that I can find, The goal is to cover all of the ramblers all of Nash offerings =) going to cover all of the cars that never got covered
Chicago is the band I loved on Plymouth on the key and the steering wheel in the center it’s a mayflower ship reminding us of Plymouth rock and where The mayflower landed that was its symbol on most Plymouths
You got the band half of the equation thank you so much for filling us in on all of that I didn’t know that the center of the steering wheel column or steering wheel hub I should say that was the meaning behind it great information thank you so much for sharing that =)
Unsure if the Pilgrim ship inspired Walter Chrysler in 1928...some have said it was Plymouth twine used by farmers and tradesmen.
@@SpockvsMcCoy The song was Saturday
Beginnings someone just got it
Chicago, Silence. Chicago was huge in the early - mid 70's but they just didn't strike me much.
It’s Chicago but the song is beginnings someone just got it
@@What.its.like. Ha! darn! Close but no banana!
=)
You could'nt go to any football game without the band playing Chicago.
@@rogersmith7396 Or go to a wedding without hearing "Color my World".
Growing up I remember my dad really liked his Mopars. The first was a 1946 Plymouth coupe, then he bought a 1953 Chrysler Saratoga with a 331 Hemi and Fluid drive, then we had a 1957 Plymouth Belvedere. then for some reason we had a string of Chevrolets and our last Mopar we had since he was no longer driving mom was, so we got a 1978 Plymouth Horizon the last car they ever owned before their passing.
Oh, that's one nice motor car. First time I've ever taken note of this model and I'm impressed.
Great review! I have the 53 sedan version. It definitely gets a lot of attention when I drive it around since no one recognizes what kind of car it is. These 53/54 plymouths never show up at car shows and they are mostly forgotten about by even most plymouth enthusiasts. They seem to be the ugly step child of the 50s mopar, but I still love mine!
I love the styling of these and your right I never see these actually any 50s Plymouth’s are a real treat
I’ve often seen these in episodes of Highway Patrol which can be seen elsewhere on RUclips. Thanks for sharing this one.
Early 50s Mopars were always regarded as well built but stodgy and homely. It's a shame more of them weren't saved!
My friend had a 52 Chrysler Saratoga he let me drive it he had a semi automatic I could not believe how nice that car road it rides like a mid 80s Lincoln it just sails down the road so smooth curb hugging weight.. it just glides almost it a great car but got terrible gas mileage he sold it when gas prices got bad he has also had the hemi and it just pulled like you wouldn’t believe
@@allenwayne2033 I understand that Chrysler was a bit late in redesigning their postwar vehicles which was why GM and Ford vehicles were so much more contemporary looking than the Chrysler cars of the day.
WOW JAY! RARE! Think about this… Minimum Wage in 1954 was ….. 75 cents a hour! 3 quarters an hour. Based on 40 hour work week thats $30 a Week before taxes and only $1560 a year before taxes. $2,200 was a lot of money. I still remember my Moms dad telling me how he bought a House in our city in 1955 for $1,200 2 bedroom 1 bath cottage in a new development back then. Cute, Nothing fancy 1/4 acres with a nice driveway. Those homes now are over $300K - $400K Appraised. Most have additions added on and garages.
Thank you so much for sharing that insight =)
Very nice restored wagon. Thanks for showing it.
Thank you so much for watching this episode =)
Unloved, underpowered and unappreciated, I agree with the comment that the styling is reminiscent of Nash. I think it is an attractive car, it has grown on me over the years.
I should have put a picture of what Nash it was reminiscent of but glad you see it as well.. if I remember correct dodge makes a version of this wagon that has the red ram hemi =)
The vents in the visor or Gillette air through if they didn’t use the vents anything over 60 miles an hour would pull the visor off even though there is a vent at the top in the back it’s not enough airflow that’s why they put those there
Thank you so much for sharing that information =) I had no idea
These are really great looking wagons. The interior looks so nice and spacious too! I've seen these in vintage advertisements, but seeing them up close detail on here, gives me a whole new perspective on them!🤩😎👍
=)
I seem to remember this Plymouth as a sedan in my childhood having VERY dark green or blue tinted glass ...it must have been the top model. It made the car stand out from the crowd for sure. Usually with a very light baby blue duco.
Thank you for sharing that memory this wagon with absolutely look gorgeous in dark green almost like a British racing green =)
I was on about the GLASS Jay ....😄
Hahaha idk I read that fast didn’t see the glass i’m dyslexic it can be one hell of a thing sometimes =)
I have a liking for wagons. The rarer the better, and this is a jewel! Thanks for showing Jay!
=)
Wonderful auto! The 1950s, in my opinion was the absolute best period for styling! Maybe I’m biased for I’m a product of the 50s.
I love the 50s era too I was thinking the early 50s is like Lionell train era with car designs idk how to describe it but lionell trains come to mind when thinking about early 50s cars
=)
Almost time for your happy new year. Thanks for putting out these great shows, man, finding and appreciating as well as giving a shit is your gift. The sort of gift that comes in handy for a family man. Keep them coming. (PS, get a flashlight for the pedals, please.)
I often imagine the folks working on the clays when you describe the style lines and creases.
I love your comment going to share it as well as some others on reflection episode, thank you it really means a lot I really try =) glad you can see that
Outstanding car !!! Love it !!!
Love the dash my dad had a sedan in that model in Australia 🇦🇺 black with red trim in the mid 60s before that he had a 48 Plymouth .
What was your favorite memory of your car =)
If not mistaken the term “
Suburban “ was used for any station wagon or depot wagon in which there was access with a hatch and seats could be put down for items .
That very well could be thank you for the correction =)
Great Belvedere review... love the content, Jay.
Thank you it means the world to me that you dig this channel, it’s come a long way =)
The Hy-Drive transmission was actually introduced in 1953 and continued into the 1954 model year. After February 1954 PowerFlite was introduced replacing Hy-Drive.
Thank you for that correction I’ll change the title I was a little confused the hy-drive Was there a semi automatic unit power flight is there automatic transmission question was Plymouth last one to adopt to the automatic transmission 1954 seems kind of late
@@What.its.like. Chrysler Corporation was late to the party on automatics. Ford and the independents (except Packard) bought transmissions from Borg Warner and GM Hydra Matics early in the 1950s. When Chrysler introduced the Torqueflite across all lines for 1957, they were the best in my opinion.
@@edarcuri182 The Powerflite was a 2 speed & thus slow on the takeoff like a Powerglide. It was, however, very reliable & handled the hemis.
@@n.mcneil4066 I agree and owned two cars equipped with that transmission. One was a hemi.
My observation was that Chrysler got it right with the Torqueflite after lagging behind the market for years with no automatic at all.
@@What.its.like. This car seems to have a standard three speed manual transmission with an optional overdrive. Without the overdrive the top speed is somewhere about 50-55 mph due to the limitations of the flathead six cylinder engine which dates back to the 1930s. The overdrive was eliminated by the early 1960s with the introduction of four speed transmissions.
The Nash vibe is right there (even the bamboo look) I like it, it stands out as different.
Yep =) you have no idea how bad I wanna find a Nash version and review it those cars are absolutely gorgeous to me simplistic yet stunning.
Excellent video of a very nice car. Nothing pretentious or flashy about this car. Just basic and reliable transportation of the era restored to perfection.
Thank you glad you liked this episode this was the nicest one I’ve ever saw =)
Love that car //////////////////////////////
It’s still the nicest suburban Plymouth suburban I’ve ever seen
Back before Chrysler started to cheap out on build quality. Those Mopars were known as durable tough cars.
Totally agree Chrysler built some quality stuff back in the day.. same can’t be said today with their 3.6 v6 is notorious for head cracking problems
The Plymouth Valiant and its Dodge twin were exceptional in the compact class.
Greetings Jay, this beautiful Plymouth Belvedere wagon has been restored to perfection!!! The interior colors are stunning as is the paint!!! Way back when, Chrysler products were built with quality in mind & were ment to last!!! Thanks for sharing another exciting video of a car from the fifties!!! 👍👍🙂
This wagon was absolutely gorgeous I got a bunch of cars in the pipeline I’m going back to Classic Automall tomorrow goes to shoot 20 cars I’m going to have a whole lot more time to do it I think there’s gonna be a really interesting Packard video coming tomorrow Packard limo =)
@@What.its.like. Sounds good!!! I look forward to seeing all of the cars you've got coming up!!! 👍🙂
Cool wagon , like new too wow
It was =)
Yes, now I see the Nash resemblance.
Seeing these on the road in the 60's, they certainly looked plain and lackluster.
I would certainly be proud to drive this one around town. 😀
Me too I wouldn’t mine owning this one
Pretty darn good looking wagon!
I thought the same thing
Nice review of a wonderful Plymouth. Keep up the good work.
I personally don't see any Nash in this or any Chrysler product of the era. These were well built, well designed cars. So were Nashes. But each had their own design philosophies.
One final comment. In my quest for correctness, I swear I will go to my grave trying to correct the following error (and it seems to be universal):
THE REAR AREA OF ANY AND ALL VEHICLES BEHIND THE MIDDLE SEAT THAT IS ENCLOSED AS PART OF THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT IS NOT A TRUNK!! A trunk is a separate storage compartment enclosed and protected by a metal, lockable lid.
The area behind the second seat in ANY WAGON STYLE VEHICLE is simply referred to as the CARGO AREA.
Station Wagons, SUVs, CUVs, crossovers, etc etc have cargo areas accessed by some type of gate or door. These gates are not trunk lids.
I have a trunk lid and trunk on my personal 4-door SEDAN. My brother has a cargo area and a lift gate on his compact SUV.
Thank you so much for the correction happy new year
Nice review! ... but...The 230 cu.in. engine alone wasn't "optional" for Plymouth. The 230 engine was strictly for the Dodge division until-- February 1954 ("mid-year") when Plymouth finally received the Powerflite transmission as an option. This required the extra horsepower to compensate for the inherent loss (load) of the Powerflite offering. It was simpler to just transition to the 230 cu. in. engine altogether, beyond that date. Dodge maintained a small published horsepower edge against Plymouth until the end of the flathead in for passenger vehicles 1959.
( That made Dodge buyers know they were getting a bit more H.P. than Plymouth, for their money.)
Another fine review Jay. The split front seat was designed so the front seat passenger (Mom?) could scoot towards the driver's side allowing full forward extension of the seat, easing access to the rear seat. Was used on 2 door sedans and hardtop as well. I didn't know that the Dodge engine was optional in '54. Of course, Plymouth offered an OHV V-8 in '55. I've never seen a Belvedere trim version. It's actually nicely trimmed, inside and out.
Glad you liked this one thank you so much for sharing that insight =)
J,
As a suggestion, when you get under the hood, or even in the pedal box.. could you get a flashlight, or even a head lamp.
For us older people with lower vision?
Thanks so much. Your channel I watch immediately when I get the notification
in Florida any station wagon would say suburban on the registration and SUV say truck so if you own a 24 chevy suburban it would be registered as a truck
10:30 I believe it was K.T Keller who was president of Chrysler at the time, he decreed that the cars had to have enough headroom for the driver to wear his hat. If you check some of the period print ads for the '56 Plymouths you might find some that compare the beltline of the '56 Plymouth coupes and sedans to the brim of the more fashionable men's hats of the time.
Great insight and information. Thank you so much for sharing all that.
@@What.its.like. Looked it up, Keller was president of Chrysler from mis-thirties until 1950, Chairman of the Board from '50 to '56.
That's a beautiful car
Super beautiful =)
Remember back in the day men and women mostly wore hats. That's why you have extra headroom.
Dad had a 51 Suburban in gray, Gramps a yellow black top 51 Belvidere. My first car a 54 Savoy 2dr light green/dark greet roof. No fond memories, slow cars.
The 53 Plymouth (and Dodge) were very dumpy cars. Effort was made to jazz them up a bit for 54, and Plymouth in particular got very colorful interior (and exterior) trim. Arguably the interiors were a step above - or at least more interesting than - what you could get in rival Bel Air or the new for 54 Ford Crestline sedan. Non-Suburbans also got little finlets at the rear, an the passenger cars grew about an inch. In 54 you could still get Hy Drive, but finally PowerFlight - fully automatic, though still a 2 speed.
Ironically that’s what I had was the crescent line but crescent line does not make a wagon and some manufacturers like Chevy didn’t make a two-door wagon.. ford did make a two door wagon called the ranch wagon but it’s more in line with plaza trim..
Hay Jay, maybe when talking about prices let us know as what was included? Such as things like a heater, visors (1 or 2) etc.
Ok =)
Pierce Arrow used the Suburban name in the 1920s. GM did not buy the right to the name until 1986 or thereabouts.
My mom had a 1953 plain jane version of this wagon when I was a child.
Awesome information I didn’t know Pierce arrow used it thank you so much for sharing that
Cool Car
Always thought these cars were kind of frumpy. What an unbelievable change for 1955. The stylists came to the front and engineers had to take a back seat. From ‘55 on Mopar could match anyone for styling
Exner changed Chrysler they were firing on all cylinders in the mid 50s that’s my favorite era of Chrysler but looking back at the early 50s frumpy maybe but they aged well and you never see these wagons or any wagons from Chrysler during this time period.
Thanks Jay! That's a nice wagon! I'd like that as my daily driver.
I was thinking the same thing they made a red ram hemi that would be really sick
@@What.its.like. Hell Yes!
The split front seat back was a clever design since it was split on the passenger side, and, supposedly, was safer to enter and exit on the passenger side than on the driver's side
That’s what crazy about it I would think the bigger seat would be on the passenger side because it did allow more access to get in and out, when did, because I was always under the impression/heard it was a law to not exit in the street drivers side in the city had to get out the passenger side that’s why the door lock was only on the drivers side.. I say it every now and then but haven’t for a while should start saying that again anyway back to the point, when did they start putting key locks on drivers side. I have a 52 Chevy that doesn’t have a key lock drivers side but I also owned a 67 mustang at one point and that car did have key locks on both sides
1:28 _Four to see instead of three_ was a Studebaker advertising slogan in the late forties touting its lowest price trim level Champion Custom as an alternative to the lowest price models from Chevy, Ford, and Plymouth.
I see no mention here of the new-for-1954 Studebaker Conestoga two-door station wagons, available as Champion 6 or Commander V8 models and all trim levels.
Nobody asked, but I would choose the Studebaker Commander over the big three or the Jeep-based Willys wagon.
Hi Justin, I love that wagon. the 2 door makes it more collectable I think and the optional right side mirror makes it complete. the color is nice also. I wonder why the put the after market water temp gauge in there instead of fixing the one in the dashboard. anyway its a wonderful car.
This was the nicest example of a 54 Plymouth wagon I’ve seen ever seen =)
I’m with you I have no idea why they didn’t just fix the regular gauge..
that interior has a "Hawaiian / Polynesian" vibe to it. I wonder if that was done on purpose since the Tiki Culture was very popular back then.
I doubt a new one ever looked this good. Has the wierd 1950s pastels inside. Wish you would state asking price. These cars are often ignored at Barret Jackson.
It’s linked in the description I believe if you wanna see the price I don’t work for any of these dealerships they’re just nice enough to let me come and review their cars =)
www.bluelineclassics.com/cars-for-sale/1954-plymouth-belvedere-wagon
I'll take two please!
International scout was another good vehicle
I’ve been looking for one they have one for sale down at classic auto Mall I hope I can get there before they sell it.. I’m not sure when the next time I couldn’t even get down there it’s going to be
Commenting on the visor slits. These were very common in Australia up until fuel economy ruled the day, in the transition, they all had angled slits for air flow through, till they disappeared altogether. Maybe it is aerodynamic, but why? Till they ceased, they were good sunshades. (imagine getting into a car which is 75C after a day at the beach, and the vinyl seats would burn patterns into your skin. OUCH.
Thank you so much for that information yeah that’s had heated summertime seats lol =D
Maybe to reduce dust build up like spoilers on rear windows.
The 'Suburban' name is interesting in its use. AU +US= Station/ Wagon, UK= Estate car. But I have never heard the name suburban used like that. The last GMC's imported to Australia were savaged by the press, for all the right reasons. (Bus, truck, ambulance with body roll and zero handling)
Watched this one again. Circus peanuts... That's what the interior color reminds me of. To me, I wouldn't put those outside and inside colors together. On maybe a white car. Sure
I kinda liked those colors together, I wouldn’t think to put those colors together or textures and I can see the circus peanuts thing
How did it look in hi def on your new tv
@@What.its.like. Haven't got it yet. Arrives today
My dad’s 53 Plymouth had a weird transmission that shared lubricant with the engine. The first time he had the oil changed it took way more than the expected 4 quarts, probably 8 or 10.
Oh wow I didn’t know that thank you so much for sharing that information =)
@@What.its.like.
I think it had a clutch pedal but no gearshift - sort of a poor man’s automatic.
The "Hy-Drive" transmission was indeed offered starting in 1953. It was a stop-gap manual 3 speed transmission with an actual _torque converter_, as a modern fully-automatic transmission uses.....It was_ not_ like the simple "fluid coupling" used in earlier Chrysler Corp. vehicles. The larger 230 cu. in. engine (that Dodge had used since the forties,) was not an "option," but a replacement of the 217 engine in Feburary 1954 due to the (finally) introduction of the fully-automatic 2 speed "Powerflite" transmission for the Plymouth division. The 230 engine was used for the six cylinder Plymouths from that date until 1959. (The flathead engine did continue in production and was used in agricultural machinery, as an air compressor. (Three cylinders firing with three cylinders compressing air.) Among other uses, it powered the U.S. military Dodge 3/4 ton trucks into the 1970s.
@@dennisdaly907 The torque converter required more cooling than the previous fluid coupling which was air cooled. The torque converter used engine oil which was circulated through the oil pan to cool it. Hence the big oil changes.
@@n.mcneil4066 I don't think the "Hy-Drive" torque converter relied on the common oil sump to cool itself....It was essentially the same as the Powerflite torque converter, which was air-cooled at the time under discussion.
Seems like the playback is a little fast paced. Possibly 1.5x?
I do believe the National Hot Rod Association used one of these and a trailer to go to the events in the 1950's. It's on my Ed Roth "life Story" DVD, but I'm not about to pile through 2+ hours of video to find it. 😩
Again, another awesome review Justin. Keep it up!
(Sadly, there is no model kit of this out there.)
Thank you glad you liked this one
@@What.its.like. "Tales of the Rat Fink" is the name of the video.
I believe the car the NHRA used was the Dodge version. I could be mistaken. It happened once before.😎
@@edarcuri182 Could be. someone needs to confirm.
👍👍👍👍👍
Do you have plans to review the c4 Corvette next to the wagon?
I did not I only had time to do these two
A very-very- very nice example. I wouldn't mind having this one today.And asking only 32,900 -Hmmmm, but the wife would kill me - - - - or I'd have to sell my 73 911T Targa. Oh well, one can dream.
Yeah it’s a good price for a brand new looking wagon with absolutely no rust
A very old fashioned long stroke engine, presumably for low rpm torque but 190 ft lbs ain't much.
Hey! I like this car. Interesting. I wonder how a full automatic drove?
I wonder =)
How much for that beautiful car??
www.bluelineclassics.com/cars-for-sale/1954-plymouth-belvedere-wagon
@@What.its.like. Thank You
Chicago "beginnings"
Oh man you were so close to other guy beat you by literally a minute but good job you got it =)
@What it’s like Thanks...it must have been really close cuz I didn't see the other guys response when I posted my answer.
We'll get it next time 😃
This is a very nice and beautiful exhibit, but I remember seeing these cars when I was young and was not impressed with the body style. I thought it looked very utilitarian, even agriculture like. Boring and boxy body. Man,, I am really being mean about this car LOL! I am very surprised that an OVH engine was not available unless I missed something. I was wondering Jay when you were going to feature one of these cars and hear your take on them. I really enjoy the format you follow, very structured. Keep up your fine work!
Glad you dig the channel it took a little while to get to this format but I’m with you I dig this format I try to keep everything new and fresh by doing a slightly different intro every time.. that’s the only part of the structure that I’m not totally happy with is the intro I love getting into it but I don’t know what to say in the very beginning it’s OK the way it is but I need something more with a bang to hold peoples attention more.. it’s getting there though and I really appreciate it =)
@@What.its.like. Actually I think your enthusiastic intro is great. I really like when you shift from the pedal box, to a faster tempo explaining the instrument panel, I'll tell you something I hate. I am very disappointed when a high end car uses those stupid idiot lights. I am an engineer and that really bugs me! I have another item that may be of interest. I think years ago Ford's wiring was six volts but the polarity was reversed, meaning the positive pole was ground referenced. I fail to see why that was done. But if you review an older Ford, check it out. It may be just a myth. Anyway, I really look forward at the end of the day to sit down with a cold beer and watch your videos. Life is good Jay!
@@flashesofblack4128 I have a1948 Plymouth with positive ground
@@willobillo633 That is so strange. I am an electrician also but for the life of me I cant figure out why this is done. The only thing I can come up with is maybe the body of the car may offer better equal potential grounding, but that is it. Despite my afore mentioned comments I would love to have a 1948 Plymouth!
Thank you I shoot that with a different camera that camera that the glove box test is done with that is what shoots all of the instrumentation there isn’t sound so I figure out what the buttons do and record it when putting video together =)
I'm not certain about the origin of Suburban as a generic term. But certainly, Station Wagons came first. Early Wagons were all woodies, so could it be that Suburban was coined as a term for a non-woody Wagon?
I’m not sure I got most of that information in an article on that subject =)
boa marca nao dava mecanica confortavel espasoço muitomelhor que os atuais bonito
I still remember that car it was incredible inside
👍🏻💯🇦🇺
Another 60/40 front seat split.
Yep Plymouth liked these
In the 1950s you needed headroom for your fedora or hat Indiana Jones style The vents in the visor or Gillette air through if they didn’t use the vents anything over 60 miles an hour would pull the visor off even though there is a vent at the top in the back it’s not enough airflow that’s why they put those there
KTKELLERS COMMENT
Thank you so much for sharing that information =)
An obvious high dollar repaint on a low mileage survivor. GM and Ford had it above and beyond what Plymouth offered. This is a nice example but the paint, rechroming and showroom detailing don't give you the appearance or appeal of what the actual car was like. It was transportation and utility that showed it's age and wear within a year or two. This particular one is a beautified example with what appears to be an original interior. I guess you guys are just too young to know or remember what the "real" ones were like.
Eh so complain about cars being original you’re complaining because it’s over restored doing this long enough that it’s impossible to please everybody.. and some just like to complain I guess
I named my dog as a teen after. Then that stupid butler show of the same name came out in the mid 80s so I always had to verify 🙄
This was one of Virgil Exners first total control designs for Chrysler and I think handsome. Surely more svelte and trim than either Ford or Chevy's Should've sold much better than they did but Ford and GM were literally pushing cars on dealers whether they ordered or not and Chrysler was caught in the middle. An all out sales war at the time.
I luv the colorful Fifties. And chrome!
Thank you so much for sharing all of that =)