1949 Plymouth

Early Series

Flathead 6

Manual

P15960209

Clear

Gasoline

This is an extremely special car, but we need to get one thing cleared up first. When you tell somebody this is a 1949, they argue that 49 was the first postwar new body style, and this car is the 1946-1948 body style. But it is actually an extremely rare 49 model "Early Series", built only for only a couple of months till the new body cars could get into production. An Early Series 1949 is one of the absolutely rarest post-war Plymouths. The only major difference between the 48 and the early 49 is the blonde woodgrain dash on the 49 vs the brown wood grain dash on the 48. I am in my 70's and have never seen another Early Series 49 that I know of. But, its rarity is minor compared to its original condition. They say you can restore a car a dozen times if you want to, but it can only be original once. This is an all-original 58,000 mile car in amazing condition. Paint, interior, engine, body, chrome.... you name it and it's original....AND IT ALL WORKS!! The 6 volt radio plays beautifully. The vacuum windshield wipers work perfectly. Those two items alone are hardly ever seen in a surviving 66 year old car. This car not only runs beautifully, but everything feels tight like it did in 1949. . he glass is perfect, every little thing works right, the tires are period-correct 6:70x15 wide whitewall Firestone Champion replicas, but made in a modern tubeless fashion. Normally, when you see a car this old, the original upholstry tears at the slightest touch. The fabric and trim in this car still feels strong and supple. Look at the pictures. Nobody believes it when they see it. The "carpeting" on Plymouths of this era was actually a rubber mat that looked like carpet. Generally, these floor coverings cracked and split apart after 10-15 years. This one is perfect. Probably the only correct flooring car I have seen in 45 years or more. The woodgrain dash is perfect. The seats are firm and the upholstery is pretty much as it came from the factory. I honestly don't remember cars being this shiny back then, but this one is like a mirror gloss. The shop who just detailed the car tells me they're sure it's original paint. It would be impossible to have a car still perfect after 66 years. The original paint on this car is so shiny, you have to see it to believe it. Yet, here are some spots where the paint is very thin (still looks wonderful, but close). The driver side rocker panel molding is a little wavy. There's a little rub on the front side of the left front fender. Frankly, I never noticed it but our detailer did. I tried to photograph it but it's hard to see. The driver door window frame woodgrain is worn, from having an elbow resting on it. The chrome on the bumpers is shiny, but has a few rub marks from time. There is some pitting on some of the potmetal chrome. The rear license light housing and right taillight housing are still shiny, but clearly pitted. This is clearly a car that never spent much time outside, and the original black CA license plates prove it's a CA car. So that means no rust. Only exception is very mild surface rust deep in the roof drip molding crevices. It polishes off, but we couldn't find a tool to get the last deep 16th of an inch polished, inside the crevice. It's surface, so no worries. NO rust anywhere else. Look at the trunk floor with the carpet removed. Still fresh. The brakes have been bled after sitting for 10 years, and stop the car well, but the pedal is a little mushy, so some attention may be needed there. Nearly all the weatherstripping is supple, but there is minor cracking (see pics) from age. Exception: The right vent window weatherstrip could use replacement. The car has no wind noise and everything fits tight just as it should. The car still has one original set of keys. They came with aluminum keys, which wore out quickly. This pair of keys is in show condition. VERY rare. These were the most reliable cars of the era, since they had full flow oil systems with series-plumbed oil filter systems. They ran cool on hot days , unlike other brands of the era. The motor holds 40 PSI oil pressure at idle. No worries there! Water temp rides right at 180 degrees, even on a 108 degree day. No problem there! Charging system and electrical system is all good. Everything works. All gauges work, as does the speedometer. Tires have less than 100 miles on them. All glass is amazing. No cloudiness or cracks. All windows fit tight and roll up and down perfectly. There is a story on the car, which we can't verify, but here it is. It originally belonged toa nun. Don't know what city. She died around 1980 and the car was raffled off to a gentleman from Madera, CA. He stored the car but it didn't run properly, so he didn't drive it. Then he died, and my dear friend bought it. He did a valve job on it, since the car wasn't designed originally for unleaded gas, and then he put it in storage in his climate controlled shop. He is now very ill and the family has asked me to find a perfect home for this amazing old survivor. They assure me that it can be certified as original mileage. When you see the car, you will agree. If this were a Ford or a Chevrolet in the same condition, it would be worth $50,000 or more. Plymouths, the remaining member of the "Big Three" cars back then, are just now starting to appreciate strongly. I believe the next owner of this car will see remarkable appreciation over the next 5-10 years. Cars in this condition are extremely rare, today. It would be unwise to put this car into daily use, since it is irreplaceable. Yet, I drove it almost 40 miles yesterday, and it drives pretty much like a modern car! You can steer it with one hand. This is a NO RESERVE auction. High bidder will win the car. However, there may be somebody who realizes how difficult it would be to duplicate the car, who may just want to get it bought. So, I have added a "Buy It Now" feature, if you are that person. Call me at 909-266-1740 for any information, additional photos, or just to talk. I will post some YouTube videos driving the car and walking around it, this weekend. I will add links when I do. Best wishes for the fortunate new owner to-be of this remarkable survivor!