1949 Plymouth Special

1949 Plymouth Special Deluxe

Old cars have gotten a bad reputation lately as being a rich man's game; news reports and TV shows depicting cars passing over the auction block for literally millions of dollars can easily put that impression in peoples' heads. Happily, like so much of what passes for ''reality TV'' and ''news'' these days, most of it is orchestrated hokum, and an example of the bank-draining insanity that can happen when you have a live camera trained on you.

When you say, 40's cars you think of post war pent up spending, but if you look at the pre Jet Age, before those fine finned beauties, you'll see enough has changed in our cars nearly 70 years on that these machines manage to feel vintage-they transport you to another era. We also need to look at the word ''Deluxe'' which was used by virtually every car manufacturer at one point or another. This car oozes ''Deluxe'' in many ways, like its design, embellishments, interior chrome, and curved lines. All affordable, and a real piece of vintage that will not break the bank. Now that's Deluxe in the flesh, a 1949 Plymouth Special Deluxe.

Exterior
This snazzy design harkening to a simpler time can best be described as a nice example with good paint and shiny chrome embellishments. Its nose utilizes a mild V formation in triplicate plus 1 for the grille, and a shiny bumper below in this framing. Big wide integrated front fenders flare inward as they move from the door panels to the front, where they meet in a peaked hood with dual side spears on the bottom of it. All this and more steel is bathed in blue. A split windshield fronts the metal top which floats above the 4 doors this car has available for the passengers. All rocker trimmings are solid and shiny and support the flared out doors on either side. The rear design of this car curves downward gracefully, and has a single rectangular chrome trimmed on top and bottom taillight, and a curved bumper on the bottom. Nicely preserved big dog dish wheel covers are wrapped by wide white bias ply tires all around.

Interior
Striped gray broadcloth with thin red and yellow stripes covers the front and rear benches. These are in excellent condition. The bench in back has padded arms for added comfort. All door panels and vertical panels are covered in a darker gray felted broadcloth, and have some art deco inspired chrome delineating as well as shiny chrome handles and cranks with cream bakelite escutcheons and knobs show nicely on this dark gray background. Up front the full metal dash is a two tone faux painted wood grain with a lighter wood look on top and darker for the front. There are also plenty of beautifully chromed bezels and a vertically mounted radio and central speaker cover that has shades of an old jukebox. Another small curved chromed panel hangs below the dash, and houses more bakelite knobs. This dash is very inspiring and beautifully polished and clean. This faux painted wood grain also shows up on the door sills and surrounds of the glass and center framing for the windshield. Above is a ribbed dark gray felted broadcloth headliner, and on the floors dark gray carpeting. A big brown bakelite steering wheel is fronting the dash and it also has plenty of chromed embellishments.

Drivetrain
Among all the other niceties this car offers up, is a beautifully restored engine bay with a 218ci L-head inline 6-cylinder engine. All fully restored and black painted oil bath air cleaning system is above a 1-barrel carburetor and intake. On back is a 3-speed manual transmission and a like new radiator has supple hoses running to and from the mill.

Undercarriage
The X frame is nicely painted black and is solid structurally. Rockers and floor pans are perfectly stamped steel and painted a lighter blue which is a nice contrast to the black. Independent front suspension and leaf spring rear is on, and drum brakes are seen all around. A careful look all around and you can be hard pressed to find anything that's awry.

Drive-Ability
A quick fire up and off to the test track where it was a delightful drive. Smooth power and expected handling was noted, however, some brake work needs to be done as the pedal goes almost to the floor and it does feel as if the brakes are dragging. I could not keep my eyes off the dash. It is so wonderfully designed and restored!