Same with old aircraft. Look up micah muzio here on TH-cam. He has/had a helicopter built in 1978. Probably the only thing the helicopter has factory original from the beginning is the air frame chassis.
What a fantastic use of imagery; "to swim towards the comfort that sustains us in our memory is to swim against the currents that pummel us back towards the shifting and unstable shore." I come here for the cars, I stay for the writing. Thanks!
I'm 31, located in Germany and I own a 1955 Plymouth Savoy, also with a flathead 6 (225ci) and a 3 on the tree. It also still has the 6V System. The car came here from Arizona shortly before I bought it. I owned it for 4,5 years and it actually has been less of a headache than some of the newer stuff that I own. Everything is straight forward on these and you can find the 446 page service manual online for free. It is hard to get some parts but most mechanical stuff can be sourced in a reasonable amount of time for a reasonable amount of money or even super cheap. Some parts are hard to find, some parts are hard to find and expensive as hell. On German roads the car is happy at 55-60mph, everything above 80 is turtle head poking out. I also don't have issues with a pinging unmotivated engine at high loads and my oil consumption is near zero. I have some cooling issues in city traffic above 90F outside temperature, despite a new radiator and a new waterpump. It's most likely the water distribution tube in the block, a very well know issue. Replacement tube is cheap but the work is a pita if the old tube breaks apart or doesn't want to come out. Oh and the car in this clip most likely has 12V bulbs in the 6V system, that's why they're so dim. Here in Germany I can source 6V bulbs easily in stores that also sell motorcycle parts because 6V systems were around way longer in motorcycles and scooters.
I've gone across the USA on a 1969 Honda CB450, and I agree with the statement "less of a headache than newer stuff I own." I collect antique motorcycles, but I've got some new stuff too. I recently hit 70k miles (55K of that was my own doing) on that little CB450, and it's only been rebuilt once. on the other hand, my 2012 Harley road glide has needed service every thousand miles or so, for one thing or another. I don't even bother with it anymore, and it's only got about 18k miles on it. mostly electrical issues with the newer stuff, security features going wrong causing a no-spark, all the lights simultaneously going bad at once, starters going out, just a load of crap. on the other hand, both of my vintage hondas, the other being a 1966 Ca160 with 17k miles, is a "kick-it-and-go" thing. never worry about them, they'll just go and go and go.... in the unlikely event that something goes wrong, it's almost always the main fuse, or one of the CV carbs is just slightly out of adjustment. easy fixes.
@@tankacebo9128 As a vintage motorcycle restorer/collector I agree with your statements. I also have a 1930 Willys-Knight (sleeve valve engine) that I used to regularly take on 3 day tours with a club. Total mileage over 3 days is around 500 and that is about enough anxiety for a 3 day weekend. About the only "comfort" item I have upgraded is the (updraft) carburetor to something a bit less fragile
These cars were very simple and straightforward. Assuming the motor is not worn you, with fuel and spark you'll get a running car. There is nothing wrong with the 6V system and no need to change in my opinion. How often is a 70 year old car going to be driven at night anyway?
@@mndlessdrwerit’s quite terrifying driving that on anything but small country roads haha! I live near lots of backroads so I do get to drive it a lot!
Who cares if the gawkers know what it is? It's a 71 year old work of art. Every last knob and gadget in and on that car is an aesthetic experience and a reward in its own right. Thanks to the owner for sharing.
True, bugger all when it comes to performance or safety but the craftmanship of the 50s era cars is obviously unmatched in anything that came before or after. That's why premium brands like Rolls Royce held on to a mid century kind of aesthetic for much, much longer. Every detail, i.e. shapes and material choices have a premium feel and well thought out appearance, no cheap plastic that turns grey in the sun to be found.
The oil bath air filter is basically like a bong filled with oil. Particles get suspended in the oil and you just change it every so often. They actually work really well.
@@TheDasbull But a very beautiful job of faux-wood graining. That dash is a thing of beauty, though I'd not want to be in that thing in any kind of accident.
They were dimmer. You need double the amount of current for the same wattage… current that will melt plastic and crack glass. Even the 24V bulbs on my airplane have bubbled the plastic from when they’ve been left on on the ground.
And, he may have used 12 volt wiring for a 6 volt system. You really can't use tiny 12 volt wiring for these old 6v cars, you gotta use wiring that's big enough to carry the smaller amount of voltage to the lights.
The safety factor in these old rigs is non-existant....in a head-on collision, the steering column would frequently crush/impale the driver...no seat belts back then either...marginal brakes, mushy suspension, etc...and people did not even give a crap about safety anyway!...Like it or not, we have evolved.
@@curbozerboomer1773 Is that what you think. I'm glad you have the proof of being oh, 20 or older in 1950 to tell us this. Oh, whats that you weren't ohhh shut the fuck up then and get in a car crash.
@@curbozerboomer1773 Blah blah blah negative blah blah blah doomer honestly since car crashes can still be fatal why not die in fashion lol. PS seat belts are great alongside plastic dash board but come on screw the rest of the rules style should return.
this was my first car in 1986. It was notoriously hard to start. Especially when hot. It would cruise 50mph all day long and get around 23 mpg. They are not an exciting car, by any means. But among car guys they are well known as being one of the best built cars of the 50's.
Seeing the awful fit of the hood, I WOULD NOT say THIS particular sample is 'best built', unless this one had a front end mishap that was improperly sorted. Hard to imagine a car leaving the factory looking like this. Compared to 'laser fit' of todays cars, this one would qualify for a 'buy back'!
@@TheOzthewiz If you think cars of the 1930s - mid 1950s were up to modern day quality, damn, son; you be young. It was built in 1949 when even an oil filter was an optional accessory and engines always had overhauls under 50,000 miles, and you think the hood's gonna always fit right?
@@101Volts You misunderstood my comment. What I meant was that this car (supposedly) had a full restoration and seemed nearly perfect, why was the hood alignment not tended to. I was old enough to observe the "quality" of car build in the '50s, and AMERICAN build quality stunk! This is the reason I pushed my Dad to purchase a European (English Ford Zephyr) car as our FIRST family car!
Just like how Doug D. couldn't understand a 1976 Cadillac convertible when he reviewed it, I think RCR is in a similar boat with this Plymouth. It's easy to overlook such an old car's earnest value.
Doug Demuro can't understand the cassette player controls in a mid 80's full size GM car. He's like watching my mom point and things and say "What's this? What's that?". Hard to believe people think he's a source of anything.
As the owner of a 1953 Plymouth Cranbrook club coupe I've never clicked on a video faster. This car and mine have the same power train. Also I daily drive a 1983 Chevrolet Chevette. Thanks RCR for making that car known to me years ago because I've now been driving mine for almost a year.
When this car was new, the speed limit in most of the USA was 45 mph. Sixty was considered fast. Plymouth cars had a reputation of boring stodgy but were I to buy a new car in 1950, it probably would have been a Plymouth like this one except I would have chosen Fluid Drive. This system is, in my opinion, better than any of the early automatic transmissions. In city traffic, just leave it in second gear and the generous torque of the long stroke six will pull you along just nicely. The Spitfire Six is, in my opinion, the best motor of the low priced cars. The Chevrolet didn't have full pressure lubrication and the Ford V-8 was not known for its longevity. It was so good that five of them were mounted on a common crankcase as the Chrysler A-57 Multibank tank engine. It is just so smooth and quiet, with a 450 RPM idle. If it is pinging on modern fuel it is either in need a decarbon (easy on a flathead) or adjusted timing.
Fluid Drive was never an option on Plymouths. Closest they came was Hy-Drive in 1953 and 1954 but that had a real torque converter instead of the old fluid coupling.
A modern Pertroinx Iginition/12V upgrade and a decarbon and possibly a timing change would fix the pinging. Dont forget a 230 CID and dual carb upgrade would make for splendid motoring . The 218/230 family were legendary for durability. Adding a BW 30% overdrive easy enough to find would be great (period correct factory option too) . Aside from the Iginition a few tweaks would be within the realm of logic and pretty easy all things considered . And not change the cars character either.
Oil bath air cleaners work ok in certain instances. My 1977 f150 has one, though I only use mine on winter. It's all baffles inside that direct airflow to take a sharp turn. The air can take a sharp 90 degree turn, but the dust can't because of inertia so it gets trapped in the oil. Then you wash it out every oil change.
My VW Bug had one of these, I later swapped it for a paper (and later cloth) one. From what I hear they are very effective, filter the air very well and can hold a lot of dust without loosing effectiveness or restricting airflow. Hence they are still used even now on some vehicles that will encounter massive amounts of dust, such as tractors and construction machines. They are more hassle and somewhat more air restrictive than paper or cloth ones, hence their falling out of favor in most vehicles - mine on the Bug leaked (though I might have been overfilling it) hence why I swapped it out. My understanding is it has the sharp bends plus a mesh or Scotchbrite-like media the air passes through, oil gets on this mesh and any dust that contacts the oil gets stuck. The procedure I recall for cleaning it was to change out the oil every oil change, on the Bug I recall some suggesting using the remaining half-quart of new oil (the engine took 2.5 quarts), others suggested using the dirty oil drained out of the engine, should work fine for that purpose. I recall that I used the dirty oil, keeping the remaining half-quart (or I often used those 5-quart jugs) for top-offs as it burned and leaked oil.
@@quillmaurer6563 The oil-bath system was available on my Corvair too, as a special "dusty/desert climate" option. But it was setup as a prefilter, with the air then going through the normal paper elements.
@@LN997-i8x Ah, interesting - wonder why they had both. Maybe more chances to catch dust and debris? Or perhaps the warranty department didn't want sending cars out with a filter the owner might forget to fill. Though come to think of it I'd think it would be as or more likely to forget to reinstall the paper filter before closing the box.
One of the things that killed the oil bath was the fact that the engine always sucks a small amount of oil into the chamber and burns it. Fouls plugs, adds more carbon buildup and it makes the exhaust dirtier.
Nobody was thinking about how clean the exhaust was. Oil bath air cleaners went away because they wouldn't fit under the increasingly low hoods if you had a big engine.
Hey Roman, that's a very neat idea with these time-travel outros. Kinda hypes up the next episode, I can see that it's a reference to next week's car. What's it gonna be though? We shall wait and see.
You don't even know what that is. The cliche of a "1950's" suburbia is a 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air because everyone over 45 and under 80 treats it like the only vehicle in the damn era!
Driving a vintage car with all of the original ignition system and fuel system can be very rewarding. One only needs to keep some redundancy inside the trunk. An extra set of points and condenser. A coil maybe, and a fan belt. If you've done your due diligence on maintenance you should be just fine. Even a journey of a hundred and fifty miles feels like a heck of a lot more!. But that's how you fully immerse yourself into that time capsule. Any of the aforementioned things are just basic motoring skills that any man or possibly even a woman would have had. It was definitely a 45 mile-an-hour world when that car was built. You can't even compare today's most modest economy car that will stay at 90 miles an hour all day long.
@@WitchKing-Of-Angmar Nah you don't know. We got air bags on everything and also an improved seatbelt setup for modern cars to prevent further injuries. These cars, for as beautiful as they are, are a much higher risk of being in when an accident would occur.
@@Abel-Alvarez oh, I was referencing the part when the crumple zone doesn't gently pawn the 45 mile per hour toy car to a gentle halt with its fluffy swan like feathers. And instead the concrete wall or damaged car going headway into the windshield section (section 2) like that of a cunning bowsprit full of sharp frame metal. I know, too dramatic in my wording, almost as dramatic as you all describing the un-collapsing non-breakaway anti-safe steeringwheel column that SHIFTS into Marys hard, impaling her like a damaged goods skewer as her husband, George, is blasted out the front dashboard out of the front windshield, shards of glass dancing upon his 3 layers of suit wear, taking aim and landing chest first into a 1930 Duesenburg's Hood ornament hanging him like a ornament himself. Of course only when that car is then also traveling 15 miles per hour.. (because of course no car until 1970 went over 20 miles per hour as we all know does he soon realize his fate) smashed by the very ersatz cannon he took flying lessons from. Oh I might of been a little dramatic there, the husband was in the front seat, everyone knows wives sit in the back, sucking on their paccive aggressive pacifiers waiting to go on a strike against all men.
Really, there's some truth to the rant about making Classics livable with modern tech. My '78 F-150 has fuel injection and ignition by Holley. It's not any better than a carb, but it starts like a modern vehicle. Makes it so driving isn't always a game of "what's wrong now?"
I put an aftermarket pair of prototype "LED" bulbs in my 6volt VW Ghia...they improved the night vision by maybe 40 percent...this was in the early 70s..I had to order them through J.C. Whitney!
Great video. I have a 1948 Plymouth Special DeLuxe sedan. Mine also belonged to my grandfather. He bought it in 2006 because it was very similar to his first car, a 1940 Plymouth in which he dated my grandmother in. He passed away rather suddenly in 2009. I have had the car ever since.
@@jasonirwin4631 Ha! Perfect description. I've always liked the honest straightforwardness of that first generation of new postwar cars. The baroque fantasies of a few years later look silly in comparison.
This is choo-choo… choo-choo-cho-bugga…. woo… woo. That era when they still had steam locomotives “because of the war” postponing dieselfication by a decade and a half.
When I became a sentient being, around 1958, my family still had these cars. It was the earliest memory of riding in a car. My mom had a 1950 Dodge hand-me-down and took us to the beach in the summer with it, before we got an updated 1953 Dodge hand-me-down. The smell of the fabric, the bakelite or whatever material was used on the steering wheel, the 3-on-the-tree that I tried to duplicate years later with a 1969 Dart - as you point out in this video - not the same - but these were basic cars. Amazing to find survivors like this - kudos to Alex. I would love to own one of these one of these days, but I have no stomach for the maintenance and repair, and as I age toward 70 this dream becomes less and less likely. So I live through these great videos...
A truly gorgeous Plymouth I have to admit. It is amazing to see how well kept it is considering how original it is. I myself have a 1963 Pontiac Laurentian (Canadian version of a Catalina) 4 door sedan, and basically everything on that car is very much all original. Any replacement parts needed that it has are all original period correct parts. Pretty much no rust on the car at all, the interior is damn near mint condition with all of its original 60 year old materials. And the car still has its original 230 Astro I6 with a Rochester BV single barrel carburetor, and its all mated to a 2 speed Powerglide automatic transmission. It is not a fast car, and nor does it handle very well, but that's not the point of enjoying driving it. Because it is so original, driving it gives you a sense of charm and a good feeling knowing you are adding to a car's story and keeping it running is something that makes you feel happy... And rather passionate. This 63 Pontiac of mine only has 58,000 miles on it, and it is such a joy to drive the way it is.
The older they get the harder it is to keep them on the road the harder it is to keep them original. I know somebody who has two model t's and before you go anywhere there's an hour of fuel blending and checklist like you're getting into a supersonic airplane or something.
I wonder how much capital "original" really carries except as museum pieces. Of that era is the birth of hot rodding proper, customs, and scouring junk yards to keep cars running. That is more "authentic" than the Barrett-Jackson crowd. Ricers probably have more claim to the hot rod throne than the classic car crowd of today. There has to be a happy medium between "period correct" and put an LS in it. Isn't it more important that it is still enjoyed in what ever means are available rather than a shrine or discarded completely?
@@quintessenceSL nothing lasts forever and someday there will be no more 63 stingrays but I'd like to keep as many of them as original as possible for as long as possible. But you're right the inevitability is that that someday they will be extinct. Some cars are right on the verge of going extinct today when's the last time you saw a fox body Capri? Or a Geo Metro convertible? I bet Cash for clunkers got a lot of the second one there can't be too many left. It would be a shame if the only ones left where LS1 swapped though an LS1 swapped Geo Metro convertible would be hilarious.
@@quintessenceSL “Ricers probably have more claim to the hot rod throne than the classic car crowd of today”, 100% truth, but the kind of truth that’s harsh to accept.
@@robertstone9988 I see quite a few Geo metros and it’s corporate siblings in my city Saskatoon Saskatchewan. Convertibles are rare but I’ve definitely seen a couple
I own two late forties Plymouth’s and drove them regularly on thousand mile trips. My brother lives in Holland and also owns a 48 Plymouth. Two years ago we drove his 1950 Plymouth special deluxe from Rotterdam to Kassel Germany and back. Never encountered anything but smiles along the way, and we have incredible memories from the trip. Those that listen closely to the reviewer should remember that those who don’t like one brand, make or model, can usually find what their looking for in another model. Critics are easily found everywhere.
I daily my 1950 Pontiac Chieftain. Still 6 volts, still all original with a Hydramatic transmission. The difference with mine in comparison with this Plymouth is that it comes with with a flathead straight 8. Even if its sidevalve engine those extra two cylinders make a huge difference if not just in horsepower but the torque to get you going quickly. Plus with a redline around 5000 rpm you can play around with it a little more than many of the hum drum economy 6's (which many top around the 3500 rpm or so mark)
I have a 1953 Chevrolet Bel Air!!! ♥️♥️♥️ Old cars bring people together!!! Total strangers being nice and swapping stories. I've met some cool people thanks to my old ride. Thats my favorite part.
Cool car. Nice to see one in original condition / partially restored to original condition. Cranking the engine that long doesn't help the longevity of the starter.
I have the same 1950 Plymouth special delux with 78k original miles unrestored. Drove it from Rockland county (15 mins north of George Washington bridge) to buffalo a couple years ago surprisingly with no problems. I use a ratchet strap to secure child seats in the back for my kids (no seatbelts). Mine starts rite up and runs perfect just leaks a bit of oil. Also mine has the optional sun visor that looks super cool but makes it almost impossible to see traffic lights when stopped at an intersection.
I appreciate the description of what it is to drive a classic car. There's a great deal of stress with a car like this. If it is too hot or too cold, or you need to do much highway driving, or it's going to rain, etc. They're fun once in a while. Otherwise, they're a service to a community that'll never pay you back.
Well, one great thing about these Chrysler cars from that era: they had electric wipers! Not fast though. And when you drive faster than 40 MPH they will start to flop around like the flaccid P of a nudist boomer running after that guy trying to steal his rubber dinghy.
I still chuckle hearing every comment and seeing people stop everything they're doing to stare at my 76 Cadillac Eldorado convertible custom when I'm out just even to run to Walmart or to work. People love it, and it's just an enjoyable sensation. She's a land-yacht. Smells like old, smelly exhaust, but it's absolutely amazing. Just to cruise with the top down, or even up. People hold doors for you, comment, go out of their way to do things for you... etc. I ordered a burger through a drive-thru last week and they gave me a double patty deluxe, with bacon and all, for the price of a single crappy cheeseburger. Absolutely love having a piece of history, elegance, impracticality, and a Detroit built steel beast
Because if you get into a front wreck with a new car, you can live compared to one of these where the steering column will go through your chest plate like it’s made of jelly…
@James Ring Yeah but they could make the safe ones more exciting. To be honest as far as deaths go crashing in a 70 year old car is pretty cool so it hasn't put me off
Because these were boring once. And people didn’t care. And they scrapped these cars by the thousands and bought new ones. Believe me… there will be at least one person who looks at the door handle of the few remaining 2017 Hyundai Elantras in 2092 and say “that’s beautiful!”
Which is why you see so many '50 Plymouths on the road today, right? That's OK. I'll take the 290,000 mile '05 Dodge Ram extended cab that I bought 2 weeks ago which is still in great shape and which I have to say I'm happy with. Power steering, power brakes, power windows, a/c, cruise control, 6-way power seat, CD/DVD system with remote control, heated rearview mirrors, fog lights (none of which this car has), plus, the 5.7 Hemi engine which was on Ward's list of top 10 engines from 2003 to 2007 and again in 2009.
@@ih302 I'm guessing where most cars from 40, 50, 60 or more years ago are? I get the feeling you're one of those types who makes out the past as doing no wrong and the present as doing no right. That's not the case. You did hear what the guy said about this car, didn't you? About how much of a pain it was to drive because of all the primitive, outdated systems? If you offered this car to me, I'd rarely drive it. Heck, I'd probably sell it. It's just an ordinary, plain-Jane car, even if it is from 1950. There's old, valuable cars like Cords and Deusenbergs but this isn't one of them. It's just some seats on wheels that dates from 1950. Plus, where are you going to get parts? The local Autozone probably doesn't have much of a selection. I'm sure if you do enough scrounging around the hinterlands, you'll find what you need. As for me, I'll just pass.
@@Red-rl1xx You couldn't be more wrong about me actually, old cars like that are complete death traps and I wouldn't be caught dead (alive?) in one on the highway (but maybe around town). My vehicle is a 2018 and will probably be gone once the warranty is. My point was regarding Chryslers reputation for solid engineering prior to the mid 50s (1957 specifically) in comparison to their lack of it since (I'm not making this up, research it for yourself). It's great that you got a good one and all but it's the exception and certainly not the rule.
There’s really nothing inherently wrong with 6V systems except that the wiring ages and grounds get rusty. Any early 12V car with aged wiring will have all the same problems. The bulbs are made for full brightness at 6V and the starter is wound to spin at full speed at 6V. Generators don’t make very much power at idle which takes getting used to from a modern standpoint. This was a time when Chrysler’s President was an engineer himself and demanded a well-built and well-designed car that was very reliable. This engine has full pressure oiling and hardened valve seats, as well as many other details that weren’t standard on economy cars for a while longer.
Starters don’t use voltage they use amperage. That’s why you can boost a 6v with a 12v because voltage is going to be almost nothing anyways… only current. Generator is part of it.. but also the bulbs were lower wattage because you have to have double the current for the same brightness. Generators were generally only 30A so if you had to have 50 watt headlights.. that was over half your amps right there.
I had 1941 and 1951 Plymouths. The 1941 had been through the mill and didn't last long. The 1951 was almost new and ran and handled very good. Because of the high engine torque it could move out smartly. Eventually it had the same engine problem that the 1941 had. Piston slap and cracked rings, blowing oil out the crankcase vent pipe.
Flatheads are hard on the rings and often break the top piston lands. This is probably because the exhaust valve is in the block near the upper part of the piston - the piston gets hot. One side of the piston was hot, the other relatively cool. An OHV motor has a head gasket which limits some of the heat transfer to the top of the block. Modern synthetic oil might help L-heads. I think an oil squirter from a turbocharged motor might cool the piston and help. Forged pistons might help too. Chrysler offered a piston with cast-in steel on some truck engines that helped prevent the top ring lands from cracking. Another service which would help the flathead was to remove the head and de-carbon the upper cylinders once a year. Soaking overnight with upper cylinder cleaner might do as well. Some shop manuals recommended the de-carbon service but most owners didn't have it done. An in-frame overhaul was common on these motors - valve job and new rings and run it for a couple more years. These motors were used in cars from 1935 to 1959 so there was a good chance of finding a spare motor with fewer miles.
@@frankeffenberger9698 Yes, upper cylinder wear is the problem. Often the rings break and yet the motor continues to run with reduced power. Because of the excess heat upper cylinder lubrication is a problem in a flathead. Chrysler attempted to reduce this problem by using a water distribution tube that fits on the back of the water pump and directs coolant at the exhaust valves, but it didn't completely solve the problem. What might have helped would have been an aluminum block(with iron liners). The alloy would have conducted heat away from the upper cylinders. These Plymouth motors in an industrial application that uses propane don't have the top end carbon issues. I have heard it said that these last much longer - propane burns cleaner than gasoline and doesn't gunk the rings. When the rings begin to stick the the cylinders wear out of round. In drag races the cylinder head of a Hudson can glow red. Thermal inefficiency is the major flaw of the flathead. An OHV motor might have four or maybe 5 head bolts around the cylinders, a flathead will have at least six - the head gasket will fail when they get too hot and lubricating oil will turn to carbon. Ford used two water pumps on their v8. Flatheads have a heat problem.
@@frankeffenberger9698 An expert in these motors named George Asche in Venus Pennsylvania said he rebuilt his '51 Plymouth many years ago and is very disciplined with oil changes. Its been a few years since I talked to him, but he claimed to have well over 200,000 miles on the 218 L-head. George might be 90 years old by now. He has been working with these motors since he was 16. He claims that they are great motors and builds hot rodded Chrysler flatheads.
Those old Plymouths were a trip ,, my grandfather had one like the one in the video ,, and Everytime it rained he would curse it ,, he had to get the tractor out and pull start it ...
"Why are you buying this in the first place? Well you are buying it because sometimes you just want a slice of that dream, to feel the undiluted joy of impairment because there's no way to keep a classic car going forever, eventually every piece of metal will be replaced, and the only thing left would be a small square where the serial number is. Time will collect its tax but for a time you will have had the experience and that can last longer than the classic car itself." This is so powerful, I am crying every time I hear it, you have really condensed one of the biggest truths of life in couple of sentences, and for that I thank you, thank you for sharing yourself with us, its very brave and I hope that it is rewarding for you as much as it is rewarding for us who can hear you.
In my case, I daily drive a 1966 C10. It was built not bought. But it’s still running a 50 year old Buick engine with unknown albeit high mileage. A bunch of pieces acquired on a budget. If you don’t care about keeping a classic original you can sling hundreds of thousands on miles on the cheap.
I won’t lie. I didn’t really care for the car when i first saw the thumbnail but after hearing Mr.Regulars words I’m crying grown man tears, I love this
"These cars don't win car shows." They used to. Not anymore. Boomers are the ones running shows now. That's why your top 30s are filled with 60s muscle. But like you said. "Time will collect its tax". Once boomers are gone along with the nostalgic sentimental attachment of "the good ol days" of the 60s then those cars will stop winning shows and dissappear into obscurity. When gen x and Millennials take the throne then it will be 80s and 90s cars. We will have our day. Just got to wait our turn.
I am a boomer,and enjoy driving cars that are older, but not too old to be safe!,,Currently have a 98 Lumina-210,000 miles on it, and a 93 Park Avenue-140,000 miles...but my experience is, that cars more than 25 years old or so, may not be safe to drive..you never know when oddball mechanical failures will happen, and maybe kill you!...so, I am wrestling in my mind right now, as to when I will junk these good vehicles.
Some cars will always be known about, like Model T/As, '57 chevys, and of course mustangs, but those cars are seen more as historic novelties than nostalgic nowadays.
When I was 14 1/2 years old, my dad let me learn how to drive with the '49 Plymouth. One of the best things about this car was the air flow coming into the inside via the airscoop. Seems better than the AC units today. I was in Myanmar in 2012 on a tour. We were finishing our boat ride and returning to shore. Lo and behold I see a 1949 Plymouth on shore. I ran to see it and the owner was there. I was amazed it was in decent shape. The owner said whenever an interior or exterior part wore out or whatever, he would self manufacture it himself. My childhood car, still rolling!!!
My dad had one in the late fifties....(My mom decided she wanted to learn how to drive in this car it was short-lived and she never did learn how to drive because basically she didn't want to learn how to drive in a tank) And yes we took a trip from Chicago to Weirton West Virginia in the summer(picture me my brother and my sister in the backseat sweating profusely) it was special really special! The house down the street was being tore down because the expressway (Eisenhower interstate system)was coming through he bought it for next to nothing tore the whole house down and was dragging sides of the house down the street to get all the wood to build a garage... the thing was a tank
The suspension soaking up all the road irregularities....most of that is the tires. There's a reason they used to call them "balloon tires". Today most cars have tire sidewalls about an inch high and you might as well be riding on the rims.
That is a beautiful car. My first car was a 1950 Plymouth 2-door that I bought from my neighbor when I was 15 in 1972. 49 years later I still have it. It has evolved a little over the years (it now has a 440/727, air conditioner, and air ride suspension). It still gets a lot of compliments and is fun and comfortable to drive. I would much rather have a 50 Plymouth than a new frikkin Camry any day!
You've flooded it. You have to know the number, stroke and frequency of accelerator pumps to apply during starting. These will vary with temperature and humidity. It helps to point the car toward Mecca as well. I know this as a former owner of a 1949 Dodge Club Coupe.
No you don’t. You guess at what to prime it with… and then as you crank you slowly open the throttle. Somewhere in there… the exact stoichiometric mixture of air and gasoline will be present and it will fire up. Works on anything I’ve run from my old motorhome to vintage aircraft.
My first car in 1966 was a 51 Plymouth Suburban, wish I still had it. I loved that car. I live at the beach and we used to drive it on the beach and go surfing and camp out at night. Can't do any of that anymore. My second car was a 53 Belvedere, great little car. I just got a 37 Dodge Brothers 2 door Sedan. It's my retirement project. It's all there, just needs a lot of work. Can't wait to drive it.
I love the cars you review. I'd just wish you would slow down the, ''I'm the car poet.'' thing. You're not writing a play. In a good car review, the vehicles are the stars.
Oil bath air filters are actually great, they work by drawing the air through a difficult turn, where in theory most deposits will be flung off or be unable to make the turn and sit in the oil, and that the air passing over it for the rest of the way will leave deposits on the oil due to gravity pulling them down or simply the particles sticking to the surface of the oil. They're very efficient and not very restrictive, but they don't like angle and it's another fluid you have to remember to check and replace, so they fell out of style in the late 60s when paper elements became cheap and effective.
It's not meant to ping or hesitate. That one's just a typical classic/enthusiast car. Most settle for "barely running condition" and think they were as rubbish when new.
My friend I grew up with drove his father's 65 Mustang that was passed down to him when he turned 18. He took good care of it, and in the mid 1990's offered to sell it to me. I was so stoked, I always wanted a classic Mustang, especially one in such great condition. I drove it a day in SoCal traffic...no AC, no power steering, manual rear drum brakes you had to practically stand on, no power nothing. By the end of the day I was exhausted from all the work needed to drive it, gave it back to him and said no thanks. No regrets
This thing has pre detonation issues because it's designed for leaded fuel. Unless they put in hardened valve seats, this should be running leaded racing gas because that's the only way you can get leaded fuel anymore. And once you change them to unleaded, you have to run very high octane.
When you did a summer road trip in these cars you should stop relatively frequently and let the valves cool down. Exhaust seat recession could be a problem on hot summer weather. In '57 Chrysler offered a Carter BBD two barrel for the flathead six that had higher compression and was rated at 132 hp. The power bump was noticeable compared to the '50. In the last year of production 2/3 of Plymouth buyers preferred the flathead six to the v8 - probably because it had the dependable reputation in those days like a Corolla has now. They weren't fast, but if you had problems a guy at the corner service station could fix it.
Last few days I have been bombing around in a '57 Chevy Bel Air. Thing is freaking awesome. Like driving a sofa and best riding car I have driving. The swapped in 4 on the floor makes the 283 pretty fun.
Did anyone notice how in 4:15 when RCR says "Unless you commit" and the car owner pointing at him in perfect rhythm? I think it was edited like that on purpose and that's awesome!
You're way off base dude! My Dad owned one way back in the mid fifties and he drove the heck out of it. My Mom too. in fact she was more of a hot dogger than he was. It was a very dependable old car. So lighten up!
I knew a guy who bought a '49 Plymouth new and drove it daily until he died in the EARLY 1990s!
My mum dailyed a 1923 Austin 7 until about 10 years ago when she had to start using the motorway
@@hunting4honeys your mum and that guy are both legends
Did he die from boredom?
"The love between a man and his car can only be understood by those who have truly felt it
I know a guy who dailies a 49 plymouth and a 29 model A hot rod. Of course his other car is a pt cruiser
"There's no way to keep a classic car going forever."
Cuba: Hold my cerveza.
You definitely don't have to track down a salvaged ECM
Well, those are more like amalgams than actual classic cars. I admire the ingenuity, but it has little to do with how the cars were designed.
@@markmiller3279 They are, or were, literally using Vegetable Oil for Brake Fluid...
@jdslyman I have heard of a 54 bel air powered by a boat engine
@@Anonymoose345 they put a Chevy small block in it?
Some classic cars are like bands that don’t have any original members anymore.
Same with old aircraft. Look up micah muzio here on TH-cam. He has/had a helicopter built in 1978. Probably the only thing the helicopter has factory original from the beginning is the air frame chassis.
Kinda like a musical/automotive Ship of Theseus paradox, in a way?
@@Cockatiel2007 "Look after your broom"
@@Cockatiel2007 a "daily driver" of theseus
Felt this on a spiritual level
What a fantastic use of imagery;
"to swim towards the comfort that sustains us in our memory is to swim against the currents that pummel us back towards the shifting and unstable shore."
I come here for the cars, I stay for the writing. Thanks!
I stay for the handjobs
A bit of F Scott Fitzgerald is almost always welcome
Mr. Regular and the Roman are real wordsmiths
@@FonicsSuck Its just masturbation when youre by yourself lol
@@acousticpsychosis don't ruin my fantasy
1950 Plymouth: the official car of getting a thumbs up from old guys while driving.
My 66 Chrysler is also good at this.
I'm 31, located in Germany and I own a 1955 Plymouth Savoy, also with a flathead 6 (225ci) and a 3 on the tree. It also still has the 6V System. The car came here from Arizona shortly before I bought it.
I owned it for 4,5 years and it actually has been less of a headache than some of the newer stuff that I own. Everything is straight forward on these and you can find the 446 page service manual online for free. It is hard to get some parts but most mechanical stuff can be sourced in a reasonable amount of time for a reasonable amount of money or even super cheap. Some parts are hard to find, some parts are hard to find and expensive as hell. On German roads the car is happy at 55-60mph, everything above 80 is turtle head poking out. I also don't have issues with a pinging unmotivated engine at high loads and my oil consumption is near zero. I have some cooling issues in city traffic above 90F outside temperature, despite a new radiator and a new waterpump. It's most likely the water distribution tube in the block, a very well know issue. Replacement tube is cheap but the work is a pita if the old tube breaks apart or doesn't want to come out.
Oh and the car in this clip most likely has 12V bulbs in the 6V system, that's why they're so dim. Here in Germany I can source 6V bulbs easily in stores that also sell motorcycle parts because 6V systems were around way longer in motorcycles and scooters.
I've gone across the USA on a 1969 Honda CB450, and I agree with the statement "less of a headache than newer stuff I own." I collect antique motorcycles, but I've got some new stuff too. I recently hit 70k miles (55K of that was my own doing) on that little CB450, and it's only been rebuilt once. on the other hand, my 2012 Harley road glide has needed service every thousand miles or so, for one thing or another. I don't even bother with it anymore, and it's only got about 18k miles on it. mostly electrical issues with the newer stuff, security features going wrong causing a no-spark, all the lights simultaneously going bad at once, starters going out, just a load of crap. on the other hand, both of my vintage hondas, the other being a 1966 Ca160 with 17k miles, is a "kick-it-and-go" thing. never worry about them, they'll just go and go and go.... in the unlikely event that something goes wrong, it's almost always the main fuse, or one of the CV carbs is just slightly out of adjustment. easy fixes.
I have a Cranbrook of my own. It was a hand-me-down.
In the netherlands your car would probably be the only thing you could own. :P
@@tankacebo9128 As a vintage motorcycle restorer/collector I agree with your statements. I also have a 1930 Willys-Knight (sleeve valve engine) that I used to regularly take on 3 day tours with a club. Total mileage over 3 days is around 500 and that is about enough anxiety for a 3 day weekend. About the only "comfort" item I have upgraded is the (updraft) carburetor to something a bit less fragile
These cars were very simple and straightforward. Assuming the motor is not worn you, with fuel and spark you'll get a running car. There is nothing wrong with the 6V system and no need to change in my opinion. How often is a 70 year old car going to be driven at night anyway?
Alex has this car for the best reasons.
Here's hoping it lasts long enough to be given to his kids.
That was quite a heartwarming story wasn't it? According to my ex-wife I shouldn't be able to feel such things.
Hopefully he has some small town america roads to enjoy it on. Driving highway runs in that thing must be terrifying.
Thanks bro! I appreciate that! I will be giving it to my kids someday!
@@mndlessdrwerit’s quite terrifying driving that on anything but small country roads haha! I live near lots of backroads so I do get to drive it a lot!
Who cares if the gawkers know what it is? It's a 71 year old work of art. Every last knob and gadget in and on that car is an aesthetic experience and a reward in its own right. Thanks to the owner for sharing.
Sharing to this fucker. God I'll keep making point after point if I have to.
True, bugger all when it comes to performance or safety but the craftmanship of the 50s era cars is obviously unmatched in anything that came before or after. That's why premium brands like Rolls Royce held on to a mid century kind of aesthetic for much, much longer. Every detail, i.e. shapes and material choices have a premium feel and well thought out appearance, no cheap plastic that turns grey in the sun to be found.
@@westelaudio943 these dials and knobs are all metal with chrome they don’t go bad in the sun just blemish
It's "Grandpa's Axe". We've gone thru 3 new handles and replaced the head, but it's still Grandpa's axe...
Agreed 100%
Ship of Theseus...
@@user-po4jj9cx9l THIS. Is it the same axe? "It is if nobody else has any of the other parts."
In the UK we call that "Triggers broom"
The oil bath air filter is basically like a bong filled with oil. Particles get suspended in the oil and you just change it every so often. They actually work really well.
Best explanation ever.
BONG ENGINE
So why aren't they still popular?
@@twistedyogertWeight, size, and theoretically flammability.
@@twistedyogert paper filter elements are cheaper to manufacture and design an enclosure for
Oil bath air cleaner: the official bong of your carburetor.
Come to think of it, it works pretty much the same way. Bongs cool the smoke, while oil bath air filters clean dust out, but same method pretty much.
@@quillmaurer6563 When Mr Regs was talking about it I was thinking to myself, "You don't know how a water bong works?"
This is what keeps me coming back to RCR, the juxtaposition of maudlin English major sentiment and raunchy ironic humor.
or is it just the endless homo jokes
Hardwood dash and trim w/ the chrome is beautiful. The pre-plastic era.
Or is the beautiful hardwood dash merely imitation plastic......
Actually it's "wood grained" metal. Think "faux" painted. 🙂
That's often Bakelite. AKA proto-plastics...
@@TheDasbull But a very beautiful job of faux-wood graining. That dash is a thing of beauty, though I'd not want to be in that thing in any kind of accident.
@@markmiller3279 Yep, it's just painted metal.
Damn the first few seconds with the ignition struggle LOL
It triggered my ptsd
Three eternities of cranking later.
friction welding your starter
Seconds? It felt like a 30 minute intro
"tHeY dOn'T mAkE 'eM lIkE tHeY uSeD tO"
That car is my dream girl:
Fat, slow, and pretty.
The American dream
She's my thiccc queen
and 70 years old
Ikr
I can deal with plump but I don’t chase fatties
The taillights might be dim because the original 6 volt bulbs were replaced with 12 volt bulbs
They were dimmer. You need double the amount of current for the same wattage… current that will melt plastic and crack glass. Even the 24V bulbs on my airplane have bubbled the plastic from when they’ve been left on on the ground.
And, he may have used 12 volt wiring for a 6 volt system. You really can't use tiny 12 volt wiring for these old 6v cars, you gotta use wiring that's big enough to carry the smaller amount of voltage to the lights.
@@101Volts Wrong. You are mixing voltage with current.
@@Full_Throttle_no_Brakes
Lower voltage -> higher current for the same wattage, he is right.
The official car of: "Get the hell off my lawn!"
Shouldn't that be the Gran Torino?
The safety factor in these old rigs is non-existant....in a head-on collision, the steering column would frequently crush/impale the driver...no seat belts back then either...marginal brakes, mushy suspension, etc...and people did not even give a crap about safety anyway!...Like it or not, we have evolved.
@@curbozerboomer1773 Is that what you think. I'm glad you have the proof of being oh, 20 or older in 1950 to tell us this. Oh, whats that you weren't ohhh shut the fuck up then and get in a car crash.
@@curbozerboomer1773 Blah blah blah negative blah blah blah doomer honestly since car crashes can still be fatal why not die in fashion lol. PS seat belts are great alongside plastic dash board but come on screw the rest of the rules style should return.
Kudos to the owner for keeping it as a legacy. I keep my dad's Jeep as a memory to him.
this was my first car in 1986. It was notoriously hard to start. Especially when hot. It would cruise 50mph all day long and get around 23 mpg. They are not an exciting car, by any means. But among car guys they are well known as being one of the best built cars of the 50's.
Seeing the awful fit of the hood, I WOULD NOT say THIS particular sample is 'best built', unless this one had a front end mishap that was improperly sorted. Hard to imagine a car leaving the factory looking like this. Compared to 'laser fit' of todays cars, this one would qualify for a 'buy back'!
@@TheOzthewiz I think you should stick to new cars.
@@TheOzthewiz If you think cars of the 1930s - mid 1950s were up to modern day quality, damn, son; you be young. It was built in 1949 when even an oil filter was an optional accessory and engines always had overhauls under 50,000 miles, and you think the hood's gonna always fit right?
@@101Volts You misunderstood my comment. What I meant was that this car (supposedly) had a full restoration and seemed nearly perfect, why was the hood alignment not tended to. I was old enough to observe the "quality" of car build in the '50s, and AMERICAN build quality stunk! This is the reason I pushed my Dad to purchase a European (English Ford Zephyr) car as our FIRST family car!
Hard hot starts are almost always heat soak. Usually to fuel lines.
Just like how Doug D. couldn't understand a 1976 Cadillac convertible when he reviewed it, I think RCR is in a similar boat with this Plymouth. It's easy to overlook such an old car's earnest value.
Doug Demuro can't understand the cassette player controls in a mid 80's full size GM car. He's like watching my mom point and things and say "What's this? What's that?". Hard to believe people think he's a source of anything.
@@blautens I agree. Too wrapped up in the modern era to allow an old car to be an escape.
@@blautens He is a bit of an idiot when it comes to anything pre 1995.
@@blautens he doesn’t understand audio theory at all, what an EQ does, what loudness means, importance of speaker placement, etc.
@@blautens Doug's like a weird missing-link between old Broadcast Television car show hosts and modern content creators.
As the owner of a 1953 Plymouth Cranbrook club coupe I've never clicked on a video faster.
This car and mine have the same power train.
Also I daily drive a 1983 Chevrolet Chevette. Thanks RCR for making that car known to me years ago because I've now been driving mine for almost a year.
"Time will collect its tax"
LOVE that line
When this car was new, the speed limit in most of the USA was 45 mph. Sixty was considered fast. Plymouth cars had a reputation of boring stodgy but were I to buy a new car in 1950, it probably would have been a Plymouth like this one except I would have chosen Fluid Drive. This system is, in my opinion, better than any of the early automatic transmissions. In city traffic, just leave it in second gear and the generous torque of the long stroke six will pull you along just nicely. The Spitfire Six is, in my opinion, the best motor of the low priced cars. The Chevrolet didn't have full pressure lubrication and the Ford V-8 was not known for its longevity. It was so good that five of them were mounted on a common crankcase as the Chrysler A-57 Multibank tank engine. It is just so smooth and quiet, with a 450 RPM idle. If it is pinging on modern fuel it is either in need a decarbon (easy on a flathead) or adjusted timing.
Fluid Drive was never an option on Plymouths. Closest they came was Hy-Drive in 1953 and 1954 but that had a real torque converter instead of the old fluid coupling.
A modern Pertroinx Iginition/12V upgrade and a decarbon and possibly a timing change would fix the pinging. Dont forget a 230 CID and dual carb upgrade would make for splendid motoring . The 218/230 family were legendary for durability. Adding a BW 30% overdrive easy enough to find would be great (period correct factory option too) . Aside from the Iginition a few tweaks would be within the realm of logic and pretty easy all things considered . And not change the cars character either.
Does anyone here use Amsoil Upper Cylinder Lubricant (Gas Additive) for these old engines with weaker valves?
One thing about those flathead sixes...they ran very smoothly!...I could balance a nickel on its edge, while at idle, on the top of that engine block!
@101Volts I was wondering that myself. Leaded gasoline protected the valves, but leaded gas was phased out in the US in the 90s.
Oil bath air cleaners work ok in certain instances. My 1977 f150 has one, though I only use mine on winter. It's all baffles inside that direct airflow to take a sharp turn. The air can take a sharp 90 degree turn, but the dust can't because of inertia so it gets trapped in the oil. Then you wash it out every oil change.
My VW Bug had one of these, I later swapped it for a paper (and later cloth) one. From what I hear they are very effective, filter the air very well and can hold a lot of dust without loosing effectiveness or restricting airflow. Hence they are still used even now on some vehicles that will encounter massive amounts of dust, such as tractors and construction machines. They are more hassle and somewhat more air restrictive than paper or cloth ones, hence their falling out of favor in most vehicles - mine on the Bug leaked (though I might have been overfilling it) hence why I swapped it out. My understanding is it has the sharp bends plus a mesh or Scotchbrite-like media the air passes through, oil gets on this mesh and any dust that contacts the oil gets stuck. The procedure I recall for cleaning it was to change out the oil every oil change, on the Bug I recall some suggesting using the remaining half-quart of new oil (the engine took 2.5 quarts), others suggested using the dirty oil drained out of the engine, should work fine for that purpose. I recall that I used the dirty oil, keeping the remaining half-quart (or I often used those 5-quart jugs) for top-offs as it burned and leaked oil.
@@quillmaurer6563 The oil-bath system was available on my Corvair too, as a special "dusty/desert climate" option. But it was setup as a prefilter, with the air then going through the normal paper elements.
@@LN997-i8x Ah, interesting - wonder why they had both. Maybe more chances to catch dust and debris? Or perhaps the warranty department didn't want sending cars out with a filter the owner might forget to fill. Though come to think of it I'd think it would be as or more likely to forget to reinstall the paper filter before closing the box.
One of the things that killed the oil bath was the fact that the engine always sucks a small amount of oil into the chamber and burns it. Fouls plugs, adds more carbon buildup and it makes the exhaust dirtier.
Nobody was thinking about how clean the exhaust was. Oil bath air cleaners went away because they wouldn't fit under the increasingly low hoods if you had a big engine.
Hey Roman, that's a very neat idea with these time-travel outros. Kinda hypes up the next episode, I can see that it's a reference to next week's car. What's it gonna be though? We shall wait and see.
A Passat.
Scirocco?
@@nfullenwider maybe, that'd be sick. But based on the RCR style shot of the Passat, I'm betting Passat.
german sedan from the 70s, possibly ahead of its time? i'm betting on an NSU RO80
@@peterkierstv a rotary would be 👌👌👌 but I looked up the Passat and it started production in 1972.
The official car of 1950's suburbia.
You don't even know what that is. The cliche of a "1950's" suburbia is a 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air because everyone over 45 and under 80 treats it like the only vehicle in the damn era!
Driving a vintage car with all of the original ignition system and fuel system can be very rewarding. One only needs to keep some redundancy inside the trunk. An extra set of points and condenser. A coil maybe, and a fan belt. If you've done your due diligence on maintenance you should be just fine. Even a journey of a hundred and fifty miles feels like a heck of a lot more!. But that's how you fully immerse yourself into that time capsule. Any of the aforementioned things are just basic motoring skills that any man or possibly even a woman would have had. It was definitely a 45 mile-an-hour world when that car was built. You can't even compare today's most modest economy car that will stay at 90 miles an hour all day long.
You can easily go more than 45 in these cars. They often had a 3:54 rear end, which is quite tall for a manual transmission.
Honestly, that dash is fuckin beautiful. Look at that amber steering wheel center!
Beautiful, but deadly in a serious crash.
@@curbozerboomer1773 oh my god, so is a modern car above 45 Ahhh! Crazy I know.
@@WitchKing-Of-Angmar Nah you don't know. We got air bags on everything and also an improved seatbelt setup for modern cars to prevent further injuries. These cars, for as beautiful as they are, are a much higher risk of being in when an accident would occur.
@@Abel-Alvarez oh, I was referencing the part when the crumple zone doesn't gently pawn the 45 mile per hour toy car to a gentle halt with its fluffy swan like feathers. And instead the concrete wall or damaged car going headway into the windshield section (section 2) like that of a cunning bowsprit full of sharp frame metal. I know, too dramatic in my wording, almost as dramatic as you all describing the un-collapsing non-breakaway anti-safe steeringwheel column that SHIFTS into Marys hard, impaling her like a damaged goods skewer as her husband, George, is blasted out the front dashboard out of the front windshield, shards of glass dancing upon his 3 layers of suit wear, taking aim and landing chest first into a 1930 Duesenburg's Hood ornament hanging him like a ornament himself. Of course only when that car is then also traveling 15 miles per hour.. (because of course no car until 1970 went over 20 miles per hour as we all know does he soon realize his fate) smashed by the very ersatz cannon he took flying lessons from. Oh I might of been a little dramatic there, the husband was in the front seat, everyone knows wives sit in the back, sucking on their paccive aggressive pacifiers waiting to go on a strike against all men.
@@WitchKing-Of-Angmar k
You'd be amazed what electronic ignition, waterless coolant and some LED bulbs will do to the livability and daily drivability of 6V car
Really, there's some truth to the rant about making Classics livable with modern tech. My '78 F-150 has fuel injection and ignition by Holley. It's not any better than a carb, but it starts like a modern vehicle. Makes it so driving isn't always a game of "what's wrong now?"
I put an aftermarket pair of prototype "LED" bulbs in my 6volt VW Ghia...they improved the night vision by maybe 40 percent...this was in the early 70s..I had to order them through J.C. Whitney!
@@curbozerboomer1773 NOS headlight bulbs can be amazing especially if you take the load of the system by using LEDs else where
Great video. I have a 1948 Plymouth Special DeLuxe sedan. Mine also belonged to my grandfather. He bought it in 2006 because it was very similar to his first car, a 1940 Plymouth in which he dated my grandmother in. He passed away rather suddenly in 2009. I have had the car ever since.
A little to old to be winga dinga, but definitely too young to be whampa dampa
"See here, sonny, mya"?
A "flashy dashy"
Emphasis on FLASH
This car is on the transition from. Whampa dampa to winga dinga. This is whampa dinga or winga dampa.
@@jasonirwin4631 I’d say it’s a more “dooba dooba”
@@jasonirwin4631 Ha! Perfect description. I've always liked the honest straightforwardness of that first generation of new postwar cars. The baroque fantasies of a few years later look silly in comparison.
This is choo-choo… choo-choo-cho-bugga…. woo… woo.
That era when they still had steam locomotives “because of the war” postponing dieselfication by a decade and a half.
When I became a sentient being, around 1958, my family still had these cars. It was the earliest memory of riding in a car. My mom had a 1950 Dodge hand-me-down and took us to the beach in the summer with it, before we got an updated 1953 Dodge hand-me-down. The smell of the fabric, the bakelite or whatever material was used on the steering wheel, the 3-on-the-tree that I tried to duplicate years later with a 1969 Dart - as you point out in this video - not the same - but these were basic cars. Amazing to find survivors like this - kudos to Alex. I would love to own one of these one of these days, but I have no stomach for the maintenance and repair, and as I age toward 70 this dream becomes less and less likely. So I live through these great videos...
Another classic Plymouth?! Can't complain. Happy Monday y'all.
"Scrapes like cold butter on dry toast" this one's an absolute gem!!!
Time travelling Roman is my favorite thing in the world !
A truly gorgeous Plymouth I have to admit. It is amazing to see how well kept it is considering how original it is.
I myself have a 1963 Pontiac Laurentian (Canadian version of a Catalina) 4 door sedan, and basically everything on that car is very much all original. Any replacement parts needed that it has are all original period correct parts. Pretty much no rust on the car at all, the interior is damn near mint condition with all of its original 60 year old materials. And the car still has its original 230 Astro I6 with a Rochester BV single barrel carburetor, and its all mated to a 2 speed Powerglide automatic transmission. It is not a fast car, and nor does it handle very well, but that's not the point of enjoying driving it. Because it is so original, driving it gives you a sense of charm and a good feeling knowing you are adding to a car's story and keeping it running is something that makes you feel happy... And rather passionate. This 63 Pontiac of mine only has 58,000 miles on it, and it is such a joy to drive the way it is.
Roman's time-travelling escapades are certainly becoming spicier each episode...
The older they get the harder it is to keep them on the road the harder it is to keep them original. I know somebody who has two model t's and before you go anywhere there's an hour of fuel blending and checklist like you're getting into a supersonic airplane or something.
I wonder how much capital "original" really carries except as museum pieces.
Of that era is the birth of hot rodding proper, customs, and scouring junk yards to keep cars running. That is more "authentic" than the Barrett-Jackson crowd. Ricers probably have more claim to the hot rod throne than the classic car crowd of today.
There has to be a happy medium between "period correct" and put an LS in it. Isn't it more important that it is still enjoyed in what ever means are available rather than a shrine or discarded completely?
@@quintessenceSL nothing lasts forever and someday there will be no more 63 stingrays but I'd like to keep as many of them as original as possible for as long as possible. But you're right the inevitability is that that someday they will be extinct. Some cars are right on the verge of going extinct today when's the last time you saw a fox body Capri? Or a Geo Metro convertible? I bet Cash for clunkers got a lot of the second one there can't be too many left. It would be a shame if the only ones left where LS1 swapped though an LS1 swapped Geo Metro convertible would be hilarious.
@@quintessenceSL “Ricers probably have more claim to the hot rod throne than the classic car crowd of today”, 100% truth, but the kind of truth that’s harsh to accept.
@@robertstone9988 I see quite a few Geo metros and it’s corporate siblings in my city Saskatoon Saskatchewan. Convertibles are rare but I’ve definitely seen a couple
Thats why hobby specialist take over.
They can reproduce parts or make improved parts to keep a certain model on the road.
I own two late forties Plymouth’s and drove them regularly on thousand mile trips. My brother lives in Holland and also owns a 48 Plymouth. Two years ago we drove his 1950 Plymouth special deluxe from Rotterdam to Kassel Germany and back. Never encountered anything but smiles along the way, and we have incredible memories from the trip. Those that listen closely to the reviewer should remember that those who don’t like one brand, make or model, can usually find what their looking for in another model. Critics are easily found everywhere.
I helped my best friend rebuild a 54 Plymouth Belvidere his dad found in the woods. It's literally a tractor and I love it
I daily my 1950 Pontiac Chieftain. Still 6 volts, still all original with a Hydramatic transmission. The difference with mine in comparison with this Plymouth is that it comes with with a flathead straight 8. Even if its sidevalve engine those extra two cylinders make a huge difference if not just in horsepower but the torque to get you going quickly. Plus with a redline around 5000 rpm you can play around with it a little more than many of the hum drum economy 6's (which many top around the 3500 rpm or so mark)
I have a 1953 Chevrolet Bel Air!!! ♥️♥️♥️
Old cars bring people together!!! Total strangers being nice and swapping stories. I've met some cool people thanks to my old ride.
Thats my favorite part.
Cool car. Nice to see one in original condition / partially restored to original condition.
Cranking the engine that long doesn't help the longevity of the starter.
Being late to work doesn't help the longevity of your job either.
A new starter is cheaper than walking
@@Kurtster600 walking is damn expensive!
@@bubbleman2002 Time Management is free.
Or help it start
I have the same 1950 Plymouth special delux with 78k original miles unrestored. Drove it from Rockland county (15 mins north of George Washington bridge) to buffalo a couple years ago surprisingly with no problems. I use a ratchet strap to secure child seats in the back for my kids (no seatbelts). Mine starts rite up and runs perfect just leaks a bit of oil. Also mine has the optional sun visor that looks super cool but makes it almost impossible to see traffic lights when stopped at an intersection.
Old men always ask if I pick up a lot of ladies in it, I tell them “no but I can bang any 70 year old dude I want”.
I'm happy that my 57 Ford Fairlane is 12v. Been driving it daily almost all summer. It's ratty, it smokes, but it's mine
And their gorgeous!!!
Winga dinga, "bAcK iN mY dAy pEoPle dIdnT uSe No PrOnoUnS"
What did use? How did know what were talking about?
I dont like pronouns. Mfers have 1000 pronouns
@@EmyrDerfel that sentence really fucked with me until i realised
Hey you
Your words get me in the feels, Mr. Regular.
Thought I wouldn’t care about this car, but this episode was great.
ADVChina ... nice surprise to see you here :)
another pre-windadinga car driven by the dads of the men who invented wingadinga with overdriven amps and prototype modified telecasters
What? Speak English.
I appreciate the description of what it is to drive a classic car. There's a great deal of stress with a car like this. If it is too hot or too cold, or you need to do much highway driving, or it's going to rain, etc. They're fun once in a while. Otherwise, they're a service to a community that'll never pay you back.
Well, one great thing about these Chrysler cars from that era: they had electric wipers!
Not fast though. And when you drive faster than 40 MPH they will start to flop around like the flaccid P of a nudist boomer running after that guy trying to steal his rubber dinghy.
I have a 1953 Chevrolet. I love that the car piques peoples curiosity and inquire on the car. Stories are told and it makes for a interesting day.
Thank goodness someone finally solved the nostalgia/flatulence conundrum. I'll sleep well tonight.
I still chuckle hearing every comment and seeing people stop everything they're doing to stare at my 76 Cadillac Eldorado convertible custom when I'm out just even to run to Walmart or to work. People love it, and it's just an enjoyable sensation. She's a land-yacht. Smells like old, smelly exhaust, but it's absolutely amazing. Just to cruise with the top down, or even up. People hold doors for you, comment, go out of their way to do things for you... etc.
I ordered a burger through a drive-thru last week and they gave me a double patty deluxe, with bacon and all, for the price of a single crappy cheeseburger.
Absolutely love having a piece of history, elegance, impracticality, and a Detroit built steel beast
Those handles are so beautiful.
WHY IS EVERYTHING SO BORING NOW
Because if you get into a front wreck with a new car, you can live compared to one of these where the steering column will go through your chest plate like it’s made of jelly…
@@currier207 That doesn't have much to do with what they said
@James Ring they could make both
@James Ring Yeah but they could make the safe ones more exciting. To be honest as far as deaths go crashing in a 70 year old car is pretty cool so it hasn't put me off
Because these were boring once.
And people didn’t care.
And they scrapped these cars by the thousands and bought new ones.
Believe me… there will be at least one person who looks at the door handle of the few remaining 2017 Hyundai Elantras in 2092 and say “that’s beautiful!”
Watching this for the second time, let it mellow for a couple of months, very calming and enjoyable, well done RCR, well done.
9:22 "His wife couldn't find a seller"
Grandma: "I wanted to sell this for 500 dollars!"
Grandson: "please don't"
I'm the old guy who works on 6 volt systems. $150/hr and I've got about a year of backlog. Oh, and you have to get it to Dallas yourself.
Back when a Chrysler product was a solid, well engineered car.
Which is why you see so many '50 Plymouths on the road today, right? That's OK. I'll take the 290,000 mile '05 Dodge Ram extended cab that I bought 2 weeks ago which is still in great shape and which I have to say I'm happy with. Power steering, power brakes, power windows, a/c, cruise control, 6-way power seat, CD/DVD system with remote control, heated rearview mirrors, fog lights (none of which this car has), plus, the 5.7 Hemi engine which was on Ward's list of top 10 engines from 2003 to 2007 and again in 2009.
@@Red-rl1xx Where will it and the rest of the '05 Chryslers be 55 years from now?
@@ih302 I'm guessing where most cars from 40, 50, 60 or more years ago are? I get the feeling you're one of those types who makes out the past as doing no wrong and the present as doing no right. That's not the case. You did hear what the guy said about this car, didn't you? About how much of a pain it was to drive because of all the primitive, outdated systems? If you offered this car to me, I'd rarely drive it. Heck, I'd probably sell it. It's just an ordinary, plain-Jane car, even if it is from 1950. There's old, valuable cars like Cords and Deusenbergs but this isn't one of them. It's just some seats on wheels that dates from 1950. Plus, where are you going to get parts? The local Autozone probably doesn't have much of a selection. I'm sure if you do enough scrounging around the hinterlands, you'll find what you need. As for me, I'll just pass.
@@Red-rl1xx You couldn't be more wrong about me actually, old cars like that are complete death traps and I wouldn't be caught dead (alive?) in one on the highway (but maybe around town). My vehicle is a 2018 and will probably be gone once the warranty is.
My point was regarding Chryslers reputation for solid engineering prior to the mid 50s (1957 specifically) in comparison to their lack of it since (I'm not making this up, research it for yourself). It's great that you got a good one and all but it's the exception and certainly not the rule.
** for its time
When i first started working on cars 12 ish years ago i worked on one of these, it was BROWN ON BROWN with concussion by hood.
There’s really nothing inherently wrong with 6V systems except that the wiring ages and grounds get rusty. Any early 12V car with aged wiring will have all the same problems. The bulbs are made for full brightness at 6V and the starter is wound to spin at full speed at 6V. Generators don’t make very much power at idle which takes getting used to from a modern standpoint. This was a time when Chrysler’s President was an engineer himself and demanded a well-built and well-designed car that was very reliable. This engine has full pressure oiling and hardened valve seats, as well as many other details that weren’t standard on economy cars for a while longer.
Starters don’t use voltage they use amperage. That’s why you can boost a 6v with a 12v because voltage is going to be almost nothing anyways… only current.
Generator is part of it.. but also the bulbs were lower wattage because you have to have double the current for the same brightness. Generators were generally only 30A so if you had to have 50 watt headlights.. that was over half your amps right there.
I had 1941 and 1951 Plymouths. The 1941 had been through the mill and didn't last long. The 1951 was almost new and ran and handled very good. Because of the high engine torque it could move out smartly. Eventually it had the same engine problem that the 1941 had. Piston slap and cracked rings, blowing oil out the crankcase vent pipe.
Flatheads are hard on the rings and often break the top piston lands. This is probably because the exhaust valve is in the block near the upper part of the piston - the piston gets hot. One side of the piston was hot, the other relatively cool. An OHV motor has a head gasket which limits some of the heat transfer to the top of the block. Modern synthetic oil might help L-heads. I think an oil squirter from a turbocharged motor might cool the piston and help. Forged pistons might help too. Chrysler offered a piston with cast-in steel on some truck engines that helped prevent the top ring lands from cracking. Another service which would help the flathead was to remove the head and de-carbon the upper cylinders once a year. Soaking overnight with upper cylinder cleaner might do as well. Some shop manuals recommended the de-carbon service but most owners didn't have it done. An in-frame overhaul was common on these motors - valve job and new rings and run it for a couple more years. These motors were used in cars from 1935 to 1959 so there was a good chance of finding a spare motor with fewer miles.
@@timothykeith1367 Actually it was piston slap caused by worn out of round cylinders that caused the rings to break. A high mileage problem.
@@frankeffenberger9698 Yes, upper cylinder wear is the problem. Often the rings break and yet the motor continues to run with reduced power. Because of the excess heat upper cylinder lubrication is a problem in a flathead. Chrysler attempted to reduce this problem by using a water distribution tube that fits on the back of the water pump and directs coolant at the exhaust valves, but it didn't completely solve the problem. What might have helped would have been an aluminum block(with iron liners). The alloy would have conducted heat away from the upper cylinders.
These Plymouth motors in an industrial application that uses propane don't have the top end carbon issues. I have heard it said that these last much longer - propane burns cleaner than gasoline and doesn't gunk the rings. When the rings begin to stick the the cylinders wear out of round.
In drag races the cylinder head of a Hudson can glow red. Thermal inefficiency is the major flaw of the flathead. An OHV motor might have four or maybe 5 head bolts around the cylinders, a flathead will have at least six - the head gasket will fail when they get too hot and lubricating oil will turn to carbon. Ford used two water pumps on their v8. Flatheads have a heat problem.
@@frankeffenberger9698 An expert in these motors named George Asche in Venus Pennsylvania said he rebuilt his '51 Plymouth many years ago and is very disciplined with oil changes. Its been a few years since I talked to him, but he claimed to have well over 200,000 miles on the 218 L-head. George might be 90 years old by now. He has been working with these motors since he was 16. He claims that they are great motors and builds hot rodded Chrysler flatheads.
Wow, those last few minutes... Spot on. I've always loved your commentary, especially on classics, but that was incredible well written and relatable.
Those old Plymouths were a trip ,, my grandfather had one like the one in the video ,, and Everytime it rained he would curse it ,, he had to get the tractor out and pull start it ...
You know when the VTEC kicks in on this channel? When Roman's part of the script gets read.
"Why are you buying this in the first place? Well you are buying it because sometimes you just want a slice of that dream, to feel the undiluted joy of impairment because there's no way to keep a classic car going forever, eventually every piece of metal will be replaced, and the only thing left would be a small square where the serial number is. Time will collect its tax but for a time you will have had the experience and that can last longer than the classic car itself."
This is so powerful, I am crying every time I hear it, you have really condensed one of the biggest truths of life in couple of sentences, and for that I thank you, thank you for sharing yourself with us, its very brave and I hope that it is rewarding for you as much as it is rewarding for us who can hear you.
This is the type of car I could see ReviewBruh driving.
Sometimes cars are so much more than the some of their parts and performance. This would be one of those cars. What a wonderful story.
In my case, I daily drive a 1966 C10. It was built not bought. But it’s still running a 50 year old Buick engine with unknown albeit high mileage. A bunch of pieces acquired on a budget. If you don’t care about keeping a classic original you can sling hundreds of thousands on miles on the cheap.
I won’t lie. I didn’t really care for the car when i first saw the thumbnail but after hearing Mr.Regulars words I’m crying grown man tears, I love this
4:03 Yep, in 1950 it was mostly 2-lane roads going everywhere that went through every little town, forcing you to slow down to avoid speed traps.
I'm surprised Glenn Miller's "In the Mood" wasn't softly looping in the background for this whole review
Nah, should be something by Frankie Laine
"In the Mood" was already an "oldie" when this car was new.
5:46 Mans was so excited he opened the cap, closed it and didn’t drink.
Nervous anxious ocd gang
I love the “Who Frammed Rogger Rabbit” reference.
"These cars don't win car shows."
They used to. Not anymore. Boomers are the ones running shows now. That's why your top 30s are filled with 60s muscle.
But like you said. "Time will collect its tax".
Once boomers are gone along with the nostalgic sentimental attachment of "the good ol days" of the 60s then those cars will stop winning shows and dissappear into obscurity. When gen x and Millennials take the throne then it will be 80s and 90s cars.
We will have our day. Just got to wait our turn.
I am a boomer,and enjoy driving cars that are older, but not too old to be safe!,,Currently have a 98 Lumina-210,000 miles on it, and a 93 Park Avenue-140,000 miles...but my experience is, that cars more than 25 years old or so, may not be safe to drive..you never know when oddball mechanical failures will happen, and maybe kill you!...so, I am wrestling in my mind right now, as to when I will junk these good vehicles.
Some cars will always be known about, like Model T/As, '57 chevys, and of course mustangs, but those cars are seen more as historic novelties than nostalgic nowadays.
When I was 14 1/2 years old, my dad let me learn how to drive with the '49 Plymouth. One of the best things about this car was the air flow coming into the inside via the airscoop. Seems better than the AC units today. I was in Myanmar in 2012 on a tour. We were finishing our boat ride and returning to shore. Lo and behold I see a 1949 Plymouth on shore. I ran to see it and the owner was there. I was amazed it was in decent shape. The owner said whenever an interior or exterior part wore out or whatever, he would self manufacture it himself. My childhood car, still rolling!!!
Agree with the summary at the end, except that classic cars will outlive their owners, sometimes many times over. They just need to be garaged.
My dad had one in the late fifties....(My mom decided she wanted to learn how to drive in this car it was short-lived and she never did learn how to drive because basically she didn't want to learn how to drive in a tank) And yes we took a trip from Chicago to Weirton West Virginia in the summer(picture me my brother and my sister in the backseat sweating profusely) it was special really special! The house down the street was being tore down because the expressway (Eisenhower interstate system)was coming through he bought it for next to nothing tore the whole house down
and was dragging sides of the house down the street to get all the wood to build a garage... the thing was a tank
That dash tho🙄..looks better than the automated bullshit you see today. Good design isn't old. It's vintage...
The suspension soaking up all the road irregularities....most of that is the tires. There's a reason they used to call them "balloon tires". Today most cars have tire sidewalls about an inch high and you might as well be riding on the rims.
This car is beautiful. Good for you Alex.
That is a beautiful car. My first car was a 1950 Plymouth 2-door that I bought from my neighbor when I was 15 in 1972. 49 years later I still have it. It has evolved a little over the years (it now has a 440/727, air conditioner, and air ride suspension). It still gets a lot of compliments and is fun and comfortable to drive. I would much rather have a 50 Plymouth than a new frikkin Camry any day!
You've flooded it. You have to know the number, stroke and frequency of accelerator pumps to apply during starting. These will vary with temperature and humidity. It helps to point the car toward Mecca as well. I know this as a former owner of a 1949 Dodge Club Coupe.
My 1970 Dodge Dart Swinger always needed 3 pumps of the accelerator before turning the key and it would start up with no problem.
The magnetic pull of the moons position can also be a factor.
Yeah you really need the compassion of Allah to get these things going. Also the patience of Buddha, and the engineering skills of Jesus.
No you don’t.
You guess at what to prime it with… and then as you crank you slowly open the throttle.
Somewhere in there… the exact stoichiometric mixture of air and gasoline will be present and it will fire up.
Works on anything I’ve run from my old motorhome to vintage aircraft.
My first car in 1966 was a 51 Plymouth Suburban, wish I still had it. I loved that car. I live at the beach and we used to drive it on the beach and go surfing and camp out at night. Can't do any of that anymore. My second car was a 53 Belvedere, great little car. I just got a 37 Dodge Brothers 2 door Sedan. It's my retirement project. It's all there, just needs a lot of work. Can't wait to drive it.
I love the cars you review. I'd just wish you would slow down the, ''I'm the car poet.'' thing. You're not writing a play. In a good car review, the vehicles are the stars.
ok maybe you didn't quote that. lol.
Oil bath air filters are actually great, they work by drawing the air through a difficult turn, where in theory most deposits will be flung off or be unable to make the turn and sit in the oil, and that the air passing over it for the rest of the way will leave deposits on the oil due to gravity pulling them down or simply the particles sticking to the surface of the oil.
They're very efficient and not very restrictive, but they don't like angle and it's another fluid you have to remember to check and replace, so they fell out of style in the late 60s when paper elements became cheap and effective.
It's not meant to ping or hesitate. That one's just a typical classic/enthusiast car. Most settle for "barely running condition" and think they were as rubbish when new.
This, that sounds like the engine needs to be tuned correctly, which is something you need to do more often on a car this age.
My friend I grew up with drove his father's 65 Mustang that was passed down to him when he turned 18. He took good care of it, and in the mid 1990's offered to sell it to me. I was so stoked, I always wanted a classic Mustang, especially one in such great condition. I drove it a day in SoCal traffic...no AC, no power steering, manual rear drum brakes you had to practically stand on, no power nothing. By the end of the day I was exhausted from all the work needed to drive it, gave it back to him and said no thanks. No regrets
These videos are poetry...thanks for putting so much effort into something like this
This thing has pre detonation issues because it's designed for leaded fuel. Unless they put in hardened valve seats, this should be running leaded racing gas because that's the only way you can get leaded fuel anymore. And once you change them to unleaded, you have to run very high octane.
When you did a summer road trip in these cars you should stop relatively frequently and let the valves cool down. Exhaust seat recession could be a problem on hot summer weather. In '57 Chrysler offered a Carter BBD two barrel for the flathead six that had higher compression and was rated at 132 hp. The power bump was noticeable compared to the '50. In the last year of production 2/3 of Plymouth buyers preferred the flathead six to the v8 - probably because it had the dependable reputation in those days like a Corolla has now. They weren't fast, but if you had problems a guy at the corner service station could fix it.
Car for the man who actually sounds cool when he swears until he starts saying slurs.
Last few days I have been bombing around in a '57 Chevy Bel Air. Thing is freaking awesome. Like driving a sofa and best riding car I have driving. The swapped in 4 on the floor makes the 283 pretty fun.
Missing the motorcycle reviews, hope there is one soon
Like. Honda flat 4
We had a 1954 Plymouth growing up ! Three speed Hydrive . Learned on it to get our drivers license on.
Does that oil bath air cleaner use bong technology?
Yes. Literally
Did anyone notice how in 4:15 when RCR says "Unless you commit" and the car owner pointing at him in perfect rhythm? I think it was edited like that on purpose and that's awesome!
Yesssss thanks for pointing that out 👍
You're way off base dude! My Dad owned one way back in the mid fifties and he drove the heck out of it. My Mom too. in fact she was more of a hot dogger than he was. It was a very dependable old car. So lighten up!
Spark knock can be mitigated by using higher octane fuel, or dialing back the timing a bit. Just saying.
Nobody under 50 knows this...
@@tvcchuck I'm 48.....
Any knows when Roman will be back? Getting tired of watering his plants.
I really think I can get home in a few more jumps. Like maybe three?
I have a 1951 Plymouth Concord Businessmen coupe. I absolutely love it, amd every statement in this video made me laugh and smile, they are so true.
The official car of L.A. Noire.
Hmmm. I'd say it's a little too modest and straightforward for that. Something like a Packard would be more apt.
@@markmiller3279 like the first level after passing patrol. I always felt that the Buick Super was too good a car to have THAT early in the game.
One of the finest channels on TH-cam.