What I like about Jay: Doesn’t, matter to Jay whether a car is worth $5K or $500K he still gets real pleasure from one. A genuine enthusiast. Love the channel
And this is why Jay Leno is a truly-legitimate "car guy." Appreciating the simple virtues of a 1941 Plymouth shows that he respects ALL vintage & special-interest cars. I'm sure this Plymouth's late owner is looking-down & enjoying how his pride n' joy is being cared-for. Bravo, Jay!
That car could not have found a better home. Look at the smile on Jay's face. He will love and care for that car just like he does his rare collectibles and exotics.
@Earl Delsanto most years in that time frame the manufacturers built tens of thousands of copies of those old cars. Jay is only playing at the level his life has made possible for him, out of Grace and Blessings multitudinous. He has only become the curator he is because he values his history. Any guy who is built right, honors his Dad's footsteps and tries to follow by example. I think Jay would sit down with you and have a sammich and conversation about anything you cherish and be just like your next door neighbor at the backyard barbecue. He's not greedy, just blessed.
This was the career Leno was born to do: discussing every aspect of the car at hand off the cuff. I hear he also had a little experience on network TV. And maybe that poured in too. I can't imagine anyone hosting a show like this any better than this. It really draws the viewer in. Thanks, Jay.
This was my first car that I bought in partnership with a friend of mine in 1948. We drove it to Miami Beach and back in 1949. Watching Jay drive the car bought back all the feelings of how it drove and the the use of the windows in place of air conditioning and the heater.
Wow Jack, Miami Beach in 1949 must have been something, as the City was really beginning to take off big time post ww2 with new fabulous hotels going up each year, topping each other in fashion, and culminating in the legendary Fontainblieau in 1955 and the Eden Roc in 56...
My first car was a 1941 Plymouth Coupe (black) that I got from my Uncle in 1965. The car was stock except for the upholstery. The car did belong to my cousin but he kept running away in it so my Uncle put the brakes on (no pun intended) his travels and sold it to me. It was a solid car, no rust and fun to drive. It was my ride until I graduated from High School. It looks like your car has a custom exhaust system. I don't think dual exhaust was an option back then but I might be wrong. Great car Jay....Thanks for showing to us!
I think this is the best car jay has ever shown us. I love that blue tone paint and the interior. When I say "best" I mean best for me. I'm old and have no interest in horse power or chick magnets. just a fun cute happy car.
I’m old, too. Well not real old yet. I enjoy the chick magnets - depending on what constitutes ‘chick magnet’- and horsepower. Just not impressed with the Ferrari/Porsche/Lambo world after, say, the seventies? Any reasonable car that can be driven every day: that impresses me. That 1930s? Veyron that jay says, “looks better with the top up” if I had it would get it’s dollar value crushed because I’d drive it enough to wear it out, for example. Or if I had millions, and lived in California, I’d get it copied including the period motor and preserve the original. I’d happily daily this ‘41 Plymouth too.
A true story Jay, in 1962, my dad bought me my first car, a 1941 Plymouth Business Coupe, just like yours, and I 963, I had just turned 18. The car was a dream, and I couldn't wait to drive it, It was parked in the barn across the dooryard, and I used to go out everyday and clean it, and dream drive, until I got my license, it was just itching to get back on the road with me at the wheel. Well, during the soring of 1963, there was someone going around Brewer, Maine, starting grass fires, and barn fires, I was sitting in the living room after school with a friend, and all of a sudden we spotted smoke coming out of the barn, my friend and I ran out to try and pull the Plymouth out of the barn, but now with the barn engulfed in flames, and the Plymouth in gear, with the emergency brake on, my friend grabbed the front bumper and tried to pull it out, I looked up and and saw a 6x6 beam start to fall, grabbed my friend by the belt, and pulled him out and down to the ground, just as the 14 foot beam fell right where he was standing. Needless to say, I lost my first car my Dad bought me for $45.00, and my Dads 1957 Plymouth Fury was sitting 30 feet away, and that got scorched real bad on the drivers side. But, a friends life saved, and we never did find out who started the fire, and no one got hurt, though many tears were shed. That car you have there, brought back so many memories, I just had to share this with you Jay, if I never hear from you it's ok, just thought you'd like the story. Take care, and I hope you are healing...God Bless my friend. Mike Rose
I have seen most of Mr. Leno's videos, and this is, by far, my favourite episode from Leno's Garage. I love all the high tech cars he shows, but this one, so simple and a working tool for someone, really makes me excited and nostalgic.
I don't think I had ever watched a full episode of the Tonight Show, but I have now watched about a dozen of these! There is something patriotic about old American cars. Your a good man Jay.
Jay, my dad drove a 1941 Plymouth Coupe to California from Michigan after he got out of the Army in WWII. He and his war time buddy Earl Hunt were hoping to find work there. They didn't, so came back home nearly out of money. He always used to talk about driving it home nearly floored most of the time. Of course it developed a rod knock near Detroit, where they traded it in. "Thanks for the memories", Gary in Port Huron, Michigan.
What a car - i believe it had an X frame and a Briggs Body - first class !! That inline 6 had 4 main bearings and aluminum pistons. Plymouth had hydraulic brakes from the get go while Ford had mechanical clear into the mid 30's. This car also had modern shock absorbers which was why it drives as good as anything made thru the fifties and early 60's. Wonderful video !!
I've watched this episode a few times. Mainly because I appreciate Jay's passion for original cars. As much as he likes the restored classics and supercars you can tell that his passion is really in as he calls them..."original and unrestored" cars. When he talks about going for a drive with his parents on a Sunday it immediately takes me back to my childhood. Getting in the old 69 Chevy wagon putting the back seats down flat and laying in the back for a good portion of the drive. My mom in the front as we drove thru the country side and hearing her say..."look at that. Just like a picture postcard". Great memories.
I so miss simplicity. I used to watch and sometimes "help" my dad work on vehicles when I was a kid. I would love to own a car like that. Thank you for saving them. Here in Arkansas we love to go to the museum of automobiles.
Hi Jay- This is a real trip for me at age 78+. when I was a la of about seven, I would spend time with my great aunt who was a public health registered nurse in Rabun County Georgia. This was a car just like hers minus the non factory and JC Whitney add-ons.. I t was really basic AND DURABLE! back in that day there were many un-paved dirt roads and I rode with her as she with her nurses bag administered health care to folks in the rural countryside. Even some paved roads had their unique feature of wavy pavement, the humps being called "thank you maams" because when you rose up over one and settled back down you would say "thenk you maam!" As I enjoyed you on The Tonight Show many years, I really enjoyed this episode of your garage greatly. In the words of another great entertainer, "Thanks for the memory."
I just recently found this site and wanted to say how much I like it. The supercars are nice but I really like the history. It is so cool to see the kinds of cars that aren't on the road any more. I like the bits of car history and trivia and I really like how Jay personalizes it by mentioning the previous owners. Keep it up Jay, your doing a great job.
Now THIS is a CAR 🚙 Yes! I mean a real man's car! I remember my Dad telling me more-than-once how he had owned a Plymouth Coupe back in the day and loved it more than any other car! Thank you Jay! You brought me very happy memories and invaluable knowledge! FYI - I am 73.
Worked at a Chrysler Dealership after WW2. The major complaint was squeaking brakes. We would install a spring around the outside of the drum, called a "Screen Door Spring" From a local hardware store. This was about 3/8-7/16 diameter. It worked.
Thanks! I have seen them but imagined it was for cooling or to keep the drum round! This car needs them. Were they an accessory or OEM? Did replacement drums have them?
My first car was a 1948 Pontiac Silver Streak 6 cylinder 4 speed hydromatic. I had my drivers license just before drivers education was required to graduate from high school. I took drivers education in my senior year so I could graduate. I paid $100 for my 1948 Pontiac, and rescued it from a farm field. All it needed was cleaned up deoderized and recovered the seats. It had been a shade source in a field for hogs, but cleaned up nicely. Would like to see you do something on a 1948 4 door Pontiac silver streak. Mine had a hump back rather than the torpedo back rear which was more prevalent in the day. I'm totally disabled and 78 years old, but your uTube channel brings back old memories that I cherish each time I see one of your videos. Remember this; "If you can't have fun along the way, the trip isn't worth the trouble". 👍
My best friend has one of these. '41 Plymouth convertible. It's in amazing shape and he has probably 3 of everything. Original chrome still in dealer boxes, all kinds of stuff. Has a '39 motor in it but the original '41 motor is on a stand to be redone and put back in someday. Biggest problem is there is no interior or top. Going to have to have stuff made probably. It belonged to his grandfather who passed recently and he left it to him in hopes that he would finish it for him, and we definitely will.
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Jay, I was born in '43 and I remember a lot of these types of cars still being on the road by the late '50's. Great vid, nostalgia plus.
They were still on the road because "planned obsolescence" wasn't a thing yet, so these big steel cars just lasted and lasted. I miss those days, and I am not even that old.
@@vincedibona4687 I miss mine that I bought with a friend when I was 18 so we could drive it to Miami. It was the same care, 1 1941 Plymouth Coup but not with the white walls.
This model was my Father’s first car. He recently passed away so now I’ve been looking for one like this. Jay has so much class and knowledge and his knowledge of the previous owner and the way he tells the story is so impressive.
Just a note about the 1946 Ford's . When the plants shut down after pearl harbour for the Government to take over in the War effort there were unfinished Car pulled off the line and put in storage in 1941 as 1942 models. When the 1946 sales started up the early cars were actually the 1942's where Ford changed some of the trim pieces as they did for the Mercury models . Ford got back on track and rushed the 1949 Body to shake off the pre-war carry overs that lasted to 1948 . The good thing about the Plymouth is that is must have the newer hydraulic brake system since FORD switched in 1940 along with the new Seal beam head light to end the light Bulb system up to 1939 . Gotta love those old cars , no ABS, air bags , seat belts , padded dash , radial tires , safety door locks , disc brakes , or tubeless tires but lots ash tray and fire prone materials .
1964 I got a LOW miles 1946 Dodge Business Coupe - like new garage find, for my birthday. Some of the dash lights were out. While on my back, on the floor looking up behind the dash with a "trouble light" - all sorts of black ink stamps peppered the backs of parts. Then, there they were, THREE different places - printed with MY DAY OF BIRTH !!! I won't say what happened later, let's stop with the good part of the story. Kinda freaky, though, my birthday and all. "Your" Plymouth got me smiling... Thanks for doing what you do, Jay.
My parents owned a Plymouth Coupe shown in a November 1942 snap shot of our house in Cheverly, Maryland. They drove Old Betsy until 1956. Your video brought back many memories, except the running boards. The back seat was large enough for mom to install a crib sized mattress for my brothers and me to sleep and play on a trip from Washington, D. C. to Littlefield, Texas.
Thanks Jay!! My Mom's Dad had one just like your's that was his daily driver. He worked for R.J.Reynolds Tobacco company in Winston-Salem N.C. We have many pictures of that car with my Grandpa in everyone. He's holding big fish in most of the pictures. Talking about road trips and drives, he drove it to the Atlantic Ocean on our coast at least twice a year to fish when the fish were migrating up and down the coast line with seasonal changes. That's around 255 to 285 miles one way depending on where he went. That car never broke down period! The sad part of him owning the car was he broke his back trying to get the car unstuck in a snowstorm. He was pushing it forward from the rear bumper and it rolled backwards as his shoes got traction and snap. He was 8 months from getting his 40years in with the company. They went ahead and gave him his 40 years watch and numerous placks, medals, and differant awards for his loyalty and hard work. He did recover after a while and could plant a food garden, fish, go to ball games. He had a slight limp but never complained!
I don't mind a hot rod if it saves a car too gone to restore that would've otherwise be scrapped.. it's when you see someone buy something this good and proceed to chop it to bits that bothers me.
+sirstrongbad Don't like to second guess Jay. I like his instinct about restoration etc. The question I have is could the car have just been cleaned up and made to run? Leave the original without repainting. Add a new fender for example as needed but allow the difference between old and new to show.
He said the original owner probably repainted it. Jay mentioned he has done nothing to it. The original owner added some aftermarket stuff but that is it. What a great survivor car from 1941!
Beautiful car. Back when I was in high school (1958-62) there was a crusty old teacher who drove an Plymouth, like this one, to school every day ... finish all matted from sunlight. The old woman was shod with very old fashioned black pointed-toe lace-up shoes, and exuded scents of the same era as her car. The "side windows" were "wind wings." "Necker knobs" were plentiful and in a wide variety of colors and designs. During our bicycle riding days, some of us boys got necker knobs to put on our bicycle handle bars ... helped us (me) to think we were really cool. Thanks J.L.
I love these old business man's coupes. I just wish the American big three still had a market for them. I loved my Buick Riviera, which probably was one of the last ones made.
Awesome,Thank you please continue your great work, respecting the previous owner. This is my 1949 Plymouth Suburban deluxe. Found in a field with other cars, grown over with privet, and the interior filled with trash/junk. It has taken 9 years to get to this point. The body, trim, glass, emblems,dash, bumpers, body tags, etc. all original to this Plymouth. I appreciate all cars from Pebble Beach, Sotheby's, years, types, & styles. I am 67, handicapped, and just try to do the best I can with what I have. I get to see and learn of many things that I am not able to experience. Blessings, Always, All Ways, respectfully, Chuck.
You can tell Jay has a lot of nostalgia for these old cars.. i think Jay loves these old cars because it reminds him of the good old days.. the late 40's and 50's when the streets were safe and cities weren't shitholes like nowadays.. Now you have to visit a place like Poland or Switzerland to get that clean safe city feel.. i wonder why?
A 1941 Plymouth Special Deluxe was my Dad's favorite/best car he ever owned. His was a dark green and I remember him telling stories about that car. He ended up having to trade it for a 1942 Plymouth to get new tires. During World War 2 tires were rationed and he couldn't buy tires. He always said that the 42 wasn't anywhere near the car that the 41 was. Thanks, Jay, for the trip down memory lane!
Love these auto videos. Jay. Just need more of them. My Dad had a 1940 Plymouth 4 door. My sister was in the hospital and Dad sold the car to help with the bills. I think he got more than the car cost new because of the war. Later he bought a 41 Dodge. Both great cars. ...Bill
I sold Jay his first garage it was 5,000 sq ft located next to the Burbank Airport. We stored movie film in it for years. He bouht it in the late 1980s.
I love learning about the cars before 1970 they are very different than the modern cars and its nice to see how these old cars drove and how simple they were
I loved how all the cars in the 20s-early 50s had those beautiful curves, it's what made the car look so beautiful! Now the cars that I see are flat, boxy, blocky and boring.
How so? Styling is returning to some degree. It can have the drawback of reducing visibility, cargo space, and ease of parking. My take on it is that beyond a point the styling of the past is impractical albeit beautiful So happy there are people to protect and preserve the old cars. I can't imagine commuting, driving and parking on a utilitarian basis in crowded cities one of the cars from the late 50s. Maneuvering it through crowded streets and freeways would be another. Frankly, the buzzing little baby cars flying around and hard braking ahead would result in a crash.
Nothing like Jay reviewing cars throughout history. It’s so obvious that he speaks from the heart. We’re nearly the same age and I feel like he and I could talk for hours about the ‘60’s and ‘70’s and the cars that gave us so much pleasure. It’s ALWAYS interesting !
I gleefully just blew my Sunday and 4 hours watching Jay and all these wonderful cars. I'm a collector myself and I like the fact that one episode he's showing off a $2mil Bugatti and the next is a $10k 1949 Chrysler. I own a few classics myself and that combined with My Massachusetts roots make me about as big a fan as I can be. I'll be out in LA in a couple months and I hope to drive out in one of my cars and say Hi to the Chin himself. Keep 'em comin' JAY!
My high school buddy and I resurrected a '38 Plymouth business coupe from Honest Lawrance's junk yard in '65, Brings back some great memories. Thanks Jay
Jay, FYI: Interesting detail. Somebody took two 1967 VW Bug Hella (German) reverse lights (a one-year-only part for 1967 VW) and put them facing forward on the front bumper of the 1941 Plymouth (7:24), using them, I suppose as turn signals or parking lights next to the amber fog lamps. There is also a pair of these lights used as reverse lights on this 1941 Plymouth. Now why would I notice this? Because I have three 1967 Beetles which I restored and the Hella reverse lights are an iconic item of the 1967 Beetle. The lens on these lights should have either the Hella logo or Hassia logo, (Hella's competitor). ps: Steering wheel knob? In my day, we called them a "Brodie" knob, mostly used for turning doughnuts on a big, flat dirt lot. Brodie knobs were illegal in California after about 1952.
great video, great series(Jay Leno's garage) I am like a OCD mental patient watching these non stop. This is one of my favorites, thanks for sharing with us Jay, we can all appreciate your wonderful motor vehicle collection.
I think that this car deserves to be in a category of super cars, based on longevity and quality, durability and design. Cars that are millions of dollars, out of the reach of common people, doesn’t make it a super car ~ but it makes it a car that the wealthy can show off to the rest of us. I also think of my Dad in WWII. I’M so proud of him for his service in the Marines. He fought in the Pacific with the 2nd and 5th Div... He fought in Saipan, Iwo Jima, Okinawa, and was an MP in the occupation forces of Tokyo. Thank you for allowing me to express my love for our military families and active duty. What is much more heartbreaking is seeing the wounded, until I witness the love and compassion show towards the families and the injured. God bless you for giving of your time to the cause. Amen.
I believe that the official name was "vent windows," and they operated in conjunction with inlets and outlets so that the ventilation system actually accomplished something. When you opened them all the way, they would direct a nice blast of wind right at your face. '60s pickups had these inlets on the outside of the footwell that opened with a knob on a rod that you pulled out, and it really worked great. Now, the only inlet is through the integrated heater/AC system through a freaking HEPA filter, and doesn't do squat. So now they try to convince people that running the AC is more efficient on highways than having the windows open. -- Well I tried testing that theory in a 2011 Versa. One July, I ran a whole tank with the AC on all the time, and ran another tank with it off and the windows open. Fortunately, the weather remained pretty stable the whole time, and I drove the car to and from work, with a couple of grocery shopping trips. The gas mileage was 1-1/2 mpg better with the windows open. I suppose each car's aerodynamics will make results vary, though. -- But the ventilation systems suck on the newer cars. And it's getting harder to find manual transmissions, but the hidden advantages of them are another story.
Had a 94 full size Dodge van with floor vents also 69 ford galaxy had also..yeah old school ventilation is way better... and yes driving a manual transmission was not unusual but actually considered more efficient and cost effective than automatic.
“Smoker’s windows” - a term the ill-informed younger generations arrogantly apply to ‘wing windows’ in total misunderstanding of their functional design. While they sit in their bland me-too import with their windows up and the air conditioner running on a perfect 75*F day.
My first car was a 1954 Plymouth Belvedere 4 door that I bought from my Dad for $75. It was pretty slow but would keep up with the Chevy six cylinder cars. The amazing thing to me was how quiet the flat head motors were cause the whole valve train was in the engine block. It was hard to tell they were running at idle. The air intake in the cowl area stayed around for quite a few more years. I know my '54 had it and I think my '56 did too. Lots of air flow when you opened it all the way. Great video by the way Jay!.
Stuart Fitzsimons Most vehicles still do have the ventilation intake in the cowl at the base of the windshield, because it's a high pressure area.. At one time I had a '38 GMC. The bottom of the windshield would tilt out.
My dad worked in the Goodyear plant in Bowmanville Ont . He had told me that the Chyrsler floor mats and hoses were always heavier duty over the GM and ford stuff.....Hal
My Dad came home from the war in 1946 and bought a '41 Plymouth coupe when he married Mom in '48. It was the first of a lifetime of only Chrysler cars. Today is Father's Day and he and I watched this amazing homage to a very special car together. This is rich.
Funny how much I like this car. About 15 years ago, I ran into a guy who bought a '42 Plymouth in about the same condition. Very rare car, only a few hundred were made. He turned it into a decent hot rod. A crime
I love old cars from this era. Thanks Jay for keeping these cars alive and paying homage to the previous owners. I like to think that somewhere the owners of these cars are looking down and are happy to see their treasures being well taken care of and old course being driven and enjoyed.
I know there's not much of a chance you'll read this Jay but I want to thank you for sharing the 41. You see, my father gave my brother and I a 41 Chevrolet 'Special Deluxe' and it sat in our garage until we started driving. I rebuilt the motor in high school... good memories, the days dad would say "hey, let's go for a drive" We didn't 'go' anywhere, we just drove... talked. Thanks for the memories
These prewar Plymouth coupes have a special place in my heart. My family has a '39 Plymouth business coupe that my dad built about 30 years ago and it has been passed to me and now I'm adding the finishing touches to it and updating things that are old and worn out.
Just a great job, Jay! Wonderful trip with a wonderful and simple car of the '40s...very enjoyable, informative and full of your love for these vehicles, which I truly share with you!! These were all great cars in that era! Thanks!
Jay, please teach everyone why these cars drive so well despite the "low" power. The low-revving engines give really low horsepower numbers, but still have lots of torque, which gives a great driving feel up to moderate speeds. The smooth, strong, quiet power of the old flathead engines is great to experience.
I'm glad you made this video Jay, and I am glad that Fred, the Kingpin, kept it as well as he did and didn't restore it. I own a hobby shop called Monster Hobbies and AMT was the only model kit company that built a model of the Plymouth Businessman's Coupe. It's nice to see a perfectly preserved example of this car so we, the model kit builders, can duplicate it and know that what's inside this preserved car is what it would have looked like for when we come to build our own model kits. That alone is pure value. thank you again Jay for the high quality walk-around video. Currently AMT has re-released this model kit as a Coca-Cola version. I am trying to get some in soon. I built one of the AMT model kits when I was 8 years old and I was looking at it yesterday in my basement when the old glue gave out and the entire interior, frame and engine dropped right out of the body. (I was holding the car by the sides) The thing hit the concrete floor from a height of 40" and everything exploded off it like one big Lego explosion. So now that it's basically in 20+ pieces, I can now rebuild it and use this video for references!
I have a 40 Chrysler sedan and the hardest thing or biggest annoyance when working on it is those big front fenders and you have to climb up on a box and lean forward/over and down into the engine compartment. Working on the points was always a hassle because the distributor is down near the bottom of the engine block.
My father worked in the auto industry for many years. He was even a service manager for Edsel! His first car was a 39 Plymouth and his first new car was a 1946 Packard Clipper. When I asked him once what his favorite old car was that he would want to restore, surprisingly he said a 41 Plymouth! So one year for his birthday I bought him a model of one! Nice video. Now I understand why Dad liked that car although he never owned one. He was always fond of Chrysler products.
those radios were unique. you pulled off the chrome button cover, and there was a small dial underneath. you dialed in the station, then replaced the chrome cover, that's how you set the stations.
Just discovered this channel. Love it. Both my brothers owned 1935 Ford Coupes when they were in college. One was a five window all original….the other a three window which the previous owner had souped up with a 283 cu engine. Both were great cars!
I love Jays commentaries as he does each car in his smash hit Jay Leno’s garage...he always has a way to make things funny and the cars he shows are gorgeous....
Thank you Jay! Enjoyed video immensely. I too love this era of cars! My 41 Plymouth Convert is in my garage waiting for me. A very young man bought it in 41. War broke out, he went to war, but sadly didn't come home. His mother & sister drove car through 50's until it was passed down thru the plymouth club when I bought it.
Hello Jay Leno. i enjoy your show Leno Garage. You seem to be vey down to earth person. I mostly enjoy the older everyday automobiles - original in good shape ( unrestored) with new old parts. These automobile give a glimpse into our resent past. Keep up the good work. looking forward to watching more.
Beautiful old car. My Dad had a 1948 Dodge sedan with the torque converter clutch. It had Fluid Drive stamped into the front bumper. Someone bought it from Dad to restore it. I hope he finished the project. Keep up the good work Mr Leno.
Jay thanks for showing us your 41 Plymouth. My Dad drove a 47 for years and before that he had a 39 Hudson. At 71 i remember many cars from the 30's still being daily drivers.
What a nice video of a nice car! I haven't been much of a fan of 1940s cars, but this video made me want one just like that Plymouth. Well, maybe a four door. I love the sound of the exhaust. Such a mellow purr.
That '41 Plymouth has got dual exhaust,, probably with glass-packs. I can hear it, sounds great! My dad had a1948 Dodge 4dr with "fluid drive" which allowed you to put it in 3rd (top gear) and drive almost like it was an automatic. When he was away on a job for an extended time, and the car was at home,, I split the exhaust (I was 15 then) manifold and converted it to dual exhausts. He wasn't a happy camper to start eith, he could hear the difference; but he got another 2-3 miles per gallon on his gas mileage, so that solved his problem. I was happy with the sound. So many cars I wish I still had (I have 6 right now). Thanks Jay! My first real road car was my "46 Ford 4-dr (it ended up with dual exhausts, then dual carbs, then high compression hards (Offy), then duak carbs, then 3-speed floor shift). I'm sorry I sold it, like all the ofhers. I built and sold. Cheers, Rob McLennan (I'm 78 now, how time flies,.but I'd do it all over again.).
Jay, a friend of mine has quite a car collection. In it he has a 1933 Auburn dual cowl, 1937 Packard coupe, Numerous 1932 Buicks both coupes and sedans, 1941 Buicks coupes and a 1940 convertible coupe, and I think 4- 53 Buick Skylarks and various 1963 full sized buicks. He is 88 years old and has owed me a car for the last 30 years so I had a long talk with his daughter about me getting my choice when he passes away. He lives not to far from Marty Anderson who you know and bought a Doble steamer from. Russ lives about a mile away as the crow flies from Maty's house. Marty was my dentist.
Good deal! It's so hard to find one these days that hasn't been screwed with, that it's a pleasure to see one well taken care of in stock config. We're about the same age and on the East Coast where I reside you could buy those old cars when I was in high school from $25 to $125 routinely. We didn't appreciate them then unless they were a coupe. Those would usually get our attention. Classic old ride. Well done Jay!
TeamFortressPro1337 well, maximum i can get the fact someone might want to change some smalle details and have those white walls on some classics.... and maybe...maybe some of those red wheels if they realy have to, but further then that....well it just gets crappier and crappier
The experience of driving or being in an old stock car has a lot to offer, especially to those of us that traveled in them when we were young. Thanks Jay for the vicarious pleasure!
@@asd36f That takes me back to the 1955 and 1956 Fords with the high roof lines, that I first drove as a trooper in a northern state. Today, we rarely see police officers, with the occasional exception of troopers, even wear their uniform head gear at all. In those days, anyone in our organization under 6'2' was required to wear his (Yes, "His") Stetson while in the vehicle. That rule was still in effect when I departed, for greener (Moneywise) pastures , in the mid 60s.
In the fall of 1964 my dad finally decided to trade in his '54 Belair (owned since new) on one of the snazzy new '65's. He tried out several on the lot, mostly just getting in and out of the driver's seat, messing with the switches, etc, then we sat down with the salesman to spec one out and place the order. I wanted him to order an Impala, but he was from the days when the Belair was the top of the line, and besides, the roof was too low on Impalas and it knocked his hat (fedora) off. Anyway, when that '65 Belair finally came in a couple of months later it was a sharp car, black with red interior. I wish I had it.
Nice car. Drive it as it is and enjoy it. 3 on the tree od ? . No chubby motor in it. Now you can go around and sell shoes :) No vent window divider bar cool. Thumbs up !
Great video, really enjoyed hearing about and seeing your 1941 Plymouth Special Deluxe Business Coupe. I love all those cars from the early thirties and forties. I just recently bought a 1942 Hudson Six Traveler Business Coupe, that I think is one of the very best looking cars of all time. I think your Plymouth is right up there in the great looking car department as well. I also think that the American cars built in the early thirties were the best looking cars ever made. I was in high school during the late fifties and like you said these were the cars we drove back then. My '42 Hudson is just as it would have come from the dealership. I love the way it drives and the way it sounds. I am sure you know what I'm talking about when you take off in 1st and shift into second, in third that transmission / rear end noise is almost gone. The truest thing you said was when you're driving these cars you just want to relax and keep driving somewhere, as long as you're not on an intestate highway.
I know that you said that the styling is somewhat conservative and it is but it works well for me. I really like that streamline design and dollar grin front grill. I'm not a fan of real sharp angles on auto styling. Very nice pick up and it has no problems keeping up with other traffic on the highway. Engineering features ahead of its time with vacuum assist shifting that as you showed made shifting almost effortless; more than adequate ventilation; all features of the instrument panel still working especially that large heater. I think that a Plymouth very similar to this was well highlighted in a Humphrey Bogart motion picture of the early Forties with Bogie showing various interior features especially the accessory lighting.
Right. 1937 and 1938 Plymouth business coupes were featured in Bogart's 1941 "High Sierra" and his 1946 "The Big Sleep." A 1949 Plymouth business coupe was in his 1955 "The Desperate Hours." I've always associated old Plymouths with the tough-guy roles Bogart played in those movies - that's partly why I like those Plymouths so much now.
I had a 41 four door sedan, with suicide rear doors. I can still remember the smell of the interior. The thing was huge inside, you had so much leg room in the back seat. I carried a VW engine and transaxle in the trunk with room to spare. Those horns pointed down in front of the radiator would wake the dead. I had some good times in that old car.
What I like about Jay: Doesn’t, matter to Jay whether a car is worth $5K or $500K he still gets real
pleasure from one. A genuine enthusiast. Love the channel
And this is why Jay Leno is a truly-legitimate "car guy." Appreciating the simple virtues of a 1941 Plymouth shows that he respects ALL vintage & special-interest cars. I'm sure this Plymouth's late owner is looking-down & enjoying how his pride n' joy is being cared-for. Bravo, Jay!
really have to commend Jay the way he respects the history of the previous owners.
Exactly, he has the perfect combination of facts and feelings to be a good oral history teacher.
He has a hell of a lot more talent than Kimmel or Colbert, the jerks who are on now.
What a great guy....
@@burkewhb I agree!
True!
That car could not have found a better home. Look at the smile on Jay's face. He will love and care for that car just like he does his rare collectibles and exotics.
@Earl Delsanto most years in that time frame the manufacturers built tens of thousands of copies of those old cars. Jay is only playing at the level his life has made possible for him, out of Grace and Blessings multitudinous.
He has only become the curator he is because he values his history. Any guy who is built right, honors his Dad's footsteps and tries to follow by example.
I think Jay would sit down with you and have a sammich and conversation about anything you cherish and be just like your next door neighbor at the backyard barbecue.
He's not greedy, just blessed.
Maybe more!😊
This was the career Leno was born to do: discussing every aspect of the car at hand off the cuff. I hear he also had a little experience on network TV. And maybe that poured in too. I can't imagine anyone hosting a show like this any better than this. It really draws the viewer in. Thanks, Jay.
This was my first car that I bought in partnership with a friend of mine in 1948. We drove it to Miami Beach and back in 1949. Watching Jay drive the car bought back all the feelings of how it drove and the the use of the windows in place of air conditioning and the heater.
Wow!
Wow Jack, Miami Beach in 1949 must have been something, as the City was really beginning to take off big time post ww2 with new fabulous hotels going up each year, topping each other in fashion, and culminating in the legendary Fontainblieau in 1955 and the Eden Roc in 56...
What time that must have been) It is really cool that you got to experience that.
My 41 Chevy had the mohair liner and seats... yeah... and all the places for air.
I’ll bet that was an awesome trip
My first car was a 1941 Plymouth Coupe (black) that I got from my Uncle in 1965. The car was stock except for the upholstery. The car did belong to my cousin but he kept running away in it so my Uncle put the brakes on (no pun intended) his travels and sold it to me. It was a solid car, no rust and fun to drive. It was my ride until I graduated from High School. It looks like your car has a custom exhaust system. I don't think dual exhaust was an option back then but I might be wrong. Great car Jay....Thanks for showing to us!
I think this is the best car jay has ever shown us. I love that blue tone paint and the interior. When I say "best" I mean best for me. I'm old and have no interest in horse power or chick magnets. just a fun cute happy car.
I’m old, too. Well not real old yet. I enjoy the chick magnets - depending on what constitutes ‘chick magnet’- and horsepower. Just not impressed with the Ferrari/Porsche/Lambo world after, say, the seventies?
Any reasonable car that can be driven every day: that impresses me. That 1930s? Veyron that jay says, “looks better with the top up” if I had it would get it’s dollar value crushed because I’d drive it enough to wear it out, for example. Or if I had millions, and lived in California, I’d get it copied including the period motor and preserve the original.
I’d happily daily this ‘41 Plymouth too.
A true story Jay, in 1962, my dad bought me my first car, a 1941 Plymouth Business Coupe, just like yours, and I 963, I had just turned 18. The car was a dream, and I couldn't wait to drive it, It was parked in the barn across the dooryard, and I used to go out everyday and clean it, and dream drive, until I got my license, it was just itching to get back on the road with me at the wheel. Well, during the soring of 1963, there was someone going around Brewer, Maine, starting grass fires, and barn fires, I was sitting in the living room after school with a friend, and all of a sudden we spotted smoke coming out of the barn, my friend and I ran out to try and pull the Plymouth out of the barn, but now with the barn engulfed in flames, and the Plymouth in gear, with the emergency brake on, my friend grabbed the front bumper and tried to pull it out, I looked up and and saw a 6x6 beam start to fall, grabbed my friend by the belt, and pulled him out and down to the ground, just as the 14 foot beam fell right where he was standing. Needless to say, I lost my first car my Dad bought me for $45.00, and my Dads 1957 Plymouth Fury was sitting 30 feet away, and that got scorched real bad on the drivers side. But, a friends life saved, and we never did find out who started the fire, and no one got hurt, though many tears were shed. That car you have there, brought back so many memories, I just had to share this with you Jay, if I never hear from you it's ok, just thought you'd like the story. Take care, and I hope you are healing...God Bless my friend. Mike Rose
I have seen most of Mr. Leno's videos, and this is, by far, my favourite episode from Leno's Garage. I love all the high tech cars he shows, but this one, so simple and a working tool for someone, really makes me excited and nostalgic.
I don't think I had ever watched a full episode of the Tonight Show, but I have now watched about a dozen of these! There is something patriotic about old American cars. Your a good man Jay.
Yes, his a good man.
I love when Jay does the original cars
Jay, my dad drove a 1941 Plymouth Coupe to California from Michigan after he got out of the Army in WWII. He and his war time buddy Earl Hunt were hoping to find work there. They didn't, so came back home nearly out of money. He always used to talk about driving it home nearly floored most of the time. Of course it developed a rod knock near Detroit, where they traded it in. "Thanks for the memories", Gary in Port Huron, Michigan.
What a car - i believe it had an X frame and a Briggs Body - first class !! That inline 6 had 4 main bearings and aluminum pistons. Plymouth had hydraulic brakes from the get go while Ford had mechanical clear into the mid 30's. This car also had modern shock absorbers which was why it drives as good as anything made thru the fifties and early 60's. Wonderful video !!
I've watched this episode a few times. Mainly because I appreciate Jay's passion for original cars. As much as he likes the restored classics and supercars you can tell that his passion is really in as he calls them..."original and unrestored" cars. When he talks about going for a drive with his parents on a Sunday it immediately takes me back to my childhood. Getting in the old 69 Chevy wagon putting the back seats down flat and laying in the back for a good portion of the drive. My mom in the front as we drove thru the country side and hearing her say..."look at that. Just like a picture postcard". Great memories.
I love these videos about original cars the most. I think I'm at a nostalgic age and they just ooze class and memories. Thanks Jay !
Jay tells it like it is. No crap. Love this show
I so miss simplicity. I used to watch and sometimes "help" my dad work on vehicles when I was a kid. I would love to own a car like that. Thank you for saving them. Here in Arkansas we love to go to the museum of automobiles.
I just got a 49 Deluxe last week. Paid 3500 because it needed wired. Its now ready, and it runs like a top. So excited to drive it!
This car is absolutely gorgeous.....
Hi Jay-
This is a real trip for me at age 78+.
when I was a la of about seven, I would spend time with my great aunt who was a public health registered nurse in Rabun County Georgia. This was a car just like hers minus the non factory and JC Whitney add-ons.. I t was really basic AND DURABLE!
back in that day there were many un-paved dirt roads and I rode with her as she with her nurses bag administered health care to folks in the rural countryside. Even some paved roads had their unique feature of wavy pavement, the humps being called "thank you maams" because when you rose up over one and settled back down you would say "thenk you maam!"
As I enjoyed you on The Tonight Show many years, I really enjoyed this episode of your garage greatly. In the words of another great entertainer, "Thanks for the memory."
I just recently found this site and wanted to say how much I like it. The supercars are nice but I really like the history. It is so cool to see the kinds of cars that aren't on the road any more. I like the bits of car history and trivia and I really like how Jay personalizes it by mentioning the previous owners. Keep it up Jay, your doing a great job.
i really love Jays narrations, he is as down to earth and inteligent as one can be' love ya Jay'
Now THIS is a CAR 🚙 Yes! I mean a real man's car! I remember my Dad telling me more-than-once how he had owned a Plymouth Coupe back in the day and loved it more than any other car! Thank you Jay! You brought me very happy memories and invaluable knowledge! FYI - I am 73.
I resonate with the spirit you exude in this clip. No wonder you have been so successful in life. You are genuine and a legend doing real people cars.
Worked at a Chrysler Dealership after WW2. The major complaint was squeaking brakes. We would install a spring around the outside of the drum, called a "Screen Door Spring" From a local hardware store. This was about 3/8-7/16 diameter. It worked.
Glenn Siebold I always wanted to know what those were! I've bought several old heaps with them still on.
Thanks! I have seen them but imagined it was for cooling or to keep the drum round! This car needs them. Were they an accessory or OEM? Did replacement drums have them?
@@sammolloy8129 They were OEM by a certain year Sam. Not sure about replacement drums. Good question.
My first car was a 1948 Pontiac Silver Streak 6 cylinder 4 speed hydromatic. I had my drivers license just before drivers education was required to graduate from high school. I took drivers education in my senior year so I could graduate. I paid $100 for my 1948 Pontiac, and rescued it from a farm field. All it needed was cleaned up deoderized and recovered the seats. It had been a shade source in a field for hogs, but cleaned up nicely. Would like to see you do something on a 1948 4 door Pontiac silver streak. Mine had a hump back rather than the torpedo back rear which was more prevalent in the day. I'm totally disabled and 78 years old, but your uTube channel brings back old memories that I cherish each time I see one of your videos. Remember this; "If you can't have fun along the way, the trip isn't worth the trouble". 👍
My best friend has one of these. '41 Plymouth convertible. It's in amazing shape and he has probably 3 of everything. Original chrome still in dealer boxes, all kinds of stuff. Has a '39 motor in it but the original '41 motor is on a stand to be redone and put back in someday. Biggest problem is there is no interior or top. Going to have to have stuff made probably. It belonged to his grandfather who passed recently and he left it to him in hopes that he would finish it for him, and we definitely will.
Jay, I was born in '43 and I remember a lot of these types of cars still being on the road by the late '50's. Great vid, nostalgia plus.
Nice memory. You have the same age my father has! My respects!
They were still on the road because "planned obsolescence" wasn't a thing yet, so these big steel cars just lasted and lasted.
I miss those days, and I am not even that old.
You're much older than my father, but I still appreciate these cars
@@vincedibona4687 I miss mine that I bought with a friend when I was 18 so we could drive it to Miami. It was the same care, 1 1941 Plymouth Coup but not with the white walls.
That glasspack! Love how the wind wings are pillerless. That trunk could hold big displays. American car at its finest.
This model was my Father’s first car. He recently passed away so now I’ve been looking for one like this. Jay has so much class and knowledge and his knowledge of the previous owner and the way he tells the story is so impressive.
Just a note about the 1946 Ford's . When the plants shut down after pearl harbour for the Government to take over in the War effort there were unfinished Car pulled off the line and put in storage in 1941 as 1942 models.
When the 1946 sales started up the early cars were actually the 1942's where Ford changed some of the trim pieces as they did for the Mercury models .
Ford got back on track and rushed the 1949 Body to shake off the pre-war carry overs that lasted to 1948 .
The good thing about the Plymouth is that is must have the newer hydraulic brake system since FORD switched in 1940 along with the new Seal beam head light to end the light Bulb system up to 1939 .
Gotta love those old cars , no ABS, air bags , seat belts , padded dash , radial tires , safety door locks , disc brakes , or tubeless tires but lots ash tray and fire prone materials .
1964 I got a LOW miles 1946 Dodge Business Coupe - like new garage find, for my birthday. Some of the dash lights were out. While on my back, on the floor looking up behind the dash with a "trouble light" - all sorts of black ink stamps peppered the backs of parts. Then, there they were, THREE different places - printed with MY DAY OF BIRTH !!! I won't say what happened later, let's stop with the good part of the story. Kinda freaky, though, my birthday and all. "Your" Plymouth got me smiling...
Thanks for doing what you do, Jay.
You wrapped it around a tree?
My parents owned a Plymouth Coupe shown in a November 1942 snap shot of our house in Cheverly, Maryland. They drove Old Betsy until 1956. Your video brought back many memories, except the running boards. The back seat was large enough for mom to install a crib sized mattress for my brothers and me to sleep and play on a trip from Washington, D. C. to Littlefield, Texas.
Hey, I lived on Lockwood Road in Cheverly through most of the '90s.
@@roberthaworth9097 - Greenleaf Road, 1956 - 63. Moved back in '73 to 63rd place, stayed 'til '84.
Thanks Jay!! My Mom's Dad had one just like your's that was his daily driver. He worked for R.J.Reynolds Tobacco company in Winston-Salem N.C. We have many pictures of that car with my Grandpa in everyone. He's holding big fish in most of the pictures. Talking about road trips and drives, he drove it to the Atlantic Ocean on our coast at least twice a year to fish when the fish were migrating up and down the coast line with seasonal changes. That's around 255 to 285 miles one way depending on where he went. That car never broke down period! The sad part of him owning the car was he broke his back trying to get the car unstuck in a snowstorm. He was pushing it forward from the rear bumper and it rolled backwards as his shoes got traction and snap. He was 8 months from getting his 40years in with the company. They went ahead and gave him his 40 years watch and numerous placks, medals, and differant awards for his loyalty and hard work. He did recover after a while and could plant a food garden, fish, go to ball games. He had a slight limp but never complained!
I don't mind a hot rod if it saves a car too gone to restore that would've otherwise be scrapped.. it's when you see someone buy something this good and proceed to chop it to bits that bothers me.
I agree
Yes same. especially with drift cars. I know a guy who bought a mint 240 and wrecked it. would have been better off if he just bought a missle
+sirstrongbad Don't like to second guess Jay. I like his instinct about restoration etc. The question I have is could the car have just been cleaned up and made to run? Leave the original without repainting. Add a new fender for example as needed but allow the difference between old and new to show.
He said the original owner probably repainted it. Jay mentioned he has done nothing to it. The original owner added some aftermarket stuff but that is it. What a great survivor car from 1941!
exactly, most of us feel the same.
Beautiful car. Back when I was in high school (1958-62) there was a crusty old teacher who drove an Plymouth, like this one, to school every day ... finish all matted from sunlight. The old woman was shod with very old fashioned black pointed-toe lace-up shoes, and exuded scents of the same era as her car. The "side windows" were "wind wings." "Necker knobs" were plentiful and in a wide variety of colors and designs. During our bicycle riding days, some of us boys got necker knobs to put on our bicycle handle bars ... helped us (me) to think we were really cool. Thanks J.L.
I love these old business man's coupes. I just wish the American big three still had a market for them. I loved my Buick Riviera, which probably was one of the last ones made.
Awesome,Thank you please continue your great work, respecting the previous owner. This is my 1949 Plymouth Suburban deluxe. Found in a field with other cars, grown over with privet, and the interior filled with trash/junk. It has taken 9 years to get to this point. The body, trim, glass, emblems,dash, bumpers, body tags, etc. all original to this Plymouth. I appreciate all cars from Pebble Beach, Sotheby's, years, types, & styles. I am 67, handicapped, and just try to do the best I can with what I have. I get to see and learn of many things that I am not able to experience. Blessings, Always, All Ways, respectfully, Chuck.
You can tell Jay has a lot of nostalgia for these old cars.. i think Jay loves these old cars because it reminds him of the good old days.. the late 40's and 50's when the streets were safe and cities weren't shitholes like nowadays.. Now you have to visit a place like Poland or Switzerland to get that clean safe city feel.. i wonder why?
A 1941 Plymouth Special Deluxe was my Dad's favorite/best car he ever owned. His was a dark green and I remember him telling stories about that car. He ended up having to trade it for a 1942 Plymouth to get new tires. During World War 2 tires were rationed and he couldn't buy tires. He always said that the 42 wasn't anywhere near the car that the 41 was. Thanks, Jay, for the trip down memory lane!
Love these auto videos. Jay. Just need more of them. My Dad had a 1940 Plymouth 4 door. My sister was in the hospital and Dad sold the car to help with the bills. I think he got more than the car cost new because of the war. Later he bought a 41 Dodge. Both great cars.
...Bill
I could watch Jay driving and talking about these kinds of cars all day long.
I sold Jay his first garage it was 5,000 sq ft located next to the Burbank Airport. We stored movie film in it for years. He bouht it in the late 1980s.
I love learning about the cars before 1970 they are very different than the modern cars and its nice to see how these old cars drove and how simple they were
I loved how all the cars in the 20s-early 50s had those beautiful curves, it's what made the car look so beautiful! Now the cars that I see are flat, boxy, blocky and boring.
it's because of federal safety regulations.
How so? Styling is returning to some degree. It can have the drawback of reducing visibility, cargo space, and ease of parking. My take on it is that beyond a point the styling of the past is impractical albeit beautiful So happy there are people to protect and preserve the old cars. I can't imagine commuting, driving and parking on a utilitarian basis in crowded cities one of the cars from the late 50s. Maneuvering it through crowded streets and freeways would be another. Frankly, the buzzing little baby cars flying around and hard braking ahead would result in a crash.
They are looking better increasingly I think.
I know that your trying to be optimistic and all but....no.
Nothing like Jay reviewing cars throughout history. It’s so obvious that he speaks from the heart. We’re nearly the same age and I feel like he and I could talk for hours about the ‘60’s and ‘70’s and the cars that gave us so much pleasure. It’s ALWAYS interesting !
I gleefully just blew my Sunday and 4 hours watching Jay and all these wonderful cars. I'm a collector myself and I like the fact that one episode he's showing off a $2mil Bugatti and the next is a $10k 1949 Chrysler. I own a few classics myself and that combined with My Massachusetts roots make me about as big a fan as I can be. I'll be out in LA in a couple months and I hope to drive out in one of my cars and say Hi to the Chin himself. Keep 'em comin' JAY!
My high school buddy and I resurrected a '38 Plymouth business coupe from Honest Lawrance's junk yard in '65, Brings back some great memories. Thanks Jay
I love these old coupes
Jay, FYI: Interesting detail. Somebody took two 1967 VW Bug Hella (German) reverse lights (a one-year-only part for 1967 VW) and put them facing forward on the front bumper of the 1941 Plymouth (7:24), using them, I suppose as turn signals or parking lights next to the amber fog lamps. There is also a pair of these lights used as reverse lights on this 1941 Plymouth. Now why would I notice this? Because I have three 1967 Beetles which I restored and the Hella reverse lights are an iconic item of the 1967 Beetle. The lens on these lights should have either the Hella logo or Hassia logo, (Hella's competitor). ps: Steering wheel knob? In my day, we called them a "Brodie" knob, mostly used for turning doughnuts on a big, flat dirt lot. Brodie knobs were illegal in California after about 1952.
great video, great series(Jay Leno's garage) I am like a OCD mental patient watching these non stop. This is one of my favorites, thanks for sharing with us Jay, we can all appreciate your wonderful motor vehicle collection.
I think that this car deserves to be in a category of super cars, based on longevity and quality, durability and design. Cars that are millions of dollars, out of the reach of common people, doesn’t make it a super car ~ but it makes it a car that the wealthy can show off to the rest of us.
I also think of my Dad in WWII. I’M so proud of him for his service in the Marines. He fought in the Pacific with the 2nd and 5th Div... He fought in Saipan, Iwo Jima, Okinawa, and was an MP in the occupation forces of Tokyo.
Thank you for allowing me to express my love for our military families and active duty. What is much more heartbreaking is seeing the wounded, until I witness the love and compassion show towards the families and the injured. God bless you for giving of your time to the cause. Amen.
Thanks. I watch for these episodes, a bit of history. I'm 24 now and just old enough to remember the smoker's windows when I was young.
I believe that the official name was "vent windows," and they operated in conjunction with inlets and outlets so that the ventilation system actually accomplished something. When you opened them all the way, they would direct a nice blast of wind right at your face. '60s pickups had these inlets on the outside of the footwell that opened with a knob on a rod that you pulled out, and it really worked great. Now, the only inlet is through the integrated heater/AC system through a freaking HEPA filter, and doesn't do squat. So now they try to convince people that running the AC is more efficient on highways than having the windows open.
-- Well I tried testing that theory in a 2011 Versa. One July, I ran a whole tank with the AC on all the time, and ran another tank with it off and the windows open. Fortunately, the weather remained pretty stable the whole time, and I drove the car to and from work, with a couple of grocery shopping trips. The gas mileage was 1-1/2 mpg better with the windows open. I suppose each car's aerodynamics will make results vary, though.
-- But the ventilation systems suck on the newer cars. And it's getting harder to find manual transmissions, but the hidden advantages of them are another story.
Had a 94 full size Dodge van with floor vents also 69 ford galaxy had also..yeah old school ventilation is way better... and yes driving a manual transmission was not unusual but actually considered more efficient and cost effective than automatic.
“Smoker’s windows” - a term the ill-informed younger generations arrogantly apply to ‘wing windows’ in total misunderstanding of their functional design. While they sit in their bland me-too import with their windows up and the air conditioner running on a perfect 75*F day.
My first car was a 1954 Plymouth Belvedere 4 door that I bought from my Dad for $75. It was pretty slow but would keep up with the Chevy six cylinder cars. The amazing thing to me was how quiet the flat head motors were cause the whole valve train was in the engine block. It was hard to tell they were running at idle. The air intake in the cowl area stayed around for quite a few more years. I know my '54 had it and I think my '56 did too. Lots of air flow when you opened it all the way. Great video by the way Jay!.
Stuart Fitzsimons Most vehicles still do have the ventilation intake in the cowl at the base of the windshield, because it's a high pressure area.. At one time I had a '38 GMC. The bottom of the windshield would tilt out.
Yes, my Dodge M37? in the Army had the tip out windshield also and way nice in the hot weather in California. Up to moderate speeds anyway.
My dad worked in the Goodyear plant in Bowmanville Ont . He had told me that the Chyrsler floor mats and hoses were always heavier duty over the GM and ford stuff.....Hal
My Dad came home from the war in 1946 and bought a '41 Plymouth coupe when he married Mom in '48. It was the first of a lifetime of only Chrysler cars. Today is Father's Day and he and I watched this amazing homage to a very special car together. This is rich.
Funny how much I like this car. About 15 years ago, I ran into a guy who bought a '42 Plymouth in about the same condition. Very rare car, only a few hundred were made. He turned it into a decent hot rod. A crime
flyingmerkel6 Yes the 42 looked similar to a 46. They destroyed one in the movie Bad Day at Black Rock.
I love old cars from this era. Thanks Jay for keeping these cars alive and paying homage to the previous owners. I like to think that somewhere the owners of these cars are looking down and are happy to see their treasures being well taken care of and old course being driven and enjoyed.
Love the cars, love the chat, love the stories.
I know there's not much of a chance you'll read this Jay but I want to thank you for sharing the 41. You see, my father gave my brother and I a 41 Chevrolet 'Special Deluxe' and it sat in our garage until we started driving. I rebuilt the motor in high school... good memories, the days dad would say "hey, let's go for a drive" We didn't 'go' anywhere, we just drove... talked.
Thanks for the memories
And it won't even do a burnout! That's O.K. Bring on more cars from this era. They're cool! Thanks Jay.
These prewar Plymouth coupes have a special place in my heart. My family has a '39 Plymouth business coupe that my dad built about 30 years ago and it has been passed to me and now I'm adding the finishing touches to it and updating things that are old and worn out.
Just a great job, Jay! Wonderful trip with a wonderful and simple car of the '40s...very enjoyable, informative and full of your love for these vehicles, which I truly share with you!! These were all great cars in that era! Thanks!
Jay, please teach everyone why these cars drive so well despite the "low" power. The low-revving engines give really low horsepower numbers, but still have lots of torque, which gives a great driving feel up to moderate speeds. The smooth, strong, quiet power of the old flathead engines is great to experience.
These videos make me so happy! I want this car so bad.
I'm glad you made this video Jay, and I am glad that Fred, the Kingpin, kept it as well as he did and didn't restore it. I own a hobby shop called Monster Hobbies and AMT was the only model kit company that built a model of the Plymouth Businessman's Coupe. It's nice to see a perfectly preserved example of this car so we, the model kit builders, can duplicate it and know that what's inside this preserved car is what it would have looked like for when we come to build our own model kits. That alone is pure value. thank you again Jay for the high quality walk-around video. Currently AMT has re-released this model kit as a Coca-Cola version. I am trying to get some in soon.
I built one of the AMT model kits when I was 8 years old and I was looking at it yesterday in my basement when the old glue gave out and the entire interior, frame and engine dropped right out of the body. (I was holding the car by the sides) The thing hit the concrete floor from a height of 40" and everything exploded off it like one big Lego explosion.
So now that it's basically in 20+ pieces, I can now rebuild it and use this video for references!
i like that every car jay has is special and comes with a story.
Wishing I had a JC Whitney catalog right now… great bathroom reading!
I have a 40 Chrysler sedan and the hardest thing or biggest annoyance when working on it is those big front fenders and you have to climb up on a box and lean forward/over and down into the engine compartment. Working on the points was always a hassle because the distributor is down near the bottom of the engine block.
My father worked in the auto industry for many years. He was even a service manager for Edsel! His first car was a 39 Plymouth and his first new car was a 1946 Packard Clipper. When I asked him once what his favorite old car was that he would want to restore, surprisingly he said a 41 Plymouth! So one year for his birthday I bought him a model of one! Nice video. Now I understand why Dad liked that car although he never owned one. He was always fond of Chrysler products.
Lovely car, beautiful design and it sounds great too.
those radios were unique. you pulled off the chrome button cover, and there was a small dial underneath. you dialed in the station, then replaced the chrome cover, that's how you set the stations.
Not always about speed. Its also about history ,average folks,
design of cars as we go through the ages, and a feel of how life was.
Just discovered this channel. Love it. Both my brothers owned 1935 Ford Coupes when they were in college. One was a five window all original….the other a three window which the previous owner had souped up with a 283 cu engine. Both were great cars!
I like how he says the paint isn't perfect on it, yet the hood is like a freakin mirror it's so shiny! lol
I love Jays commentaries as he does each car in his smash hit Jay Leno’s garage...he always has a way to make things funny and the cars he shows are gorgeous....
I absolutely love this car! Thank you Jay for sharing everything with us.
Thank you Jay! Enjoyed video immensely. I too love this era of cars! My 41 Plymouth Convert is in my garage waiting for me. A very young man bought it in 41. War broke out, he went to war, but sadly didn't come home. His mother & sister drove car through 50's until it was passed down thru the plymouth club when I bought it.
Hello Jay Leno. i enjoy your show Leno Garage. You seem to be vey down to earth person. I mostly enjoy the older everyday automobiles - original in good shape ( unrestored) with new old parts. These automobile give a glimpse into our resent past. Keep up the good work. looking forward to watching more.
Beautiful old car. My Dad had a 1948 Dodge sedan with the torque converter clutch. It had Fluid Drive stamped into the front bumper. Someone bought it from Dad to restore it. I hope he finished the project. Keep up the good work Mr Leno.
one of the nicest video's on his channel, great car and presentation.
Jay thanks for showing us your 41 Plymouth. My Dad drove a 47 for years and before that he had a 39 Hudson. At 71 i remember many cars from the 30's still being daily drivers.
One of my favorite video's Jay,thanks for doing this one!
Thanks Jay! I was 15 when I helped a friend tow a Plymouth like this one out of a field. Now I remember what it looks like. The car was restored .
What a nice video of a nice car! I haven't been much of a fan of 1940s cars, but this video made me want one just like that Plymouth. Well, maybe a four door. I love the sound of the exhaust. Such a mellow purr.
In america we are missing half a decade of cars.
That '41 Plymouth has got dual exhaust,, probably with glass-packs. I can hear it, sounds great! My dad had a1948 Dodge 4dr with "fluid drive" which allowed you to put it in 3rd (top gear) and drive almost like it was an automatic. When he was away on a job for an extended time, and the car was at home,, I split the exhaust (I was 15 then) manifold and converted it to dual exhausts. He wasn't a happy camper to start eith, he could hear the difference; but he got another 2-3 miles per gallon on his gas mileage, so that solved his problem. I was happy with the sound. So many cars I wish I still had (I have 6 right now). Thanks Jay! My first real road car was my "46 Ford 4-dr (it ended up with dual exhausts, then dual carbs, then high compression hards (Offy), then duak carbs, then 3-speed floor shift). I'm sorry I sold it, like all the ofhers. I built and sold. Cheers, Rob McLennan (I'm 78 now, how time flies,.but I'd do it all over again.).
I'd rather have this as a daily driver than anything else... it's gorgeous.
Do it then. I daily a 69 Impala, even in NY winters. Better than a POS plastic new car
Jay, a friend of mine has quite a car collection. In it he has a 1933 Auburn dual cowl, 1937 Packard coupe, Numerous 1932 Buicks both coupes and sedans, 1941 Buicks coupes and a 1940 convertible coupe, and I think 4- 53 Buick Skylarks and various 1963 full sized buicks. He is 88 years old and has owed me a car for the last 30 years so I had a long talk with his daughter about me getting my choice when he passes away. He lives not to far from Marty Anderson who you know and bought a Doble steamer from. Russ lives about a mile away as the crow flies from Maty's house. Marty was my dentist.
love the exhaust note on it..so sexy for a stock little 6 cylinder.
as Jay said though, he thinks the guy might have put glass packs in it so it's a fair bit louder
Thank God for stock enthusiasts ... who happen to have a boatload of cash for upkeep. Thanks, Jay Leno, a great American through and through.
"Just a happy looking car". He really knows how to describe a car properly.
Good deal! It's so hard to find one these days that hasn't been screwed with, that it's a pleasure to see one well taken care of in stock config. We're about the same age and on the East Coast where I reside you could buy those old cars when I was in high school from $25 to $125 routinely. We didn't appreciate them then unless they were a coupe. Those would usually get our attention. Classic old ride. Well done Jay!
i just hate the concept of hot rods to be honest
i realy like original old school stuff :)
Me too.
Keep everything original, that's how classic cars look at their best.
TeamFortressPro1337 well, maximum i can get the fact someone might want to change some smalle details and have those white walls on some classics....
and maybe...maybe some of those red wheels if they realy have to, but further then that....well it just gets crappier and crappier
ikr, they take classics that have survived in original condition for many decades and then ruin it by adding unnecessary obnoxious add ons.
which ignores the culture that informed most new cars of the fifties and sixties, though
which ignores the culture that informed most new cars of the fifties and sixties, though
The experience of driving or being in an old stock car has a lot to offer, especially to those of us that traveled in them when we were young. Thanks Jay for the vicarious pleasure!
I love that Jay has these types of cars on. I find the "everyday cars" quite a bit more interesting.
Thanks Jay, Grew up in Lynnfield and we have the same appreciation for old cars.
The massive headroom is probably due to the fact that most men wore still wore Fedoras back then...
I believe that the President of Chrysler stated that a Chrysler must have enough headroom for the driver to wear a Fedora!
My Dad did, his whole life. Left a line across his forehead. White above that line; below an Indian tan.
@@asd36f That was especially true for the post war cars. :) Very high roofs
@@asd36f That takes me back to the 1955 and 1956 Fords with the high roof lines, that I first drove as a trooper in a northern state. Today, we rarely see police officers, with the occasional exception of troopers, even wear their uniform head gear at all. In those days, anyone in our organization under 6'2' was required to wear his (Yes, "His") Stetson while in the vehicle. That rule was still in effect when I departed, for greener (Moneywise) pastures , in the mid 60s.
In the fall of 1964 my dad finally decided to trade in his '54 Belair (owned since new) on one of the snazzy new '65's. He tried out several on the lot, mostly just getting in and out of the driver's seat, messing with the switches, etc, then we sat down with the salesman to spec one out and place the order. I wanted him to order an Impala, but he was from the days when the Belair was the top of the line, and besides, the roof was too low on Impalas and it knocked his hat (fedora) off. Anyway, when that '65 Belair finally came in a couple of months later it was a sharp car, black with red interior. I wish I had it.
I keep coming back to this one. I really think it’s my favorite car that Jay has shown.
Nice car. Drive it as it is and enjoy it. 3 on the tree od ? . No chubby motor in it. Now you can go around and sell shoes :) No vent window divider bar cool. Thumbs up !
Great video, really enjoyed hearing about and seeing your 1941 Plymouth Special Deluxe Business Coupe. I love all those cars from the early thirties and forties. I just recently bought a 1942 Hudson Six Traveler Business Coupe, that I think is one of the very best looking cars of all time. I think your Plymouth is right up there in the great looking car department as well. I also think that the American cars built in the early thirties were the best looking cars ever made. I was in high school during the late fifties and like you said these were the cars we drove back then. My '42 Hudson is just as it would have come from the dealership. I love the way it drives and the way it sounds. I am sure you know what I'm talking about when you take off in 1st and shift into second, in third that transmission / rear end noise is almost gone. The truest thing you said was when you're driving these cars you just want to relax and keep driving somewhere, as long as you're not on an intestate highway.
I know that you said that the styling is somewhat conservative and it is but it works well for me. I really like that streamline design and dollar grin front grill. I'm not a fan of real sharp angles on auto styling. Very nice pick up and it has no problems keeping up with other traffic on the highway. Engineering features ahead of its time with vacuum assist shifting that as you showed made shifting almost effortless; more than adequate ventilation; all features of the instrument panel still working especially that large heater. I think that a Plymouth very similar to this was well highlighted in a Humphrey Bogart motion picture of the early Forties with Bogie showing various interior features especially the accessory lighting.
Right. 1937 and 1938 Plymouth business coupes were featured in Bogart's 1941 "High Sierra" and his 1946 "The Big Sleep." A 1949 Plymouth business coupe was in his 1955 "The Desperate Hours." I've always associated old Plymouths with the tough-guy roles Bogart played in those movies - that's partly why I like those Plymouths so much now.
could not speed shift the vacuum shift. J.C. Whitney sold a kit to remove it.
I had a 41 four door sedan, with suicide rear doors. I can still remember the smell of the interior. The thing was huge inside, you had so much leg room in the back seat. I carried a VW engine and transaxle in the trunk with room to spare. Those horns pointed down in front of the radiator would wake the dead. I had some good times in that old car.