1932 Plymouth recognized as a CCCA Full Classic. Can you add anything?

[m-mman]

I have posted this in the CCCA area but perhaps some Plymouth experts can add something (anything?) 

 

Plymouth is not a name that is normally associated with the CCCA term Full Classic. There is however a single Plymouth that has been awarded this coveted designation and I am asking if anyone can assist in adding to its factual history which may or may not support its rumored history.

 

There exists today at the Automobile Driving Museum in El Segundo, California a 1932 Plymouth PB that is carrying a Brewster town car body. It's condition is a combination of a restored exterior and largely original interior.

Plymouths were recognized for durability and quality engineering (4 wheel hydraulic brakes in 1928) but never for status. The Brewster Plymouth shows serial number 1741417 and a (Briggs) Body number 537-1963. 1932 Plymouth numbers ranged from 1680001 to 1758001 and production ran from February to September of 1932, so it is likely that this car was assembled around July or August of 1932. This Plymouth has the longer 121” wheelbase that was used for Plymouth 7 passenger cars. (standard wheelbase being 112”) For 1932 Plymouth used a 4-cylinder engine of 65 horsepower and a ‘Silver Dome’ head. The cylinder head on this Brewster Plymouth has been chromed but the under hood otherwise appears stock 32 Plymouth. In 1932 Plymouth did build great cars, but the bigger question is how did this one end up with a Brewster body?

 

1932 was a down time in the American economy and things were especially bad at Rolls Royce of America and Brewster (which was owned by RR of America) They were assembling Phantom I’s from parts leftover in the Springfield factory and they were importing a few Phantom IIs from England. Information suggests that their main income came from repair, maintenance and refitting existing bodies to another chassis.

In an effort to not have the Rolls Royce name pass through the inevitable bankruptcy, the organization was renamed the Springfield Manufacturing Corporation. John Inskip became president and by 1934 they were producing the well-known Brewster Fords with their heart shaped grilles.

 

I am working to sort out the actual history of the Brewster-Plymouth for the museum. It was granted it’s Full Classic status in 2007. This Plymouth has been known in car circles for many years but its history seems to be based more on rumors and very little on actual documentation. Stories are that it was owned by James Melton in 1953 and later Leo Gephart when Melton’s collection was liquidated. It was subsequently offered at many an auction and sales over the years and each offering meant there was the opportunity to try to enhance its historical value with unsubstantiated tales. It is now time to add some documentation and certainty to what is currently just possibly true.

 

Does anyone in the Plymouth/Mopar world have or know any documentation or have any period photos concerning this car? I have found information related to the RRs produced at this time, but do any Brewster body records from 1932 exist anywhere?

I have not been able to find a Brewster body number on the car. Are there any Brewster experts out there who can direct me where to look? It is possible that the Brewster body had been removed from an older car and remounted on the Plymouth. How might one determine this? Is it possible that during 1932 RR/Brewster was experimenting with using quality bodies on a low-priced chassis and this Plymouth is the original 'proof of concept' for what became the later Brewster-Fords?

 

This car has been linked with Eleanor Roosevelt but again no firm documentation has yet been found. The FDR library claims no knowledge of the car. Was she the owner? Was it something she just used? In 1932 Eleanor was the wife of the Governor of New York State.  By March of 1933 Eleanor was the First Lady of the United States, it does not seem likely that during this time she would need to be the owner of a Plymouth Town Car. Could it have been owned at this time by the State of New York or the Federal government? A photograph does exist of Eleanor sitting in a new 1933 Plymouth convertible coupe, but for her famous 3 week road trip in the summer of 1933, she drove a new Buick convertible.

 

It has been insinuated that perhaps Franklin Roosevelt used the car at his Warm Springs Georgia resort. Warm Springs was a vacation type destination. It was a casual place. It is well known that FDR kept a 1932 Plymouth phaeton equipped with hand controls there and liked to drive it fast on the dirt roads of the area. The casual, recreational aspect of Warm Springs does not seem to be the setting for a formal town car.

 

Whatever it's history, the car is a special artifact. But as the only Full Classic Plymouth it deserves to have its past based on better quality research than currently exists. If you can add to any of the above information or even point me toward an archive, please do so. If you would like to see this unusual Classic for yourself, please stop by the Automobile Driving Museum when you are in El Segundo, California.

Edited August 23, 2017 by m-mman (see edit history)

[Guest]

Well, that is a pretty well thought out post. 

It is indeed difficult to trace some of these histories especially when one has to wade through 85 years of rumors, stories, false and mistaken memories, all which, if repeated enough times, become "fact". 

I am less than two hours from this interesting car, so the next time I'm in the area I will make a point of stopping in to see it. I really wish you luck with your automotive archeology! 

Greg

[thehandleman]

I have two PB's one Roadster and one PB sedan my father had mopar 1928-1934 from 1950's till his death in 2012 never heard him ever talk about a brewster body PB,He has passed so I cannot show him this, but one guy you might seek is very knowledgeble on early Plymouths is the Tech guy in the Plymouth bulletin club, Earl Buton Sr.

Pretty car! Its strange as it has like a roadster front door but a High Windshield and PB windshield on the roadster was short, and door handles and back door are not even close to the PB Sedan. Good Luck on your venture

[keiser31]

I can't tell you much about that car except that in my humble opinion, the landau bars are upside-down.  The top bar USUALLY aligns with the horizontal edge of the roof and curves down to the center button. This one seems to have a more drastic drop and then curve upward toward the center button. I don't know if that makes sense, but it's only my opinion.... I know there are other discussions and opinions on this forum about that.

Edited August 23, 2017 by keiser31 (see edit history)

[m-mman]

I totally agree. I am working to get them turned around but the museum isnt ready to do that yet, and since its not my car . . . . 

This is again further reason to research the car and hopefully come up with a photo of when it was new. 

[keiser31]

Earlier photo of that car shows the landau bars on in the correct position....

[Guest]

Looks like that great roof rack has gone missing too.

[thehandleman]

Interesting find John

[Jim Benjaminson]

I've been chasing information on this car for the past 40+ years and have no success on who it was built for or why.  You are correct - the car was in the James Melton collection until his passing - it was later sold by Leo Gephart - I personally corresponded with Leo about the car and he provided photos of it which we reprinted in the Plymouth Bulletin.  I've also corresponded with James Melton's sister, but she knew very little about his car collection.  The car later passed into the hands of the Imperial Palace Collection in Las Vegas and is now at El Segundo.  The references to the car's original body number re: 537-1963.  537 was the Briggs 3-digit body code for a 7-passenger sedan which would have been on a longer 121" wb.   The engine number is PB66507 and the cars build date was June 17, 1932.  The earliest photo I have seen of the car was taken in the 1950's when Melton owned it but I don't think I have a copy of that photo.  As you note, the FDR Library has no record of this car - nor are there any photos of any of the Roosevelt's with the car.  At the time, FDR had a car at the Little White House in Georgia but that was a "31 PA series touring car of which I have many photos.

 

I, too, have looked for information on Brewster body numbers, with no luck.  This car is indeed unique - roadster front doors, high windshield (a regular PB Plymouth roadster roadster windshield stood only 7" tall, so it would have been dwarfed by the town car body roof!) .   If you come up with any thing else, please let me know.  I featured this car in the Plymouth Bulletin back in the 1980's when I was editor - always ready for a good "follow up" story!  If I can answer or confirm any questions feel free to contact me.