1938 plymouth coupe

[Doug Franich]

This completely restored Plymouth was done with the focus on keeping it stock while adding safety features such as a WILWOOD dual master cylinder for the brakes. An alternator with a 12volt electrical system. Halogen headlights, Radial tires and improved stop lights. This beautiful coupe will take you anywhere in STYLE! My name is Doug, give me a call, let's talk. 208-585-3579. $21,500

Edited February 6, 2018 by Doug Franich (see edit history)

[GARY F]

Quote

 

Very.Very nice.

[auburnseeker]

Nice car. 

You might want to throw a starting price on here.  A lot of people don't bother to inquire unless they have an idea of what you are looking for and likewise they won't waste your time if they know it's out of their budget to begin with. 

Good luck. 

[Jeff Perkins / Mn]

Doug,,

I believe most people would appreciate posting a price. 

 

 

 

Edited February 6, 2018 by Jeff P. / Mn.
Xxx (see edit history)

[neil morse]

Also, you have led off with a title for this thread that is inaccurate.  You say, "RESTORED STOCK," and yet you immediately acknowledge multiple modifications to the car.  I think this is a mistake since it is misleading.  "Stock" means stock.  This car is nice, but it is not "stock."

[Pomeroy41144]

Phillip Marlowe drove a car like this in the Big Sleep.  And Roy Earl drove one  in High Sierra. 

[dibarlaw]

Yes.. But does it have the neat swing out mount for the guns under the dash? I love these movies!

[37buick]

Neil Morse :  Can you help us identify whats not stock that you can tell by pictures ? please ! 

Doug Franich :  Please as far as you know ,  is the  air in the tires stock ?  Thanks .

[neil morse]

4 hours ago, 37buick said:

Neil Morse :  Can you help us identify whats not stock that you can tell by pictures ? please ! 

 

Is this meant as a joke?  You can see several non-stock modifications from the pictures -- the headlights and added turn signal lights for one thing -- but he says right in the OP that it has a 12 volt system with an alternator and a dual master cylinder.  The poster apparently agreed with my suggestion since he changed the title of the thread to eliminate the word "stock."  I'm not sure what point you are trying to make.  This is a very nice car.

[auburnseeker]

Maybe he meant stock in the form of it not being a hot rod , with small block and digital this and that.  It's a good touring restoration / rebuild with upgrades for such.  That would probably be better choice of description than all stock.  After seeing so many rodded,  most people,  except the members here would probably consider it close enough to stock to be stock.  Most people at a show that look under the hood don't know the difference between an alternator and a generator.  Unless of course you are at Hershey or something.  But the local car show, a large percentage of attendees are 40 or under and may have never even driven a car without Fuel injection.   The last thing they are going to know is what isn't correct on an 80 year old car. 

It will make someone who isn't a purist a nice driver. 

 

I was at a large Christmas party once 15 years ago with my wife.  They were doing some trivia question giveaways.  One of the questions was what year did the Corvette come out.  After the first 3 silver haired guys got it wrong.  I finally went up and claimed the prize.  I couldn't believe three guys that were probably of about driving age when it was introduced,  couldn't remember what year the corvette came out.  They were guessing late 50's.  So few guys are going t remember that cloth wrapped wire and a single jug master under the floor were original to a car this year,  unless maybe they had one,  they had to fix back in the day to get to work every day. 

Neat car.  I had a 36 Coupe.  They make a fun driver. 

[Steve_Mack_CT]

Love the car.  Seeker, great Corvette story.  Makes me think of my BIL who likes to note, those Corvettes were nice when they were steel... point is, your observations on this car are spot on.  Not a hot rod, but a great touring car.  Reasonable starting price, hope it works out for the seller.  

[auburnseeker]

You couldn't Buy one of those kind of rough non running craigslist cars for 6500 to 8500 and come out with one that looked this good,  even if you did all the work yourself.  Plus you could be enjoying this one tomorrow, not 3 or 4 years from now. 

[neil morse]

On 2/7/2018 at 9:20 AM, Pomeroy41144 said:

Phillip Marlowe drove a car like this in the Big Sleep.  And Roy Earl drove one  in High Sierra. 

 

You've got a good eye and a great memory!

 

Bogie's Big Sleep Plymouth

 

Bogie's High Sierra Plymouth

 

Where did I find these, you may ask?  A great website put together by a bunch of very compulsive people (seems to be European, but I

don't know what country it comes from).

http://www.imcdb.org/

 

 

[Pomeroy41144]

15 hours ago, neil morse said:

 

You've got a good eye and a great memory!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Warner Brothers had quite a stable of autos that they used in the motion pictures of the 30s and 40s.  If one watches enough Warner Brothers films, the same cars can be seen in many movies.  Warner Brothers had several big series 1941 Buicks.  They can be seen in Now Voyager and The Big Sleep and many others.  Have been told that the big cars on the Warner lots were used in movies during the day and to haul around VIPs at night.  Wish I had the time to do a book on this topic.  

 

[CHuDWah]

On 2/7/2018 at 12:20 PM, Pomeroy41144 said:

Phillip Marlowe drove a car like this in the Big Sleep.  And Roy Earl drove one  in High Sierra. 

 

 

The car that "Mad Dog" Roy Earle drove in High Sierra kept changing between a 38 and 37 (similar but taller and narrower grill) - apparently the studio had one of each and used them interchangeably.

[CHuDWah]

This appears to be an early 38 as it has the "pinched" bumper ends carried over from 37 - later ones were more rounded.

[neil morse]

2 hours ago, CHuDWah said:

 

 

The car that "Mad Dog" Roy Earle drove in High Sierra kept changing between a 38 and 37 (similar but taller and narrower grill) - apparently the studio had one of each and used them interchangeably.

 

You guys are really impressing me with your knowledge of Hollywood automobiles!  Here's a shot of Roy Earle's '37 from High Sierra.

 

 

Also, a comment from the IMCDb site:

"For whatever reason there were at least 2 cars used in the movie, most of the time Roy Earle's car is a 38 Plymouth,

but a few scenes use a 37 car which look similar. Its all supposed to be the same car."

[37buick]

Sorry Neil Morse but  no  jokes  here . I just see no reason for you to accuse the guy of " misleading" ?  come on .   And  'several"

modifications  ?     First of all  the owner says : "KEEPING IT STOCK WHILE ADDING SAFETY FEATURES " !!!! 

Anybody with some common sense can understand what that  says  . Within 2 hours you can take the add ons off  and the  car  will  be 

very close to  stock . And anyway i dont believe he entered a competition here . He knows what  he  has and so  does everybody else .

 

[CHuDWah]

11 hours ago, neil morse said:

Also, a comment from the IMCDb site:

"For whatever reason there were at least 2 cars used in the movie, most of the time Roy Earle's car is a 38 Plymouth,

but a few scenes use a 37 car which look similar. Its all supposed to be the same car."

 

 

High Sierra is a classic and I love it (as I do most Bogey movies).  But it was made in only one month and on a low budget - guess they weren't much concerned with continuity.

[CHuDWah]

BTW Doug, very nice car you have for sale - I really like the lighter color.  Unfortunately, I'm clear across the country and not really in the market anyway.  I'll probably catch some flak for this but I've owned late-30s Plymouths and Fords.  IMHO, the Plymouths are better built but the styling isn't as good.

[Frank Wilkie]

I like it just the way it is with all the up dated items due to better and dependability drive-a-bility ..

  Now days at most of our local car shows the judge's wouldn't know a completely stock 38 it it bit them..  Majority of now days car enthusiast is only interested in street rods and rat rods at our local shows..  

I would be almost interested in getting this but I would have to sell my 36 DeSoto coupe or my 28 Buick Master. The wife won't let me sell the 39 Ford Pickup..  No room left in my garage for a fourth vehicle.   

Edited February 13, 2018 by Frank Wilkie
correctin (see edit history)

[neil morse]

23 minutes ago, 37buick said:

Sorry Neil Morse but  no  jokes  here . I just see no reason for you to accuse the guy of " misleading" ?  come on .   And  'several"

modifications  ?     First of all  the owner says : "KEEPING IT STOCK WHILE ADDING SAFETY FEATURES " !!!! 

Anybody with some common sense can understand what that  says  . Within 2 hours you can take the add ons off  and the  car  will  be 

very close to  stock . And anyway i dont believe he entered a competition here . He knows what  he  has and so  does everybody else .

 

 

You are attributing a motive to me that I did not have.  I merely suggested that the owner's title for this thread, which said "RESTORED STOCK" was inaccurate.  I was trying to make a constructive suggestion.  He apparently agreed with me since he then changed the title of the thread to eliminate those words.  I have no idea why you are coming after me the way you are.

[Ben Bruce aka First Born]

Neil, perhaps we're just in the minority. I just did something similar. 

 

  But WE are correct if not right.

 

  Ben

[neil morse]

1 hour ago, Ben Bruce aka First Born said:

Neil, perhaps we're just in the minority. I just did something similar. 

 

  But WE are correct if not right.

 

  Ben

 

Haha   Speak for yourself -- I am both correct and right!

[C Carl]

As another old guy who loves driving very old cars , I immensely appreciate what Doug has done. As he says , he has done this to enhance SAFETY. This has not changed the experience of driving a period correct automobile, in a period correct fashion. The ONLY thing I would change would be to find some period compatible air cleaner. ANYTHING which looks the part. Doug states that he has prepared this beautiful coupe to drive ANYWHERE ! From the obvious attention he has given to this capability , ANYWHERE is a big deal. A VERY BIG DEAL ! Extremely well-done. Best of luck with the sale , Doug !     - Carl 

Edited February 13, 2018 by C Carl
Spelling (see edit history)

[Guest]

On 2/11/2018 at 6:14 PM, CHuDWah said:

This appears to be an early 38 as it has the "pinched" bumper ends carried over from 37 - later ones were more rounded.

 

I agree, this is an early '38 as it also has the first style headlamp stanchions. They were revised early in production to move the headlamps down two inches and rearward four inches.

I don't care how the seller words his own ad, I think it's a very nice restoration with nice and realistic upgrades. 

[Pomeroy41144]

On ‎2‎/‎11‎/‎2018 at 8:11 PM, CHuDWah said:

 

 

The car that "Mad Dog" Roy Earle drove in High Sierra kept changing between a 38 and 37 (similar but taller and narrower grill) - apparently the studio had one of each and used them interchangeably.

 

 

Yes, I did not want to complicate things.  Thanks.  

 

[CHuDWah]

14 hours ago, GregLaR said:

 

I agree, this is an early '38 as it also has the first style headlamp stanchions. They were revised early in production to move the headlamps down two inches and rearward four inches.

I don't care how the seller words his own ad, I think it's a very nice restoration with nice and realistic upgrades. 

 

 

Yeah, I figured it had the early headlamps but I couldn't tell for sure from the pictures.  As you say, the headlamps were changed mid-year, along with a few other styling changes.  This was in response to customer and dealer complaints that the car was "plain" and/or "ugly".  Aside from the headlamps, probably the most notable change was the Road King dash.  The top-of-the-line Plymouth was the Deluxe and the "economy" series originally was called the Business Plymouth.  Buyers objected to that lackluster name so, along with the other changes, it was renamed Road King.  Another bit of trivia is that, while the Deluxe had monochrome paint, two-tone was standard on the Road King because the fenders were routinely painted black.  Having them painted body color was extra cost.

[CHuDWah]

29 minutes ago, Pomeroy41144 said:

 

 

Yes, I did not want to complicate things.  Thanks.  

 

 

 

Yeah, didn't mean to complicate anything - just thought it an interesting bit of trivia.

[C Carl]

On February 12, 2018 at 2:41 PM, C Carl said:

 "The ONLY thing I would change would be to find some period compatible air cleaner. ANYTHING which looks the part. "

 

Well exCUSE me , PLEASE ! Down in Chrysler Products - Buy/Sell , Roy has an add for : 30/40s Chrysler products air cleaner. It looks quite a bit like the one on Doug's fine car. So I gotta eat a nice crow pot pie for lunch. Shows my lack of experience with these cars. The only thing I can say in my embarrassed defense is that I do have experience with Cadillacs of the period. You know , the big oil bath air cleaners. Those huge things look very archaic by comparison. The exposed modern filter element might have to share my blame. Good to know that there is a replacement element which plugs right in. 

 

Let me take this opportunity to give an unsolicited compliment to Roy and his products and prices. I have dealt with him on occasion , and am super pleased. Great , often hard to find things. He never tries to squeeze the last buck out of a sale. Prompt professional  attention. Here is a pic of what Roy has. He was asking $20 plus shipping , but will take reasonable offer. For the purists out there , those who might be somewhat put off by any anachronistic aspects , Roy's price would be worth it just to be able to plug in the original element for show ! Now it is not my place to speak for Doug , but I wouldn't be the least surprised if he would reimburse full cost of your purchase from Roy if you end up buying this road ready cruiser. 

 

Again , I hope my apology absolves me to some degree. Yet another corroboration of the danger of assumptions.   - CC

 

Edited February 17, 2018 by C Carl
Huh. Went to correct spelling , but it is CORRECT in edit already ! Huh ? (see edit history)

[Lawrence Helfand]

There is a hot rod vernacular that refers to modified cars that retain a stock look. This is something of a retro rod backlash in response to contemporary parts and body mods ruining iconic  design elements like steering wheels and columns gauges  upholstery etc. Not an easy thing to add power steering and brakes  and do a proper 12 volt conversion without it being apparent. Stock look is trending in the market and is also economical. So a stock car in todays car culture might be a bit broader then previously understood although even stock car racing was never stock..Original might offer more definition but no more then restored which has lost its meaning. Yes the paint is the wrong color but its just been done so its restored right? Well yes and no unless you say restored to factory original. Point is its better to understand then be understood..culture and language are fluid so get with it ! 

[SC38dls]

C Carl 30 lashes with a wet noodle. Do your research on every air cleaner on the market for every car ever made or we will ignore any of your advice in the future. What the heck were you thinking offering a suggestion not knowing all of the possibilities for an old car? Lol

 

i do like the car no matter what the description is/was even with the correct era air cleaner. 

[alsfarms]

The pictures of this nice Plymouth coupe has made me think of and ask a question.  My question is this, Did Plymouth offer the SS trim that would follow the body belt line from the door to the back of the body?  I have seen the mentioned trim on the Chrysler coupes, the DeSoto coupes and also the Dodge coupes.  I, in my mind, thought that Plymouth would also have the trim, this car shows none.  Some time, in the future, I will be building a 1937 DeSoto coupe that is currently laying asleep in the back yard, so, knowledge is good.  I certainly do like the Plymouth coupe, what a nice clean and mostly original car!

Al 

Edited February 17, 2018 by alsfarms
spelling (see edit history)

[auburnseeker]

I don't believe Plymouth offered that trim.  In 1936 I know they didn't,  my 36 coupe didn't have it.  I later had a 36 Chrysler that had it as well.  I think dodge and Plymouth didn't use it,  but Chrysler and Desoto being the upper level trim cars did. 

[Guest]

You are correct auburnseeker. Plymouth did not offer any side trim in 1938. Rather they had a double pin stripe, on the belt line, that ran the length of the body from the grill all the way around, under the trunk and back to the front, with a matching two stripes on the wheels. Depending on body color, the stripes were available in Gold, Ivory, Red, Silver and Light Green. It's been my experience that when '38 Plymouth's are restored this pin stripe in generally overlooked and seldom redone.

[alsfarms]

Hello Greg and Auburnseeker,  I am learning all the time, especially about Chrysler products.  And thanks again for posting the picture of the Plymouth tudor sedan.  I think I like the pin stripes about as much as I like the SS trim for my Desoto coupe!  Can anyone confirm, with a picture, that Dodge did or did not have the side trim we are speaking about?  Next I wonder what the differences of the trim profile was for Desoto as compared to Chrysler would be?  I bet they are not the same.

Al

[auburnseeker]

Cosmetically little interchanges between Chrysler and Desoto,.  They seem to be designed independent of one another other than the basic Mopar shape of the time.  Dashes, interior, bumpers, Side moldings all seem to have some major or even insignificant change that make them unique to their respective marque. 

[CHuDWah]

On 2/16/2018 at 6:13 PM, Lawrence Helfand said:

There is a hot rod vernacular that refers to modified cars that retain a stock look. This is something of a retro rod backlash in response to contemporary parts and body mods ruining iconic  design elements like steering wheels and columns gauges  upholstery etc. Not an easy thing to add power steering and brakes  and do a proper 12 volt conversion without it being apparent. Stock look is trending in the market and is also economical. So a stock car in todays car culture might be a bit broader then previously understood although even stock car racing was never stock..Original might offer more definition but no more then restored which has lost its meaning. Yes the paint is the wrong color but its just been done so its restored right? Well yes and no unless you say restored to factory original. Point is its better to understand then be understood..culture and language are fluid so get with it ! 

 

 

The term "resto-rod" often is used to describe a car mentioned in the bolded above.  But even that is indefinite as it could refer to an otherwise "original" Model A with a high compression head, downdraft carbs, and header or to that Model A with "stock" body, paint, interior, etc but a SBC and auto.  Bottom line, the terminology depends on the interpretation of who's using it and who's hearing it.

[CHuDWah]

On 2/17/2018 at 2:05 PM, alsfarms said:

Hello Greg and Auburnseeker,  I am learning all the time, especially about Chrysler products.  And thanks again for posting the picture of the Plymouth tudor sedan.  I think I like the pin stripes about as much as I like the SS trim for my Desoto coupe!  Can anyone confirm, with a picture, that Dodge did or did not have the side trim we are speaking about?  Next I wonder what the differences of the trim profile was for Desoto as compared to Chrysler would be?  I bet they are not the same.

Al

 

 

Dodge did have the side trim - e.g., Googling "38 Dodge" produces lots of images of cars with it.  Dunno about the trim profile - in at least some models, Plymouth, Dodge, DeSoto, and maybe 6-cylinder Chrysler did use the same basic body shell with different doghouse, dash, upholstery, trim, etc.

[CHuDWah]

On 2/17/2018 at 2:54 PM, auburnseeker said:

Cosmetically little interchanges between Chrysler and Desoto,.  They seem to be designed independent of one another other than the basic Mopar shape of the time.  Dashes, interior, bumpers, Side moldings all seem to have some major or even insignificant change that make them unique to their respective marque. 

 

 

That's true even between models of the same make - e.g., 38 Plymouth sedans have a ship badge on the trunk lid but coupes do not.