Grandpa's old car

[nickwisconsin]

My father recently passed, and we are going through his old photo albums.  I believe this is the car he learned to drive in.  Late 30s.  I honestly do not recall manufacturer, and from what I can gather, the Chevys, Plymouths, Pontiacs all look very similar in this time period.  I am working on my Grandpa's Oldsmobile right now and I can see the finish line.  I have this weird compulsion to find a car like the one in this photo and restore it.  (Lord help me) Thanks in advance.

[Leif Holmberg]

1938 Plymouth Coupe.

https://www.google.com/search?q=plymouth+coupe+1938&tbm=isch&ved=2ahUKEwiRrvzdvqj8AhVu-yoKHV8lBfgQ2-cCegQIABAA&oq=plymouth+coupe+1938&gs_lcp=CgNpbWcQAzIECAAQHjIGCAAQCBAeMgYIABAIEB4yBggAEAgQHjIGCAAQCBAeMgYIABAIEB4yBggAEAgQHjoHCAAQgAQQEzoGCAAQHhATOggIABAIEB4QE1DJCFioDmCuEWgAcAB4AIABT4gB2wGSAQEzmAEAoAEBqgELZ3dzLXdpei1pbWfAAQE&sclient=img&ei=x5iyY9GuMu72qwHfypTADw&bih=937&biw=1920&client=avast-a-1#imgrc=PFQLbq00mzkANM

[DFeeney]

In 1938 Plymouth lowered the head lights 2" and back 2" to get away from the "Bug EYE" look.  This is a early 38

[nickwisconsin]

8 hours ago, Leif Holmberg said:

1938 Plymouth Coupe.

https://www.google.com/search?q=plymouth+coupe+1938&tbm=isch&ved=2ahUKEwiRrvzdvqj8AhVu-yoKHV8lBfgQ2-cCegQIABAA&oq=plymouth+coupe+1938&gs_lcp=CgNpbWcQAzIECAAQHjIGCAAQCBAeMgYIABAIEB4yBggAEAgQHjIGCAAQCBAeMgYIABAIEB4yBggAEAgQHjoHCAAQgAQQEzoGCAAQHhATOggIABAIEB4QE1DJCFioDmCuEWgAcAB4AIABT4gB2wGSAQEzmAEAoAEBqgELZ3dzLXdpei1pbWfAAQE&sclient=img&ei=x5iyY9GuMu72qwHfypTADw&bih=937&biw=1920&client=avast-a-1#imgrc=PFQLbq00mzkANM

Thanks! Now I just have to find one that has not been butchered or made into a bright yellow hot rod.  LOL

[Gunsmoke]

Now, when was photo taken? Car in background should narrow down date, appears about early '50's something, clean lines, front and rear vent windows, I'm sure someone on here knows just what it is. As context, if your dad learned to drive in this very Plymouth around that time, it is in remarkable condition as a circa 15 year old car. 

[keiser31]

6 minutes ago, Gunsmoke said:

Now, when was photo taken? Car in background should narrow down date, appears about early '50's something, clean lines, front and rear vent windows, I'm sure someone on here knows just what it is. As context, if your dad learned to drive in this very Plymouth around that time, it is in remarkable condition as a circa 15 year old car. 

The background car looks somewhat like a 1950s Frazer.

 

[Gunsmoke]

Good eye K31, car appears to be 1949/50 Kaiser Frazer, much like this photo from internet. So that would date photo to likely circa 1950. I had forgotten how modern and stylish these early Kaisers were.

Edited January 3, 2023 by Gunsmoke (see edit history)

[Leif Holmberg]

The first Kaiser-Frazer of this model seems to started in 1946?

[Gunsmoke]

Thanks Leif, had forgotten they started that early, here is a 1947 model. So photo could be late 40's when the Plymouth was only about 10 years old. Maybe original poster can let us in on when his Dad got his driver's license, and that may narrow down photo date.

[nickwisconsin]

My Dad was born in 1927. I know the story goes that he was going to take a girl to a high school dance in 1944 or so, and he picked her up in is beater Model A.  The girl, who was supposedly a knock-out, said "why are we going in this old thing and not your Dad's nice car?"  She gave him some attitude and wanted him to take her in the nicer car, so my Dad ended up taking her home and went to the dance by himself and hung out with his friends. LOL.  My Grandfather was meticulous, so it is very possible the car looked new 10-15 years later.

Edited January 4, 2023 by nickwisconsin (see edit history)

[CHuDWah]

15 hours ago, nickwisconsin said:

My Dad was born in 1927. I know the story goes that he was going to take a girl to a high school dance in 1944 or so, and he picked her up in is beater Model A.  The girl, who was supposedly a knock-out, said "why are we going in this old thing and not your Dad's nice car?"  She gave him some attitude and wanted him to take her in the nicer car, so my Dad ended up taking her home and went to the dance by himself and hung out with his friends. LOL.  My Grandfather was meticulous, so it is very possible the car looked new 10-15 years later.

 

And four of those years would have been during WW2 (gas rationing) so the car may not have seen much use then.

 

It has the vent wings in the doors which makes it the high-end P6 Deluxe model.  It has a few more bells and whistles than the P5 Business model.  The headlights were lowered, along with a few other minor changes, in March, 1938.  At that time, the name of the Business model was changed to Road King - apparently customers and dealers didn't think Business was "sexy". 🤣  38 Plymouths aren't as common as Fords and Chevys but they're not rare either.  In addition to the trunk model, there was a rumble seat coupe - those are rare.  That was the last year for a Plymouth rumble seat coupe - the last year for any Plymouth rumble seat car was the 39 convertible.  38 also was the last year for floor shift.

[DFeeney]

Attached is a picture of my 1938 Plymouth P6 coupe.  I bought it in 1977 for $850.  I did not have the cash and got a bank loan for $54. a month for 24 months.  I've kept it running and drove it to work and back in the summer for 20 years.  It is a easy car to drive and I keep the speed below 50.  I plan to leave it to son's who have ridden in it their whole  lives.

Edited January 5, 2023 by DFeeney (see edit history)

[Hans1]

get one for the cute girl !

[nickwisconsin]

On 1/4/2023 at 11:54 AM, CHuDWah said:

 

And four of those years would have been during WW2 (gas rationing) so the car may not have seen much use then.

 

It has the vent wings in the doors which makes it the high-end P6 Deluxe model.  It has a few more bells and whistles than the P5 Business model.  The headlights were lowered, along with a few other minor changes, in March, 1938.  At that time, the name of the Business model was changed to Road King - apparently customers and dealers didn't think Business was "sexy". 🤣  38 Plymouths aren't as common as Fords and Chevys but they're not rare either.  In addition to the trunk model, there was a rumble seat coupe - those are rare.  That was the last year for a Plymouth rumble seat coupe - the last year for any Plymouth rumble seat car was the 39 convertible.  38 also was the last year for floor shift.

Interesting that you say that. My Grandparents and Dad lived in a 900 square foot house in the Brainerd neighborhood in the city of Chicago.  They had a 100+ acre hobby farm out in the western suburb of Naperville. Keep in mind that this was the 30s.  They sold the land during the war since gas rationing made it impractical to go out there every weekend.  That land now boasts multi-million-dollar homes.   Should have held onto it.  Can't predict the future, huh?