2/19/2015

PlymouthBelvederePlazaSavoywithreviews

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ByLannyKnutson.TranscribedbyDavidHoffman.OriginallypublishedinthePlymouth
Bulletin.
19511959PlymouthBelvedere|19601974PlymouthBelvedereandSatellite
195354Belvedere,Plaza,andSavoy
PlymouthSavoy19511960
Plymouthfor1955
BodyonFrameforums|196074BelvedereandSatelliteforums
1955Dodgecars,includingCoronet,Royal,andRedRoyal
ItisabriskdayinNovember1954,asyoustrideuptoyourlocalChryslerPlymouthdealership,having
seentheadsintheSaturdayEveningPost.ThiswastobeaPlymouthlikenoneother,themoststylish
Plymouthsincethe1932roadster.Itwasduetoreceive(getthis,567Chevylovers)the"MostBeautiful
CaroftheYear"awardbytheSocietyofIllustrators.Butseeingacarinprintandseeingit"live"aretwo
differentthings.

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Thereitis,standingthereinthemiddleoftheshowroomflooraBelvederehardtop.Whatstrikesyou,
thoughitwilltakesometimeforyoutofigureitout,isthelong,gentle,sweepingarcstretching
uninterruptedfromheadlightbrowtotaillighttip.Andthoseheadlights,unlikethepreviousyear's
PlymouthandunlikethoseofFordandChevroletarehiddenfromthesidebyforwardcantedhoods.
Thetaillightsarehoodedwithacomplimentaryrearwardcant.ItgivesthenewPlymouthasenseofbeing
inforwardmotionevenwhilestandingstillthepromotionalsignshangingandspinningthereinthe
showroomannouncethatverything:"MotionDesign,theForwardLook."Thatisit!
TohumoryourFordChevylovingbuddies,youhadgonewiththemtoseethoseBrandXnewmodels.
ThoughbothFordandChevrolethadcomeoutwithgoodlooking1955models,youcanseenowthat
comparedtothenewPlymouth,thenewFordsandChevyslookpositivelyboxy.
Itwasnonetoosoon.The1949Chryslerproductsweregood,sensible,comfortable,durable,dependable
cars.Alltheproportionswereright.Butthesecarswerealwayscomparedtothecompetition,wherethey
didwellinallcategoriesbutonestyling.Aftertwodecadesofausterity,enforcedbyadepressionand
thenbywartimeshortages,thepublicwasinnomoodforpracticality.Theywantedstyle,andthestylethey
wantedwasglittering,overstatedextravagance.Againstthatcriterion,the1949Chryslermodelsfailedin
thepublic'seye.
Afterafewyears,Chryslerknewithadtomakeadrasticmove.Theyspiritedawayapromisingyoung
designerfromStudebakerwhohadabitofareputationforextravagance,VirgilExner.Hehadafree,
almosttotal,reinwiththe1955s,andthechangecamenonetoosoon.In1954,Plymouthhadsufferedthe
embarrassmentofbeingdumpedoutofitstraditionalthirdplaceinannualsales,allthewaydowntofifth
place,victimofavicioussalesbattlebetweenFordandChevrolet.Nevertheless,thePlymouthstilllooked
likeachunkyvehicledesignedexpresslyforspinsterschoolteachers.
Butbysummerof1954,Chryslerstocktookasudden5%jumpinvalue.TheK.T.Kellerwearyourhatin
thecardayswereover.AConnecticutprofessorclaimedthathecouldnolongerdosointhe1955s
wonderwhatthegoodprofessorthoughtofthe1957s?Butnobodyelseseemedtomind.Low,longcars
werehot.

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Althoughthewheelbasewasincreasedjustoneinch(to115"),thetotallengthofthenewPlymouthwas
increasedawhoppingteninches.Aninchincreaseinwidthandagood11/2inchdecreaseinheight
fulfilledthelonger,lower,widerclaimsthatsoldcarsinthosedays.After,yougot"morecarforthe
money".
Youreyescatchthoseimpressiveheadlighthoods(whichneitheryounoranyoneelsecouldimaginewould
begreatsaltandslushcollectors).Beneaththeheadlightsbeganmassivegrillebarsthatcurvedupand
aroundparkinglightstowardsthecenterofthegrillecavitywheretheybentdownagaintoholdaribbed
centersection.ThiswasthecontinuationofaPlymouthtrisectionalgrillebumperthemethatbeganin
1953andwouldcontinuethrough1961.Beneaththegrillewasamassivebumperthatcontinuesthe
forwardlookofthecarbytrustingtoaprowlikepointinthemiddle.Itlooksgood,butlater,youwould
noticewhatagreatlicenceplatemanglerthatforwardthrustprowwouldbe.
Onthehoodisthemostabstractsailingshipornamentyet.Infactitisbarely
distinguishableassuch.Inonemoreyearitwouldsproutwings,then"flyaway"
nevertobefoundonaPlymouthhoodagain,bringingtoaclosea32year
tradition.BelowthathoodornamentissomethingneverseenbeforeonaPlymouth,aV8symbol,
signifyingPlymouth'sfirstV8engine.TheSavoysedaninthecornerhasamuchplainerstraightnameplate
indicatingthatitisasixcylindermodel.Thisbadgeduplicatedthetrisectionalthemeofthegrilleright
downtotheribbedcentersection.
Plymouthcallstheirwraparoundfrontglassthe"NewHorizon"windshield.Therewassomeresidual
dowdinessthereithadnorequisitedoglegs.Yourkneesappreciatedthat.Plymouth'ssalesliterature
claimedthat,unlikethecompetition,theirwindshieldalsowrappedaroundatthetop.Besides,the
backwardslantingApostcontributedtothat"fleetinglook."Still,doglegswerethelatestfashionand
Plymouthdidn'thavethem.Anditwasfashion,notpracticality,thatwasrulingtheday.

Thehoodedtaillightsechothefrontendtheme.Beneaththe
verticalredlensesareroundwhitebackuplights.These

lensesappearevenonthestripperPlazaoutonthelot.Butto
getbulbsbehindthoselenses,you'dhavetopayanextra
charge.

Beneaththetaillightsisanindentedpanelrunningthefullwidthofthecar,extendingoutwiderthanthe
taillights,creatingacreasethatrunsforwardtoendjustovertherearwheels.Therearpanelcreatesarather
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highledgeoverwhichluggagewouldhavetobeliftedthisbeganonthe1953Plymouthandwouldn'tend
until1965.Withinthispanelwasthelicenseplate.Fortunately,youthink,thegasfillerneckisnolonger
there.Youlookforitandfinditbehindadoorontherightfender."Whytheright?"youwonder.Youthink
ofElmer,themeticulouslesseeoftheCityServicestationdownthestreet.Nowyouwouldhavetoeither
incurElmer'swrathbypullinguptothewrongsideofhispumps,orendurehisannoyanceashedragsthe
hosetothefarsideofyournewPlymouth.Uponopeningthetrunkyouseesomewisdominthefillerneck
placement.Thepipeisnowbehindthesparetire,whereitisoutoftheway.
Whenyouopenedthetrunkyouappreciatedthepushbuttonmechanism.Mostothermakeshadnowgone
toakeyonlytrunklatch.Youwouldrathernothavetopullthekeysoutoftheignitioneverytimeyou
wantedtogetintothetrunk.InacoupleofyearsPlymouthwouldjointhecrowdonthis"advanced
feature."AbovethisbuttonresidesaduplicateofthefrontV8orsixcylinder"Plymouth"nameplate.
Pickingupabrochure,youcheckoutthemodeloffering.Itisavailableinfivebodystyles:BusinessCoupe
(nobackseatorrearrolldownwindows),atwoandafourdoorsedan,andatwoandafourdoorwagon.
ThemidlineSavoyserieshasbuttwoofferings:atwodoorandafourdoorsedan.Continuingthehotel
namethemeisthetoplineBelvederewhichlikethelowlyPlazaisavailableinfivestyles:atwoandafour
doorsedan,ahardtop,aconvertibleandafourdoorwagon.Inthefineprintyouseethatwhenanyofthese
carscomewithasixtheyarecodedP26.AsV8stheyarecalledP27.ThePlazabusinesscoupeis
availableonlyasasix.TheconvertiblecanbeorderedonlywiththeV8engine.Followingthecodeisa
suffixthatindicatesthemodel.InanapparentillogicalorderPlazais1,Belvedereis2,andSavoyis3.
ApossiblereasonfortheillogicalityisthatPlazaandBelvederearefullfivebodylines,whileSavoyoffers
onlytwo.
Thethreelinesareidentifiedbymeansofsidetrim.ThelowlinePlazahasnonewhatsoever,thoughby
midyearthesecarswouldsproutthesamespearthatranfromthefrontfendertomiddoorontheSavoy.A
Savoywithtwotonetreatmenthasathinnerstripbeginningabovetherearfendercreaseandrunning
forwardtomiddoorandthencurvingdownwardtotherockerpanel,creatingspaceforacontrastingcolor.
BymidyearthissameschemewouldbecomeavailableonthelowlyPlaza.Thetwotonetrimonthe
belvedereranuptomeetthefrontfenderspear.Forwardofthischromeintersectionastraightpieceran
downtotherockerpanel,creatingalargertwotonepanel.OnetoneBelvederes(orthosewithcontrasting
coloronlyontheroof)haveasinglelongspearrunningthefulllengthofthecar,endinginachromewing.
WheretherearfendercreaseendsonthiscarisauniqueV8symbol.
YouopenthedoorandnoticePlymouth'sfirstpushbuttondoorhandle(andthelast,until1962).Insideyou
aremetwithagreatsplashofcolorwhichhadfirstbegunreplacingtheprosaicgreysin1954.Something
reallycatchesyoureyeontheclothseatinserts."Whatisit,inthatpattern?"It'snoneotherthanhundreds
ofMayflowersymbols!ItwastobeakindofswansongforthevenerableMayflower.By1960itwould
havevanishedasaPlymouthsymbol,onlymakingabriefreturnintimeforthePlymouthbrandtobe
abandoned.
Nowyousitonthethickfoamrubbercushionedseatsandtakealookatwhatliesbeforeyouthedash.It
hasabalancedlooktoit,younoticeperhapstoobalanced.Inthecenter,belowtheradio,istheglovebox
inthesameplaceithasbeensince1953.Agoodidea,andveryconvenientforthedriveraswellasthe
passengerbutnotconvenientforthedriveristheashtray,whichpullsoutonthefarrightsideoftheglove
boxdoor.Maybedriversshouldn'tsmoke,butthisplacementisnotlikelytostopthem,andtheirreaching
foritcouldleadtolessthansafedriving.

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Flankingbothsidesofthegloveboxradiocentersectionareafullcomplementofgauges,completely
matchedoneachsideasifamirrorweresetsidewaysinthemiddle.Thelargeroundspeedometeris
matchedbytheidenticallysizedradiospeakergrilleonthepassengerside.Butstrangeryet,theammeter
andfuelgaugesnicelyplaceddirectlyinfrontofthedriverarematchedbyallpressureanswater
temperaturegaugesplacedinfrontofthepassenger!Theyareimpossibleforthedrivertoseewithout
takingeyesofftheroad.Customers,dealersandroadtesterscomplainedloudandclear.Onthe1956
model,thegaugeswouldbemovedinfrontofthedriver,buttheywouldbetransformedintoidiotlights.
Theheaterdefrostercontrols(ofaverygoodtwomotorheaterdefroster)whichin1955wereconveniently
placedinfrontofthedriver,wouldbemovedin1956tothespotsvacatedbythegauges.Again,notso
convenientforthedriver.Plymouthwasstilltryingforsymmetry,andlosing.
Othercomplaintswouldcomeregardingthedashlayout.Unlikethe195154dashesandthoseof
competingmakesthe1955instrumentpanelhasthespeedometermountedlow,almostoutofthelineof
vision.Youwouldfindthatit'snottoobadonceyougetusedtoit.However,tomakeiteasierforyouto
seetheinstrumentsbecauseofthislowmounting,theyaretiltedupward.Yourfirstnighttimedriving
experiencewouldshowhowtheycanreflectonthewindshield.OnePopularSciencereaderwouldunscrew
thechromemoulding(whichwouldreflectsunlightinthedaytime)andslipinasheetofplastictoprovidea
hoodhethoughtthefactoryshouldhaveputthereinthefirstplace.ItwasnotthatPlymouthwasn'tthinking
ofdashboardglare.Thetopofthepanelwaspaintedwithagrainedflatpaintthatdidthejobquitewell,but
wouldbeconsidered"ugly"bymorethanoneprospectiveowner.

ButwhatreallystandsoutonthedashhasthemalltalkingAdashmounted
automatictransmissionselector.Chryslerwasreasoningthatsinceautomatic
transmissionselectorneednotfunctionlikeamanualshiftinglever,why
shouldtheymakeitlooklikeone?Sotheyputitonthedash,nexttothekey,
wherethehandwouldautomaticallyfallafterstartingtheengine.Agimmick?
Somewouldthinkso.Itwouldturnouttobean"eitherloveitorhateit."Theonlycomplaintwasthatthere
wasnolightonthequadrant.Yet,ifitwassuchagoodfeature,whywoulditbereplacedbypushbuttons
theverynextyear?(Thisdesignactuallymadeareturnonthe2008minivans,followingitsuseonthefirst
ToyotaPrius.)
Now,slippingoutfromunderthewheel,yourkneesagainthankfulfortheabsentdogleg,youlookunder
thehood.Younoticehoweasilythehoodlatchworks,allinasinglemotion.Butitswhatthehoodopensto
revealthatyoucametosee.Andthereitis,Plymouth'sfirstV8,resplendentinfamiliarsilverpaint,and
suspendedbyFloatingPowerenginemounts!(1956wouldbethelastyearforthose.)Youaredisappointed
thattheengineisnotahemi.Butyouweren'treallyexpectingthatitwouldbe,notsinceyouliftedthe
clamshellhoodoramidyear1954DodgepickuptolookatitsfirstV8.ThiswasChrysler'sfirstsingle
rockerarmoverhearvalveengine.Ithadtobe,youthoughtatthetime,theforerunnerofMoParV8sto
come.Itwas.Dodge,DeSotoFirefliteandChryslerWindsorallshareditwithPlymouth.Ithadbecomethe
replacementforthesixcylinderengineintheseniordivisions.
Chryslerwasalreadybecomingpainfullyawarethattheireasybreathing,highperforminghemiwastoo
expensivetoproduce.Anditsaddedfeatureswerenotsellingenoughextracarstopayfortheadded
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expenseofbuildinghemiheadengines.SoChryslerengineerssoughttobuildthenextbestthingtoahemi,
butwithasinglerockerarm.Theycameupwithwhattheycalledthepolysphericalcombustionchamber.
Notquiteafullhemisphere,itstillhadarounded,circularcombustionchamberthatcouldbeservedbya
singlerockerarm.Thiswasaccomplishedbyputtingtheintakevalvesonthetopsideoftherockerarmand
theexhaustvalvesonthebottomside.Toavoidhavingtousesparkplugtubesasonthehemi,thebottom
sideofthenewengine'svalvecoverswerescallopedinauniquefashiontoleavethesparkplugsaccessible
fromthetop.ThisgavePlymouthanotherfeaturetoadvertisesinceontheenginesofbothFordand
Chevrolet,onehadtoreachunderhotexhaustmanifoldstogetatthesparkplugs.
ThenewPlymouth"Hyfire"V8wasavailableintwodisplacementandthreehorsepowerranges.The157
hpenginewasof241cubicinches,whilea260cubicinchengineproduced167horsepower,andlater,a
midyearadditionofapowerpackage(fourbarrelcarburetoranddualexhaust)increasedthe260to177
horsepower.Thelatterenginewasnotpartoftheoriginalplan.J.C.Zeder,DirectorofEngineering,claimed
"wearenotseekingtodevelophigherspeedsandgreaterpowerthananyoneelse.Theincreasedspeedsand
torqueofthe1955Plymouth,whencombinedwiththePowerFlitetransmission,resultsinimproved
performanceinlowandmiddleranges,plusgreatereconomy."Inotherwords,Plymouth'snewV8was
consideredtobenomorethanahigherpoweredextensionofthetraditionalandreliablePlymouthflathead
six.Thehorsepowerrace,atthetime,wasconsideredtobetheexclusivepropertyofluxurycars.But
Chevrolet'snewV8broughtthatconcepttoanendandthehorsepowerracetothelowpricedfield.
Plymouthhadtorespond,andtheydidwiththe1955powerpackageandlaterwiththe1956Fury.
TheoverheadV8wasanotherfacetofthelatestautomotivefashion.Everyonehadtohaveoneifthey
wishedtokeepsellingcars.SoPlymouthhadone.IfpeoplelikeZederhadtheirway,thefamiliarflathead
sixwouldstillbePlymouth'ssolepowerplant.Itwasstillavailableinspiteofautomotivewriters,who,
caughtupintheV8fervorofthetimes,claimedthatthedaysofthesixwerenumbered,andthatifit
weren'tforfleetbuyersandafewthriftyindividuals,itwouldvanishcompletely.ThisyearforPlymouth,
the230cidsixwasuppedto117horsepowerforthosewhoreallywantedit.
ThosewhoreallywantedthesixappearedtobemostlyinCanada.Butthen,thesixwaswhattheChrysler
CorporationofCanadamostlyoffered.Onthenorthsideoftheborder,onlytheBelvedereserieswas
availablewiththenewV8.Itcameeitherinthe240or260size,butnotwiththepowerpackage.ThePlaza
andSavoyseriesweresixcylinderpoweredonly.Thebodyavailabilityintheseserieswasdifferentfrom
thatintheUS,aswasthemodelcoding.ThePlazawascodedP261andwasavailableasafourdoorsedan,
aclubcoupeandasatwodoorwagon.TheSavoywascalledP262(notP263asintheUS)anditcamein
four(nottwo)bodystyles:fourdoorsedan,clubcoupe,specialclubcoupe(hardtop)andfourdoorwagon.
TheBelvederewasdesignatedP272(asintheUS)andwasavailableInthesamefourbodystylesasthe
Savoy.LaterdemandbroughtonasixcylinderBelvedereseriesunderaP264designationTheSavoy
hardtopwasthebeginningofacommonCanadianpractiseofofferingthisbodystyleonemodellowerthan
intheU.S.Whenorderedwithtwotonepaint,theSavoyevencamewiththeBelvederesidetrim!The
CanadianSavoyoutsoldallotherseriescombined,andPlymouth'ssixesoutsolditseightsfivetoone.It
wouldbetwoyearsbeforePlymouth'sV8wouldoutsellthesixinCanada.
OfcoursetheCanadianPlymouthsixcontinuedtobethe25"longblock.InfactasixcylinderPowerFlite
carcamewiththebig251cienginejustdiscontinuedontheChryslerWindsor.Surprisingly,thisengine
waslargerindisplacementthanthesmallV8Plymouthoffered.Notsurprisingly,only486ofthe241V8
enginesweresoldinCanadianPlymouthsthatyear.
AlsosoldinCanadaweretheusualPlymouthsbearingDodgenamesandfrontsheetmetal.CalledCrusader,
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RegentandMayfair,thesecarswereidenticalinmodelandengineavailabilityaswerethe"real"
Plymouths.
PlymouthalsosuppliedcarsforDeSoto'sexportmarket.UnliketheCanadianDodge,thesecars(called
Diplomat)usedallofPlymouth'ssheetmetal,includingthefrontfendersandhood.Onlythetrim,including
atraditionalDeSototoothedgrille,wasdifferent.Manyyouthfulcustomizerswouldfindoutforthemselves
thataDeSotogrillewouldlookgood,oratleastdifferent,Intheir'55Plymouth,Perhapstheywereinspired
byateaserphotoappearinginaPopularMechanic'sstoryonPlymouth'sstylingstudios.Inthebackground,
planasday,isafullclaymockupofaPlymouthlikeDiplomat.
Havingcheckedouttheenginecompartment,youarereadyforthattestdrive.Asyoupulloutfromthe
curb,youcan'thelpbutnoticethelightfeelofthepowersteering.Someroadtesterswouldtoutits
completeisolationfromroadfeelasagoodthing.Theircounterpartsoflateryearswouldcondemnthis
featureasaChryslercurse.
Asyoucometoastoplight,younotethebrakepedalofthisPowerFliteequippedcar.It'safulleightinches
wide,extendingtowheretheclutchpedalwouldbeonamanualtransmissioncar.It'safeaturenobody
seemstohavethoughtof.Anditmakessense.Automotivewriterswouldsuggestthatthiswidebrakepedal
shouldleadtoawholenewstyleofdriving,withleftfootbraking.Afterall,itwasassumedthatthemanual
transmissionwasgoingthewayofsixcylinderengines.

ThisisthesoftestridingPlymouth
youhaveeverdriven,perhapsevena
bittoosoft.There'ssomeleanasthe
carcorners,thoughitdoesn'tseem
excessive.Uponcheckingthe
undersideofthisPlymouth,youwill
findthattheysettherearleafspringsoutboardofthenewUchannelframe,lengtheningthemahalfinch
andincreasingthemtoawidthoftwoinches.Thefrontsuspensionlooksnotmuchdifferentfromthatona
1939Plymouthyouonceowned,exceptthattheshocksarenowmountedinsidethecoilsprings.Butthere's
arecalibrationofthewholesystemthatbringsaboutbetterhandling,asdoesthenewsymmetricalidlerarm
steeringlinkage.Thesearethefinalchangestotheprovencoilspring/kingpinsystemsoontobereplaced
bytorsionbarsandballjoints.YetitisenoughtogetPlymouthvotedbyMotorTrendas1955's"Easiest
CartoDrive."
Thebrakesweregood,thefrontdrumsincreasedto11inches,therearsremainingatten.Powerbrakes
wereanoption,asareairconditioning,powerwindowsandpowerseats.Buttheseyousawonlyonthe
Chryslersatyourlocaldealership.
Whatyoudonoticemostinyourtestdriveispower.PowerofaV8enginethatmaynothavebeendesigned
forblazingacceleration,butstillitcutsPlymouth's060timesnearlyinhalffromitssixcylinderdays.
It'squiteacar,thisnewPlymouth.Likenoneyou'veeverseen.TheycallitDesigninMotion.
I'llbuythat!,yousay.Andyoudo.
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PlymouthBelvederePlazaSavoywithreviews

PlymouthBulletin.
19511959PlymouthBelvedere|19601974PlymouthBelvedereandSatellite
195354Belvedere,Plaza,andSavoy
PlymouthSavoy19511960
Plymouthfor1955
BodyonFrameforums|196074BelvedereandSatelliteforums
1955Dodgecars,includingCoronet,Royal,andRedRoyal

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