There’s something to that old-car-lover’s adage about desirability (and price!) going up when the top goes down. To one hardcore postwar-Plymouth fan, a convertible represented the ultimate version of the sedan he’s owned and loved for decades. Taking a risk on a long-distance purchase—and following that with years of hands-on refurbishing—would result in the Driveable Dream on these pages—a car that ticks all its owner’s boxes for fun.
For decades, Chrysler advertised the vehicles of its Plymouth division on the merit of their value, and this was even true of the most exclusive models, including the stylish, wood-trimmed station wagons and the sporty, youthful convertibles. Forties Plymouths represent good value even today, as West Hempstead, New York, resident Ed Flynn knows firsthand. Ed has owned a 1948 P-15 Special DeLuxe sedan for more than 40 years, and he was able to restore that car back to factory-original condition for a reasonable sum.
An itch to own a convertible was what brought him to the 1950 P-20 featured here. “I really like the Plymouths of that era,” Ed tells us. “I found this car seven years ago. It was in Illinois. It was advertised as needing a lot of work, and I paid a relatively low price for it.”
He wasn’t quite prepared for what awaited him when the Plymouth was delivered to Long Island, though. “We had difficulty getting it off the tow trailer because its front tires were flat and wouldn’t take air. The body was in bad shape, with faded factory paint and a lot of corrosion in the rockers. The engine was of the correct type, but wasn’t original to this car and wouldn’t run, and there were no brakes… it was a mess,” Ed says with a laugh.
The years hadn’t been kind to this Special DeLuxe Convertible Club Coupe, as Plymouth had dubbed its two-door flagship for 1950. When it was displayed in the showroom, it cost $1,982, just $390 less than the priciest wood-trimmed, eight-passenger Special DeLuxe Station Wagon; for an interesting comparison, those figures roughly equate to $20,525 and $24,560, today. The topless model was undoubtedly the envy of the neighborhood, with its silent and swift electro-hydraulic folding roof mechanism operating to expose genuine-leather upholstered seats, and ample bright-metal body moldings glinting in the sun.
Outside of squared-off rear fenders, larger rear windows, and simpler grille and bumper designs, Plymouth hadn’t changed much on its P-20 models in the second year of this generation. The four Special DeLuxe body styles still rode on a box-section frame, sharing a 118.5-inch wheelbase and 192.6-inch overall length, while the convertible remained relatively light at 3,295 pounds. In line with its cost, this variant had the second-lowest build number of the year, its 12,697 examples topping only the aforementioned wagon (2,057 built)—miniscule figures considering that model year 1950 production nearly reached 609,000 units.
Although the basic DeLuxe models rode on a shorter 111-inch wheelbase, all Plymouths offered an “Air Pillow Ride” through their independent coil spring front and semi-elliptic leaf spring rear suspensions with “Sea-Leg” tubular shock absorbers, and hydraulic drum brakes were used at all four wheels. The sole transmission, a column-shifted three-speed manual, offered synchromesh on second and top gears, and, unusual for the day, the ignition key started the 217.8-cu.in. L-head straight-six. That engine used a one-barrel Carter BB carburetor and 7:1 compression ratio to make 97 hp at 3,600 rpm and 175 lb-ft at 1,200 rpm.
It would take some years and a lot of money and effort before Ed’s L-head was doing its intended job of propelling the convertible down the road. “Working by myself, I pulled the engine and transmission together, because that’s the best way to remove the drivetrain from this type of car,” he explains. “My nephew, Kevin Faber, helped me bring the engine to Colvin Motor Parts in Merrick, New York, where Jim Olsen and Tom Quimpo led the rebuild. The original crankshaft was cut and reused, and the camshaft was good to use again, but other internal components like pistons and lifters were replaced. I had the carburetor rebuilt, and put in a new, three-row radiator, which runs at 145 to 150 degrees.
“A transmission specialist inspected the gears and internal assemblies, finding everything was acceptable. I had the flywheel cut so it would get a good grip on the new clutch, and the driveshaft was balance-checked before I fitted new front and rear boots, and reinstalled it. The exhaust system was changed behind the manifold, to the tailpipe. The entire drivetrain was rebuilt, forward of the rear end, and that rear end itself was fine—it wasn’t leaking, so that was okay to go. And the brakes are all-new, including wheel cylinders, hoses, and the master cylinder,” Ed tells us. “I saved all of the original parts I changed, including the original radiator, so I can give them to the next owner if I sell the car someday.”
Our feature car’s running gear wasn’t all that required work—the cosmetics needed help, too, its owner revealed. “The convertibles are rare today because many of them rusted from water infiltration—floorboards rotted out, and it got into the frame. But this car had a very solid frame, and the floorboards were in relatively good shape; it was only the rocker panels that required total replacement. This was done by a local body shop, which also sprayed the original Channel Green color inside and out, using single-stage paint.” The interior had been reupholstered using light- and dark-green vinyl sometime before Ed bought the P-20, but he elected to have it re-done in single-tone Hunter Green vinyl in a pleated pattern. Rather than laying regular carpet, he had a carpet-topped floormat installed, so it is removable for cleaning or drying, if necessary. “I had a new, clear plastic zip-out rear window installed in the old convertible top,” Ed notes; “The top doesn’t leak, and it’s still in good condition. I like the light tan color… that may be age and patina, but it’s a distinct color that I don’t think you could find today, and it looks good.”
Ed had Kevin’s help in reinstalling the Plymouth’s engine and transmission—”It’s a little tighter in this car than it was in my 1948 because there’s not as much room in the engine compartment”—but he accomplished much of the reassembly solo, at home. It’s still not finished, Ed admits “I’ve owned the car for seven years, and the whole time, it’s been a work-in-progress that is ongoing. It looks good, but it’s a five- or 10-footer. It’s not a show car, it’s a good, solid driver.”
Since this Special DeLuxe has been roadworthy, it’s been treated to changes of straight 30-weight Valvoline oil and regular applications of spray detailer, and has amassed a couple thousand miles as a local parade car and occasional weekend cruiser. “I’ve used it in the Easter parade in Garden City, New York, for the past couple of years. Driving my family and friends around with the top down on a sunny day is a lot of fun—that’s what it’s all about,” he says.
So, we’re curious—how does it drive? “It’s not a race car, and it doesn’t have power steering, so it’s difficult to maneuver the car at low speeds, but it provides a very comfortable ride,” Ed muses. “My 1948 Plymouth and this ’50 model are very close in their operation. The transmission is the same, the drivetrain and front-end configuration, and the suspension didn’t change much from 1948 to 1950. The feel of the cars is very similar, although the 1950 has a bit more power, perhaps because of the rebuild.
“I don’t think most people today could just jump in and drive it, because it’s nothing like a modern car, where everything is automatic and power-assisted,” Ed continues. “But once you know how to use everything properly, it’s easier. We’re a little spoiled in today’s cars, but when you operate this Plymouth, you’re experiencing how things were almost 70 years ago.”
