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The 1955 Plymouth Belvedere, Plaza, and Savoy

ByLannyKnutson.TranscribedbyDavidHoffman.OriginallypublishedinthePlymouthBulletin.

19511959PlymouthBelvedere|19601974PlymouthBelvedereandSatellite195354Belvedere,Plaza,andSavoy

PlymouthSavoy19511960

Plymouthfor1955BodyonFrameforums|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.



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.Beneaththeverticalredlensesareroundwhitebackuplights.TheselensesappearevenonthestripperPlazaoutonthelot.Buttogetbulbsbehindthoselenses,you'dhavetopayanextracharge.

Beneaththetaillightsisanindentedpanelrunningthefullwidthofthecar,extendingoutwiderthanthe

taillights,creatingacreasethatrunsforwardtoendjustovertherearwheels.Therearpanelcreatesarather



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.



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



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,



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.



PlymouthBulletin.

19511959PlymouthBelvedere|19601974PlymouthBelvedereandSatellite195354Belvedere,Plaza,andSavoy

PlymouthSavoy19511960

Plymouthfor1955BodyonFrameforums|196074BelvedereandSatelliteforums

1955Dodgecars,includingCoronet,Royal,andRedRoyal

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