1939 Plymouth P8 Deluxe Line Convertible Sedan

After forming Chrysler Corporation, Walter P. Chrysler added the Plymouth Motor Corporation in May, 1928 to offer a low price car, the first being a sedan with a price of $725. Just a few months later, Chrysler purchased Dodge Brothers Inc. By 1930, Plymouth was one of the top selling automobile brands along with Chevrolet and Ford and continued its strong presence in the market well in the mid-1950s.

The Plymouth P-8 was introduced in 1939 with a 201 cubic-inch straight six-cylinder engine delivering 82 horsepower. It was the highest priced car in the Plymouth line and the only car in the Chrysler lineup to offer a convertible body style.

Of the 403,618 Plymouths built during the 1939 model year a mere 387 were Convertible Sedans contrasted with 5,976 Convertible Coupes. Moreover Plymouth was the only Chrysler Corporation car line to offer convertibles in 1939. Since this was the only year in which Plymouth built a 4-door convertible sedan, it is an extremely rare production-built model. These Convertible Sedans have a unique wheelbase 9117 inches), three inches longer than the other Plymouth body styles of 1939-essentially a Dodge chassis except for the 201 cubic-inch standard Plymouth L-head six that developed 82 horsepower.

The original price of $1,150 f.o.b. Detroit made this the highest priced 1939 Plymouth. The windwings were standard equipment while the factory installed radio, deluxe steering wheel, heater, fog lights, locking gas cap, wheel discs and trim rings, fender skirts and white sidewall tires were optional accessories. Among the standard features offered for the first time on the Deluxe Plymouth Series P-8 were: a steering column mounted gear shift lever, 'wet weather ventilation' (employing a cowl ventilator rain trap), two-piece vee'd windshield, flush-mounted headlamps and a 'safety signal' speedometer which evaluated increasing speed by flashing from green to amber to red as speeds progressed.

Lucille Ball is pictured in one of these cars Chrysler Corporation loaned for famous people to use while touring the 1939-1940 Worlds Fair.

This car was discovered in a Dayton, Ohio warehouse where it had been stored after the war. It was sitting on 15-inch Chrysler wheels and tires, with the original wheels and tires stacked nearby for easy exchange. The car was in good condition and the current owner has owned it for over 20 years.