What is this thing called Romanticism–as it applies to old cars? I have felt it, and I know others have too; hence things like Hemmings’ calendars of “Aesthetically Abandoned Automobiles” and paintings by Thomas Kinkade. So I’m cruising Craigslist, and I come across this group of listings, and . . . I don’t know, something about the photos I saw really spoke to me in a deep way. And I thought I would share them with you.
In the Fox Chase section of northeast Philadelphia, PA, they’re clearing out a property and three old cars are for sale, starting with this ’50 Plymouth Cranbrook. I like the faded red color, the period wide whites, and plain hubcaps. Typical of the kind of car which was once so common, now quite a rarity seen in its original state.
I have to admit, the late ’40s-early ’50s is not my favorite era for cars. Compared to the 1955-63 period, these are old, rounded, slow, and almost never equipped with power steering or brakes. Driving one would take some getting used to. But they do have a certain charm . . .
Next we have a ’54 Dodge Coronet in a two-toned gray and blue. A pleasing color combination.
What I find appealing about these photos is that they make me feel like I’m back in the late ’60s to early ’70s. It’s like a dream combined with a distant, faded memory. I’m walking up to this farm, the leaves are crackling under my feet, and these were the kind of older cars you would normally see, some still in actual use. They have a real authenticity about them.
Look at the horns on that thing!
“C-o-r-o-n-e-t”: that wonderful ’50s script!
The original Mopar automatic transmission, “Power Flite”–two speeds!
A surprisingly beautiful interior! Steering wheels with horn rings are my favorite!
Last we have a ’53 Ford Ranch Wagon. Again, once a car so common, now almost impossible to find in unmolested, unmodified condition.
I’m not a fan of those windshield visors, but they were somewhat popular at the time.
Do you remember driving behind one of these? “Fordomatic”– really advanced for a low priced car in ’53!
I like the wood. Is it real? Original? Makes this kind of a “woodie”.
In Stroudsburg, PA you can buy this ’53 Nash Ambassador for $7800.
There it is, sitting there like it’s someone’s daily driver, maybe decades ago.
If I were buying a Nash in ’53, I would definitely select this optional sexy lady hood ornament. They don’t make ’em like they used to!
Interior looks great! Real Nash luxury!
Apparently Nash was doing the “gas cap hidden under the taillight trick” which I always thought was a GM thing.
Yes, it feels like it’s 1971 again!
In Seymour, CT you will find this 1948 Packard. It’s only $800 for you bargain hunters out there.
If any car can be called “a tank”, it’s this one. This is the way you would typically see one in the days of my youth–tucked over beside some winding rural road out in the boondocks.
I didn’t know Packard used these floral designs on door panels. Sort of a throwback to the Victorian/Edwardian era, which is somewhat at odds with the car’s 1940s Art Deco, “streamline-modern” design. A foreshadowing of the overwrought ’70s brougham aesthetic.
A speedometer and a clock. Reminds me of the clocks on old stoves of the period. A beautiful work of industrial art!
The “Wurlitzer Organ” school of dashboard design. Everything is so finely made! Built to last, dare I say, centuries?
The regal Packard crest, in all its faded glory!
We now go further afield to Sauk Rapids, MN to find this glorious ’50 Buick Special silhouetted against the sky . . .
This is a fastback model, which went out of fashion rather quickly, resulting in a low-cost used car buy in the late ’50s.
The Special was the lowest-priced Buick you could buy, being priced just above the most expensive Chevrolets. There were also comparable Pontiacs and Oldsmobiles for the working man to step up to. Such was the genius of General Motors’ five divisions: “Trade ’em up!” with a variety of brands to choose from.
I found a couple of trucks that were just irresistible: 1949 Chevrolet Suburban, Mims, FL. The granddaddy of all SUVs.
1952 Ford Panel Truck with vestiges of original lettering, Lakeland, MN.
Last one, from right here in my own hometown of Boonton, NJ. For $4000, this ’52 Plymouth can be yours!
“1952 Plymouth Cranbrook Sedan
Vin# 12973129
97,000 miles
3 owners
6 cylinder (3 speed manual transmission)
Runs Excellent!
Slight surface rust
Needs some brake work.”
I suspect that the sellers of these cars are not going to have the easiest time finding buyers. Not because they are necessarily bad cars, but I wonder how many people in today’s age demographic would love examples like these enough to invest the time, space, and money that would be required even to maintain them in their present state? And how many would end up getting rodded or customized, thus losing their original, authentic patina forever? Or maybe someone will strip the good parts, and crush the rest? Like all of life, it’s all so ephemeral. That is why I have written this article and uploaded the photos to Curbside, thus preserving the way the cars look now for all time. I hope you have enjoyed seeing them with me.
The interiors are my favorite part of these 50s cars. I almost bought a 1953 Pontiac mostly for the interior. As you say the cars for tens year later are a lot more drivable.
The $4000 price tag seems ambitious on the 1952 Plymouth.
Yes, that picture of the engine doesn’t exactly inspire confidence but then we all know that runs excellent and needs some brake work are very fluid terms on Craigslist. List it at $1500 and be happy if you can get $1000 in 12 months.
I was thinking that $4000 for the Plymouth proves that the owner is delusional or possibly on drugs.
Maybe not that at all but more the factor that they don’t understand the market and the demographics. Those cars were owned by someone like my father who would have been 26 in 1952. That means most of that generation has now passed away or are far too old to relive their past life.
The next generation is me being in the first half of the baby boom era. I might have been driven around in a car like that but have no memory of it. Then with me turning 16 in 1969 I would rather buy a 69 Plymouth than a 52 Plymouth and most would be much like me. Then boomers older than me are dropping out because health conditions are overtaking them.
That leaves the next two which are the grand kids and great grand kids. Great grand kids are 99% not interested and frankly have no learned experience wrenching on cars. So grands kids in their 40s who still have no connection to these cars whatsoever. I see, over the next 10 years, a lot of ordinary 50s cars becoming orphans never finding one more home. Now whether the seller realizes this is another matter.
Love these pictures! The first car in our family that I really remember is the ‘48 DeSoto 4-door my dad drove when I was 4 or 5 years old in the mid ‘60s. The Wurlitzer style dashboard full of gleaming chrome was really something to behold! I can still hear the rich, full sound of the radio as Little Bit O’ Soul and other hits of the day poured from the huge dash speaker.
One of my lottery list dreams is to own a post-war DeSoto or Chrysler, or at least get to drive a Fluid Drive Mopar from the late ‘40s.
I am amazed by this – not just because of the cars, but because I know exactly where the Plymouth Cranbrook and its stablemates are located. I grew up in the Fox Chase section of Philadelphia, and recognized this place instantly. Certainly not pastoral – it’s within City limits, but it’s on a half-mile long stretch of road that is wooded, borders some City parkland, and only contains four or five houses.
As a kid, my parents drove this road often (we lived only a mile away) and I would daydream about living in one of those houses someday – they seemed idyllic to me. This particular one I recall being somewhat rundown, but it’s been 25+ years since I’ve been on that street. From what I can tell from Google StreetView, it seems like this house’s owners ran a flea market or antique-type store, and in every year’s StreetView images, there are about a half dozen old cars parked around the property. They’re never the same ones, so quite possibly these folks collected cars, or fixed them up to sell them. I doubt these cars have been lingering around this place for very long.
I would love to know who ends up with these cars. I suspect it is tough to find buyers, but on the other hand, there are still folks out there who buy and appreciate even older prewar cars, and obviously the folks who knew them when new are largely gone. So is the dwindling number of potential buyers matched with a similarly dwindling number of cars, so those that are actually left like the are able to find appreciative buyers? I have no idea.
This must be the place! Nice selection in October of 2018:
https://www.google.com/maps/@40.0874155,-75.0759376,3a,18.1y,223.48h,82.42t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s052HWE-oDO6cVc6_a6oOFA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192
Yes, that’s it!
With age, as well as the influence of CC, I’ve grown to appreciate cars which I ignored or even disliked when I was younger and they were still seen in the roads. I can’t say that passage of time has helped my opinion of the 1950 Plymouth. ‘49-50 Fords we’re cool, the fastback GM’s more so, but the Plymouth was in Nash territory for being full, or worse. But that Nash hood ornament … that’s a keeper.
Some great cars there. The Nash speaks to me, today. I’d forgotten about their instrument panel layout. A bit different.
I look at the 50 Cranbrook and the 54 Coronet and imagine someone deciding to “step up” in the Mopar line up.
Getting their first ever automatic transmission, possibility a v-8 and the chrome and two tone, they would have thought they were in the world of tomorrow.
I wish the cars of today could have that effect. A 2016 Charger and a 2020 Chrysler 300 would be the closest matchup and I have to admit I struggle to look at that with the same excitement that I think occurred years ago.
Makes you think the world of autonomous transportation modules is getting closer and closer to reality.
Weird isn’t it? Now people get excited about upgrading their phones or the latest video games.
The car that speaks to me is the Ranch Wagon. I love those early ’50s Fords, and a two door wagon! Hopefully with a six and three on the tree! The second is that ‘ 50 Buick Sedanette. It’s got a face that only an orthodontist could love. I like fastbacks of all kinds. Back when I was a little kid my Uncle had a ’49 Cadillac fastback. It was the lower line car and it seemed pretty plain to me at the time, especially compared to my Dad’s new, black and red, ’59 Impala coupe. I was surprised to see the door panels of the Packard,the upper panel which appears to be made of real wood. Then the horizontal chrome art deco strip at the top. Though it looks dowdy Today, when these cars debuted they were considered to be quite fashionable. It kind of funny that the only hing sexy about the Nash, was the hood ornament! My Dad once had the earlier model bathtub design. I’ve got a picture of him posing next to it in the very early 1950s.
I’ll bet the well preserved examples had been one owner cars that had been garaged most of their lives. I remember the how old folks in the neighborhood ( That would be me…Tim!) would back their well maintained old cars out of the garage on Saturday afternoon for a wash. They wanted them to be clean for church on Sunday and the drive over to a relative’s house for a visit and dinner. These cars were usually pretty conservative models, four door sedans in sedate colors, but every once in a while there would be a surprise.
The question of who will want to buy these cars is a very good one. If a car is not a fancy hardtop coupe from a popular marque, it will be a hard sell. I could see a couple of the cars slammed with whitewalls as “rat rods.” Unless there is a personal connection where the car reminds you of Sundays spent at your Grandfolks, or other older relatives, I can’t see much interest. Sometimes the sellers think they can make a lot of money with these cars and price them too high. I think they chase away the people that would like to own and preserve a car like this.
I think that Ranch Wagon has a V8. I see traces of where the emblem was.
The Chevy or Ford vans for me I like original cars but over here they seem not to sell so well a friend has had a 1940 Hillman parked in his shed for over 20 years its untouched from new and still as delivered but with the paint removed from the brightwork which proved to be silver paint not chrome he did try selling it but no serious enquiries so he gave it to a guy who has a Rootes group museum so now its been preserved for ever but I got his 66 Station wagon and it will be driven as they are supposed to be once I get time to go and collect it.
The inside of the Dodge is showroom. No wear or scratches on anything. It must have been stored for nearly its entire life!
Love looking at cars of this era, mainly because of childhood memories of Dad’s 1950 Chevy. I’m most intrigued by the last car shown (the ’52 Plymouth), as it’s also in my neck of the woods. Can you give more detail as to where this car is located?
This is all I know:
https://newjersey.craigslist.org/pts/d/ridgefield-park-1952-plymouth-cranbrook/7226221428.html
Thanks! I was hoping it was at Nostalgia Motors or Kanter so I could do a stroll-by. (For others’ edification, those shops do repair/restoration of classic cars in the aforementioned Boonton, NJ.)
While the ’53 Ford is not a bad looking car, it does evoke the look of the 1949 Ford. I’m afraid not in the best way, as I think the ’49 has a better look. The bullet nose on the ’49 creates a strong presence, whereas on the ’53 it is just a round doorknob in the centre of the grille.
The ’52 Plymouth is in pretty decent shape inside and out. Maybe an older restoration, possibly?
Great photos, thanks for grabbing these for us.
Anyone in the market to acquire an old car in driver condition priced under $10K is advised to visit the AACA Forum For Sale sections frequently as a number of us highlight such cars found on Craigslists, Facebook Marketplace and other sources. Keeping an open mind as far as make, model and year will give you a wide choice to select from. There are a lot of cars coming on the market as the generation ages out and there is a long supply, Come take a look and good luck.
“Old, rounded, slow,” but that’s what makes cars of this era so endearing. Also, they are more honest and better suited for carrying people with their higher seating positions.
CC effect: Just this past Wednesday, we passed by this 54 Plymouth for sale on the lot of an independent car repair shop in Sperryville, VA. Asking price is an optimistic $7500, but it does appear to be in decent condition and is said to be driveable.
How often does one come across a two-tone green car today?
Double CC Effect (spotted this on the other side of town):
Now TRIPLE! This was just 2 blocks away. Boonton must have more old cars per capita than any town in North Jersey.
Wow, a three-fer! To me, another part of these cars’ appeal is because they are so unstylish, they are cool! But in their day, they were very practical, economical daily drivers. Really the opposite of 60s full-size Detroit V8 dreamboats that were huge, low, flat, and thirsty.
I really enjoyed these, Thanksgiving being kind of a thankful-wistful sort of respite from many daily routines (well, maybe not here in 2020).
Romanticism: That’s why the ’53 Ford grabs my heart the most by far. My father was a career Ford guy, I was born in ’53, etc. etc. I’ve said it before, but if I had a third garage slot, this car and many others would tempt me.
Some very keen analysis above about the market for driver cars “of a certain age,” like these. 58L8134 had that useful hint about AACA—I think I’ll take a peek there before retiring tonight.
Those pre-1955 cars seemed to disappear from the roads (around my home turf) pretty early in the 1960s; I think I would have been astounded to see one when I was taking Drivers Ed in 1969. Today, a 15-to-20-year-old car is pretty unremarkable…
I loved these as well. It is sad that they are probably all doomed. Either buyers price them too high so that they will sit and deteriorate further, or someone will buy for the right price then find that the cost to make a presentable driver out of it is prohibitive, then they try (but fail) to recoup their investment.
Do I see in the picture of the Green Plymouth Plaza that there is a vintage 1989 Imperial? Laughs for the 1953 Plymouth Cranbrook 2-door sedan because we had a school teacher in our building in The Bronx who in 1950 bought this car in gray, nothing too flashy for a fifties Plus spinster. We wouldn’t want to look flashy, oh, no! Nice pictures and good memories for old folks.
While the Packard is a parts car, it is a top-of-the-line Custom Eight, parts which are the rarest and hardest to find.
One the ’53 Nash, its a hands-down bargain, better act fast!
https://forums.aaca.org/topic/353897-for-sale-1953-nash-ambassador-7800-stroudsburg-pa-not-mine/?tab=comments#comment-2135667
My family actually owned 2 of the cars pictured here: the early 50s Dodge, bought brand new (though ours was a solid blue/grey) and that early 50s Plymouth (though not a Cranbrook, but a Super Deluxe and without wide whitewalls) painted more of a purple color.
No, these cars didn’t stop, go, or turn easily, think 50s pickup truck but with a sedan body, but they were tough as nails.
Our Plymouth was well under $1,000 when bought at the ripe old age of 12-13 years while I doubt my father paid more than $2,000 For his new Dodge in 1952.
These cars are so outclassed by anything built from 1955 onwards…even from the independents. The Chrysler products, especially, are so staid.
But those Mopars from that period are the most consistently well made Mopars ever made. About even with Packard back then. Even an entry level Plymouth. From 1957 to this day they are hit and miss compared to the competition. We have had great luck with later model ones we owned, but I know many others who have not.
Cars like this are getting harder to sell. There are now very few people who have a personal connection to something this old. And for those who simply want an old car without such connection, this is not the most appealing era to get into. Both later and earlier cars seem to get more interest, someone would much sooner give a new home to either a pre-war car or a muscle car before a ’50 Plymouth would show up on their radar.
But I, always a contrarian, prefer the understated substance of these early 1950s underdogs to late 1950s ephemeral bling. That Dodge really speaks to me, especially the interior. If I was in the market, I’d be interested in checking it out. The Nash would probably be my second choice out of these.