In my search for vintage images, I occasionally come across enough to put together a short story through visuals. And this is such a case; a family traveling in their 1950 Plymouth from the California desert to snow country.
The original uploader dated these images to 1959. If so, the Plymouth seems to be holding pretty well, being that it’s a few years old by then. And its owners seem to be a pragmatic bunch, unconcerned with the flashier late-50s vehicles parked at a motel next to their no-nonsense Plymouth.
Related CC reading:
Curbside Classic: 1951 Plymouth Cranbrook – Automotive Immortality
Cohort Classic: 1950 Plymouth All-Steel Wagon – The First Modern Station Wagon
Repair Shop Classic: 1950 Plymouth – Hearty Meatloaf
The number of old Plymouths of this generation still in regular use in Iowa City in the early ’60s was substantial. They had developed a rep for being exceptionally durable. The General Manager of the Iowa City Transit system drove one as a winter beater in 1975-1976, and it showed no sign of rust, but then Iowa City didn’t use salt.
I read that Plymouths of that period commanded more than Fords or Chevys – a premium – because they were better engineered and more durable
Great set of photos and your essay! Yes, these cars held up well. My mother somehow made her 1950 Dodge go fast. It was a comfortable car, too.
It’s remarkable to see how the body style of these is so similar to the GM bodies of ’49-’52 Chevys & Pontiacs.
Ford went out on its own with styling in ’49 and again ’52 while Chrysler and GM took a more conservative evolutionary approach at the time.
And it’s amazing to see a 1930ish vehicle in that last photo (given that the picture dates to the late ’50’s). With the snow and possibility of ski boots in that photo, I wonder if this is at some ski resort, and if that 1930ish vehicle might have one of those converted to rear tracks?
’32 Ford Model B or V8 maybe?
The scene is a reminder that snow was likely more of a concern back then, with RWD being the norm. In the 60s, when I started to be interested in vehicles, I recall my parents maybe having snow tires during the season, but don’t recall other traction measures such as putting weight in the trunk. Somehow we got by, Maybe in the era of this Plymouth a VW was one of the better vehicles in snow.
@Paul Mittermaier – I also wonder what the truck-like vehicle is to the left in the last photo. Maybe a Jeep? If so one of the few 4WD vehicles of the era. It does seem quite low to the ground, as if not stock.
Tall skinny tires, loaded near maximum, do better in snow than todays oversized for vehicle weight, wide ones. Grandpa had seasonal snows on his cars, living in the Sierras. Still, chain requirements applied to all except 4×4 when in effect. I first experienced snow driving in a ’65 Impala wagon with 8×14’s and Allstate chains. Wagon body put more weight in back and never skidded or got stuck. Years later it was the VW bus with snows and I was waved past chain checkpoints like the 4×4’s.
Nice, it being a coupe is all the better .
These ‘Keller Cars’ littered So. Cal. well into the late 1970’s .
Yes, better engineering and more durable paint & chrome too .
That pickup looks Ford to me .
-Nate
Agree that the Keller-era cars were quite durable and rust resistant.
Here is a 1950 Dodge Coronet that we came across behind a restaurant in 2007; even though it was not a driver, the body was solid and the chrome was mostly shiny.