Featured on AutoHunter, the online auction platform driven by ClassicCars.com, is this 1934 Plymouth Deluxe Business Coupe.
This car takes a vastly different approach when compared to the recent hot-rodded 1933 Plymouth sedan I wrote about from the same era. It demonstrates just how wide of a variety there can be for cars that both started out with similar architecture. Today’s featured vehicle stays true to most of its original equipment, right down to the 16-inch “Artillery” style wheels, a flathead motor, manual drum brakes. The 90-year-old car is being sold by a private party in Benton, Kansas, and the auction will end on Monday.
In the early 1930s, drivetrain simplicity was the name of the game. Power comes from a 201cid flathead inline-six mated to a three-speed manual transmission. The car was rated at 77 horsepower when new.
I was able to track down a comparison chart that outlined key specifications for cars from Chevrolet, Ford, and Plymouth for model year 1934. It states that the cars ranged from $535 (for the Ford) to $610 (for the Plymouth) when new. According to an inflation calculator, the $610 price tag in 1934 comes out to $14,039 in 2024. That strikes me as a relative bargain!
Some of the equipment was similar across the three vehicle brands (for example, all of them had three-speed transmission) but some was quite different. For example, the Ford used a V8 whereas the other two employed six-cylinder powerplants.
One of the things that stood out to me about this Plymouth was the fact that the gauge cluster reads “Floatation Power.” This struck me as an odd feature for a vehicle that is designed for land-use only, so I dug a little deeper. It turns out that “floatation” in this case referred to how the engine was attached to the chassis. In an effort to reduce vibration, the engine was mounted at only two points. The design was first developed by Chrysler in the 1920s.
There is a lot to love about this old Plymouth, and I am particularly fond of the gray metallic paint job which is carried through to the 16-inch wheels. The spare tire carrier is a nice touch, and even the brightwork looks well-kept. If a bone-stock Plymouth is more your speed than the recently-sold bright orange resto mod, you will want to give this one a closer look.
The auction for this 1934 Plymouth Deluxe Business Coupe ends Monday, March 11, 2024 at 11:30 a.m. (MST)
Visit the AutoHunter listing for more information and photo gallery
Passing by the orange one, I’d just assume someone slapped a fiberglass body on a mustang chassis (or whatever they use), as they seemed pretty dime-a-dozen once upon a time, but this one really stands out to me. I’m not a purist by any means, but I like an original interior and period-correct drivetrain, with performance upgrades (I don’t even know what you call that).
Nice to see a 30s era Plymouth with a Chrysler Corp. engine in it. Why people put GM engines in Plymouths absolutely baffles me.