Looking for someone who owns a 2 door sedan.

[Scott]

I just brought my "new" Plymouth home on the weekend. ('30 U 4 door sedan) I am super excited to get started. I will be converting it to a 2 door and would like to communicate with someone who would be willing to send me some exact measurements and perhaps some direct side view shots so I can duplicate it. Please let me know if you are willing to help.

Scott

[1930]

I may be wrong but dont think you will find much help here, we ( I guess I should only speak for myself ) are interested in preserving and restoring cars to original, there are a billion hot rods and twice as many sites that cater to that sort of follow the leader type mentality, I would wish you luck but.....

[chetbrz]

Scott,

I would just like to say that the majority of users of this site are into preserving the originality of these cars.   Of course this value isn't always shared by all who own them.   You are of course welcome and for those parts that you choose to cast off.., this site might be a place where they may find a good home.

I love your enthusiasm and appreciation for an 80 year old Plymouth basket case.  As far as I am concerned if you are able to put this automobile back on the road that's a plus for the brand in general.  Are you thinking of a MOPAR Hemi to keep it Chrysler or some other powerhouse?  Just curious.

As and aside, the original 1929 Plymouth frame was bolted together.  This might present a problem for you with a modern powerhouse under the hood.   Although not everyone on this site will be interested in your project I would certainly be interested in how it turns out.  After all we may not always agree but we are all, deep down, car guys.

Welcome to this forum,

Chet...   

[Rusty]

It is better to have your donator parts to keep others on the road vs just junking those parts.   I would also be interested in your project as it progresses.  What engine are you thinking of?  rusty

[Scott]

Well as you can see by the photo preserving originality is not an issue here since it is so far gone. We are going to shoot for a resurrection rather than a restoration. On another note, the gentleman from whom I purchased this project is restoring a '29 Desoto and was going to use this car as a donor car for some of the parts he needed. Thankfully he was convinced by a pile of money that I should have it instead.

Now I really hope not to offend as I am new here and hope to be welcome.....

My plan is to run a 5 speed, 9", MII, boxed frame with a cage and a 362ci Cleveland headed Windsor that hits about 550hp at 7500rpm.

[chetbrz]

Scott,

Just an FYI your car might be a 30-U not a 29-U.  The 29 had a very narrow radiator trim.  If it is a thirty it was Plymouth's first all steel body and it would have a welded frame.   Can you post a picture of the dash ?   550 hp as apposed to Walter P's 34 hp in the 1929 and 48 hp in the 30U, hopefully you should be able to kick some T bucket butt.

Chet...

[Rusty]

Are you going to run fenders?  Any roof chopping?  I am more of chopped roof but not channeled type of guy?
Could you post a photo of the gas gauge?
thanks
rusty

[Scott]

Thanks so much for the input. I had a quick look at the frame and all the components seem to be bolted or riveted together. Here is a picture of the dash and the gas gauge.

Yes part of my excitement when I found this car was the completeness of it. I will be running fenders and once I get dimensions for the 2 door conversion and complete that step, the roof comes off, the cage goes in and when the roof goes back on it will be 3" lower. I will section out the rear window so it will remain the same size.

Scott

[Gary 30U]

It appears from looking at the pictures of the car and the dash that you actully have an early 1930 30U. As stated, the 30's had the wide sided radiator shell and the 29's was a very narrow shell. The 29's dash was a little different as well. The early 30's had the rectangular rear window like your car and the later 30's had an oval rear window.

Another way to tell is that the 29's had a lot of wood in the doors and the 30's had "an all steel body". The only wood was basically to attach upholstery to.

If you want to post the serial number from your car (on a plate on the passenger door post) I can tell you in about what week it was produced, assuming it is a US built car.

Gary

[Scott]

Thanks Gary,

It seems everyone from south of the border has said the same thing. Early 1930. The only part that has me a little confused is the amount of wood in the car. The doors are all steel, but the door frames and all inner structure is wood. The floor is all steel except for the bottom of the firewall and the very front of the floor. This is a Canadian made car so I will do some research in Canada and see what I can come up with. Perhaps some 30U components were introduced earlier north of the border. I 'll see if I can find out and let you know.

[Doug]

The dash is just like my early 30U, and yes even though it was advertised as an all steel body there was still a good bit of wood in it

[Scott]

Thanks Doug,

Yeah I did some further looking here north of the border and it is the same up here. It is a 1930 30U. I am grateful for all the input. Still open to anyone with a 30U 2 door for measurements. I was lucky enough to have mopardave measure his '28 Model Q, but am still open to anyone who has a 30U.

Cheers,

             Scott

[Gary 30U]

Scott, Sorry for the delay in responding. I know I took the measurements before, but apparently got sidetracked before posting.

Anyway, my 30U Business coupe door measures as follows: Top 34 and 1/8 inch; belt (just above the door handle) 34 inched even; Bottom 33 and 7/8 inches.

Gary

[Scott]

Awesome Gary,

Thank you so much for this input. Just in case anyone else is interested in this info. This confirms that there is a difference between the model Q and model U body dimensions, as the Q measured 37 1/4.

Thanks again Gary.

[Scott]

oops 37 3/16