One of the greatest item-by-item beneficiaries of the amped - up auto grocery was the 1955 Plymouth . A " perfect violent storm " of styling zing and V-8 - engineperformance broom through the American auto industry in 1955 . The result was an industry disc for the yr in which more than 7.1 million of the 1955 - model - year cars were sell .
Having slip from its traditional third - home perch in sales to fourthly behind Buick in 1954 , Chrysler Corporation ’s depleted - Mary Leontyne Price make bounced back handsomely in 1955 , turning out 704,454 railway car .
That was n’t enough for a replication to its wait sale situation ( that would take another couple of years to accomplish ) , but it did mark a 52 - pct increase from the year before and a little increase in mart part to back near 10 percent .
The stumpy , bundle look that made Plymouth seem out of step with " longer , lower , wider " taste in the 1953 - 54 catamenia was neatly swept away for 1955 . Virgil Exner ’s " Forward Look " set a new styling focus for all of Chrysler ’s brands .
As execute under the direction of Plymouth principal stylist Maury Baldwin , the 1955 Plymouths unfold for an visual aspect of length , with front pilot that angled forward as they rose to their peaks and rear quarter that did besides in the opposite commission . Only a grooved discussion section at the grille center and triangular taillight lenses contribute some visual joining to the model that came before .
Two new ohv V-8 engines provide lively choice to the bear - over lambert - promontory six : a 241 - cid job good for 157 bhp , and a 260 - regular hexahedron powerplant that made 167 bhp with a two - barrelcarburetoror 177 with a four - port carb .
PowerFlite automatic transmission system – with a splashboard - mounted control lever – was useable in place of the standard three - f number manual gearbox .
The unexampled Plymouths bait a soma stretched an column inch in wheelbase to 115 inch and upgraded with alterations to the front shock absorbers and rearward springs . Suspended pedals and tubeless tire tires were additional new features .
As had been the casing in 1954 , the humble Plaza , intermediate Savoy , and high - blood line Belvedere series of Plymouths were offered . The Belvedere was the best stocked , offering two- and four - door sedans , a two - door hardtop , and a Suburban station wagon with six - piston chamber or V-8 power , plus a V-8 - onlyconvertible .
The convertible ’s $ 2,351 starting price was bested only by the tab key for the V-8 Belvedere Suburban , but that could n’t keep 8,473 sunshine lover from motoring off from their local Plymouth dealership with one of the ragtops .
When photographed , this doctor convertible was in the collection of the previous note Chrysler - product gatherer Harry DeMenge . Its 260 - Criminal Investigation Command V-8 is team up with the PowerFlite trans . Other options admit a radio and powersteering .
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