Tri-Power Triviatm questions: 1. What was the last model year for Plymouth production? 2. Name the title and artist of the 1957 pop song that contains the lyrics, “Do the dance sensation that is sweepin’ the nation ___ ___ ___”. 3. The Plaza was the base line Plymouth for 1957 and the Fury was top-of-the-line model. What two other Plymouth models comprised the Plymouth lineup for 1957? Answers at end of story.
Over the past dozen or so years, I’ve written many a story about flagship, top-of-the-line automobiles– Impalas, Starfires, Galaxie 500s and the like including last week’s story about the DeSoto Adventurer. In the Plymouth family, my archives include numerous stories about the sensational, sporty and high powered Furys. But what I, admittedly, often overlook are the entry level, bread and butter models that often make up a significant portion of production and sales. And these are the cars that many of us knew best because not all of our parents could afford the top-of-the-line models.
The year was 1957. The Soviet Union launched the first space satellite Sputnik; movies included Twelve Angry Men and The Bridge Over the River Kwai, and Perry Mason and Maverick debuted on the silver tube. The average wage earner made $5,500 annually, gasoline was thirty-one cents per gallon (unless there was a gas war going on); the average home was around $18,000 and the minimum wage was just $1.00 per hour. McDonalds corporation had just two years under its belt under the direction of new owner Ray Kroc. He opened his first restaurant in Des Plains, Illinois in 1955.
While the average new car rolled off the lot for around $2,500 in 1957, my friend Howard’s father would have only shelled out $2, 134 for his new Plymouth Plaza.
Howard’s dad was fairly well off, working as a chemical engineer for Shell Oil Company at their plant in Wood River, Illinois. The family had a comfortable home in Ferguson, Missouri, but his father was a frugal man… a penny pincher of the nth degree. While mom did the shopping for the family of four, along with working as a substitute teacher in the Ferguson School District, Mr. Hunze, a quite man, spent most of his home time in seclusion, tinkering with his massive O gauge Lionel train set in the basement.
His Plymouth Plaza provided his daily transportation back and forth to his job at the Shell refinery, a twenty mile drive each way. Although the entry level Plaza, the essence of “plain Jane” transportation, was available with V-8 power, I’m certain Howard’s dad went with the standard “PowerFlow” six. With 230 cubic inches of displacement, it managed to churn out 132 horsepower at 3,200 rpm. Those old Plymouths sixes were known for being dependable and efficient power plants that would run nearly forever without a problem.
Just as reliable as the engines were Mopar’s venerable PowerFlite 2-speed and Torque-Flite 3-speed automatic transmissions for an extra $180 and $220 respectively, but I’m pretty sure Mr. Hunze’s Plymouth had the three speed manual version which didn’t require digging any deeper into his Levis pocket than necessary. And I’m certain that the manual tune AM radio, was not to be found in the dash of his Plaza. That would have run another $76. And remember those popular spun stainless wheel covers on the ‘57 Plymouths? They were called “Plymouth cones” and were often chosen to adorn other than Plymouth automobiles. My dad and I had a pair on his 1962 Oldsmobile Starfire (see a photo of them and the car on my web site). Well those cones would have cost Mr. Hunze another $18 for cryin’ out loud. And white sidewall tires? Thirty-three dollars more! “Heck no” is probably what Mr. H. told the salesman.
What color would you expect conservative Mr. Hunze’s car to be? Medium Sky Blue of course… not too dark, not too bright and definitely not too flashy.
My aunt Dorothy would have appreciated the thriftiness of the Plymouth Plaza, but the stark sides, devoid of any bright work was not her style. My uncle Gene, an engineer of the mechanical kind, took care of her by purchasing high line Oldsmobiles and Cadillacs for the most part.
Be sure to visit my web site at THEFINMAN.COM to see more photos of 1957 Plymouths and pages from the sales brochure. And yes, more stuff. Meanwhile, Keep on Cruisin’!
UPCOMING EVENTS: A special Christmas Breakfast with The FIN MAN will be held from 9 a.m. until noon, on Friday, December 18th, a week before Christmas. We’ll play FINS For FUNtm at 10 a.m. for which you can win some really cheesy (but useful) prizes. Dress like Santa and bring that special car with you if you have one (if the weather holds out). I’ll be at the McDonalds located at 350 S. Kirkwood Rd (S. Lindbergh), Kirkwood, MO 63122, rain, snow or shine.
OPPORTUNITY: I’m still looking for that special person to help me syndicate the Old Car Column. If you think you have what it takes, e-mail me at the_fin_man@msn.com.
Tri-Power Triviatm answers: 1. The final Plymouth, a Neon, was assembled on 28 June 2001, with a total of 38,657 built for the model year. 2. The song was At the Hop, performed by Danny & The Juniors. 3. Next up from Plaza was the Savoy, and just below the Fury was the Belvedere.
Tri-Power Triviatm questions: 1. What was the last model year for Plymouth production? 2. Name the title and artist of the 1957 pop song that contains the lyrics, “Do the dance sensation that is sweepin’ the nation ___ ___ ___”. 3. The Plaza was the base line Plymouth for 1957 and the Fury was top-of-the-line model. What two other Plymouth models comprised the Plymouth lineup for 1957? Answers at end of story.
Over the past dozen or so years, I’ve written many a story about flagship, top-of-the-line automobiles– Impalas, Starfires, Galaxie 500s and the like including last week’s story about the DeSoto Adventurer. In the Plymouth family, my archives include numerous stories about the sensational, sporty and high powered Furys. But what I, admittedly, often overlook are the entry level, bread and butter models that often make up a significant portion of production and sales. And these are the cars that many of us knew best because not all of our parents could afford the top-of-the-line models.
The year was 1957. The Soviet Union launched the first space satellite Sputnik; movies included Twelve Angry Men and The Bridge Over the River Kwai, and Perry Mason and Maverick debuted on the silver tube. The average wage earner made $5,500 annually, gasoline was thirty-one cents per gallon (unless there was a gas war going on); the average home was around $18,000 and the minimum wage was just $1.00 per hour. McDonalds corporation had just two years under its belt under the direction of new owner Ray Kroc. He opened his first restaurant in Des Plains, Illinois in 1955.
While the average new car rolled off the lot for around $2,500 in 1957, my friend Howard’s father would have only shelled out $2, 134 for his new Plymouth Plaza.
Howard’s dad was fairly well off, working as a chemical engineer for Shell Oil Company at their plant in Wood River, Illinois. The family had a comfortable home in Ferguson, Missouri, but his father was a frugal man… a penny pincher of the nth degree. While mom did the shopping for the family of four, along with working as a substitute teacher in the Ferguson School District, Mr. Hunze, a quite man, spent most of his home time in seclusion, tinkering with his massive O gauge Lionel train set in the basement.
His Plymouth Plaza provided his daily transportation back and forth to his job at the Shell refinery, a twenty mile drive each way. Although the entry level Plaza, the essence of “plain Jane” transportation, was available with V-8 power, I’m certain Howard’s dad went with the standard “PowerFlow” six. With 230 cubic inches of displacement, it managed to churn out 132 horsepower at 3,200 rpm. Those old Plymouths sixes were known for being dependable and efficient power plants that would run nearly forever without a problem.
Just as reliable as the engines were Mopar’s venerable PowerFlite 2-speed and Torque-Flite 3-speed automatic transmissions for an extra $180 and $220 respectively, but I’m pretty sure Mr. Hunze’s Plymouth had the three speed manual version which didn’t require digging any deeper into his Levis pocket than necessary. And I’m certain that the manual tune AM radio, was not to be found in the dash of his Plaza. That would have run another $76. And remember those popular spun stainless wheel covers on the ‘57 Plymouths? They were called “Plymouth cones” and were often chosen to adorn other than Plymouth automobiles. My dad and I had a pair on his 1962 Oldsmobile Starfire (see a photo of them and the car on my web site). Well those cones would have cost Mr. Hunze another $18 for cryin’ out loud. And white sidewall tires? Thirty-three dollars more! “Heck no” is probably what Mr. H. told the salesman.
What color would you expect conservative Mr. Hunze’s car to be? Medium Sky Blue of course… not too dark, not too bright and definitely not too flashy.
My aunt Dorothy would have appreciated the thriftiness of the Plymouth Plaza, but the stark sides, devoid of any bright work was not her style. My uncle Gene, an engineer of the mechanical kind, took care of her by purchasing high line Oldsmobiles and Cadillacs for the most part.
Be sure to visit my web site at THEFINMAN.COM to see more photos of 1957 Plymouths and pages from the sales brochure. And yes, more stuff. Meanwhile, Keep on Cruisin’!
UPCOMING EVENTS: A special Christmas Breakfast with The FIN MAN will be held from 9 a.m. until noon, on Friday, December 18th, a week before Christmas. We’ll play FINS For FUNtm at 10 a.m. for which you can win some really cheesy (but useful) prizes. Dress like Santa and bring that special car with you if you have one (if the weather holds out). I’ll be at the McDonalds located at 350 S. Kirkwood Rd (S. Lindbergh), Kirkwood, MO 63122, rain, snow or shine.
OPPORTUNITY: I’m still looking for that special person to help me syndicate the Old Car Column. If you think you have what it takes, e-mail me at the_fin_man@msn.com.
Tri-Power Triviatm answers: 1. The final Plymouth, a Neon, was assembled on 28 June 2001, with a total of 38,657 built for the model year. 2. The song was At the Hop, performed by Danny & The Juniors. 3. Next up from Plaza was the Savoy, and just below the Fury was the Belvedere.