McLaughlin (-Buick)

CDN, 1908 – 1922 (McLaughlin); 1923 – 1942 (McLaughlin-Buick)

McLaughlin Motor Car Co Ltd, Oshawa, Ont.

The McLaughlin car company’s slogan was ‘Canada’s Standard Car’. In addition to being a slogan it became a statement of fact for McLaughlin cars. Canada was founded in 1867, and so was the McLaughlin Carriage Company, which began by producing two hand-made sleights. By the turn of the century McLaughlin carriages and sleighs were among the best known and most highly regarded in the country. An attempt to build McLaughlin cars from the ground up failed when the chief-engineer fell sick just as assembly was to start, whereupon McLaughlin cars agreed with W.C. Durant to put Buick engines and some other parts into the McLaughlin cars. The agreement was for 15 years, under terms very favourable to McLaughlin.

The first McLaughlin car was produced in 1908. Mechanically, this McLaughlin car was like the contemporary Bucik 4, but the body was all-Canadian. Production the first year was between 150 and 200 McLaughlin cars. Output climbed to 423 the next year and to 1.098 McLaughlin carsby 1914. It rose slowly to around 6.000 yearly, spurting ahead to 15.000 McLaughlin cars in the final year of 1922. McLaughlin car bodies continued to be different from Buick bodies, and considerably more elaborate for as long as they were made of wood. After that the McLaughlin cars became generally similar, though hoods, dashboards and other fittings and trim continued to be more luxurious on McLaughlin cars. A.P. Sloan, president of General Motors, once spotted a McLaughlin car outside the New York City Buick showroom and flew into a rage lest Buick buyers should see the McLaughlin car and demand similar quality. McLaughlin cars were sold on the reputation of McLaughlin carriages. Very early in their car-building enterprise the name for their McLaughlin cars was changed to Buick, but sales fell so drastically that it was changed back to McLaughlin. From about 1910 until the early 1920s, McLaughlin produced a very full range of McLaughlin cars including a four, a light six and the standard six. These McLaughlin cars were each available in all the usual body styles, often offering a choice in trim. The light six was basically the American Oakland with a McLaughlin nameplate.

In 1915 McLaughlin cars also began producing Chevrolets under licence, but again featuring a somewhat better-finished product than the American company. In 1918 the entire McLaughlin car business was sold to General Motors and became General Motors of Canada. When the original 1907 agreement ran out in 1923 the name of the car was changed to McLaughlin-Buick. Differences in the Canadian car became minute and the McLaughlin prefix was dropped entirely early in World War 2.

In 1927 the McLaughlin car company produced a custom touring car for a visit by the Prince of Wales, and in 1939 two huge convertible limousines McLaughlin cars for the visit of the King and Queen.

Source: Georgano, encyclopedia of motorcar; HD

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Plymouth

US, 1928 to date

Chrysler Corporation, Detroit, Mich.

The 4-cylinder 21hp Plymouth car appeared in 1928 at a list price of $725 for a sedan. This Plymouth car replaced the earlier 4-cylinder Chryslers and represented a serious challenge for Ford and Chevrolet in their lowest price class. The Plymouth car had side valves, internal-expanding hydraulic brakes and ribbon-type radiator and gave the Plymouth car a close resemblance to the 1928 Chryslers and De Sotos, and Plymouth cars sold over 100.000 in its first year, even improving its sales position in the bleak economic climate of 1932. Plymouth cars adhered to four cylinders until 1933, when the Plymouth PD-series 6-cylinder was listed at less than $600. 1934 de luxe models of Plymouth cars had independent front suspension, but this was dropped after a year and did not reappear for some time on Plymouth cars. The standard engine in the later 1930 Plymouth cars had a capacity of 3.3-litres, rather smaller than that used in comparable Chevrolets and Fords: a small-bore 2.8-litre version Plymouth car was made for export up to 1939, but the name Plymouth was not usually found on Plymouth cars sold in England, which were nominally Chrysler Kew and Wimbledon sixes. After World War 2 evolution followed that of other Chrysler Corporation cars closely, the old-fashioned styling losing the Plymouth car division its long-held third place in American sales to Buick. Further, Plymouth cars retained the L-head six as its staple power unit right up to 1955, when Flight Sweep versions were introduced with over-square ohv V8 engines on accepted American lines in a variety of powers from 157 to 177bhp. The capacity of these Plymouth cars had 4.3-litres, while the six, now of 3.8-litres, remained available. These 1955 Plymouth cars were lower and longer than their predecessors and could be obtained with synchromesh, overdrive or automatic gearboxes.

The Plymouth Fury models of the ensuing decade represented a breakaway from the traditional Plymouth stolid family car, while the Plymouth Car Division was also responsible for Chrysler’s contribution to the compacts, the Plymouth Valiant launched for 1960. This Plymouth car had rather more European styling than its competitors, with a dummy spare-wheel moulding on the tail; interesting items of specification were the unitary construction of the Plymouth car, alternator ignition, and inclined in-line 2.8-litre ohv 6-cylinder engine. The influence of the Plymouth GT car on America resulted in the Plymouth Barracuda of 1965, a fastback coupé using the Valiant’s 8ft 10in wheelbase and a 4½-litre V8 power unit. Plymouth cars, like Ford and Chevrolet, was aiming at comprehensive coverage of the low and medium price market in 1966, with the compact Plymouth Valiant, the sports-compact Plymouth Barracuda, the medium-sized Plymouth Belvedere, the full-size Plymouth Fury, and the luxurious ‘VIP’ 4-door hardtop Plymouth car, offered only with a 5.2-litre V8 engine and selling for $2.930. An increasing emphasis on sporting Plymouth cars was detectable by 1968, when in addition to the established Barracuda there were two other sports coupés Plymouth car, the Plymouth GTX and the Plymouth Road Runner. All three Plymouth cars were available with 4-speed manual gearboxes and the 6.981cc 425bhp hemi-head V8 also used by Dodge. In 1970, when Valiant prices started at a low $2.172, there was also a Valiant sports coupé, the Plymouth Duster.

In 1971 Plymouth car company added a sub-compact to their Plymouth car range when they offered the 1½-litre Hillman Avenger as the Plymouth Cricket. The 1972 range of Plymouth cars embraced the Valiant on a 9ft wheelbase, the Barracudas and Satellites, and the full-size Furys with V8 engines and automatic transmission as standard. Engines in the Plymouth cars ranged from the Valiant’s 3.2-litre and 3.7-litre sixes up to the largest Chrysler unit, a V8 of 7.210cc. Electronic ignition was offered on the costliest Barracuda model. Casualties of new Federal regulations were the hemi-head engine and convertibles, and the same range Plymouth cars with minor improvements, among them manually-operated sun roofs, was offerd in 1973.

Source: Georgano, encyclopedia of motorcar; MCS

The information is written with the greatest of care. However, if you have any suggested amendments please contact us at office@prewarcar.com