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

Rosengart

France, 1928 – 1955

(1) Automobiles L. Rosengart, Neuilly-sur-Seine, 1928 – 1937

(2) Société Industrielle de l’Ouest Parisienne, Paris, 1937 – 1955

The first Rosengart cars were made in the old Bellanger factory under the direction of Lucien Rosengart and Jules Salomon (the designer of the original Citroëns). The Rosengart cars were Austin Sevens built under licence, and differed from their British prototypes mainly in matters of styling: for example the ribbon radiator shells, not adopted by Birmingham until late 1930. Production had reached 28 Rosengart cars a day by the summer of 1930, and the Austin theme was continued by Rosengart cars until the end of pre-World War 2 production, though 1932 and subsequent Rosengart cars had a longer wheelbase and semi-elliptic rear suspension. By 1939, when a roadster Rosengart car could be bought for the equivalent of £78, the chassis had channel-section side members. In the 1932 range of Rosengart cars there was also a 1.100cc 20bhp 6-cylinder, which Rosengart car was virtually an elongated 5CV with 3-speed gearbox and vacuum-servo brakes. A line of fwd 4-cylinder sv Rosengart cars began in 1933, with transverse independent front suspensions, built under Adler licence and based on the German company’s 1.6-litre Trumpf. A more conventional rear-driven Rosengart car was sold ast he ‘8/40’.

Fwd Rosengart cars were still marketed in 1939, but by this time the Rosengart cars were based on the 11CV Citroën, from which they derived their 1.9-litre ohv engines, 3-speed synchromesh gearboxes, and hydraulic brakes. Sporting 2-door saloon Rosengart car and cabriolet bodies were mounted on a platform-type chassis. Similar bodies were used on the 1947 Super-Trahuit, but the Super-Traction fwd structure now housed a 95bhp 3.9-litre sv Mercury engine. Such a car was an unrealistic proposition in the prevailing economic climate, and 1952 brought Rosengart cars a return to the Austin Seven theme – the sv 747cc engine now gave 21bhp, and the Rosengart Ariette and Rosengart Artisane saloons had modern styling, transverse independent front suspension and hydraulic brakes. Speeds of 60mph were claimed on these Rosengart cars.

The last of the line of Rosengart cars, the Rosengart Sagaie of 1954, abandoned the old sv four in favour of a 40bhp, 750cc, ohv air-cooled flat-twin engine. Saloon and convertible models Rosengart cars were made, and it was said to do 70mph, but failed to compete with Renault and Panhard.

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