1948 Plymouth Special Deluxe

The Plymouth marque helped the Chrysler Corporation weather the Depression years, as its low-priced vehicles competed head-on with Ford and Chevrolet. Introduced on July 7th, 1928, at Madison Square Garden, the four-cylinder Plymouth offered features that helped segregate it from the other lower-priced models in the crowded automobile market, with full-pressure lubrication, aluminum pistons, and hydraulic braking. By 1933, Plymouth was the United States auto industry's third largest selling.

Post-War Plymouth
When the government allowed civilian automobile production to resume following World War II, Plymouth was one of the first out of the gate, and like so many other automakers, offered a refreshed pre-war model. Over fifty improvements were fitted to the post-war models, as Plymouth marketing material proudly declared, 'Engineering magic greets you right from the start. You don't grope for a starter button or pedal. You don't pull on a choke. You simply turn the ignition key—and the engine starts.' Post-war Plymouth models included the DeLuxe and Special DeLuxe, with the latter being fitted with additional accessories, accouterments, and brightwork over the standard DeLuxe. A new grille at the front helped distinguish the 1946 Plymouth from its pre-war Series P-15 Special Deluxe sibling.

The mildly refreshed Plymouths would satisfy consumers' demand for new vehicles until the arrival of an all-new range in 1949. As Plymouth focused its design and engineering efforts on the 1949 models, only minor annual updates were introduced, and for 1948 it was a reduction in wheel diameter from 16 to 15 inches.

Mechancial Specification
The 218 cubic-inch inline L-head 6-cylinder unit was the same as the prewar unit, with a Downdraft carburetor, 6.6:1 compression, solid valve lifters, four main bearings, and 95 horsepower at 3,600 RPM> It was paired with a three-speed manual transmission and stopping power was courtesy of drum brakes. The suspension was independent at the front with coil springs, while the rear featured a solid axle with semi-elliptic leaf springs. Both the Deluxe and Special Deluxe rested atop a 117-inch wheelbase chassis.

Body Style
The Deluxe Six was offered as a coupe, club coupe, and a two- and four-door sedan with prices that crested the $1,000 mark. The Special Deluxe Six, offered with those same body styles (priced at approximately $100 higher), added a convertible and an eight-passenger station wagon. The four-door sedan listed at $1,240 in 1946, the convertible at $1,440, and the station wagon at $1,540.

Production totals were listed for 1946 to 1948, with the four-door sedan being the most popular Special Deluxe body style with a total of 514,986 units built. A total of 156,629 examples were club coupes, 125,704 were two-door sedans, 31,399 were two-door, three-passenger coupes, and 15,295 were convertibles. The most exclusive Special Deluxe Six (Series P-15) was the station wagon with 12,913 units built.

The 1948 Plymouth Special Deluxe
The most significant change to the 1948 Plymouths was the aforementioned reduction in tire size. Prices had risen rather significantly, with the two-door sedan now selling at $1,530, its two-door counterpart at $1,470, the convertible at $1,860, and the station wagon at $2,070. The club coupe was $1,500, and the coupe at $1,440.

The L-head 217.8 cubic-inch engine continued to offer 95 horsepower, and all models rested on a 117-inch wheelbase with an overall length of 196.75 inches. The station wagon was slightly shorter at just over 195 inches.

Plymouth offered an extensive list of optional equipment that included a radio and antenna, seat covers, directional signals, fog lamps, spot lamps, deluxe steering wheel, dual windshield wipers, license plate frames, an outside rear-view mirror, grille guard, and wind guards (among others).

by Daniel Vaughan | Apr 2023