Key Takeaways
From premium other - Fifties hardtop coupe to fiery top - line series , there ’s a spate of mixed bag to be found under Plymouth ’s Belvedere badge . Here ’s a looking at at the 1951 - 1958 Plymouth Belvedere , the first of the strain , all interesting and long - overlooked collectibles .
Belvedere is scarcely a menage word . Some may recognize it as the name of a fictitious butler portray in a 1980s goggle box series , while others know it as the northwest Illinois town ( spelled Belvidere ) where Chrysler has a plant . But in the Fabulous Fifties , Belvedere ordinarily intend Plymouth ’s best .
The first Belvedere was a two - door hardtop make it a yr behind Chevrolet ’s Bel Air and two age after GM begin the pillarless - coupe craze . Not that there were n’t other Johnny - come - lately hardtops : Ford ’s Victoria also bowed for 1951 , Studebaker ’s Starliner a twelvemonth later . But Plymouth had a habit of being belatedly in the postwar years , often to the peril of Chrysler Corporation itself .
Plymouth had depart late . Introduced on July 7 , 1928 , it was 25 eld behind Ford and 16 years young than Chevy . Yet by the goal of 1929 , Walter P. Chrysler ’s novel low - cost contender had rocket to tenth situation in an industry field of 36 . Sales declined in 1930 , but not as much as most makes , and Plymouth finish fifth , ahead of sister segmentation Dodge and Chrysler as well as Essex , Studebaker , and Nash . Mid-1931 brought the PA serial publication , with fresh styling and the smoothness of " Floating superpower " engine mounts ; Plymouth overhauled Buick and Pontiac to claim third .
Two yr afterwards , Plymouth switched from fours to sixes , invited buyer to " see at all three , " and promptly doubled sale even as the Depression bottomed out . Production was well past the half - million mark by 1936 , about equal to combine Buick - Olds - Pontiac output .
Of course , the target was never those GM cause but Ford . Chrysler was out to make Plymouth No . 2 , right behind Chevrolet , and it nearly come after with an beautifully restyled 1940 contrast that sold only 15 pct behind Ford . Yet Dearborn ’s lead was 42 percent by 1947 and better than two - to - one just three years later , when Buick threaten to grab third . By 1954 , Plymouth was 5th ( behind Buick and Olds ) and trailed Ford by an astonishing 71 percent .
Styling was n’t only to blame for Plymouth ’s postwar dip , but it ’s as dependable a office to commence as any . Which inevitably brings up iron - willed Chrysler president Kaufman Thuma Keller . K.T. , as he was always called , had come up through the fabrication ranks and firmly believe in practical products . So though he appreciated fine art , his cars invariably sacrifice beauty for utility . " Smaller on the outside , bigger on the inside " appealed to K.T. , who thought people wanted cars they could ride in with their chapeau on .
Chrysler ’s all - new 1949 fleet thus arrived with high , boxy bodies , lot of dynamic headroom – and stodgy look . But the world really wanted burnished , broken - slung torpedoes , and Keller ’s " three - box " railroad car start losing ground in 1950 , when competitor heated up with the final stage of the postwar seller ’s market . All Chrysler brands felt the heat . Plymouth got bite .
Favoritism compounded the job . With the return of civilian production in the late Forties total shortfall of certain raw materials , notably sheet sword . For multi - line automakers like Chrysler , this lift the interrogation of whether to allocate useable provision among all operations or only those that could turn the biggest and loyal profits .
Post-war Plymouth
What postdate is speculation about why post - war Plymouth sales tanked leading up to the 1951 - 1958 Plymouth Belvedere , but it makes more than a little sense . In 1930 - 37 , K.T. Keller had been worldwide manager of Dodge , which became the diligence ’s No . 4 marketer by 1933 . But by 1938 it had slipped to fifth , then to seventh two year afterward . Did persuasion lead K.T. , as Chrysler chairwoman , to favour his previous division in the former postwar years so as to supercharge its fortunes ? We cerebrate it ’s potential .
In any case , Dodge was supplied largely at Plymouth ’s disbursement . Helped by a protracted strike at GM , it easy overtook Buick - Olds - Pontiac to reclaim fourthly in 1946 , only to fall back again three years subsequently . Plymouth , meanwhile , held onto third despite reduced output that prompted many prospects to corrupt elsewhere – mainly Ford and Chevy . And because " make trueness " counted for something back then , once customers were fall back , they were tough to get back .
Then there was monger trueness – or rather the deficiency of it . ab initio limited to Chrysler outlets , Plymouth was also deal through Dodge and DeSoto monger beginning in 1931 . Having the low - terms ware in all the house ’s franchises not only facilitate them survive " heavy times " but improved Plymouth distribution . But the approximation recoil once right times returned .
As a former Dodge - Plymouth monger explained : " We advertise Plymouth intemperately as our toll - drawing card for pull prospective buyers . But over on the next street were the Chrysler and DeSoto dealers [ who also ] carried Plymouth [ and were thus ] quick to shave a few dollars off our price to make a sales agreement . So our people were instructed to focus the scene ’s attention on Dodge . " As Chrysler and DeSoto agent did the same , labor Plymouth was n’t really anyone ’s top priority .
Belvedere was n’t the last low - price hardtop , but it was n’t the first either . Still , this was one of the smartest closed Plymouths in late memory : far less boxy than the balance of the 1951 line and arguably better - looking than its declamatory Chrysler Corporation cousins , yet hard-nosed enough for even K.T. Keller .
Then too , early postwar Plymouths were as dull to drive as they were to look at . Though expand from 201.3 to 217.8 cubic inches for 1942 , their plodding L - head six had n’t changed much since its previous enlargement back in 1934 . At 95 horsepower through the early-1949 good example and 97 HP thereafter , output was competitive with that of the " Blue Flame Six " Chevy but not the flathead V-8 Ford , the traditional low - cost performance loss leader .
ultimately , Plymouth suffered into the former Fifties by not having a amply reflex transmission . Chevy had pioneered this convenience among small - Mary Leontyne Price makes with two - speed Powerglide for 1950 , and it proved instantly pop . Ford reply the follow twelvemonth with its more efficient , three - hurrying Ford - type O - Matic , and Studebaker also bring off a slushbox .
But K.T. Keller insisted his gondola have a clutch for " honorable control , " so Plymouth did n’t go shiftless until April 1953 . Even then , its optional Hy - Drive was just a semi - automatic of the sort previously reserved for Chrysler ’s elderly lines . You could go forth it in top , but standing - startle quickening was endlessly obtuse ; for best operation you still had to move off in second , then shift to High as with an average manual .
1951-1952 Plymouth Belvedere
The yr 1950 saw the start of historical changes that would dramatically ameliorate the fortunes of both Plymouth and Chrysler Corporation by 1955 , and not just because of the hopeful 1951 - 1952 Plymouth Belvedere . First , K.T. Keller became ship’s company chairman after 15 years in the chairwoman ’s chair , which passed to the dynamic Lester Lum " Tex " Colbert ( pronounced CUL - bert ) .
Already on dining table was Virgil M. Exner , recruited by Keller from the Raymond Loewy squad at Studebaker to head up an advance - design section independent of Henry King ’s production studios . By the winter of 1952 - 1953 , " Ex " would be modifying King ’s initial 1955 designs , which he thought were " stinky . "
Meanwhile , GM had scored a big hitting with the diligence ’s first " hardtop - convertibles , " the 1949 Buick Roadmaster Riviera , Cadillac Series 62 Coupe deVille , and Oldsmobile 98 Holiday . Highland Park replied for 1950 with the Dodge Coronet Diplomat , DeSoto Custom Sportsman , and Chrysler Newports in Windsor , New Yorker , and Town & Country trim . Like the seven prototype T&C hardtops make in 1946 , they were based on exchangeable eubstance - shell , and were thus much more stylish than their sedan and beach waggon running mates yet about as practical .
Plymouth had to watch Chevrolet ’s novel 1950 Bel Air betray a smash 76,662 whole before counter with a hardtop of its own . Predictably perhaps , it was tardy , get in on March 31 , 1951 . But the Belvedere was one of the smartest closed Plymouth in recent memory , far less boxy than the balance of the line and arguably better - looking than its big first cousin . However , it shared their three - piece wraparound rear windowpane , which combined with the pillarless roofline for a swooning , airy appearance , and was most always supply with the roof and low trunk in contrasting colors .
All 1951 Plymouths boast new front sheetmetal that made them seem more " important " than the 1949 - 1950s , plus fresh series figure . The down - end , 111 - in - wheelbase DeLuxe became Concord , while the mid - range , 118.5 - column inch - wheelbase DeLuxe was re - title Cambridge .
The latter ’s chassis was retained for this year ’s adaptation of the top - line of credit Special DeLuxe , called Cranbrook , which included the fresh Belvedere as well as exchangeable , four - threshold sedan , and notchback club coupe / sedan . Cambridge listed only the last two , while Concord bid three - passenger coupe , two - room access fastback sedan , and the pioneering all - brand Savoy and Suburban station waggon . Other than this , there was minuscule Modern to talk about .
There was even less on the 1952s , which were practical 1951 carryovers apart from a revised rear license dental plate lamp / bearer and bolder " Plymouth " lettering above the radiator grille . The Belvedere , though , gain a further distinction in fresh " saddleback " two - toning , with the trunklid painted to jibe the ceiling . Chrome moldings arc down onto the rear fenders from the C - pillars to define the colour breakout , with Belvedere script just below the pillar at the beltline ’s trailing edge .
With the Korean dispute at its height , Chrysler was as to a great extent hire in military production as any car manufacturer , so civilian output was way down this year , Plymouth ’s by a sizable 23.5 percent .
In later years , Plymouth hardtop coupes , like most everyone else ’s , were price about the same as comparably trim four - room access sedan . In the beginning , though , the Belvedere was a premium piece . The 1951 arrived at $ 2,114 , nearly $ 300 more than the Cranbrook four - room access and only $ 108 below the convertible .
The 1952s maintained this feast , though prices uprise by $ 102 . Forecasting the huge popularity of hardtop in general , the Belvedere outsell its receptive - airwave counterpart good than three to one . However , at 51,266 units for 1951 - 52 , it was far directionless of low - price rivals . Ford built 187,606 Victorias for the same period , Chevy 177,990 Bel Airs .
1953-1954 Plymouth Belvedere
full things were coming for the model – but not for the 1953 - 1954 Plymouth Belvedere , as Plymouth marked its twenty-fifth day of remembrance in 1953 with a complete re - style that was n’t altogether successful . Concord was dropped and old models redistribute between Cambridge and Cranbrook on a new in - between , 114 - inch wheelbase .
Despite to the full flush rearward fenders , unruffled front , downcast deck , and the obligatory one - objet d’art windscreen , the result was stubby , almost homely next to this twelvemonth ’s Ford and Chevy , both of which ride one - inch - long wheelbase . The lattice was rummy , its bulging horizontal stripe suggesting an overbite . Mechanical variety were virtually nil apart from the addition of Hy - Drive automatic transmission , though a thin compression cost increase upped the gray-haired six - cylinder railway locomotive to an even 100 horsepower .
Still a top - communication channel model , the 1953 Belvedere wear its name instead of Cranbrook script on the front buffer , plus special straight - street corner upper windshield moldings . Two - toning was more conventional than before , while true wire - speak wheels were new optional in chrome or main body color . Alas , the revise roofline with its reverse - slant C - pillar was unbecoming , rather like an ill - meet hat .
terms come down $ 172 but demand stay about the same , manikin class yield totalling 35,185 building block . More modest price decrease attended other models ( $ 61 on the Cranbrook sedan , for instance ) . Meanwhile , Ford sold over 128,000 Crestline Victoria grueling tops and Chevy moved better than 99,000 Bel Air Sport Coupes .
For 1954 , Belvedere replace Cranbrook as Plymouth ’s top - of - the - line of work , thus emulating Chevy ’s pattern with the 1953 Bel Air . Included were convertible , two - room access Suburban paddy wagon , four - threshold sedan chair , and the familiar hardtop , now called Sport Coupe . Cambridge was retitled Plaza , though two- and four - door sedans , Suburban , curt - pack of cards club coupe , and business organisation coupe were retained . All but the last were duplicated in a fresh mid - range series called Savoy .
Styling was mildly facelifted , with a less awkward grille , more prominent headlamp bezels , and revised spare . Belvederes ( bring through the Suburban ) wore niggling chrome fins on their rear cowcatcher , a forecast of thing to come . Ads charge the 1954s as " Hy Style , " which they definitely were n’t , though Belvedere ’s two - tonicity interiors were attractive enough . The problem was size of it . Though Plymouth sit around an in small than this year ’s Ford , it was five inches shorter . It showed , exacerbate by soundbox lines that were n’t integrate somehow .
The Ford / Chevy price war that had been clobbering most makes ( especially the independents ) since mid-1953 prompted two new Plymouth features in March 1954 . One was the much - needed fully automatic transmitting , Chrysler ’s excellent two - speed PowerFlite . The other was a new standard engine , the 110 - H.P. , 230.2 - cubic - inch six previously reserved for Dodge .
It was little enough : Chevy ’s six was up to 115 horsepower with stickshift or 125 with Powerglide ; Ford ’s fresh overhead - valve V-8 offered 130 .
Plymouth – and thus Chrysler Corporation – had a dismal 1954 . While Chevrolet sale hold relatively steadfast and Ford , Buick , and Olds all enjoyed satisfying profit , Highland Park ’s breadwinner plummeted by intimately 40 percent , fall below third in calendar year production for the first clock time since 1931 .
1955 Plymouth Belvedere
In 1955 , suddenly Plymouth ’s batrachian became a handsome prince . style under Virgil Exner ’s direction by Maury Baldwin , the 1955 Plymouth Belvedere was the most exciting Plymouth ever : satiny , well proportioned , and appreciably quicker .
Wheelbase gain only an inch , thus matching Ford and Chevy , but overall peak was 1.5 inches less and overall length 10.3 inches greater than the 1954 . With fall - away front pilot , hooded headlamp , wrapped windshield , vastly expanded glass areas , shapely rear fenders , and colorful two - toning , it was a transformation as dramatic as this year ’s Chevy .
It was not as big a commercial-grade success , though . Plymouth really built few 1955s than 1954s , dropping from third to 6th in model year production behind Buick , Olds , and Pontiac . Yet that ’s misleading . Demand increased throughout the year , top out with introduction of the 1956s , and the air division arrange a calendar year production record of nearly 743,000 units , with Belvedere the most popular series .
Plymouth ’s first V-8 was the other grown news for 1955 . call " Hy - Fire , " it was a forward-looking , oversquare overhead - valve conception with efficient poly - globose burning sleeping accommodation and atomic number 13 Piston . It went into 61 percent of full output , though the figure of speech would have undoubtedly been high had it been more readily available .
Three rendering were offered . The foundation 241 - three-dimensional - in building block ( dullard and stroke : 3.44 × 3.25 inches ) delivered 157 horsepower at 4,400 revolutions per minute . A bigger caliber ( 3.56 inch ) produce 260 cubic inches and 167 H.P. with two - barrel carb , or 177 horsepower with optional " PowerPak , " four - bbl carb and dual exhausts . The erstwhile Power Flow flathead six returned with high , 7.4:1 compressing and 117 horsepower at 3,600 revolutions per minute .
Transmission choices comprised the usual three - speed column - shift manual of arms , the same with optional overdrive , or the new Power - Flite automatonlike . The last , now ascertain by a willowy wand come out from the dash to the rightfield of the steerage wheel , was fitted to 46 percent of production . With all this , the 1955 Plymouth was aptly bill as " a great new car for the new at pith . "
Handling , already one of Plymouth ’s good features , was further improved . The rear semi - egg-shaped leaf springs were widened to 2.5 inches , and front coil springs were newly wrapped around their blow absorbers . Motor Trendmagazine rated Plymouth " the prosperous cable car to force in 1955 . " melodic phrase conditioning , power window , and power front fundament appear on the option list , while suspended understructure pedal and tubeless tire tyre were standard .
A revised lineup featured a society coupe and four - threshold sedan in each series , Plaza business coupe and two- and four - door Suburban wagons , and Belvedere translatable , Sport Coupe hardtop , and four - threshold Suburban . Six or V-8 were available for all except the convertible , which had the lowly V-8 as standard .
1956 Plymouth Belvedere
Model class 1956 was n’t a great one for Detroit , but Plymouth took a worse trouncing than most , cut-rate sale falling some 39 percentage . Even so , Plymouth ousted Olds from 4th in the production standings , help by the 1956 Plymouth Belvedere .
Styling changes were confined to a reshaped grille and side clipping , plus uplifted rearward fender that furthered the corporate " Forward Look " theme but seemed ill - equate to the basic 1955 styling . example boom as a four - doorway hardtop , pioneered the previous time of year at GM , joined the Belvedere parentage as the Sport Sedan , and Savoy picked up a two - door Sport Coupe . Wagons were now a separate Suburban serial , with Deluxe , Custom , and Sport models paralleling Plaza , Savoy , and Belvedere trimness .
On the engineering side , Plymouth flip from six- to 12 - V electric automobile , and PowerFlite acquired the controversial control pushbuttons ( four , in a pod to the equipment driver ’s left ) that would be a fixture at Highland Park for the next nine years . There was also a gimmicky but unpopular new option : the " Highway Hi Fi " record player .
But with the " H.P. backwash " at full gallop , performance again got Plymouth ’s major emphasis for 1956 . The old six was tweaked ( via 7.6:1 compressing ) to 125 horsepower , while the baseborn Plaza / Savoy V-8 was bored to 3.63 inches for 270 cubic column inch and 180 H.P. at 4,400 revolutions per minute with two - barrel carb , undivided exhaust , and 8.0:1 compaction . Standard Belvedere / Suburban power was a new 277 - cubic - in Hy - Fire ( bore and stroke : 3.75 × 3.13 inch ) with 187 horsepower at 4,400 revolutions per minute . PowerPak hike up that to 200 horsepower .
Then Belvedere was eclipsed as Plymouth ’s best by the Fury , a limited - edition hardtop coupe arriving two calendar month behind the relaxation of the 1956 line . name by showy gold - anodized side clipping and especial interior , it carry a Modern 303 - three-dimensional - in V-8 ( 3.82 × 3.31 inches ) with 240 horsepower that made Plymouth the performance surprisal of this twelvemonth ’s Daytona Speed Weeks .
basis price was $ 2,866 , nearly $ 400 above the Belvedere transformable and over $ 600 more than the Belvedere Sport Coupe , so ordination totalled only 4,485 . With wagons determine apart , Belvedere was also dominate in sales , by the flourish Savoy serial , though it run for forward of Plaza and Suburban .
1957 Plymouth Belvedere
The 1957 Plymouth Belvedere and the rest of the company ’s batting order were all - raw again for 1957 , the second fourth dimension in three year . Ads declared " short It ’s 1960 ! " And indeed , it seemed Plymouth had leapfrogged the rivalry by three years . Seldom had a car changed so radically in a unmarried season .
Nor , for that topic , had a Plymouth been more beautiful . stomach 3.5 inches lower and four column inch wide than the 1956 , it design the illusion of great duration , though the 1957 was , in fact , fractionally shorter . course credit design executive Virgil Exner ’s new flit profile with towering " shark " fins , the industry ’s abject beltline , a matt lens hood / front fenders ensemble , solid - but - graceful rooflines , and vast new expanses of glass . Model offerings stayed the same except for the addition of a Savoy Sport Sedan .
Chrysler claimed fins enhanced the directional stability of all its 1957s , and trundle out wind - burrow tests to prove it . Motor Trenddoubted that , then include that wind gusts had little effect on the new Plymouth . But mostly , the quint front right !
So did the residual of the packet . The o.k. cross - hatch grille , for example , was set off by a bumper raised in the center over a disjoined stone shield with erect slot . Turn signal nestled inboard of the headlamps under all-encompassing hood , suggesting the four - lamp system long rumor in Detroit ( and offer up , where effectual , by a few other create this season ) .
At a sentence when most cars were garishly two - toned , Plymouth used a slim contrast colour spear on Belvedere or a small down in the mouth - set board on Savoy . inside were colorfully trimmed in jacquard cloth and/or vinyl , and a fresh low - profile dashboard grouped instrument in a tumid , erect pod straight off ahead of the driver . In all , Plymouth was the vogue standout of this year ’s daringly redesign Chrysler fleet .
The changes were n’t all cosmetic . Wheelbase grew to 122 column inch on police wagon and 118 inches on other mannequin , which enhanced ride at the expense of special weight . Despite this , Plymouth offered much flatter cornering and in general superscript treatment thanks to Chrysler ’s newfangled lump - joint front suspension sprung by long , longitudinal tortuousness bars , plus a low center of gravity from the new ground - hugging trunk design and a switch from 15- to 14 - inch wheels and tires .
Other alterations accompanying " Torsion - Aire Ride " include higher spring rates and front bowl center , rearward leaf springs get on outboard of the form siderails for reduced compliance and best constancy , and revised front upper - control - arm mounts for less nosedive in hard stops .
Though Plymouth dog Ford and Chevy in standard 1957 horsepower , it certainly had more than enough to be competitive . The Plaza ’s carryover Hy - Fire 277 now rated 197 horsepower , while the base V-8 for other models was the new Fury 301 , with that many cubic inches from a larger , 3.91 - column inch calibre . Output was 215 horsepower at 4,400 rpm in base air or 235 H.P. with PowerPak .
make it in January was the biggest locomotive in the depleted - price force field , the new 318 - cubic - inch ( 3.91 × 3.31 ) Fury V-800 , with 9.25:1 compression , three-fold - space carburetion , and a wake up 290 horsepower at 5,400 rev . Standard for the limited - product Fury , the V-800 was optional for any other 1957 Plymouth , and made the lightweight Plaza a terror . The one-time six was n’t neglect , rising to 132 HP on tighter , 8.1:1 compaction .
Last but not least was a new three - velocity automatonlike called TorqueFlite , an option to PowerFlite and also offered by other Chrysler divisions this class . With its high torque times ( up to 6.62:1 ) , TorqueFlite provided astounding acceleration , and allow axle ratios to be lowered numerically in the pastime of low- and mid - speed fuel economy . fluid and efficient , it was controlled by five pushbuttons , which combined with an overrun " safe " to tolerate manual paraphernalia hold for both maximum performance and locomotive engine braking .
Alas , all this goodness was spoil by soggy workmanship . Somewhere along the way to the 1957 redesign , Chrysler products mislay their previous solidness and relative corrosion resistance . Plymouth was no exception . Some historiographer see this from 1952 , when Chrysler took over Briggs Manufacturing Company , its long - time body provider .
In any pillowcase , Plymouth quality control was observably hapless in 1957.Motor Trend , for instance , reported that the novel style - riding horse rearview mirror vibrated so badly at high fastness as to be nearly useless . Worse , rust fungus problems surface early , and brakes were susceptible to untimely fade .
Nevertheless , the compounding of ok drive and handling , able public presentation , and stunning styling was enough to vault Plymouth back into third place for 1957 as sales increase 44.3 percent . Exner reaped his just reward by being elevated to the freshly create embodied Emily Price Post of Vice - President and Director of Styling .
1958 Plymouth Belvedere
Thanks to the start of national economical niche in late 1957 , Detroit retrenched much more in 1958 than it had in 1956 . Overall diligence production was off 31 percent , but Plymouth correct 44 percentage , due partially to deteriorate character control . Styling change on the 1958 Plymouth Belvedere were limit to a simple grille , the expected " four - eye " headlamps , shorter taillamps that did n’t whole fill their fin cavities , and the usual trim shuffling .
The six - piston chamber stand pat , while the 318 - three-dimensional - inch V-8 was up to 225 horsepower standard , 250 H.P. with four - barrel carburetion , and 290 HP with treble quad . The last was limited to Fury , but an even big V-8 was uncommitted across the gameboard . This was the Modern 350 - three-dimensional - inch " Golden Commando " ( 4.06 × 3.38 ) , packing 305 horsepower with 10.0:1 compression and treble quad or 315 horsepower with Bendix " Electrojector " fuel injection . The latter establish few taker at $ 500 , though , and reliability troubles prompted a recollection for transition to 305 - HP form .
For 1959 , Belvedere was relegated to mid - pack status as Fury became Plymouth ’s top - line series , with a new Sport Fury convertible and hardtop coupe substituting for the previous limited edition . It was , perhaps , a signal of the times . Chevy did also with its Bel Air / Impala , Pontiac with its Star Chief / Bonneville .
But the Belvedere name would hang on all the mode through 1969 . It even enjoyed a brief resurgence when Plymouth badge - engineered its behind - selling 1962 - 64 standard into a " new " intermediate production line for 1965 . Most memorable of this propagation were the hot , bucket - seat Belvedere GTX of 1967 and the rare , hemi - powered altereds built for drag racing . They were a far cry from that 1951 hardtop . But that , as they say , is another tale .
Belvedere Name
Though the Belvedere name is a fanciful one , clock time was when car manufacturer usher trivial imagination in nominate their ware . In the beginning were simulation , with a capital M and some alphabetic character or routine that often made sense only to the maker . Later , Standard , DeLuxe , and Custom ( sometimes Master , occasionally Salon ) were used to suggest series in rise order of Leontyne Price and classy , follow by redundancies like Special DeLuxe or , even worse , Super DeLuxe .
Some play the number game . This normally involved cylinder ( Six , Eight , Twelve , Sixteen , but seldom " Four " ) , locomotive and H.P. ( Auburn ’s 8 - 98 of 1931 , for representative ) , and wheelbase in column inch ( Packard ’s One - Twenty ) . There were also obscurities like production starting date ( Cord 810 ) or even the hoped - for Admiralty mile on a armoured combat vehicle of gas ( Nash 600 ) . So though the machine may have embodied no death of originative genius , their names were hardly inspired .
Not that there were n’t exception . Apperson had its Jack Rabbit as early as 1907 , Stutz offered its jazzy and romantic Bearcat roadster five years afterwards , Jordan demonstrate a dashing Playboy in 1920 , and Reo roll out the Flying Cloud in 1927 . But such appellations were as rare as they were colorful , and mostly denote only a individual model or body style , not an entire line .
Studebaker broke out of the mould with its Commander , President , and Dictator series of 1927 . Impressive title , though public judgment dictated retiring the last once Hitler started running roughshod over Europe . The trend gain favor , though , and by the recent XXX we had Buick ’s Special / Century / Roadmaster / Limited lineup , Nash ’s Ambassador , Hupp ’s Skylark and the previous Graham Hollywood , and Chrysler ’s English - vocalise Royal , Windsor , and Imperial , to name a few .
While Chevy had take on the Fleetmaster , Stylemaster , and Fleetline tags as early as 1942 , it was n’t until the postwar years that the Low - Price Three turned to less pedestrian names in earnest . Plymouth , for example , were still DeLuxe or Special DeLuxe as late as 1950 . Then new nomenclature arrived with the expanded 1951 lineup . Concord and Cambridge , evoking images of compound New England , fit nicely with the make ’s traditional good ship Mayflower heraldry . But Cranbrook , the top - crinkle serial , incongruously referred to a town in British Columbia . At least it sounded nice .
Detroit ’s early hardtops harked back to prewar practice with names of their own , many of which stuck around for tenner – Riviera , Coupe deVille , Sportsman , Diplomat – though on very different cars . They were also uniformly top - strain framework . Thus , when Plymouth ’s belated entry appeared for 1951 , its full ( and rather awkward ) title was Cranbrook Belvedere .
Though no one seems to recollect why Belvedere was chosen , we ’ll hazard a guess . Chevy ’s first hardtop bow for 1950 under the name of a ritzy Los Angeles enclave still renowned for its Hollywood luminaries and sole store : Bel Air ( which have in mind " beautiful line " in French ) . Now it just so take place that there ’s a similitude residential area in Marin County , near San Francisco , called – you guessed it – Belvedere .
We ’d be heavily - press to prove that principle , but the name was a good one in any eccentric . by from a certain élan , it was sure enough in the correct neighbourhood for an upmarket model . And it served Plymouth well for 18 days .
