The Need for Affordable Cars

            By the mid to late 1920s, Chrysler saw the need for a more affordable line of automobiles within their stable. Enter, in 1928, the Plymouth. Sold as something of an “entry level” vehicle with a price point below their other brands (Chrysler, DeSoto, and Dodge), the Plymouth became one of the brightest selling cars during the great depression. The 1939 coupe, like the one pictured, was such a success that Plymouth sold over 400,000 of them. Its convertible sister was perhaps the first mass produced drop top in the USA.

            What made the car popular, beyond just the price, was the fact that it was a sturdy ride on a shorter frame with Chrysler’s version of a flathead six giving it plenty of get up and go. There was plenty of room for two and their luggage and so the car became popular with the traveling salesman of the day.