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Now for the Second Million: Plymouth cars of 1934

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Now for the Second Million: Plymouth cars of 1934

by Jim Benjaminson. Copyrighted by the Plymouth Bulletin. Reprinted by permission. Transcribed by David Hoffman.

Read a comparison test of the 1934 Chevrolet, Ford, and Plymouth

Following the dramatic sales performance of the 1933 Plymouth in which
it had captured one quarter of the new car market, it would have been
simple for Walter Chrysler to sit back and rest on his laurels. Not so
- for 1934 Chrysler would market a new car, one which would feature
more luxury items of the "high priced" class than the competitors in
the low-priced field. Included among the list of items the new car
would boast was independent front suspension along with Plymouth's
familiar all steel body, hydraulic brakes and countless other features.

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Production of the 1934 models began late in December or 1933 with a
public announcement date set for January 13, 1934. The car was shown
one week early at the New York Auto Show which opened January 6th. The
car was very well received and the crowds gathered around to look at
Mr. Chrysler's latest car. Shortly after the New York show came the
Detroit Auto Show and it too proved to be a success. 370 new cars were
sold on the auditorium floor at Detroit.

Dealers received a letter from Chrysler Corporation General Sales
Manager Joseph W. Frazer (later the Frazer of Kaiser-Frazer) advising
them that volume production of the '34 models would not begin until
after January 15th. However Frazer did urge them to place their orders
for the new models as well as place their orders for the current
models. Strange as it may seem it was possible to order both new '33
and new '34 models at the same time! Perhaps slow delivery of the '34
models was a means for the factory to unload undelivered '33 models
still in stock.

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By January 30th the dealer network received another letter, this
time from Plymouth General Sales Manager Harry G. Moock advising them
that production had now reached 1,500 cars per day. By early March
demand was so great the factories were working day and night six days a
week to keep up. Before the end of the year Plymouth had passed two
milestones in production. On July 26th production of the 1934 models
had surpassed the total production of the 1933 models and on August 8th
the one millionth Plymouth rolled from the assembly lines with Walter
Chrysler on hand for the festivities. At years end 320,171 1934
Plymouths had been built.

Shortly after the one millionth car was completed the car was taken
to Chicago and put on display at the Century of Progress Exposition.
Upon hearing the news of the one millionth car, Mrs. Ethel Miller
of Turlock, California wired Walter P. Chrysler. She asked if she could
purchase this car, as she had been the purchaser of the very first
Plymouth built. Mr. Chrysler advised her she could buy the car and Mrs.
Miller drove her '28 coupe to Chicago where she took delivery of the
'34 PE four door sedan. The '28 was then placed on display at the
Exposition. Upon taking delivery of the car Mrs. Miller asked Chrysler
if he would reserve the second millionth car for her when it was built.
She took delivery of that car in 1937! In only six years Plymouth had
built one million cars. It had taken Henry Ford twelve years to build a
million cars and Chevrolet nine years.

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Only two Plymouth models were initially introduced in January. These
were the Deluxe Plymouth PE on a 114" wheelbase and the New Plymouth PF
on a 108" chassis. Body styles in the two series included a two door
and four door sedan, a business coupe, a rumble seat coupe and a
convertible coupe on the PE chassis only. An interesting model
available to dealers at announcement time was the Flame Cars, so named
because of their burnt orange color (the factory called it Carrotee No.
3). The cars were unique. In addition to the flashy paint the cars came
with specially lettered tire covers and windows advertising the
dealership. It was reported that some cars even had mirrored windows so
the driver could see out but no one could see in! This special demo
package cost the dealer $13.

Early in March the PG series was launched bringing for the first
time three distinct models to the Plymouth sales lineup. The PG shared
the 108" wheelbase of the PF series but unlike the PF, which had an
independent front suspension, the PG went back to a drop forged I beam
front axle. The PG was the business series and as such was the cheapest
car in the sales lineup. The PG was available only in two body styles,
a coupe and a two door sedan. 62 PG four door sedans were built but
that body style never reached mass production.

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With the introduction of the PG series, prices of the PF cars went
up. The advertised selling prices of the PF coupe and two door were now
the prices of the PG coupe and two door. These prices went into effect
February 17, which was the dealers' announcement date of the PG series.

Dealers received an announcement in a letter dated March 19 that a
new body style was to be made available. Touted as the "smartest model
ever offered on a Plymouth chassis" the Town Sedan came into being. It
was described as a close coupled model, slightly shorter from rear
window to windshield. The really striking features of the car was the
built in trunk at the rear and the blanked out rear quarter windows.
The formal public notice of the Town Sedan was in April. Available on
both the PE and PF chassis it was the most expensive factory body style.

On April 13 another new model was made available. Called the
Westchester Semi-Sedan Suburban, it was in reality a wooden bodied
station wagon. Although it was first thought the '34 Westchester was
the first wagon offered on a Plymouth chassis the factory announcement
said we are "once again pleased to offer" such a body style, It is
known at least one wagon body was mounted on both a '32 PB and a '33 PD
chassis. Only 35 Westchesters were built in 1934.

Bodies for the Westchester were built by the U.S. Body & Forging
Company of Buffalo, New York. Actual construction of the bodies was
done in the company's facilities in Tell City, Indiana. Utilizing a PE
chassis equipped with heavy duty front and rear springs the 7-8
passenger body was constructed of white ash with oak flooring. The door
panels were made of cottonwood panels and a red gum belt moulding ran
around the car. Three sets of seats upholstered in Spanish grain
leather were included, with the two sets of rear seats removable. The
sheet metal on all the wagons was painted black and no rear bumper was
used. Free wheeling transmission and automatic clutch were not
available on the Westchester and the final price fob at the Tell City
plant was $820.

Again on May 29 another series of cars was launched. This car was
dubbed the New Plymouth Special Six and although it was stressed that
this was not a new model it has commonly come to be known as the PFXX
model. Starting with the basic PF the PFXX came equipped with Accessory
Group C. This consisted of steel artillery wheels (wire wheels became
optional in June), 5.25x17 tires, dual trumpet horns, dual taillamps,
chrome windshield frame, chrome headlamp shells, Valchrome (satin
finish) grill and an interior sun visor. In addition the PFXX was
factory wired for a radio antenna (it was a $1 option on the PF) and
the dash was modified to accept a glove compartment and an ash
receiver. The PFXX sold for $5 more than a Ford Deluxe V8 and was
heavily advertised.

After the introduction of the PFXX it was decided the dual horns and
twin taillamps added so much to the appearance of the '34 models that a
service package was offered so dealers could "update" cars presently in
stock. (These items were also offered factory installed as Accessory
Group B.)

The big engineering news of the year was the introduction of independent
front springing. Plymouth was the only car in the low priced field to
utilize such a system. The front coil springs, made from a rod of
spring steel originally 12 feet 3 inches long, combined with double
acting shock absorbers to achieve a much smoother ride than had been
possible before. In the rear, Oilite leaf springs were used. The springs
had a rubber cushion mount at the front of the spring while the rear
was fitted with a silent U shackle.

The 201 cubic inch six-cylinder engine was now in its second year of
production and it was mounted in Plymouth's famous "Floating Power"
rubber engine mountings which was pioneered on the PA model of 1931.
With a bore and stroke of 3 1/8" by 4 3/8" the engine developed 77
horsepower with the standard cast iron head and 82 horsepower with the
optional aluminum head. The engine also featured four main bearings, a
seven counterweight crankshaft, a silent timing chain, downdraft
carburetor, a manifold heat control system, an oil filter, full
pressure lubrication, 4 ring pistons, a by-pass thermostat control
system and exhaust valve seat inserts. An automatic choke was optional!

Only the PE series was fitted with the free wheeling transmission or
an automatic clutch. The automatic clutch operated on engine vacuum and
allowed the drivers to shift gears without using his left foot on the
clutch pedal. Depending on the vacuum in the manifold unit either
engaged or disengaged the clutch. The only movement required on the
drivers part was to shift the gear lever. The vacuum clutch was an $8
option and at the start of production was included on every PE built
but by February it had to be specifically ordered by the dealer to be
included on the car.

The free wheeling transmission allowed the driver to release his
foot from the accelerator and allow the car to coast while still in
gear. In effect the free wheeling prevented "engine braking" and the
engine was allowed to run at idle speed while the car coasted along on
its own momentum with the transmission still in gear. When the driver
wished to speed up all he had to do was step on the throttle.

New to the PE series was the "perfected Ventilation" system. The
front vent windows could be swung out and the front door window rolled
down-or by locking both of them in the closed position and
throwing a lever, the entire mechanism could be lowered into the door.
The rear quarter windows of the sedan were also of the wing out type
and the windshield could be opened as well. In addition all cars were
equipped with a cowl ventilator.

As with cars sold today the advertised selling price and the actual
price differ greatly. Many items that are considered standard today
were extra cost in 1934. Periodically Plymouth would mail dealers a
Schedule of Estimated Cost to Retail Purchaser Chart. These charts were
made for specific geographic regions. An example of such a chart for
the New England and Midwest states of Iowa and Minnesota reveal what a
prospective buyer would have to pay for a PF and PE rumble seat coupe
on January 10, 1934:

PF R-S Coupe585.00
PE R-S Coupe615.00
Bumpers, spare tire, tube21.00
Bumpers, spare tire, tube22.00
Tire cover (enamel drill)1.50
Tire cover (metal)6.50
Radiator ornament3.50
Radiator ornament3.50
Transportation45.00
Transportation45.00
Handling and Delivery10.00
Handling and Delivery10.00
Total626.00
Total$702.00

As is all too common today, the prices of the new Plymouth increased
throughout the year. The prices increased on April 2 but were rolled
back somewhat on June 5 after the government threatened action.

An extensive advertising campaign was undertaken for the '34 models
and the cars appeared in several movies as well. One such movie was
filmed at the Chicago Century of Progress Exposition and featured stunt
drivers Barney Oldfield, Billy Arnold and Harry Hartz. The movie,
entitled "Death Cheaters' Holiday" recounted the performances of the
trio of hell drivers who systematically rolled over new Plymouth's all
steel bodies.

As if not to be outdone, Californian Fred Luther took a factory
fresh PF six cylinder engine and transmission and mounted them in a
modified Henderson X motorcycle frame in an attempt to set a motorcycle
speed record of 300 miles per hour. He completed the motorcycle in 1935
and took it to the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah where the PF engine,
now hopped up to 125 horsepower, propelled the bike to a 160.33 mile an
hour two way average. On the return run the Plymouth engine blew at 180
miles an hour while it was still in second gear. Luther parked the bike
and never again attempted the speed record although he always felt the
bike did have the potential to reach the 300 mile an hour mark.

With the great variety of models offered throughout the year the
restoration of a '34 Plymouth can become a nightmare to those tackling
their first car. Early cars vary greatly from later cars and many
individual items vary as well. A guide to restoration will appear in
Allpar at a later date.

1934 Plymouth production by body style

Body StyleCodePEPFXXPFPG
CoupeBD28,4333,7216,9807,944
R-S CoupeTPC15,6581,7462,061NA
ConvertibleCC4,482NANANA
Coach64158,53512,49712,56212,603
Sedan600108,40716,76016,78962
Town Sedan6017,049574NANA
7 Passenger602891NANANA
Station WagonUSBF35NANANA
Chassis2,327NA1,1523
Total225,81735,29839,54420,512

Plymouth 1934 prices by model

PG
PF
PE
PFXX
Coach$510
Coach$560
Coach$610
Coach$580
Coupe$485
Sedan$600
Sedan$660
Sedan$620
Chassis$390
Coupe$540
Town Sedan $695
Town Sedan $655



R-S Coupe
$570
Coupe$595
Coupe$560



Chassis$425
R-S Coupe $630
R-S Coupe$590






Convertible $685
Chassis$445






Chassis$465


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