Rob Robinson wanted something different and old school when he finally built his own hot rod. He got it in the form of this chopped, lowered 1949 Plymouth coupe with classic Dodge Lancer flipper caps.
Link to image
| Buy this photo
Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
It's attention to period-correct details that set the customized Plymouth apart, like the red rims, wide white portawalls and the classy '59 Lancer hubcaps, painstakingly hand-painted to match the car's color scheme at the kitchen table. The center bullets were also added; tires are 205/75R/15 Firestones.
Link to image
| Buy this photo
Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
The stock Plymouth steering wheel and dashboard were cleaned up and repainted to maintain the old school look. Matching blue and white dice add to the effect.
Link to image
| Buy this photo
Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
The curvaceous rear end of the car is accented with the stock ribbed bumper, dual straight pipe outlets and white decklid trim. The `Flatheads Forever' tag gives away the fact this old MoPar is still powered by its original 218 cubic inch 6-cylinder engine.
Link to image
| Buy this photo
Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
Here's what the Plymouth looked like the day Robinson picked it up in Hannibal, Mo., a little over three years ago. It was in good driving condition, with a little over 70,000 miles on its odometer.
Link to image
| Buy this photo
Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
Your eyes aren't playing tricks on you. The white tuck and roll upholstery was designed and sewn in a fan shape by Mike's Custom Upholstery. The theme continues throughout the interior, right on into the trunk compartment.
Link to image
| Buy this photo
Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
Tasteful pinstriping accents were added to the Plymouth by three different local automotive artisans. The top chop performed by Chaotic Customs in Mulvane is virtually undectable, with the back windshield laid forward to improve the car's lines.
Link to image
| Buy this photo
Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
This view reveals a lot about the old school approach used on the car: dummy triple-outlet lakes pipes, chrome gravel guards and the color-keyed Lancer wheel covers tucked up inside the wheel wells, thanks to 2-inch lowering blocks. Rear tires are 235/75R/15 Firestones, which work well with the overdrive manual transmission.
Link to image
| Buy this photo
Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
Another look at the classic chrome-trimmed dashboard; an underseat speaker system allows the use of modern music system inputs.
Link to image
| Buy this photo
Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
You have to look closely to pick up the fact the Plymouth's hood was sectioned to give it a sleeker fit with the car's new, lower silhouette. The three-bar horizontal grille needed only a good polishing to look factory-fresh.
Link to image
| Buy this photo
Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
Robinson is glad he resisted suggestions to do away with the vintage sun visor; it works well with the 2-inch top chop. The chop tapers to 1-1/2 inches in the rear.
Link to image
| Buy this photo
Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
The factory chrome trunk trim was removed, smoothed out and painted white with blue lettering; note the pinstriping accents.
Link to image
| Buy this photo
Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
The split-back bench seat was also treated to the blue-and-white vinyl tuck-and-roll treatment; the door and rear seat side panels also carry the theme.
Link to image
| Buy this photo
Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
The white fan-shaped tuck-and-roll theme continues in the trunk, which also includes fresh blue carpeting.
Link to image
| Buy this photo
Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
Rob Robinson had planned to transplant a 318 cubic inch MoPar V-8 into the old Plymouth, but wisely chose to stick with the flathead 6 after splitting the exhaust and running it out through a pair of straight pipes. Old-timers told him it was the only way to go and he says they were right.
Link to image
| Buy this photo
Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
The only upgrades under the re-sectioned hood are a chrome air cleaner and a 12-volt ignition system. The old flathead 6 `runs like a charm' and doesn't burn a drop of oil according to the owner. Engine compartment detailing is on the 'to-do list' but the venerable flathead will go back in when it's done.
Link to image
| Buy this photo
Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
Rob and Eillen Robinson compromised on the details of their '49 Plymouth custom: she agreed to the top chop and sectioned hood after he agreed to forget about suede paint and flames. They're justifiably proud of how the car turned out.
Link to image
| Buy this photo
Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
The iconic Plymouth `flying ship' hood emblem was a hard to piece to source, according to Eillen, who discovered that each year the emblem was changed slightly. She located the correct '49 piece for sale online after a long search.
Link to image
| Buy this photo
Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
Manage Delivery
