Plymouth Cranbrook
The Plymouth Cranbrook wis biggit bi the Plymouth division o Chrysler frae 1951-1953. It replaced the Special Deluxe when Plymouth chynged its namin scheme; it wis essentially the same as the Concord an Cambridge, but at a hichter trim level.
The name Cranbrook mey hae been taken frae a ceety in Breetish Columbie, but it mey an aa hae been taken frae Cranbrook Drive in Detroit; this sma street intersectit wi Cambridge Avenue. Baith streets are atween 7 Mile Road West an 8 Mile Road West, near the Dodge Main plant. Concord Street ran bi the plant. This indicates that the caurs mey hae been named efter streets near Chrysler Corporation facilities.
The Plymouth Cranbrook, as a caur, wis conservatively styled, designed tae fit K.T. Keller's notion that caurs be practical an allou drivers tae sit upricht while wearin a hat; it wis sauld at a time when competitors favored the law an sleek leuk. Differences atween the 1951 Special Deluxe an the 1952 Plymouth Cranbrook are relatively few in nummer an scope, wi interchangeable gless an doors, but different rubber seals; lack o woodgrain on the instrument panel; plastic brake haundle instead o chrome; an ither seemilar chynges. Mair substantial wis haein wha haed been the huid release haundle function as the owerdrive control. Fender letterin an ither badgin necessarily chynged as well. Frae a distance, the caurs wur essentially seemilar.
For 1953, the boxy shape wis changed for straighter lines, wi sleeker an mair modren stylin. The windshield went tae a modren ane-piece unit; an the door haundles pulled oot instead o twistin. The glove box wis moved tae the centre for easier access bi the driver. The gas cap wis moved tae unner the trunk lid, resultin in initial problems wi gas spillin oot o a full tank intae the trunk; this problem wis resolved wi baffles in mid-1953.
The three-windae coupe an fastback sedan wur dropt for 1953; the umwhile lang an short wheelbase models wur consolidatit wi a common wheelbase o 114 inches (2,900 mm), ae ane inch shorter than those o Chevrolet an Ford (tho considerably less owerhang than those competitors gae the Cranbrook a "shorter" leuk.)
In 1954, the Cranbrook name wis replaced bi the Belvedere, which haed been the tap trim level o the Cranbrook; aw Plymouth names wur switched tae those o upscale hotels.
References
[eedit | eedit soorce]- Gunnell, John (Editor): Standard Catalog of American Cars 1946-1975, Krause Publications Inc., Iola (2002), ISBN 0-87349-461-X