Plymouth Concord
In 1951, all the lines of Plymouth vehicles were renamed. More attractive titles were chosen to replace the entry-level Deluxe and the longer Special Deluxe. As the Deluxe moved up in status to a higher plane of luxury, it had to be accompanied by a magnificent name as well. The new models would be referred to as the Cambridge, Concord and Cranbrook. One of the first European settlements in North America was Plymouth, Massachusetts. Two towns in that state were Cambridge and Concord.
Though handsome, Plymouth discontinued the faux wood paneled station wagon opting to move forward with only steel-bodied models from that year onward.
This new line of Plymouths was introduced at a time when tensions with Korea were escalating. Federal demands restricted the use of key metals and nearly brought auto manufacturing to a halt. In short time, Chrysler would be constructing seaplane hulls for the Grumman Albatross.
Sales and Numbers for the Concord
The two-door Concord sedan sold for $1,639. It would be the last fastback offered by Plymouth until the Barracuda was released in 1965. The new deluxe wagon was the Plymouth Concord Savoy. The Plymouth Suburban was the lower-priced of the two-door wagons.
The models changed so little, that Plymouth did not break down production by years. Instead, they collected statistics by adding up the number of vehicles manufactured for the 22 months the models were built. Plymouth Concord production amounted to 139,914 vehicles produced during those two years. The numbers break down like this:
- 49,139 fastback two-door sedans
- 14,255 coupes and
- 76,520 wagons (which also included Savoy and Suburban models)
The production model helped Plymouth maintain its third-place position in the United States auto industry in 1951.
Virtually No Changes Required
During 1951 and 1952, the style changes of the lineup were minimal. Few detail changes were introduced to the lineup. The hood was made broader and lowered. Front fenders sloped downward. The grille featured an upper bar that was curved with a horizontal blade at its center. In addition to new trim around the windows, larger bumpers and new hubcaps were included.
Plymouth offered, for the first time, overdrive gearboxes. Over 51,000 models were sold with this option. The company boasted of 46 mechanical improvements that year. Some of them were improved brakes, a new combustion chamber in the engine, an upgraded transmission, and a starter motor. A few of the vehicles were equipped with power brakes that were installed by the dealer, but that option was not included by the factory until 1955.
Other changes those years were comprised of modifications to the hood ornament and script nameplates, finer upholstery, arm rests, storage compartments, and chrome exterior belt line and window trim.
Even though Plymouth was one of the top three auto manufacturers in the country. Plymouth sales fell almost 24%. Fortunately for Plymouth, sales were slow for their competitors as well. The Concord line was discontinued in 1952. The Cambridge replaced it as the lowest trim level available to consumers.
