When Barry first saw this 1936 Plymouth Deluxe Touring Sedan, he said, “Man, I’ve got to have that car.”
The car belonged to a co-worker who bought the car for his wife but it didn’t get much use. In 1996, Barry purchased the classic and soon after began researching the history of this all original vehicle.
Barry was aided in his quest by some letters, books, and the title he received with the car. Another source Barry used was the Antique Automobile Club of America. Barry said, “The car had been in the AACA for twenty some years in North Carolina.”
While performing a title search in North Carolina, Barry learned that Joseph Wade of Greensboro, North Carolina purchased the sedan in Verona, Virginia and titled it in the Tarheel State in 1964.
To learn about the first twenty-eight years of this Plymouth’s life, Barry contacted the DMV in Verona, Virginia. The title went back to Central Tire & Battery in Verona, VA. Barry called Central Tire and Battery and spoke to a man whose father owned the company in the ‘60s. The man on the phone told Barry that his father used to work on the ’36 and it belonged to Mayor Grubert.
William A. Grubert was Mayor from 1953-54 of nearby Staunton, Virginia, five miles outside of Verona. The man recalled in 1964 when Mayor Grubert traded the Plymouth to his father at Central Tire and Battery for a 1963 Chevy II.
After a week, the six and a half foot tall Grubert returned with bandages on his head and requested his Plymouth back. When asked what happened to his head, Grubert explained his difficulties of avoiding contact with his head and the roof line when entering the much lower Chevrolet.
Today, Barry maintains the originality of the Plymouth as much as possible.
“I received the original Owner’s Manual, the original key, an old air gauge and points file. I still have the original spare tire. I replaced the tires about a year and a half ago. I had to; the tires that were on there had been on there since 1972.”
Barry stated, “It was my fault; I should have read the manual. I put thirty-seven pounds in them and they are only supposed to have twenty-six, so it wore the center out on them. So I read the owner’s manual now. It’s in there, so I read it.”
The 82 hp flathead six cylinder is original and still fires on 6 volts. Barry enjoys the Plymouth just the way it is.
“I keep the maintenance on it. It’s mainly original except for a few rubber pieces here and there. I drive it to three or four shows a year. I don’t do parades any more because it’s hard on the clutch,” testified Barry.
Barry has some help when it comes to caring for this seventy-three year old sedan.
“My youngest daughter has already put her dibs on it,” Barry smiled. “She will help me tinker on it and go to shows with me. We did a newspaper shoot nine years ago when she was three years old and she was sitting on the running board.”
Barry declared, “I wasn’t really a Mopar Guy, I just saw this one and I just had to have it. I got a good deal on it, and so I bought it. I’ve been having fun with it ever since.”
Barry’s 1936 Plymouth Deluxe Touring Sedan has appeared in three movies. Freedom Song – 2000; The Runaway – 2000; and My Life in Idlewild – 2006
Classics Feature – 1936 Plymouth De Luxe Touring Sedan – Barry resides in Burgaw, North Carolina. Pictures were taken April 25, 2009 at the Cape Fear Chapter of the Antique Automobile Club of America (AACA) Spring Show in Wilmington, North Carolina.
