The Christine Car Club

[THEYOUNGGUN]

this is a bit of an odd question. I was a little curious about how differant a 58 and 59 Plymouth actually are, mostly in terms of cosmetics. They obviously have a few diferences, but how many?

[Jason]

The Body is basically the same structure excpet for the trunk lids and qtr panels(fins are different) the fenders grille and bars are also different but still retain the same sort of look ie:

[Dukeboy]

Yes, Our own "FuryJim" (Jim Rawa) Converted a 1959 Plymouth 2dr hd top into a '58 "Christine" once...Was quite undertaking....Swapped the entire rear clip and of course the front clip...The heater boxes and blower fans are in a different location starting in '59, so it had some blower motor issues, but was a well done car none the less...

[THEYOUNGGUN]

WOW, thats cool! Are there any pictures of it?

[Furvedere]

WOW, thats cool! Are there any pictures of it?

Kyle, Jim did post many photos of it somewhere...I believe on Forward Look...or maybe over on the "others" too?...I went over there to look for you but gave up. It was quite a while ago...Perhaps you could PM him and I bet he'd post them over here once again...He's a very nice guy...

The 59 is quite a different car...I don't believe it shares any sheetmetal with the 57-58...maybe the roof?...Even the dashboard is totally different. From a distance not so obvios...but up close quite different...yet subtle.

[ply474]

I like the 59s, but there is something about the looks of a 57/58 Plymouth. They got it right, its just a cool car.

[Jason]

The Chassis on a 59 is slightly different also. the upper control arms mounts are welding to the main frame. on 57 /58 the mounts are bolted and the wheel camber is adjusted by metal 'shims'. on a 59 the upper arms are adjustable by a cam bolt which is that same design right up until the late 60's and early 70's. They still retain torsion bars and the same lower arms and stub axles and even diffs and springs. Mounting points for body to frame are identical. 59 belvedere 4 dr harttop sedans and sport fury's shared the same bubble style windscreens that 57 - 58 convertables had. All other models share same roofs and screens as 57 - 58.

[58plym]

The Chassis on a 59 is slightly different also. the upper control arms mounts are welding to the main frame. on 57 /58 the mounts are bolted and the wheel camber is adjusted by metal 'shims'. on a 59 the upper arms are adjustable by a cam bolt which is that same design right up until the late 60's and early 70's. They still retain torsion bars and the same lower arms and stub axles and even diffs and springs. Mounting points for body to frame are identical. 59 belvedere 4 dr harttop sedans and sport fury's shared the same bubble style windscreens that 57 - 58 convertables had. All other models share same roofs and screens as 57 - 58.

You amaze me with your knowledge of the Plymouths Jase, You and old Chaney sure has you s&#t together. Also John Big M and a lot of other guys, forgive me if I didn!t mention your names

[Dukeboy]

Caution, the windscreen (Windshield) is DIFFERENT on a '59 Plymmie...More of a "Bubble" type...This is a dead give-a-way when converting one to a '57 or '58...

[Jason]

59 Belvedere 4 dr hardtops and sport furys have the Bubble screen.......all others plaza's savoy's and suburbans borrow the flat 57 - 58 screens with the peaked front roof edge same as 58. I think 58 convertibles have the same bubble screen aswell?

[PlymouthFury]

Don't forget that new for '59 pushbutton heater! Or the "30 second instant heat" gas heater that burnt your car up!

[58plym]

I can remember my dad had an old for or cheby that had a gas heater in it. I guess they were a little dangerous huh

[THEYOUNGGUN]

the Canadian bugs had a gas heater in them. The way they worked was...unsafe to say the least

there was a little levar under the dash that you would pump up and down, and that would squirt gas from the tank into what can only be called a small furnace. So basicly they had a flame thrower for a heater

[Jason]

Yeah pretty safe.....NOT!!!!!