This 1950 Plymouth Deluxe sedan represents the affordable half of a two-trim lineup that also included the more upscale Special Deluxe, all built on Chrysler’s value-first postwar platform. Its 217.8 cubic-inch inline-six wasn’t built to win any horsepower arguments, and it didn’t need to — Plymouth finished second only to Ford’s six-cylinder in the 1950 Mobil Gas Economy Run. In an era when demand for any new car outstripped supply, that kind of practical engineering is exactly what kept buyers lining up.
 The Post-War economy dictates that demand far exceeds availability and a premium is paid to a dealership or to a sales person more often than not to get any car you have your eyes on. Chrysler Corporation’s value packed (entry level) model from 1946 through 1950  is the Plymouth and it comes in either of  two trim choices;  the P15S Deluxe and the more uptown P15C Special Deluxe. There are six body styles, including a convertible and The Woody wagon.  These days a factory correct 1950’s vintage Plymouth will be equipped with the  218 CID (3.6 L) engine and have a column mounted 3 speed manual transmission.
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Plymouth never tried to out-glamour anybody in 1950 — it tried to out-value them, and that’s exactly what makes this two-door sedan interesting. While Cadillac and Packard were fighting over who built the flashier luxury car, Chrysler’s entry-level brand was quietly proving a stripped-down six-cylinder sedan could still win on the things that actually mattered to postwar buyers. This particular Deluxe represents the more affordable of two trim choices Plymouth offered that year, riding on an engine tuned as much for the gas pump as the stoplight. In a market where buyers paid a premium just to get any car at all, what made the humble Plymouth worth the wait?
Deluxe or Special Deluxe — The Two Ways to Buy One
Chrysler split its entry-level Plymouth lineup into two trims from 1946 through 1950: the P15S Deluxe and the more uptown P15C Special Deluxe. Buyers could pick from six different body styles across the range, including a convertible and the increasingly rare Woody wagon, all built on the same value-first platform that kept Plymouth affordable while the rest of the industry chased postwar excess.
The Six-Cylinder That Beat Everybody Except Ford
This car’s 217.8 cubic-inch inline-six wasn’t built to win horsepower arguments, and it didn’t need to. Plymouth finished second only to Ford’s six-cylinder in the 1950 Mobil Gas Economy Run, real proof that practical engineering still counted for something even as bigger, flashier engines started showing up elsewhere in Detroit. In an era when demand for any new car outstripped supply and buyers often paid a dealer premium just to get one, that kind of no-nonsense reliability is exactly what kept Plymouth showrooms busy.
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