Your humble editor here at Rod Authority has a Mopar affliction. There, I said it.

I love Mopar muscle and all the cool late-model stuff, but I really like 1957-1961 “Forward Look” cars. If it happens to be a wagon of aforementioned era, batten down the hatches because I might get crazy.

You know the feeling when the car of your dreams slips through your fingers? That’s what I felt like when I saw this old silvery blue, 1957 Plymouth Custom Suburban that sold at Barrett-Jackson in Scottsdale last month.

Here was a handsome, white over blue finned Conestoga that looked ready to drive and enjoy.  It has seen some restoration work over the years with shiny paint and very presentable interior with a contrasting black and white theme.

All this restoration work is not necessarily a good thing. These old Mopars were very susceptible to the tin worm and restoration can hide a barrage of flaws or structural maladies from the untrained eye. A thorough inspection with a fine tooth comb would be the right approach with this car. 

These old Plymouths left the factory with no undercoating or fender liners, and the first place they rusted through was inside the headlight nacelles. Front and rear fenders and rocker panels were other places the dreaded rust liked to sink it’s teeth into as well. Needless to say, in an auction environment, a thorough inspection is difficult to perform, but a leap of faith is required with any auction participation.

The other concern is the 230ci six-cylinder motor. While perfectly fine and probably bulletproof, a V8 would be a better provider of motivation, but likely would have added to its price tag.

Lastly, this isn’t a 1957 Chevrolet, and there is little aftermarket support for this era of Mopar. An accident could create a parts car in an instant.  Nonetheless, we think warts and all, Dodge, Plymouth, Desoto and Chrysler wagons were the most attractive ot the Big Three’s long roof offerings in 1957.

When the gavel fell, this sweet little Plymouth wagon brought $18,700. A very reasonable price for a turnkey car that you can immediately drive and enjoy.

What is the next step for this Custom Suburban?  Probably best to leave it alone, but a Mopar V8 transplant would be a nice addition as well as some mags and skinny white walls. Just sayin’.