Midstate Mopars highlight – 1941 Plymouth P12 Special DeLuxe

Every year, Chrysler owners and enthusiasts from across Victoria and beyond gather in Bendigo for Midstate Mopars. Hosted by the Central Victorian Chrysler Club Inc., Midstate Mopars welcomes all members of the Chrysler family, past and present.

A show ‘n’ shine in Bendigo’s Town Hall precinct that’s held on the second day of this two-day event sees good numbers of Aussie Valiants, American Chryslers from the 1950s and Dodge/Plymouth muscle cars from the 1960s on display, but rarer Mopars are spotted, too.

The car shown here, a 1941 Plymouth P12 ‘Special DeLuxe’, was the premium grade available from Plymouth that year, equipped and priced above the P11 ‘Deluxe’. This car’s club coupe body was one of nine styles offered from the factory, with sedans, convertibles, long wheelbase limousines and wood-bodied wagons available, plus a bare chassis for commercial bodybuilders.

While TJ Richards had been assembling Plymouths in South Australia through the 1930s, this car is left-hand drive, so is most likely a US import.

The 201ci inline six that powered all US Plymouths for 1941 was a development of the first six Plymouth had offered for 1933. For most of the 1930s, this engine produced 82hp (61kW), but output increased to 84hp (62kW) for 1940 and 87hp (65kW) for 1941. A three-speed column manual was the standard transmission, with the ‘Powermatic’ vacuum-assisted transmission optional. This was first offered on the 1941 models, with another innovation being ‘Safety Rim’ wheels that prevented tyre loss in a blowout. The 1941 Plymouths also saw the battery moved from under the driver’s seat to the engine bay.

Plymouth styling for 1941 was an evolution of what had been introduced two years earlier, with squared off “speedline” front and rear guards, integrated headlights and a broad grille. Interestingly, Plymouth reverted to a two-piece windscreen from 1939 to allow a v-shaped treatment that wasn’t possible with one piece until the adoption of curved glass a decade later.

Production of the 1941 Plymouths ran to 546,000 units, but with America’s entry into World War II, these and the small number of 1942 models built before all civilian car production ended had to last until late 1945. As such, surviving 1941 Plymouths are relatively rare today, even rarer in Australia.

The 1941 P12 Special Deluxe presented at Midstate Mopars appeared to be mostly stock, with no obvious body modifications, although ride height was lower. Some subtle pinstriping had been added, and the wheels appeared wider than stock, although the whitewall tyres are period correct. This car’s outstanding condition saw it rewarded with the ‘Best Pre-1948’ trophy at the show ‘n’ shine.

To see JUST CARS’ report from the 2025 Midstate Mopars, click HERE.