No-Frills Chevy Nomad Rival: 1954 Plymouth Suburban Emerges With Low Mileage

Plymouth, for instance, offered a Suburban model for a whopping 21 years. Introduced in 1949, Plymouth's grocery-getter was America's second all-steel station wagon. Initially incorporated in the existing model ranges, the Suburban became a separate series in 1956. It was discontinued in 1961 and returned as a wagon version of the Fury from 1968 to 1978.

The lineup also included a two-door wagon, a body style that fell out of fashion toward the end of the 1950s. The Tri-Five-based Chevrolet Nomad is arguably the most iconic representative of the niche, but it's also relatively rare and expensive nowadays. If you love two-door wagons and don't want to spend close to $100,000 to get one, a 1950s Suburban is a good choice. Assuming you're okay with spartan interiors because these Plymouths were far from fancy.

These grocery-getters aren't exactly common either. As cheap utilitarian vehicles, many were discarded into junkyards. Nice examples are scarce, making this 1954 Plaza Suburban a great find. Hailing from Ridgefield, Oregon, it's also a low-mileage classic. The odometer shows only 37,500 miles (60,350 km), and the seller claims the number is authentic.

The vehicle is in excellent condition, but the ad doesn't provide information on whether it's a survivor or an older restoration. Based on the mileage and the mild weathering, we could be looking at an unrestored survivor that spent a lot of time in proper storage. The color is factory-correct (it was called Solitaire Blue), while the two-tone green interior is also in line with what Plymouth offered at the time.

This wagon is based on the Plaza, Plymouth's entry-level full-size car at the time. Introduced in 1954 as a cheaper alternative to the Savoy, the Plaza had minimal trim, plain cloth-and-vinyl upholstery, and limited options. The nameplate was discontinued after the 1958 model year.

The photos confirm the presence of a 217-cubic-inch (3.6-liter) inline-six engine under the hood. It was the sole engine option in 1954, delivering 100 horsepower and 177 pound-feet (240 Nm) of torque. There's no info on whether it runs, but the mill is pretty clean, so it may have gotten some sort of revival. The wagon has new brakes. The gearbox is a correct three-on-the-tree unit.

As for the price, this station wagon is listed for $22,400. While that's nowhere near as expensive as a 1955 Chevrolet Nomad in similar condition, it's a bit steep. On the flip side, even though it's one of more than 35,000 units produced that year, only a few examples have survived in this condition.