Life in the 1930s moved at a different pace than today, and while modern cars offer more comfort and luxury appointment to those produced more than eighty years ago, the older models have style and charisma that makes them hard to ignore. That is the case with this 1936 Plymouth Touring Sedan. It remained part of the same family most of its life, but the time is right for this spotless classic to find a new home. It is listed here on Barn Finds Classifieds or here on eBay in Polk City, Florida. It could be yours by handing the seller $18,500.

This Plymouth is a classic where it is hard to know where to start when considering its greatest strengths and attributes. Its presentation is difficult to fault, with straight panels and two-tone paint that shines magnificently. The Black gracing the fenders is an original shade, although the Gray on the remaining panels doesn’t quite gel with anything on the 1936 Plymouth color chart. Of course, those charts are now pretty old, so I wouldn’t be sure they accurately reflect reality. Regardless of the truth, it would undoubtedly turn as many heads today as it did in 1936. Once a classic gets over eight decades under its belt, it would be fair to expect some rust problems. However, that isn’t the case here, with the floors and frame looking as clean as a whistle. The glass is flawless, and the chrome is above-average for a vehicle of this age.

Powering this Plymouth is a 201.3ci flathead six-cylinder engine that sends its power to the rear wheels via a three-speed manual transmission. The Touring Sedan is an enthusiastic performer with 82hp and 145 ft/lbs of torque at the driver’s disposal. However, with most of the power and torque available from around 1,500rpm, these cars can pull from low speeds in remarkably high gears. That makes negotiating heavy traffic relatively effortless because the driver doesn’t need to row the gears to make decent progress. The seller indicates this classic has no mechanical needs. The engine is strong, the transmission is smooth, and the brakes are effective. They describe it as a joy to drive, a claim I find easily believable.

If this Plymouth’s exterior presentation is impressive, its interior serves us more of the same. Admittedly it isn’t loaded with luxury touches like a radio. Still, the broadcloth seats look comfortable and inviting, and there is no evidence of wear or other issues with the upholstered surfaces. There are no problems with the uncluttered dash, with the gauge cluster featuring crisp markings and clear lenses. This classic may not score air conditioning, but cranking open the windshield offers a better alternative that supplies plenty of fresh air. The upright seating position gives occupants a panoramic view of the passing world, and the under-dash heater should make life pleasant on cold days.

Despite the world still recovering from the effects of the Great Depression, Plymouth found itself with a sales success with its 1936 P2. The most popular variant was the Four-Door Touring, although the Two-Door Touring Sedan, like our feature car, found 99,373 buyers. Part of its success could rest in its price because, at $645, it was nearly 10% cheaper than its slightly more practical Four-Door sibling. That may seem insignificant, but this car hit the showroom when buyers were still squeezing every last penny to get the best value for money. This one presents superbly and is a turnkey classic that needs nothing. If you fancy rewinding the clock to a simpler time, doing so behind the wheel of this Plymouth could be the best way to start.