This is my 16 Month Restauration of the Plymouth Belvedere Sedan
Greetings, and welcome to the '59 Forum! What a gorgeous, meticulous restoration. It seems to me I have seen this car before, but I can’t remember where. Could you have posted on Facebook, or elsewhere?
Please tell us more about yourself (including your name), about the car, and where you are located! Congratulations on a job well done!
Dan
P.S. - I took the liberty of moving this topic from “Showtime” (Car Shows) to here - let me know if you think another place might be more appropriate
What a beautiful car, excellent job!!!
sorry read that too late..
My 1959 Plymouth Belvedere 4-Door Sedan – Flathead Six, 3-Speed, Matching Numbers
Hi everyone,
I wanted to briefly introduce my 1959 Plymouth Belvedere 4-door sedan.
The car still has its original 230 cui / 3.8L Flathead Six with 3-speed manual transmission. Since it appears to be a matching-numbers car, I decided to keep the original six-cylinder setup instead of swapping in a V8. I know the V8 cars get more attention, but for this car originality was more important to me.
The car was bought in April 2023 and restored over roughly 16 months. My brother and I did a lot of the work ourselves. The car was taken apart, documented, the underside was repaired, rusted floor sections and rocker-related areas were replaced or rebuilt, and many parts were cleaned, blasted, painted, polished or reinstalled piece by piece.
The body itself was surprisingly solid, but the underside needed serious attention. One major issue was an old paint job, apparently from the 1980s, which reacted badly with modern paint materials. Because of that, the body had to be stripped down properly before repainting.
The car is now finished in Oriole Orange / Saratoga Ivory and still has no major modifications. It runs the original-style drivetrain, drum brakes, torsion-bar front suspension and leaf-spring rear axle.
Some details:
- 1959 Plymouth Belvedere
- 4-door sedan
- 230 cui / 3.8L Flathead Six
- 3-speed manual
- 12V conventional ignition
- Drum brakes front and rear
- Original drivetrain kept
- No body modifications
- Color: Oriole Orange / Saratoga Ivory
- Restoration period: April 2023 to August 2024
One of the most difficult parts of the project was getting the brakes sorted properly and finding the correct parts for the Flathead/export-related setup. Several parts searches turned into a real headache, especially because not every listing or manual clearly matched this exact configuration.
The car is now back on the road and was shown at the Classic Gala in Schwetzingen, where it got a lot of attention mainly because of the color combination and overall presence.
I’m happy to share more details or photos if anyone is interested. Also always interested in exchanging information with other 1959 Plymouth owners, especially regarding Flathead Six cars and export/version differences.
Michael @nollenberger , I have gathered many pictures of your car along the way, since your initial post on the Forum! Here’s one from the Classic Gala last year:
I gather pictures with every intention of adding them to the Showcase, and your car certainly needs to be there! Hopefully I’ll get around to it soon… 
Where do you live? @Ron_Keij and @Matthew_Keij recently moved to Manderscheid, about two hours away from Heidelberg. They have two Sport Furys - one a hardtop, and one a convertible. Perhaps someday they will meet up with you! Also, @roland.bonas (Rodange, Luxembourg) has a four-door Belvedere that looks remarkably similar to yours - you’ll find it in the Showcase:
Roland Bonas - Rodange, Luxembourg - The Showcase / Belvedere - 1959 Plymouth Forum
Keep those cards and letters coming! And by all means, post more pix!
Dan
My 1959 Plymouth featured in Car & Bike Magazine “Gasoline”
Hi everyone,
I just wanted to share something I’m really happy about: my 1959 Plymouth has been featured in Car & Bike Magazine “Gasoline.”
For me, this is something special, because a lot of time, work, patience, and nerves have gone into this car over the past months. Everyone who owns or restores an old American car knows it is not always just shiny paint and chrome. A lot of it is troubleshooting, hunting for parts, and trying to keep things moving forward.
That makes it even better to see the Plymouth being noticed outside of my own garage. Especially with a 1959 model and those big tailfins, the car really has its own presence.
I’m honestly pretty proud of it and just wanted to share it with you guys.
Best regards,
Michael
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This is from the classic gala in Germany Schwetzingen. The ASC Classic Gala Schwetzingen is more than just a competition — it’s a social event that brings together automotive culture, art, and lifestyle. Against this exclusive backdrop, you can look forward to culinary highlights, live music, and a special art exhibition that perfectly round out the experience. Recognized as “One of the Greatest Concours” by The Concours Year, the ASC Classic Gala Schwetzingen sets the standard in the world of automotive events. Thanks to its affordable admission price, this special event is accessible to everyone—a unique opportunity to experience automotive excellence in one of Europe’s most beautiful palace gardens.
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For anyone who needs it, here is my template/pattern for a custom-fitted carpet, including the trunk lining. The carpet is a loop-pile type and cost me around 2,500 euros.
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Some guys have all the luck! 
I love the eye candy!! 