Werner Wilson's 1948 Plymouth sedan - Mighty Mopar

Contrary to some lines of thought, you don't have to build a coupe or a roadster to end up with an impressive street rod-heck, you don't even have to build a Ford or a Chevy to turn heads. Werner Wilson's way-cool '48 Plymouth sedan is a perfect example. It's neither a coupe nor a roadster, and it ain't no Blue Oval or Bow Tie; instead, it's a slick, swoopy sedan that's every bit as nice as any equally detailed two-seater we've seen in a long time. Plus, it transports a family of five with ease.

Werner's choice of a sedan came as much out of necessity as personal taste. A growing family and a desire to continue enjoying the rodding hobby required replacing the family's hot rod pickup with something that would allow the whole brood to participate in the fun along with mom and dad. A sedan was the answer, and the hunt was on.

Werner kept an eye out for a suitable project vehicle, and while checking out the classified section of the Goodguys Gazette, he found the perfect candidate: a solid '48 Plymouth sedan located down in SoCal. After many phone and photo exchanges between Werner and the car's owner, Werner decided the car warranted a close look, so he jumped on a plane and made the trip from Ohio to California hoping to close the deal. The car lived up to his expectations, and it was soon on its way back East to its new home.

The '48 was a previously rodded car that basically just needed a bit of elbow grease and some personalization. Once safely delivered to its new home, the sedan began to receive lots of attention from the Wilsons. The body and paint were in great shape, and the engine and trans ran and worked just fine. The aim was to get to work on the details and give it a once-over to ensure it would end up as good a driver as it was a looker.

During upgrading, the Wilsons drove the sedan to events both close to and far from home, enjoying the car while tackling the upgrades between outings. One major hurdle Werner needed to overcome was a stubborn overheating problem. Fan swaps, shroud additions, and other mods didn't seem to work, so, at his wife's urging, Werner sprang for a new radiator-problem solved. To this day the car runs a steady 175 degrees, traffic or not.

The biggest modification came in the way of a fresh new custom interior that was the finishing touch to a perfect long-distance cruiser. With its comfy new confines, the sedan makes for an enjoyable ride, one the whole Wilson family can enjoy all at once!

Facts & Figures
Werner Wilson
Marysville, Ohio
1948 Plymouth sedan