This 1941 Plymouth Business Coupe Reportedly Sat Under Blankets in a Kentucky Basement for 30+ Years

Every collector has pictured the moment: a family basement, a stack of blankets, and a pre-war coupe sitting right where it was parked decades ago. A seller on eBay Motors says that's exactly where this 1941 Plymouth P11 Deluxe Business Coupe spent more than 30 years, and the auction is live now with no bids at a $10,000 opening price.

A Basement Garage in Covington, Kentucky

According to the listing, the Plymouth was pulled in 2017 from a basement garage in Covington, Kentucky, after being "parked and covered in multiple layers of blankets" for 30-plus years. The seller says research shows the car spent its first 81 years in the Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky tri-state area, most of it with a single Kentucky family. The listing includes a photo of the car coming out of that garage.

The paper trail begins at the factory. A copy of the car's Service Card Record (the build sheet), obtained from Stellantis Historical Services, reportedly shows it rolled off the line in Evansville, Indiana, on April 30, 1941, and was delivered the next day to the Armstrong-Welborn dealership in Princeton, Indiana. The only special equipment listed was the optional dual "Air-Tone" horns. If you like a pre-war car with a documented start in life, that's a good one. It also pairs well with our look at a 1939 Ford Tudor that surfaced after decades in storage.

What's Original, and What Isn't

The headline calls the Plymouth an "Unrestored Original," but the seller's own notes add a caveat: the car is "all original except for one repaint in its original black color and new vinyl flooring." That's worth reading closely, because it means the paint is not factory finish. Here is what the listing says about the rest of the car:

• Engine: The seller describes the 201-cubic-inch flathead six as original and numbers-matching, rated at 82 horsepower, with a manual transmission.
• Under the hood: Most of the factory components are said to remain, including the 6-volt generator, starter, regulator, distributor, coil, carburetor with oil-bath air cleaner, radiator and fan.
• Interior: Described as mostly factory original, with new vinyl flooring and a vintage spare tire. The dash gauges are said to work.
• Glass: All original, except for a cracked driver's door window and a small "spider web" flaw in the windshield.
• Mileage: 52,918 miles are shown on the odometer.

This isn't a car that was shut away and never touched since. The previous owner refurbished the fuel tank, water pump, radiator, tires and brakes between 2017 and 2021. The seller, who bought the car in 2022, lists a battery hold-down, fuel tank sending unit, sun visors, wiper vacuum motor, spark plugs, a 6-volt battery and an accelerator pedal among the items added since. The frame and undercarriage have surface rust, the seller reports, but the body and floors are described as very solid.

The Appeal of a Business Coupe

Plymouth built 15,862 of these P11 business coupes, according to the seller. They came with a front bench seat only and no rear seat, a layout the seller says was meant to maximize cargo space in the huge trunk. This one also has running boards, dual sun visors, a driver-side mirror, a "Mopar Deluxe" heater and chrome fender guards, which give it plenty of period character.

The sale includes extras that collectors tend to appreciate: the factory bumper jack, tire iron and engine hand crank, an owner's manual, a factory service manual, a parts manual, a wiring diagram, period dealer brochures, four 1941 LIFE magazine advertisements, and a spare carburetor, fuel pump and bumper guards. The seller is offering free shipping anywhere in the continental U.S. If you enjoy this kind of story, see how barn finds command premiums at auction, or read about a 1956 Corvette stored for more than 50 years and a custom 1941 Plymouth PT-125 for a very different take on the same year and make.

Know Before You Bid

• Auction details: The eBay Motors auction ends Saturday, October 31, at 2:30 p.m. ET. The current bid is $10,000 with no bids, and the reserve has not been met. Bids in the final minute extend the auction.
• Seller: A private seller in Jacksonville, Florida, with a clean Florida title in their name and 100 percent positive feedback.
• Deposit and terms: A $500 deposit is required, and the car is sold as-is, where-is.
• Verify the story: The basement-garage history, the numbers-matching engine and the originality of the interior all come from the seller. Ask for the build sheet, the Covington photos and engine number photos before you bid.

A pre-war business coupe with a documented build date, a flathead six and a believable storage story doesn't come along every week. If you've been looking for a pre-war driver with real history, this one deserves a close look before Saturday afternoon. For another unusual long-term-storage survivor, don't miss the Somerset Hoard of veteran cars heading to Bonhams.

Source: eBay Motors listing for the 1941 Plymouth P11 Deluxe Business Coupe. Details are the seller's claims and have not been independently verified. Check the listing for current bid and time remaining.