DeSoto Cars

DeSoto Cars - Random Listings From Our Picture Gallery

1936 DeSoto S-1 Custom Airstream Convertible Coupe	1936 DeSoto S-1 Custom Airstream Convertible Coupe 1936 DeSoto S-1 Custom Airstream Convertible Coupe Photo By: Douglas Wilkinson Date: September 14, 2009 Location: Tallahassee Antique Car Museum Address: 3550A Mahan Drive (highway 90) City/State: Tallahassee, Florida Phone: (850) 942-0137 Website: http://tacm.com by Douglas
1957 DeSoto Firedome Convertible	1957 DeSoto Firedome Convertible 1957 DeSoto Firedome Convertible Model S25 57 Heaven Car Museum Dick Clark's American Bandstand Theater 1600 W. Hwy. 76, Branson, MO 65616 Phone: 800-985-3144 417-335-2600 Date: June 11, 2009 Photos by Douglas Wilkinson by Douglas
1947 DeSoto S-11C Suburban	1947 DeSoto S-11C Suburban 1947 DeSoto S-11C Suburban National Automobile Museum in Reno, Nevada. Photos By: Douglas Wilkinson by Douglas
1954 DeSoto 4-Door Sedan	1954 DeSoto 4-Door Sedan 1954 DeSoto 4-Door Sedan Location: The Payson Arizona Car Show in Payson, AZ. Date: April 30, 2005 Photo By: Douglas Wilkinson Keywords: pictures photos vintage classic american car by Douglas
1936 DeSoto Airstream Convertible	1936 DeSoto Airstream Convertible 1936 DeSoto Airstream Convertible Location: 2009 Concours d'Elegance Amelia Island, Florida Date: March 15, 2009 Photos By: Douglas Wilkinson by Douglas
1957 DeSoto Adventurer Convertible	1957 DeSoto Adventurer Convertible 1957 DeSoto Adventurer Convertible 57 Heaven Car Museum Dick Clark's American Bandstand Theater 1600 W. Hwy. 76, Branson, MO 65616 Phone: 800-985-3144 417-335-2600 Date: June 11, 2009 Photos by Douglas Wilkinson by Douglas
1950 DeSoto	1950 DeSoto 100.00 USD Offered For Sale By: Kruse International 5540 County Rd 11A Auburn, IN 46706 Phone: 800-968-4444 Email: info@kruse.com Website: www.kruse.com Date: November 7-9, 2008 1950 DeSoto Parts or Project car 6-cylinder Lot #432 Sold $100 by Douglas
1959 DeSoto Firesweep 2-Door Hardtop	1959 DeSoto Firesweep 2-Door Hardtop 43,000.00 USD Offered For Sale at the: Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Auction January, 2008, Scottsdale, Arizona Barrett-Jackson Auction Company 7400 E Monte Cristo Ave Scottsdale, AZ 85260 Phone: 480-421-6694 Facsimile: 480-421-6697 Website: www.barrett-jackson.com 1959 DeSoto Firesweep 2-Door Hardtop 43,000 LotNumber 975 This '59 De Soto has been restored as needed and done in the factory correct pink and white colors along with a correct swivel seat interior. Runs and drives really nice. Also has twin rear antennas and dual outside rear view mirrors. Wire wheels really dress up this rare De Soto. This has a 361cid V8 with push-button TorqueFlight transmission. by Douglas
1955 DeSoto Fireflight Sportsman 2-Door Hardtop	1955 DeSoto Fireflight Sportsman 2-Door Hardtop 1955 DeSoto Fireflight Sportsman 2-Door Hardtop Photo By: Douglas Wilkinson Date: September 13, 2009 Location: Don Garlits Museum of Drag Racing Address: 137 SW 16th Avenue (Exit 341 Interstate 75) City/State: Ocala, Florida 34473 Phone: (877) 271-3278 Website: http://garlits.com by Douglas
1954 DeSoto Adventurer II Ghia Concept Car	1954 DeSoto Adventurer II Ghia Concept Car 1954 DeSoto Adventurer II Ghia Concept Car Photo By: Douglas Wilkinson Location: The Meadow Brook Concours d'Elegance in Rochester, Michigan, August 7, 2005. by Douglas

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DeSoto Cars

Some said Chrysler planned to introduce the DeSoto to force bankers Dillon and Reed to sell him Dodge, but the car was already in production when Chrysler finalized the purchase of Dodge. The DeSoto was launched in 1928 as a 6-cylinder car to compete with Oldsmobile, Pontiac, and Nash. The new line sold well with over 90,000 DeSotos produced in the first twelve months.

In May, 1930, DeSoto starts the model year with its K-Series cars but switch to the CK Finer Six.

Carl Breer, executive engineer for Chrysler Corporation, was fascinated with aerodynamics. The Chrysler and DeSoto Airflow automobiles, the results of Breer's experiments with streamlined shapes, took six years to develop defore they were introduced in 1934, the tenth anniversary of Chrysler. Although the Airflow never really succeeded with the buying public, it was an important engineering and styling achievement that influenced automotive designs for years.

Downdraft carburetion, floating power, a vacuum-operated clutch and free-wheeling were introduced within the next few years but the big news for 1935 was the introduction of the Airstream series. Proving to be a successful sell, the DeSoto Airstream was continued for 1936, available with DeLuxe or Custom features. The 6-cylinder L-head engine produced 93 hp and an optional overdrive transmission gave greater fuel economy and less engine wear.

The Airstream series was replaced by the Model S-3 in 1937 when Desoto began building its new Detroit factory; the first exclusively DeSoto manufacturing facility. Production remained there until 1958 when DeSoto properties became the home of Chrysler Imperials.

DeSoto played a valiant part during WWII with the responsibility for fuselage section assembly for the Martin B-26 Marauder; the manufacture of parts for Bofors anti-aircraft cannon; building of wing sections for the Hell-Diver aircraft; and construction of B-29 nose sections with parts supplied by the Chrysler and Plymouth factory assemble lines.

Following the War, material shortages, labor difficulties, and the huge task of converting plants back to civilian production delayed the introduction of the 1946 models until March of the year.

While these new models were almost identical to those of 1942, they did offer some design changes including new front fenders with conventional exposed headlights, redesigned grille and doors, new bumpers and updated ornamentation. These models carried on during 1947 and 1948.

In 1949, the DeSoto's lady hood ornament was replaced by a bust of Hernando DeSoto which glowed in the dark with the headlights on. Total production for DeSoto in 1949 was 95,051 vehicles, which placed the company 14th in the US.

When Desoto was first marketed, it was to fill the gap between Dodge and Chrysler, giving the company the full spectrum of the automotive sales market, putting the company on a fairly even model-to-model competition with GM. Right from the start, Desoto was a leader in style with unique grilles through the 1930s and 1940s, and distinctive trim and interior appointments into the 1950s; however, by 1960, this marque's role was starting to shrink as the top-line Dodge almost overlapped the bottom-line Chrysler, filling in the gap that had been occupied by Desoto for almost 30 years.

Chrysler discontinued DeSoto production in 1960.

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• DeSoto Parts
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