Projects Project 48 desoto...aka: Fernando

Well after a lot of pics, info and such it's almost a done deal. Just waiting on the title and such to finish the deal.

Here are a couple pics,






It's a 48 Desoto 2dr sedan.

I'm a mopar man and I knew it had to be a mopar, but I wanted something different. I had been looking at 46-48 desoto's for a while and after seeing some pics of a hambers car, bigdaddy's salmmed 46 Desoto 2dr sedan, I knew I had to have one.

Put out a lot of feelers on the net and a fellow from Southern Cali contacted me with this car for sale. Still have to get it home though, anyone looking to move a car from S. Cali to Seattle WA around April?

My plans for the car is to get it running and driving and safetied, so I can register it and get proper insurance. Once that's done it will get dropped a few inches front and rear. Some wide whites with full wheel covers for now, plan on going artillery rims eventually. Kind of a traditional cruiser?

I'm torn now between keeping with the flatty 6 or putting the 331 Hemi in it I had originally planned? Regardless of motor I decide I want to swap in one of Ma' mopars OD833 trannies, and an 8 3/4 rear end.

 

Now one issue the car has is the motor is toast.





There is no oil pan and no piston or rods in the block. My guess is the motor spun a bearing, they started to repair things then abandoned the car.

So I'm looking for another flatty 6 for it or even considering loosing the flatty 6 and going small block dodge and a 727. I've put a want ad on CL locally and received a few responses. One fellow has a complete rebuilt 1948 25" flatty with all accessories and a new clutch for the manual 3 speed for about $1K.

Now does anyone know if the tranny mount and clutch linkage will be the same going from the fluid drive to a true manual 3 speed?

 

Howard Cunningham had one just like it.

 

when's the last time anyone saw one of these??

 

BigDad had one on here for sale a few years ago with a 440 in it .I like these old Desotos ...

 

Looks like fun. There's plenty of room down there for just about any engine you want. I'm working on finishing my '48 Chrysler convertible right now. Well, not right right now. But currently. I love these cars.

 

Yup the 46-48 Desoto 2dr sedans are few and far between. The 4dr sedan and the 2dr coupes are much more common.

As is usual with me I have to fall in love with a car that is one of the tougher ones to find.

 

If you have not already been there you need to check out the P15-D24 site http://www430.pair.com/p15d24/mopar_forum/index.php?referrerid=1152. There are a few guys over there with Desotos may be able to pick up some parts and or info there.

 

Thanks, I actually registered today...just waiting for the admin's to give me the A.O.K.

 

Since your going on the P15-D24, check out Don Coatneys car. He has a big flathead 6 from a later Desoto, and a T5, another option.

 

Not really. He had a 4dr DeSoto Suburban, which has a fold down 3rd seat.
The guys over at p15-d24 are really nice guys. Even though mine is a 48 DeSoto, I was very welcomned there, and those guys are very knowleable and willing to help.
Jack

 

<!-- / icon and title --> <!-- message --> Finally received some pics of one of the motors and trannies I've been contacted about.

This is the 218cu.in 25" Flathead 6 from a Canadian 47 plymouth, with 3 speed tranny. Motor was rebuilt/freshened, new clutch, and comes complete ready to go.













I had looked at a couple other motor but one was a 23" and the other I passed on.

I sent the seller an e-mail saying I would take the motor and tranny and asked if he was firm on his $1K price. And since it never hurts to ask, I asked if he would consider $850...He accepted my offer!!

Oh you can see in the pic that the exhaust has been modified to run a second dual exhaust. Not quite the same as the tri-split manifold/header but good enough for now.

This was a running and driving set-up and is ready to drop in.

Now I have to drive 5 hours, one way, to go get it....sounds like a good day to me!!

 

I've been over on the P15-D24 forum and one of the guys accidentally named my car for me. He meant to type "Hernando" Desoto and typed "Fernando" instead.

I really thought the name suited the car, so I have now named my Desoto Fernando. He was actually Hernando's sea sick cousin....

 

That's a pretty solid looking ride. I will have to go through some of my extra parts. I do have 3 new rear windows and a trunk lid forsure. There is a guy in puyallup trying to sell a 47 for $6500 on the c-list. Keep us posted.

 

Nice looking car.

There are a few of us early Mopar nuts around. I have several, one is a '42 Plymouth 2 door. I plan to put one of the Desoto or Chrysler sixes in it, of course, with some goodies.

You could take that Canadian Plymouth, add a cam, headers, plane the head and add some more carbs and probably have a nice runner. George Asche has a 3 carb manifold setup he sells, complete with carbs and linkage, for just under a grand.

I was going to point you to a guy in Grass Valley, Ca. that has several long motors, but it looks like you're on your way.

Gene G.

 

Now my vision for Fernando was/is this.

I want to get it running and driving and safetied so I can get it registered and insured in my province. Once that's done I will probably drive it and enjoy it until I can gather the parts for the work I want to do.

I plan on dropping it several inches, 4-6 to be exact. Fatman has drop spindles and then some shorter springs will bring the front down, then in the back I'll get 2" dropped springs and then lowering blocks?

I want to run wide whites with full wheel covers for now and eventually I'd like to have artillery style rims, or maybe just redo the original rims black and run the "Desoto" stainless caps?

I had originally thought to rebuild and drop my 331 Hemi into the car but after much thinking and research I think, for now, I'm going to stay with the Flathead six.

I know I won't get super performance out of it but that's not what I'm after. I just want a nice cruiser that is kind of period correct as such. The faltty will be something different in a sea of V8's and such. And if I have a multi carb intake and split exhaust and an aluminum head, it will just add to the "well that's different" factor.

I'm not in a hurry to get where I'm going and even thought I'll be lucky to see 150HP out of any flatty I build I don't really care. The 833OD will help on the highway and as long as I can flow with traffic that's all I care about.

With lowering the front end I'll also have to run a disc brake conversion since the drop spindles will cause the drums to interfere with things in the front end.

Have the interior redone and then just clean up and redo things as I enjoy the car.

 

What kind of MORON would try to name some stranger's car Fernando? I hope he never tries to name my car!

 

ROFLMAO....

Shouldn't you change your user name to Hankie47....

 

cool congrats man... I have a 50 coronet frame clip if the front suspension is the same and you need any bits let me know

 

Ha Ha....see ya later pard. Hankie47

 

neat car.I have always been interested in the red and yellow DeSoto cabs you see in old movies.Cool coupe-good score.

 

From one Mopar nut to another, great find, keep us posted on how things go. Love to see it sometime as we seem to be somewhat in the same area.

 

The BIGGEST problem you'll run into, if you're looking to put a Hemi into your car, is clearence around the steering gear...especially with a Hemi. When I planned on putting the DeSoto Hemi/200-4R in my 32 roadster, fortunately, I had the choice of an adapter plate with the starter mount on either side. I put the starter on the passenger side, and eliminated any problems I might have had with starter/steering gear clearence...

 

Thanks for the kind words guys.

When I get ol' Fernando rolling again I will definitely be hitting some of the WA, State shows, billetproof and such. Hope to meet up with some of the local HAMB'ers as well.

 

If I ever do the Hemi swap I might have to go R&P steering...prefer no to but if I have to I have to.

Thanks for the advice.

 

I have a 392 in my '48 DeSoto. It has Nova front clip and steering box, and plenty of clearance for the Hemi.
Jack

 

Desoto's are bitchin!! I instantly thought of Happy Days when i saw pics.

 

Well my new motor and tranny are home!!!

A buddy and me left this morning at 6:30am and drove the 4 hours one way to arrive at the guys house to pick up the motor, tranny and stuff.

Had a nice chat with the guy, go to look at their cars, a 41 dodge convertible (restored to original), 31 Model A (restored to original), 47 Plymouth (now hot rodded), and a early 70's Lincoln Continental 2dr with only 9000 original miles!!

Loaded up the motor and tranny, stopped for some lunch and was back home by 3:30pm. But the tranny in my friends truck didn't do so well. 97 dodge ram Ext. cab, 4x4, 360/auto. By the time we got back home he had no 3rd gear or OD!!

 

Here are a few pics...

Home and un-strapping the motor.



Motor on hoist.





Didn't think that the oil bath air cleaner would blow out fluid from all the air being driven down the aircleaner, carb and intake. Made a bit of a mess but shouldn't have hurt anything.

 

Took a couple of the dual exhaust modification.





They modified and welded the manifold up themselves, it may not be perfect but they had been running it in the car with no problems.