I think the reason late 40's and early 50's DeSotos were popular as cabs was that they were based on the larger Chrysler body (so more space for passengers and cargo) but you could order a really stripped one that would be much cheaper than even a base Chrysler.
MoPars also had very durable engines and drivetrains, and probably the most robust suspensions of the big three, second only to the Checkers of the day.
I had a 1938 Chrysler Royale, change the grille and dashboard and it looked exactly like that 1938 DeSoto. So much for individual styling. Which was the copy? I'd say neither, they were built to interchange body parts with different trim. Any perceived difference in quality was in the eye of the buyer, they were basically the same car. All of them played the same game. Look at the GM midsized cars, Nova, Apollo, Ventura/Phoenix, Ford Fairlane and Mercury Comet/Montego, Dodge Dart and Plymouth Valiant, all late 60's to late 70's. Same body, maybe different engine. Yes, they thought the buying public was stupid to not tell the difference. Still do. I have heard people badmouthing one over the other when in fact they were the same car, just different trim. The folks who swear by their Pontiac but cuss a Chevy, when they are the same car. Some people really are stupid.
In the mid 50s engine size pretty much told the ranking with v8s in Plymouth 259 dodge 270 Desoto 291 Chrysler 331 GM 1955 Chevy 265 Pontiac 287 OLds 324 Buick 332 Cadliac 331 Ford 272 Mercury 292 Lincoln 341
That's an '80s and up 'badge engineering' thing. In the '50s through the '70s, the divisions were building significantly different cars, even if they were forced to share a basic chassis. In 1957, Plymouths had their own frame, Dodges another, senior Chryslers and Desotos another, and Imperials had their own - each built from different gauge steel and using a different length torsion bar. E-body Challengers have a two-inch longer wheelbase than the Barracudas. Wide-track Pontiacs had a completely different suspension than their GM siblings. Buicks ran Dynaflows and torque tubes when everyone else had open drives.
Weren't they first choice for the cabbies because of the Fluid Drive? DeSoto had them in 1940-1953 (along with Dodge in 1941-1954) Saved a lot of shifting; could leave it in 2nd gear most of the time.
The DeSoto line was brought into the group as Chrysler couldn't buy out the Dodge Brothers, but only a few years after the DeSoto line became a reality, Chrysler was able to buy out the Dodge brothers., giving him a 4 car lineup. The first year the DeSoto came out it held the record for production of a new name until in 1960 the Ford Falcon came out the first year of production and broke that record . DeSoto ceased production around 61 or 62.
The real DeSoto was an unpleasant fellow.....When I was 10 years old my uncle bought a new 57 DeSoto 2 door hard top. I believe it was the Adventurer? Anyways he said the car was a rocket.. My dad liked cars but was not a hot rodder,challanged him to a race.He had a 56 Ford Victoria and he told his brother in law the Ford had the Thunderbird engine... They lined up at the bottom of the hill ,side by side in a housing tract ,dad got the hole shot..But the finned monster then walked away..
as i recall, desoto was like an olds. they made great taxies, because they were roomy and would run forever.
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