Back in May I decided I was finaly going to build and customize my own car. I have almost no experience with automotive maintenance but 7 years of aircraft avionics (C-130) and electrical maintenance. While I would prefer a pre WWII Buick, I needed a learner car first. I chose a 55 DeSoto Firedome. It was cheap, 95% was still there and ran, sort of. The past few months have been mainly research and developement. I found some sources for parts, learned a little bit about vintage American technology and am now ready to begin. Most work will be done in my drive way for now. There is a full Auto Hobby shop on base where I live. It has lifts, tools, welding equipment, a paint booth. There are also certified mechanics to help out. So far the carb's been rebuilt, fuel tank has been cleaned, etched and sealed, fuel lines were cleared and the pump rebuilt. Most of the work has been cleaning. There is a thick layer of solid dirt (almost full on rock) covering everything. Luckily this layer protected the parts underneath from moisture, so they are pristine underneath. The starter relay was loose and rain water had gotten inside, so it wouldn't start. I rewound the coil and soldered some terminals the car now it starts but won't fire. I am currently waiting on spark plug wires and some point contacts. The plan was to remove the body, pull the chassis and engine into the garage and clean, rebuild and replace whatever needed it. Now I am being sent to Okinawa, Japan. I can take the Firedome with me, but it must be driven to San Diego and onto a freight container. Getting the car operable and preventing the spread of rust is top priority. If not I may have to store it for a few years or sell it.
Ran a magnet over the body and found several dead spots. Most are just thick layers of primer from small dents. Also found a patch made of Metal Mend tape and Bondo on the rear fender and foam on the front passenger door. I wont have time to cut and weld (I plan on taking some classes first) a proper panel now, so I'm thinking of stripping the paint, adding a few temporary fiber glass patches for structural integrity and sealing/painting. This should contain the rust until a replacement or permanent patch can be welded in. Right now it has spots of rust converter on some of the exposed steel. This is turning out to require more work than I previously thought. New pics up tonight.
Your pics aren't showing up. Can't wait to see this one! You might also look on forwardlook.net for answers to Mopar-specific questions and possibly parts sources. There is a user here 'VonDust' that has a chopped '55 Firedome 2dr hardtop... it is exceptional.
Finally have a plan together. I'm going to build a custom cruiser. Something with plenty of power but could also be driven cross country. Heres the to do list for the next few years: -Rebuild the engine. -Replace any worn parts -Upgrade to the 4bbl carb. -Front Disc brakes. -Rebuild transmission -Proper Patches Quarter panel, rocker panel floor and passenger door -Tubeless tires w/ new wheels -Air Conditioning -Drop it, but no chop -Less chrome in the front. Maybe painted bumpers, and remove the hood ornament or some trim. -Black and tan interior with burled wood instrument panel. -Replace exhaust (Still on the fence about loud and proud or a silent ninja) -Heat and sound insulation. -Paint-Cobalt Blue and Pearl White. Door posts will be pearl white)
So it will cost $3,000 a year in taxes and fees alone if I take it to Japan. Plus it will sit in San Diego for who knows how long until it wakes the trip across the Pacific. Then it will need to meet Japanese inspection requirements. With only 4 months left, I'm going to have to sell. F@%k!
Dood, I'm a devoted '55/6 DeSoto guy. For the dough you're talking to take it to Japan (AND considering the condition of the car), I'd put it in reliable storage and take back up the project when you come back stateside. You have a good plan, so put it on hold. If you sell this car, I think you will regret it. The 4B version '55 was 200hp stock new, so there's a lot to work with there. I have my own tastes, so take it for what it's worth to YOU. If you're gonna paint the bumper, I'd do the headlight rims too. That puts the visual focus on your grille. If you're lowering the car, myself, I don't think the top-chop is needed. (BTW, that's the first shot of VonDust's '55 I've seen since he dropped the top. He's a cool guy. You oughta talk with him.)
Jim has a good idea if you have storage available that won't double the cost of the car before you get back to it. ...still would like to see some pics... .
And if it's a coupe, DEFINITELY worth keeping. They and the 'verts are in highest demand and worth the most dough.
Again just my taste, but here's what I'm planning for my '55 Fireflite. I'm gonna lose the heavy chrome stock headlight bezels (aka rims, "doors") and use '56 deluxe bezels instead. They are more pointed, mostly painted not plated, so they only show a tasteful maybe half- inch ring of chrome all the way around. (You paint them the same color as the body). First pic shows the '56 rings. The bottom two are '55 stock versions, headlight-wise, but with the optional extra-cost fender spears. Hardtop coupe above. Below, the more common 4DS.
Wow! Jimishemi: That last pic, except for the headlight toppers, could have been my folks' car '56-'61.
Yeah, Russ, weren't they great, comfortable, powerful cars? The '55 and '56 DeSoto were as good OR better than any of the 30-or-so cars I've ever had.
The wife asked that I at least attepmt to sell it. I listed it on craigslist for $7,000. If it doesn't sell in the 42 days, I will roll it into storage. The base will store it outside with the campers for free. The fence is locked and someone will start it and let it run for 5 mins once a month. The thing is that being stored outside in the desert would undo the years worth of work I already put into it. Dust storms and monsoons can be brutal around here. I've already had 3 offers, two are obvious scammers and one restores cars profesionally. If it sells, I'll stash the money, save up some more and buy a Fireflite Coupe.
My wife worked on a military base, and we stored our camper and boat in a situation just like you described. I think you'd be okay, if you buy a fitted cover that pulls snug down low. May be a tough sell at $7,000 with this Recession on. I've seen lots of cars (all makes) go NO-SALE on eBay these last couple of years. If yours is a FireDOME four-door, those are the most common. I've seen those bring around $2,500-maybe-$4,000, depending on condition. The 2DH jumps in cost/value. Depending on condition again, they can be in that $7,000 range and UP. Convertibles bring the most. Wagons aren't common, but there doesn't seem to be much demand for them, maybe because they were heavier cars than Fords & Chevys. (But, hey! A Hemi-powered long-roof would be pretty cool!)
The NADA guide listed them around $7,000. Mine isn't worth that much, but the wife doesn't know that. If it sells, I make some money. If not, I'll store it until I return from Japan. This will give me an opportunity to save enough money to work on it. Just found a crack in the auto choke line, and the housing I just replaced. Like the 56 bezels, I'll look into them. I would like to take the head lights in about an inch. They hang over a bit too much for my taste. I'm also thinking of a powder coated 56 grill to take off some chrome without painting the bumper.
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