I am looking at possibly picking up a 49 or 50 Desoto club coupe parts car,does anyone know what body parts might interchange with a '51 Dodge club coupe? I know the front clip is a no-go but what about the rest (doors,rear fenders,etc)? I know the tail lights are probably different but would the fenders still bolt up?
This is a darn good question. Plymouth and Dodge are supposed to share a body that is completely different than a DeSoto or Chrysler. Yet I have seen a Dodge club coupe that looked an awful lot like a DeSoto. To answer your question very little will fit. They did a major restyle in 51, the 49 or 50 front end and doors won't even fit a 51 DeSoto. Let alone a Dodge. The chassis is different, suspension different, engine different, trans different. Rear fenders might fit IF they are the same basic body, by that I mean the big Dodge may share body parts with DeSoto. But the smaller Dodge will not.
For US marketed Mopars, the Dodge and DeSoto and in some years/models, Chrysler, makes shared the main body sheetmetal for the same year models. Overall, '49 thru '52's share the same general body architecture but lots of details differ. However, Rusty is correct that '49/'50 are different than '51/'52 in the front fenders and doors in particular. The top of the front fender is higher on '49/'50 than '51/'52 and that fender line carried through on the front door. Rear doors on sedan are the same, I believe, but you seem to be asking about coupes. Rear fenders can be swapped, especially in pairs, as the body contour/fender mounting area is the same even when the fender shape at the rear differed. If you have '51 Dodge Coupe, you will need either another '51/'52 Dodge, or DeSoto or Chrysler coupe for firewall back body parts. Ray
I think DeSoto rear fenders are longer than Dodge, and Chrysler longer than DeSoto, at least 51 and 52. Have not measured but they look longer in pictures.
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