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Projects Sold the truck, bought a car ('53 Desoto)

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by hillbilly4008, Sep 29, 2010.

  1. hillbilly4008
    Joined: Feb 13, 2009
    Posts: 2,924

    hillbilly4008
    Member
    from Rome NY

    As some of you may have seen, ive been asking questions on here lately about Desotos. Well i finally brought it home.

    I sold the truck because i couldnt drive it as much as it deserved. I have a toddler that needs to be in a car seat, and the wife works weekends. So i figure the simple solution was build a family friendly cruiser. So dont bust my balls for snatching up a four door!;)

    I got the engine to run lastnight, the car sat since '76 or so. Valves chatter a bit, but thats expected.

    Plans are to lower the piss out of it(no bags), throw on some '56 buick portholes, and some packard tail lights. Full hand made cruiser skirts. Different bumpers. Nosed + decked, probably keep most of the trim. Lose the handles. Im considering suiciding the rear doors(alot of work)

    The engine will stay, shave the head(my neighbor owns an engine shop, $50-$75 he said) Dual carb intake, and split the stock exhaust manifold. Interior will probably be roll + pleat. Final paint is going to be "40 coats of hand rubbed laquer" in a dark navy blue.

    Heres the pics. The front is right where i want it, the rear has to come down alot more though.(if it were only that easy :D) Awesome patina

    [​IMG]
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  2. Well I was going to give you a serious testicle squeezing about the 4 doors until I got to the part about the rears getting suicided. Now maybe just a little love tap. ;)

    If you got a diaper dragger the suicide doors besides being a smooth touch makes it 100% easier to get the little bugger in and out. And custom wise its pretty slick to be able to open the entire side of the car up.

     
  3. junk yard kid
    Joined: Nov 11, 2007
    Posts: 2,718

    junk yard kid
    Member

  4. hillbilly4008
    Joined: Feb 13, 2009
    Posts: 2,924

    hillbilly4008
    Member
    from Rome NY


    Fuckin' classic! I almost pissed myself
     

  5. 40 coats of hand-rubbed laquer.....on a 4dr Desoto! I'm not getting it! I wouldn't put 40 coats of hand-rubbed laquer on a 4dr Merc!!!!
     
  6. hillbilly4008
    Joined: Feb 13, 2009
    Posts: 2,924

    hillbilly4008
    Member
    from Rome NY

    "if ya have to ask..."

    Because i CAN. Its what i have, and i am going to make the best i can out of it. I figure its another 2-3 years before my son is out of his car seat, in the mean time i am going to enjoy myself.

    Also doing it to be different, everywhere you look on here there is a '50 Merc, '50 shoebox, or a '50 chevy...
     
  7. I started to say crumb grabber or as I was called when I was real little house ape, but diaper dragger seemed the most appropriate.

    Like your idea for the Desoto I think you have a good line on it.
     
  8. Nice Desoto man. Same year as my Plymouth.


    I hate "the 4dr cars aint worth the work" BS. That car is still almost 60 yrs old. And the fact you are doing so you and your kid can enjoy the hobby together makes the project even better.

    Good luck with it and build it like you want to.
     
  9. Boeing Bomber
    Joined: Aug 5, 2010
    Posts: 1,079

    Boeing Bomber
    Member

    I like the idea of pitching the bumpers, they remind me of a Checker Marathon. French those headlights, but keep that sweet grille. I put suicide doors on my '66 VW Bug, Not too difficult, and definetly worth it. Gonna' look good...
     
  10. hillbilly4008
    Joined: Feb 13, 2009
    Posts: 2,924

    hillbilly4008
    Member
    from Rome NY

    I just noticed a pretty good dent in the roof earlier today, I dont know how i didnt see it before. Right above the windshield on the driver side. That kinda annoyed me, because i was thinking about doing the lid in a pearl coat.(possibly metal flake) Its going to require a bit of attention, there is a crease.
     
  11. hillbilly4008
    Joined: Feb 13, 2009
    Posts: 2,924

    hillbilly4008
    Member
    from Rome NY

    I have access to alot of '50s era cars, finding the right set of bumpers shouldnt be too hard. I love the look of Cady bumpers with the dagmars, but im worried that it will make the nose look 'over the top'. I also know of a '56 Lincoln Capri that could donate some bumpers. Honestly, i dont know what i want yet.

    Im not a fan of frenching. I was considering extending the fronts and mounting the headlights from the '56 buick. That may flow good with the portholes. Speaking of '56 buick portholes I allready have six, but am thinking about getting borderline stupid and putting 4 or 5 per fender. Buick did put 4 on some cars, but never 5.

    Foady, how did you do your hinges on your doors? I think i may run into problems because of the way the rear jam is shaped.
     
  12. Okay....point taken! You are right....you don't see Desoto Customs everyday. I was more questioning the 40 coats,thing. Not the choice of cars,but you can put 40 coats or $40k into that car,but it's still not a 2dr,or even a HEMI car,that will be worth more than 18-20k. I wouldn't go overboard with it. This is all considering that you might want to sell it someday. I see guys here in SoCal all the time,sink a ton of dough into a car that won't return it. Just my opinion.
     
    rytang likes this.
  13. Squablow
    Joined: Apr 26, 2005
    Posts: 17,388

    Squablow
    Member

    The bumpers are the second best part of the car, behind the grille. I bought a whole DeSoto car just to get the bumpers and grille.

    The other stuff sounds good, but I'm really surprised anyone would want to swap out those bumpers. Even the chrome looks like it would clean up decent, feel free to ship those to me if you don't want them.
     
    rytang likes this.
  14. Suicide doors? It's a 4dr! Why not go for a Mild Custom....Nice paint,shaved nose,deck and handles,lowered,etc...
     
  15. hillbilly4008
    Joined: Feb 13, 2009
    Posts: 2,924

    hillbilly4008
    Member
    from Rome NY

    suicide REAR doors
     
  16. hillbilly4008
    Joined: Feb 13, 2009
    Posts: 2,924

    hillbilly4008
    Member
    from Rome NY

    I took it down the road today for the first time. I gotta say the engine needs ALOT of work. She barely had the power to make it back, which is probably a good thing because i had no brakes.

    Here is a photoshop James D did up for me.
    [​IMG]
     
    martin53 and rytang like this.
  17. Thats a nice looking rendering.
     
    rytang likes this.
  18. banditomerc
    Joined: Dec 18, 2005
    Posts: 2,475

    banditomerc
    Member

    i like it already,but go ahead and have a couple more kids 'cause the one is going to get awfully lonly back there.
     
  19. Best part about those huge ass old 4 door cars is, ya don't have to get out to let someone in the back seat(open your own fucking door) & there's lots of leg room in the front & back.
     
  20. 60galaxieJJ
    Joined: Dec 24, 2009
    Posts: 1,525

    60galaxieJJ
    Member

  21. tjet
    Joined: Mar 16, 2009
    Posts: 1,335

    tjet
    Member
    1. Early Hemi Tech

    Cool lookin car. I would clean it up & keep it simple. Nice paint & lowered
     
  22. Zombie57Ranchero
    Joined: Oct 7, 2009
    Posts: 562

    Zombie57Ranchero
    Member

    Not everyday you see a cool custom Desoto looking forward to seeing the progress u make on her!
     
    rytang likes this.
  23. StuntmanJames
    Joined: Aug 22, 2009
    Posts: 171

    StuntmanJames
    Member
    from Denton Tx

    I like it! Piss on anyone who doesnt like a mordor! Mine is awesome and i get nothing but looks and compliments everyday with her! Clean her up a bit and you will the same!
     
  24. Big_John
    Joined: Mar 28, 2006
    Posts: 334

    Big_John
    Member
    from Upstate NY

    Gotta like the '53 Mopars!

    Here's mine.

    [​IMG]

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    rytang likes this.
  25. Now that looks good, should be able to build it for about 50 thousand $ :eek:. Just kidding, but I'm sure if I tried to build it, it would cost that much for sure :D.
     
  26. hillbilly4008
    Joined: Feb 13, 2009
    Posts: 2,924

    hillbilly4008
    Member
    from Rome NY

    Im thinking the most expensive job on the whole project is gonna be the chrome. I only paid $1500 for the car, i would imagine the grill and bumpers costing more than that to re-plate.
    [​IMG]
     
  27. hillbilly4008
    Joined: Feb 13, 2009
    Posts: 2,924

    hillbilly4008
    Member
    from Rome NY

    Making some slow progress on the car. My fuel tank was swiss cheese after i flushed the clay brick like sediment out of it. Also the sending unit was rotted through, ive never seen that before. So i called up Classic Instraments, they hooked me up with a new sender. Great people to deal with.

    I ended up making a fuel cell out of aluminum for the car. I am going to market these as "tail dragger tanks" The base is made out of 3/16 aluminum, it should handle just about anything thrown its way. This one was built to the same size as the factory tank, and will go right back where the original one came out.
    [​IMG]
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    rytang likes this.
  28. Mnhotrodbuilder
    Joined: Jul 12, 2010
    Posts: 1,140

    Mnhotrodbuilder
    Member
    from Afton, MN

    I really dig that grill and laid back windshield. Post pics of your progress
     
  29. 73super
    Joined: Dec 14, 2007
    Posts: 778

    73super
    Member

    Love the grill and hood scoop on these. That is going to be one tuff ride.. I want one now.... thanks alot.. ha!
     
  30. BOWTIE BROWN
    Joined: Mar 30, 2010
    Posts: 3,252

    BOWTIE BROWN
    Member

    iam into this , i don't like that ..... Its your ride do what ever the hell you want to . Hand rubbed ????
     

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