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

........Big back seat.......you could fit 3 or 4 baby seats in it....

 

I've always wanted to do it like they did in the old days. Heck, thats why were all here, right? A little extra work doest scare me. I really want that "miles deep" paint job, and a nice Royal Blue would be bitchin'

My father once told me "If your doing it and not gettng paid for it, its fun. Its not work unless you get paid"

 

I love me some 4 doors and that is one sexy bitch! Enjoy that Desoto, they're beautiful vehicles! Congrats!

 

Hell, you could practice making more babies back there too!

 

I just got off the phone with a Packard hoarder that lives 5 minutes from me. He told me that he has atleast two sets of '56 Clipper taillights!

MONDAY THEY WILL BE MINE!!! HAHAHA!!!

 

Need to get up your way and take a look at your DeS. Take you for a ride in the 46 with warmed up 230 motor. Today woulda been a nice day for a ride, but no joy.

Sunday looks like it might be dry and chilly. Send me a PM with your particulars if you have time.

 

PM sent.

I've been trying to get something going for us NY guys.
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=511006

 

Not much progress to report on. Here are the new plugwires from The Hot Rod Company, they really make the rest of the engine bay look sad.

 

I've been doing real good on finding the "hard to find" parts lately. These weren't cheap, but they were local.
Going from this...

...to this


Me and Rcranger went to a yard this morning, I came home with my new headlight bezels.
From this...

...to this

 

I also started to re-route my new fuel lines using the stock location using the factory clips. So far i put in 12feet of 1/4 line, and im only at the center of the drivers door! I still have to go all the way to the front x-member, across, then back to the fuel pump on the engine. Im thinking atleast another 8 - 10 feet of line.

I tell ya, i really havent even started yet, but i'm learning that customs can be ALOT more work than rods.

 

I like where your going with this. The thing about 4 doors is they look the best with mild changes and slammed in the weeds. I`ll be watching this build.

 

Pitch the grille and give it to me...

 

NO! Its mine!

 

I've been thinking about this alot since i found my Packard taillights. If i do it right the rear bumper will flow with the tail lights perfectly, should be a damn near factory look.

 

I had to go back and rip out all that 1/4" fuel line. That was stupid, it came stock with 3/8". Eventually ide like to find a dual carb setup, and aint no way 1/4" line is going to feed two carbs....

 

Hot Rodders Bulletin board, build hot rod how to articles. Suspension up date for 37-57 Buick, Oldsmobile and Pontiac has an article on up dating the early suspensions to ball joint with late model spindles, disc brakes. The early B.P.O. car front suspension is very much like the 46-54 MoPar front suspension. You might look at the article where they modified the front suspension to accept the later spindles and lowered the car in the process. Also there was a Tech article here on the H.A.M.B. where they Z'ed the lower A arms to raise the trunnion pivot to lower the front without using raised up rights/dropped spindles. You might do a search for it and see if you can find it. Both ways look to be cheaper than using your old spindles with raised uprights and then buying a disc brake kit to get good brakes. Suggest you visit P-15/D-24 Forum and do a search on brake adjustment for your stock brakes.

 

Keep us updated on your progress.

 

Dont worry what others say abotu 4 doors. You'll be surprised how many people will love it; 4 doors or not

I think its one badass ride. I actually like the 4 doors on it. I personally think it compliments this car.

I think you'll find that you'll really like the 4 door. lots of room for you, the wife, the kid and a few extra friends. Its a win-win situation and you can take it on long drives and have plenty of room to put the supplies without being cramped in.

Our Plym 4 door grenaded a piston 5 hours after we brought her home. Still no sign of how that occured. fixed her up, put a new coil and battery in her, changed the oil, cleaned the gas tank and she runs like a gem. Ours was running like complete crap for a long while and we firs thought it was bad gas, something in the gas tank, etc. but turned out to be electrical and the coil was cooked. She's spitter and spatter, wouldnt go, stop dead and die when you tried to pull away from a stop light, etc.

I think its a great looking car and i think it'll look great when its done. I wouldnt suicide the doors. we shaved the door handles on ours and it looks great just like that. i think if you were to shave the door handles and suicide the doors it wouldnt really compliment them both.

good luck with it and have a lot of fun!

 

...check out the latest issue of HOT ROD mag.!

 

I'll definitely check that out.
-this is what i was thinking about doing in the front, check post #18 in this thread
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=398148&highlight=1953+desoto

 

I'm digging the hood! sick!!!

 

in my opinion they rock i put a built 350 and bags and drive the hell out of it it doesnt have the red wheels anymore those were just temp use

 

I remember seein that car in craiglist awhile ago. Its great that ya bought it. Hope ya enjoy it.

 

yea i traded for it that pic is right after i put the motor in it looks diffrent now im still taking the cheese off like lost the side trim no more red wheels or flame throwers and put a good bag setup front and back on it right now is all sanded down i cant decide on a color im gonna paint as soon as i french the front lights and fix the skirts that somebody screwed on

 

I woke up yesterday and realized that summer is coming fast, and i dont have a drivable HAMB friendly vehicle! Better get my act togeather.

Here she is today, first time out of storage since fall.


It made it from one shop to the other under its own power. I couldn't believe how easily she fired up. Luckily the PO left the snowtires in the trunk.



The car still has no brakes. I've been turning off the engine and letting the tranny do the stopping. I left it in low when i got out, but she didnt stay. So i jumped in, and in a panic I pulled the parking brake. Remarkebly the parking brake works! Which is more than i can say for any other car I own...

 

Man good luck with this I think its gonna turn out nicely!!!!!!!

 

Heres some progress i made today. Started on the Olds' headlight swap.





and peaked the fender


Here is the full project http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=568699

 

Hell I'd sell the grille and get a quarter of your money back and do a custom grille for cheap! Love the ideas and everything. Keep us updated.

 

Why does everyone want me to sell my grill???

 

Why? Cause DeSotos just look funny with a Merc grille...