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

Thanks Porter Man! Now I know I can't mess this up. I looked down the inside of the muffler today, but really didn't pay attention to the coil. I know they will work good, I tested them personally Put one up to my lips and tried to play it like a viking horn.

 

You do need to get to Mopar Madness this Sunday. Even if you only have one of the packard tail lights in. Looking pretty nice. Might need some lowering blocks in the back to make a tail dragger out of it..........

 

Well you just opened a big ol' can of worms there Greg. As of right now my tail pipes do not completely clear my axle when the rear suspension compresses. I want to run 3" lowering blocks in the rear, the rubbing issue is holding me back. The pipes are tucked up as high as they could get them, the location of the rear shocks is stopping me from going any higher.

I also planned on lowering the front by cutting coils, but am hesitant because the car rides so nice as is. I can let go of the steering wheel at any speed and the car doesn't stray one bit. I am afraid that I will lose that when the geometry changes after cutting coils. I looked at some of the dropped upright articles on p15-d24, but even with that route there are alot of issues.

I will have to miss the MOPAR show Sunday. Its my mother-in-law's birthday, so I'm stuck going to her party. I would ditch in a heartbeat if I could get away with it.

 

Too funny!

 

Maybe consider doing it taildragger, and just lower the back, that way you only have to deal with half the problems

And i'd understand if it were a mother.. but an in-law??
haha just kidding

 

I got the Porters mounted today, and took her for a spin. I am totally happy with the outcome, no more popping on deceleration, and not overly loud inside the car. I have a feeling that they will be even quieter inside the car once I get a skin back on my package tray.

I got the front end roughed in and primed today, there still is quite a bit of filler work that needs to be done. That can wait till I get to the paint stage.

The second tail light went in with ease. I didn't bother to take any pictures today, its the same as the other side. I'd guess that I have about 4-6 hours of filler work ahead of me. I don't think I mentioned it previously, but I also peaked the rear quarters to match the peak on the front fenders. I also decided to do away with the seam between the upper and lower quarter panels. So the rear quarters are now one solid piece, and no more rot holes. I will probably eliminate all the stainless trim on the rockers and quarters. The PO used stovebolts to re-attach them to the car after installing his stove pipe patch panels.

 

Porter pics

 

Heres an overall side view with the packards in.

 

so how do the porters sound? nice job of the stagger placement. Maybe take a video of you driving around to let us hear it.

 

Copy that, I'll try and post one up once I get her back out driving. Right now the tail end of the car is in the filler stage. I don't want to drive it till it gets a heavy coat of epoxy on it.

The Porters sound good, pretty quiet at idle, but sound like a low flying airplane when you get on it. I imagine them sounding alot different on a V8 car.

 

Friggin bondo work!!! This thing is taking For...ev....or...(stupid Sandlot quote) I was hoping to have the rear quarters done, or atleast close to being done for the weekend, but I doubt that is going to happen. I am estimating another 15-20 hours to go until I get it to primer stage. Then I'll just say the hell with it until its time for paint.

 

Still trying to figure out how to work my camera. Heres some "pop art" for the morning crowd.

 

You do nice work. Nice family hauler!

 

Gotta love those 4-door Desotos! (Oh wait I have one too!) Just getting started on mine. I also bought mine 'cause I needed a family car.

 

Not much of an update, but atleast I did something new to the car. New trim rings......soon to come......Spider caps.

 

That Desoto is coming long great. I love the Packard lights.

 

I´d keep the full hubcaps. Black wheels are for trucks IMHO.

 

Those tail lights are the tits!

 

I have the exact same black wheels, wide whites and trim rings on my 55 Desoto... but i like caps more too! Its a shame i only have 3... missin one... :/ The caps look classy!

 

A set of Caddy caps would look good.

 

Thanks for your input guys, I do value your opinions. Heres the thing, I do have a full set of the DeSoto "sombreros" but only two of them are of driver quality. Of the other two, one is dented up pretty good, the other one corroded about half way up. My car sat at a junkyard for some time before I got it(last tagged in 1976), it literally sunk into the ground about 6inches. One corner sank considerably more, and the wheel cover was half buried in dirt.

I love the looks of the stock wheel covers too, I could always put them back on later. For now I'm thinking a set of spider caps would look damn sexy with the trim rings.

 

You know... you can use two hubcaps on one side and two different ones on the other. I've done this and nobody ever spotted it.

 

I like it alot!

 

Well, I brought the car out of hiding today wearing a nice coat of dust. I'm gonna start working on the little and cheap things for now. Such as lowering, fender skirts, and body work. Right now it looks like a reverse Oreo cookie, and it has some "20 footer" bondo work.

The car started and drove fine, but I noticed it was leaving a piss trail. I opened the hood to reveal a massive fuel leak AND coolant leak. It just doesn't make sense, everything was fine when I parked it...

 

started the rear skirts today. I'm going flush mount on these, I think they look cleaner that way.



as soon as I get these done this ol' girls getting lowered atleast 3" in the rear.

 

Looking good! I was thinking of making a one piece rear panel/skirt. I see you welded that removable rear panel! Looks good!

 

Thanks Mack.

I really gotta do something with that gas cap...

 

Very interesting build different and looking good. All your ideas have workout quit well, I love the photoshop picture and it'll make a great family cruiser. Good Luck......

CRUISER

 

I shaved my Gas Cap. but i have a mustang gas tank in it. so I kind of had to shave it and relocate it to the trunk....

 

This is the method I used to get the general shape of my skirts
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=62058

I'm doing these out of 3003 H14 aluminum. Still need to match the curve of the quarter and make a mount