Franki47, good info, bro. I didn't realize DeSotos were using a 251-CID that early. NOW, we need some casting numbers so My47Soto can figure out which engine he's GOT. Do YOU have those handY?
Frankie, wouldn't it be a 236.6-CID thta year? Seems the 251 would have been reserved to the senior Chryslers. Don't know. New ground for me. Just asking.
DAMN!!! And I thought FJ55 Land Cruisers had an ugly mug! I LOVE IT! I never paid any attention to the Desotos, but I am learning to love all the old iron now. Can't wait to see progress pics on this.
Green73, dude! You just saw why I love DeSotos. Some would say they are so ugly, they are "cute." Hell, I juts like 'em 'cause the are DIFFERENT from everything else MoPar was doing in the late-'30s through -- oh -- maybe '58. The grilles are (& HAVE been) much in demand for customs, just because they are robust and different.
Yea I was out of the game for a minute with moving to VA, Im back full speed now. I plan on cutting out some panels to do some sheet metal work tomorrow.
Me neither jimi, I already have my engine blown apart everything is tip top shape. I will run the numbers and see what engine I have. I'll run it by the guys at P15-D24 to see what they know. I have always thought it was the 218 Im still new to the mopar world but Im loving every moment.
Oh by the way if anyone is looking for the chrome trim for the 47-49 Desoto's I have it if you need. im not putting it back on so let me know.
I'm not sure I would chop it. 40's DeSotos are pretty chubby cars,and chopping one only makes the quarters look bigger. I'm with ya on the flat 6. I know a guy that makes split exhausts and 2 or 3 carb intakes for them,and can give you his contact info if you send me a PM. Don't have it on the tip of my fingers right this instant,and will need to be reminded. As for the trans,the fluid drive is pretty cool and VERY unusual these days,if not very quick off the line. They are tough as hell though,and are the ultimate freak out for people you take riding who don't know what they are. If you have to use a standard and don't need a overdrive,why not look for a 3-speed floor shift out of a 40's Dodge pu? Make sure you get the bellhousing with the pedals and master cylinder while you are at it. At first I thought you might be the guy in Norfolk that I sold a 47 DeSoto coupe to,but he was in the Navy.
BTW,there is a guy in your part of the country that has a gorgeous 47 DeSoto 4dr that has a pretty stock body,but it's painted maroon. Custom upholstery with the original dash,and a 392 hemi. I saw it at the Nostalgic Drags in Petersburg,and it was so pretty it was the only car I took photos of. I don't know the owners name because I never could get up with him,but I was told he is in a club from the southcentral part of Va,and that he drives it everywhere. Since there can't be too many maroon DeSoto sedans with hemi's running around,there should be somebody in a car club in Hampton that knows who he is.
47Soto, sounds like you're just back from "in-theater" and rarin ta GO on that DeSoto! Cuttin' panels & all. Wow. Dynamo! Heck, if you're staying with an in-line, fit won't be a major problem. A HEMI would, if for no other reason thna the steering box. But there are guys here in the HAMBnet that can help you thorugh that, if yo decide to go that way. Likewise the chop (myself, I'm with Arthur; you can always chop it further down the line, if that's what you decide to do. But cars are hard to put BACK UP once they're chopped! I'd say, juts go easy, step at a time, ya know?). Yeah, the highest displacement I could ifnd in a quick search was 236.6, but like you I would've thought more like 218, as i thought the bigger sixes were reserved for the parent-make Chrysler models. It'll all shake out, & there are guys on the HAMB with books & other references, once you reveal any casting numbers in that disassembly process. It is OBVIOUS you are having a BLAST, buddy!
Oops, the later sixes are 1.5 inches longer than the early one, I should mention. Mounts &/or radiator might have to move in that case, but I think you said you're staying with the stock enigne, anyway. Just wanted to throw thta in!
It's definitely not a 218,and it's even bigger than the 230 Dodge flat 6 engines. The Plymouths had the smallest engines (218),the Dodge engines were bigger at 230 cubic inches,and the DeSoto flat 6 engines (both Dodge and DeSoto also used a inline flat 8 in the senior series cars back in the 30's) were bigger than the Dodge engines,but smaller than the Chrysler flat 6. Of course,your car left the factory over 60 years ago,so who knows if that is the original engine or not? They were all pretty much interchangeable,with the only real outside different being the big 6's were 2 inches longer than the Dodge and Plymouth 6's. Look for the casting numbers up high on the drivers side of the block. There will be a code there along with the engine number. That will tell you everything you need to know. BTW,It was George Ashe on the D-24 board that I was writing about earlier that makes the intakes and split exhausts for your engine.
Cool old Mopar! You'll be riding in style and comfort no matter how you go. 41 Chrysler Sedan all stock 48 Dodge Club Coupe not stock
Hey bud here are the numbers off my block i got them off while I was doing so body work. S11-240664 are the numbers I got off the block
Alright here is my advice to everyone who does bodyworkif its dented please fix it. Don't just slap body filler over dents and say its cool. Not knocking anyone who does it, but im saying go down to your local HF get your self a cheap set of body hammers an dollies and make it work out. But enough of my bitchin i will step down from my soap box now. Here are some pics of me and my battle with BONDO and dents.
Hell yeah! I just found this on the hamb.. nice ride.. I have been working on a Ugly 1949 Dodge meadowbrook, and as someone said earlier that car came out of the factory 60 years ago.. who knows what motor is in it now.. mine was thought to have a 230 in it, but at some point in history someone added a 251 chrysler motor to it.. Again nice ride and good luck.. if I knew more about sn number I would help.. I do know that the ( S ) is desoto, so it's probably a desoto motor though.. I found this for you..... http://www.duricy.com/~desoto/desoto_serial_numbers.shtml#1947
Man I have so many, but me an my hammer make it all better I feel like a lil cave man. I see sent I bang and poof its all better
Yo, Soto! I did some more checking, and it seems the S-11 sixes were the standard engine in the '46 through '48 DeSotos. The sources I checked put the S-11 at a little over 236-CID, as previously stated (actually about 236.6 or 236.7"). Beats a 218, eh?
Sweeet, find bro I appreciate te info I was searching to my eyes where red for something about our motors. I wrote to one of the guys over at P15-D24 to talk about mounting up a t5 tranny to my flat 6.
I work about a block away from where this car came from, i crawled all over this thing hoping somebody would turn it into a bad ass cruiser. so right on man youve got one great car there
If you do swap out the trans, swap out the rear too. The trans has the E brake on the end, so you need to do something about that. A late 60s B body 8 3/4 rear is very close, pretty easy to fit, and you loose the tapered axle ends in the deal. the 8 3/4 has a drop out center section like the 9 inch Ford, so swaping to the right gear and adding a sure grip is easier too. That flatty with a 5 speed souds like it would be a nice drivetrain. The old flatheads are torquey, but don't rev high. More gears means you can keep it where it's happy. Here's a good site for info, this section is about the Fluid drive http://www.imperialclub.com/Repair/Lit/Master/012A/cover.htm Here's a Plymouth flathead buildup. Not sure how much translates to a Desoto... http://www.50plymouth.com/04-eng/eng.html Also, the usual 40s Mopar stuff applies. If you keep the front suspension, add the fram mount for the upper shock, and add brakes. You can get a dropped upright, but if you want it as low as bigdad's, frame work is the only way. A picture page for you to get ideas http://www.carnut.com/photo/list/soto/soto47.html
Had a friend with a 40 he chopped the top and put 413 init then blew that up and went with a 440 no pics just saying.
The second I saw the pic of that car I thought about a Happy Days show where Ritchie Cunningham got challenged to a race and the Fonz and his buddies hopped up the Cunningham family DeSoto. I remember Ritchie saying to the Fonz about the car, “You aren’t going to…hurt it…are you?” Even at age 12 I thought Ritchie was a bit of a fag. Am I the only one who remembers this? Probably…
Maybe I'm the only one who remembers the first season of Happy Days, when they cast the Fonz as a screw-up & the butt of people's jokes? A pigeon even shit on him at the end of one episode. That was OK. I could never take anybody of slight buld with a name like Henry Winkler as a '50s-era tough guy, anyway. (In real life Henry's a cool guy and all.) But I sort of thought they had "The Fonz" written up right that first season.
I remember that, wasn’t it when he was moving in to the upstairs of the garage at the Cunninghams? I seem to recall him even wearing penny loafers and white socks. Sorry 'soto, looks like I've hijacked your thread.
I just found your thread, sounds like you're diggin the project & havin some fun. I know you want to hotrod it and I am not trying to change your mind but, your ride reminds me of my buddys car. He took 13 years restoring it while just livin life. Did everything himself, if he didn't know how to do something he asked , he read, he learned and then did it! Just thopught I'd post the pic. for inspiration, good luck with yer build! .......later
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