There's a discussion on another board on what the car's worth. It's for sale for $8900 and they're all saying he's nuts. Rebuilt driveline, NOS windshield, runs and drives with solid body and all original. I told them it's probably worth every penny to the right guy.
I just saw that somewhere online recently...it's for sale, you say - is it on Craigslist? Seems like that was where I saw it, maybe. $8900.? Not "nuts". The people saying that are people who don't like wagons. I don't open threads about T-Buckets for sale, saying their price is "nuts". Because what do I know about 'em? Look how great of a survivor it is!
The obvious answer to all the naysayers is to ask them where are they going to find another one to compare to? My book says 225 made, too. Most of the '54 DeSotos are pretty rare, except the basic 4-door sedans.
That is a sweet wagon...and worth every penny the guys asking. Tell them to find another in that original condition, buy it, ship it, rebuild the drive train, do the brakes, new WWW tires etc.....
The thread is on a Mopar board that is full of people with muscle car and Mopar blinders on. I'm very grateful i didn't end up with any sort of brand loyalty. I like all kinds of cars. Even some imports. Funny, they think $8900 is too much for a 1 of 225 built car, but some of them will pay into the 7 figure mark for a 1 of 12 or 1 of 14 HEMI Cuda Vert. I know, apples to apples, but some people seem to be blinded by brand loyalty.
Ive seen a few of those on craigslist. There was a nice 53 firedome wagon for like 4 grand I regret not getting. Be a sweet companion to my 53 firedome.
And this '54 PowerMaster is in good running condition? Normally, I am no fan of the '52 - '54 DeS, but THIS wagon has CONDITION and RARITY speaking for it. If you want to restore a rare car, you could surely do much worse. If you want a keen car to make the scene in, well, this '54 has TONS of possibilities. Swap in a Hemi, the trans & rear of choice, and you're goin'. Lower it a tad, right paint, etc., you're going to have people taking pix of your car & wanting to ask where the ****ens you FOUND such a rare car. If your actually have the cash, line it up, try to deal a bit and, if need be, try to be the one who wins the prize. Time is of essensce, 'cause this car won't stay on the market long. Just my two bits, and I don't normally like PowerMasters.
LOL A buddy of mine always says "There's more #'s matching big block Vettes out there than there were built."
The Powermaster wagon is more rare than the Firedome wagon, but the Firedome wagon would sell for more money, the V8 is more desirable than the flat six, even if they did build more of them. I wouldn't consider $8900 as "crazy", but not a bargain either. Might bring that with a paint job on it but I doubt it'll get any takers as-is at that price.
Fellas I just picked up 52 Desoto wagon. Its a nice basically rust free car, but its been sitting for a while, really its never been run much in its life. It has 6800 original miles on it. It came from Colorado in the late 70's. The family I bought it from used to take it for ice cream on sundays in the summer. The motor is free (276 hemi) and it has a fluiddrive trans. The interior stinks like mice as most old cars I've had do, but its still all there and in decent condition. The car has sat outside for the last couple of years and the rear seals on the gate are leaking and caused two of the plywood boards in the back to rot a bit. I guess this summer I will go through the mechanicals and see it she won't run. Here are a few pics. They made 525 of these in 51-52 near as I can tell. So they are not that common.
When you say mopar brand loyalty and blinders I had to laugh.....they do realize that a desoto is a mopar don't they?
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