hi there all. i just bought a 1953 desoto firedome but i cant keep it. why you ask because i can and i saved it from the crusher so yeah. my initial idea was to part it out which my be the route i take. but its in over all super nice shape even the frame and suspension in super shape...... just need floor patches and rockers. it been robbed of its teeth and hemi so yeah..... what to do.... also do anyone need 53 desoto parts...... heres some pictures......
The pot metal chrome on that one does look to be really nice, but it won't part out for much, so many of these get robbed of the Hemi and grille so there are a lot of donor cars with good parts on them and very few original cars getting restored and in need of parts. I take it the bumpers and front bumper pan are also missing? I kinda like that door panel trim, I could see working that into my '52 Ford. Tail lights look like they'd be a natural on a 53-54 Chevy.
I would have a real hard time not making a custom out of it since it sounds like not much to make on parting it out.
I just went thru the same thing only a 54 Dodge 4 dr, bought for the hemi. I have no place to keep it. I pulled a bunch of parts (grill, trim, dash, ect) that could be shipped easy with ups and listed them here in the cl***ifieds. After a bit to be sure a HAMBer doesn't need them I'll list on ebay. I sold the rest to our local Pull-a-part, got $275 for the body, figure it was better then selling to the s**** yard, least at Pull-a-part it will get stripped of all it's usefull parts before it gets crushed. We have guys here that make a living stripping parts out there and e-baying the stuff so older cars get stripped in a matter of days. Paid $500 for the car so by the time I'm thru the Hemi should be free!
i wouldn't care if i only made a hundred off it. the fact is i sleep better at night knowing i saved cl***ic car parts from extinction!
I've got a '53. Man, i wish that steering wheel was in better shape. I do need a few of the trim pieces, especially the piece on the top p***enger corner of the windshield. I'll take a look at the rest of my trim tommorrow, looks like you have everything i need!
Bad***Badger, God bless you for saving a car that good. Even if it does get parted out, it's all good. You're on the HAMB, AND you can go to eBay, too! Times have changed. If that car sat in some obscure boneyard in BFE, it would rust down, and NOBODY would benefit. I have donor parts from probably 10-12 DeSotos in my '55. Seriously, I felt when I harvested the parts that THOSE cars, too, live on! What I eventually found I couldn't ever use, I sold on eBay (my pre-HAMB days) for whatever guys and dolls wanted to pay. It was easy for me to picture in my mind THOSE parts going to Maine, Florida, wherever and getting a permanent HOME on somebody's treasured personal car OR on a custom or resto done for somebody who loves cars but doesn't have the time, equipment and know-how. What goes around comes around, ya know? I wish there were more guys like you -- willing to give something of themselves to preserve old cars that can't speak for themselves (I wish they could!). Sounds as if you just wanna not LOSE for all your efforts, gas and time. That is admirable.
why thank you very much sir jimi such kind words. just doing my job. everytime i go to auctions or sales or whatever if i see old car/parts and they don't go higher than s****/an or low enough to make profit i buy it then clean it up the best i can then try and find it a new home!
Yup, hard to come by, and they're not '57 Chevys. NOT MANY repop parts made for DeSotos, NOR likely to be! Once common, they are now a very RARE breed!
tell ya what. i know i would make $500-$1000 between parts and s****. BUT if anyone here at the hamb or anyun you know wants to save it and PROMISE (people of the hamb as witness ) git it back on the road i'll sell it for $350 (what i payed for it) heres more pictures. p.s. i know you can't save them all but it would take much in this case!
Good deal! That car is definatly a saver. I'd say throw a fleetline grill on there, some caddy bumpers, de-badge it lead some holes and you got yourself a nice cruiser. MOPARs of this era are notorious for floor rot, even if there not in the rust belt. I was talking to a guy who worked for DeSoto while these cars were new. He said that they leaked from the start. Water came in from the front and back gl*** and settled in the front floor pans and the spare tire well. These cars literally rusted from the inside out. Loads of undercoating from the factory, thats what saved my car.
sweet! make a road trip next weekend and save her i was thinkin since a 50 mercury stole its teeth i'd say steel the teeth from a 50 merc and put it in! ......get a paxton supercharger for the red ram!
I was thinking maybe YOU could make the trip and grab the motor. haha. I had the exact same thought about stealing the Merc grill for the Desoto. Great minds think alike i guess.
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