Projects Australian 55 Desoto

That same basic car was available in Australia in 1954, 1955, 1956 and 1957.
They did not offer the Hung pedals until 56. If your brake master cylinder is under the hood instead of under the floor it is probably a 1956. and the electrics were switched to 12V Positive ground in 56 also. I have my Desoto Diplomat UTE ***led as a 56 because they did not offer the UTE body until 56 but it could also be a 57 manufacture as they continued through early 57 with this body style.

In the first photo you will see a magazine ad for the new Utility coupe from November 1956. Photo number two shows an Australian dealership with Desoto and Plymouth models. the year would be 56 or 57 because of the models offered. See the UTE in the second row right from center. photo three shows the variety of Desoto trucks and UTEs available in OZ. Photo 5 is my UTE. photo 6 is the Australian MoPar logo and note the license plate on the car in the last brochure.

 

If you decide to upgrade to a modern box, Q.E.C., "73RR" here on the Board, makes adaptors for the flat 6.

 

Also looks like the Oz models got wide whites on both the outside and inside of the tires too!

 

Probably just artist embellishment on the wide whites.
The UTE models used a larger 16" 6 ply tyre for off road use. My Plymouth still had the original factory tyres on it.

 

That's an interesting vehicle in the upper right. Looks like it has the pickup body with a coupe roof on the cab.

 

Upper right looks like a wagon to me. IF you mean't upper left...the top one is called a coupe Ute & the one below is a Ute.

 

That's the combo that's going in my 51 merc.

 

They offered p***enger car and truck based UTEs in OZ long before the US caught on. Along with regular old pickup cabs with separate beds like we are familiar with here in the states.

In the truck based line of UTEs with unibody construction they had models with the coupe roofline and another with a wrap around roofline. My 56 p***enger car based UTE uses the rear roof panel and rear window for a 46-48 Plymouth sedan probably from a retired stamping die? or NOS stock? The truck rear roofline probably is donated from a similarly older stock roofline in the MoPar line.

And don't forget the military style Powerwagons

The 4 door sedan that started this thread could be anywhere from 1954-1957 (imported in 1954 or produced in Australia 55-57). Since Australia did not ***le by model year but by series it is hard to determine what year it was made but there are hints because of production changes. The car is a SP25 (P25=1954 Plymouth S=Desoto designation (mine is an SP25A A=utility)) the same basic car was offered in Plymouth and Dodge trim also but not Chrysler.

 

The Powerflight 2 speed is fine. I have been commuting in city traffic with mine and it is easy to get up and go (with V8). My only issue is that mine clunks into gear when switching into reverse . It has the same top and bottom gear as the standard 3 speed. So don't go over 70 MPH.

 

I read that the Powerflite transmission has high oil pressure. This is part of the reason for the glunk when shifting into reverse. The way to reduce the clunking is to first shift into L (low) and then in one quick movement go from L to R. This was the same for me in my 56 Dosoto Powerflite. This method did help a little….