I know what opinions are like, but just wanted to see what the masses had to say. Should I go ahead and restore her, or leave the Patina? Mind you, this is NOT the original paint, as she was repainted some years ago... Thanks, ~MyDeSoto~
i would go with paint personaly.. it depends on the car and how good the original paint or primer or what ever looks if it looks good leave it if it would look better with nice paint paint it
if its got some type of half decent paint on the car i would it. get everything else done first. i kinda look at it like this,..... when i actually paint my car its last color its gonna be a very high quality job. it will be off the road for a while during that process. and thats gonna kill me coz i like to cruise at least twice a week if not more. its not worth painting a half ass job coz thats what it will look like. if the car is wearing a half decent paint job its got some character. if it shows its age a little bit thats cool too coz it shows its been used. my dos centavos.
Character is one thing but if it can't be buffed out you are doing a huge disservice to this car. These cars are meant to be shiny. Patina has no place on a mid 50's car unless it has great historical significance. Oh an the Chrome is just as important.
Unrestored survivors are rare. Nicely restored survivors even more so. Poorly restored survivors are not. Pick one.
That cool High-Fin deserves a nice shiny paint job. Maybe 2 tone it with the roof and quarter panel insert a lighter color than the body.
From what I can tell from the pic, the car doesn't look customized, no obvious patina that I can tell, and the paint just looks dull... I would say if you have the money for it, paint it!
If you can afford the time and money to paint it, I think you should paint it. Or drive it around and enjoy it and paint it someday down the road when you have more time and money. That car deserves a top quality paint job someday, but a top quality paint job takes a ton of prep work. It looks like it would be fun to drive it like it is for a while if you don't feel like tackling a huge job like painting it right now. Sometimes putting a really nice paint job on a car takes some of the fun out of owning it, because then you have to pamper it and worry about every little nick and scratch. Cool car!
That's a '57 Windsor coupe, not a DeSoto. Paint it. Nothing wrong with enjoying it as-is, but definitely make plans to get it nice. Cool car. Dual mirrors and bumper guards are rare on cheapie Windsors. Original? 354?
If it was the original paint that you could bring back to life I would say leave it, but it's not so I say make it your own and paint it a color you love. 60'
No, the DeSoto is a '58 Firesweep.... Yup! Other than the paint, she is all original. Not nearly as loaded as my Belvy though, as she has EVERYTHING from the factory. ~MyDeSoto~
I was thinking a full resto, but have had a few folks saying how neat it would be to see her with nothing more than a mexican blanket and clean wide whites. Personally, I was thinking a silver paint job, restored interior and all brightwork, but nothing more. More like a re-face for her so she would still be a driver, not a trailer queen that is only driven from trailer to parking space. I have another one, the aforementioned DeSoto, that as soon as I snap a pic of it, will probably ask the same question. However, she looks NOTHING like the Chrysler as far as condition. She has had a hard life, but surprisingly enough, runs and drives just fine. For now, I am just driving and enjoying the Chrysler till I decide what I should do. Keep on with the input though, as I am truely appreciative of it! ~MyDeSoto~
Very cool. I may be in the Houston (Stafford, southwest of the loop) area in the next month, I'd like to check those out! Let's see some pictures of the Belvedere and 'Sweep... <----- also a hoarder of all things late '50s Mopar
I kinda figured... I've seen you elsewhere under your other guise... 57burb... I will try and snap pics tomorrow, as by the time I get home tonight, it's gonna be gettin' dark. BTW, I may have some goodies here for your Plygoon. PM me and we can exchange numbers and try and meet up when your down 'round these parts. ~MyDeSoto~
I say paint that car she would be beautiful with a two tone with a heavy flaked roof,and a set of supremes and skinny whites and dropped just a couple inches to give it a perfect stance.No airbags though just lower her traditionally some blocks or flip the axle.You have a goos starter there don't screw it up by leaving shitty looking paint on her.
Shiny Paint, there were some wild stock colors on those cars, and I'd be researching some of those or, those close to it.