1939 Desoto Sedan for sale

 I have enough extra parts included that you could almost rebuild an entire car.  The parts have been collected over the past 40 years. These parts no longer are being found at the major swap meets even including the great Hershey event.  So the price of the car is free but you are purchasing the car parts to support the upkeep of the car.  Drive a car that is seldom seen at car shows and even Hershey.  The car has been reliable the entire time I have owned the car.  recently installed new front wheel cylinders, kings pins, lower control arm bushing, new emergency brake cable. Car has riveted brake linings, the chassis get lubricated every year. I have converted the oil filter over to the drop in canister filter style. New style water pump with sealed bearing has been install. Installed 5 new Goodyear factory style ribbed white wall tires with new tubes 2 years ago, these cost with the mounting a spin balancing around $1800. Adds that extra flare to the car. When the car was repainted all body components were taken down to bare metal, we also removed all interior panel and the inside of each door was painted also the floor boards were painted along with the door jams.  The wood trim design is in very good shape but with the normal wear on the drivers side. The headliner was replaced when we painted the car along with the wind lace and also new fender welting for the fenders.

This is a Deluxe model since it has the mohair interior and does not have the Chrome fender welting. I replaced the front rubber mat with a dark brown carpet and also in the rear seating. Still retains the old Hogshair carpeting on the foot rest o the back of the front seat and also the original rope cord on the back of the front seat. 

Car is still 6 volt positive ground with the battery under the front seat on the drivers side. Turn signal have been installed and we installed factory fender lamps that you see on the 1939 Dodge cars, these were converted into our front turn signal. Adds that special addition to the front fender. Has a 3rd brake light installed. The radio antenna's which is a total of 4 are not visible. The radio was installed at the factory and the 4 antenna's are mounted under the runningboards. This is the skyway radio setup. The two ashtrays in the car have never been used and there has never been any smoking in the car.

The car has electric wiper motor installed which was a factory motor and have several extra motors and wiper arms, wiper blades and the two wiper transmission that hold the wiper arms on the cowl.

The silver plating on the headlight reflectors is still original and you have both high and low beams and use the 2331 headlight bulbs.

I will be compiling a list of the extra parts that will be included with the purchase of the car. Can also send additional pictures of the car. the cars been driven to several NDC Conventions and you can motor down the road between 50-55 MPH all day long. I has been awarded several 3rd place trophies at the NDC Conventions and several local cars.  This example of Art Deco is a real example of the Chrysler Engineering and design Department and gets lots of people commenting on the style and overall presentation the car.  The color of the body being like a forest green enhances the total appearance of the car and then with the various show chrome attributes its makes the car standout amongst the other cars.

Rich hartung

desoto1939@aol.com

C: 484-431-8157

The sale price of the car will also include a major collection of factory sheet metal which includes all four fenders, four doors, right and left running boards,

complete butterfly style hood with center hinge and trim, hood side panels, two factory radiator nose sheet metal one also have the optional crank hole and I also have the crank hole cover.

Lots of small parts such a switches and dash knobs, extra escutheons, NOS window crank handles with the factory plastic knob, door handles, Window crank assemblies all four doors, extra garnish moldings, radio and heater, extra instrument panel with the plastic decal and all instruments, glove box door with hte plastic insert and clock, two steernig wheels, 1 triple plated horn ting, several right and left taillight lends, several nos headlight lens, extra hood ornament, high altitude radiator, carbs, generator, starter, extra grill sections, intake and exhaust manifold, exhaust pipe, two nos correct mufflers,

all stainless steel trim moldings, extra truck lid, NOS proper Desoto license lamp hold with the holes for the trim molding and the trim and glass lens, Taillight buckets, Several NOS Headlight reflectors and complete headlight NOS wireharness, extra autolite factory wiper motor lots of correct wiperblades and wiper arms made by the Autolite company several extra factory distributor and extra carb, Carter factory repair rebuild kits, use driveshafts, clutch plate and pressure plate, two extra factory rims and rear brake drum, wiper transmissions, 4 complete NOS wagner wheel cylionders still in the unolpen containers, taillight buckets and taillight trim and inner buckets, outside door and trunk handles, All glass that was replaced when the car was painted, have purchased and installed carpet in the front and rear area, much more to add.

Might consider the selling of my collection of factory early MoPar tools such as the Miller trubrake tools to adjust the brake shoes, along with hte early tools that the dealerships used to service these cars.

I am asking 35000 for the car which is ready to drive and the collection of the parts.  The price might seem high but when you consider that most of the parts are extremely hard to find even at Hershey this is a great opportunity so that you can keep the car running properly.

If interested contact Rich Hartung  Desoto1939@aol.com  I live near Valley Forge, PA which approx. 25 mile west of Philadelphia near the PA Valley Forge Interchange.  I also have a large collection of cross reference manuals for the car which could also be purchased separately.

I have done serveral seminars at some of the NDC conventions so I am very knowledgeable about my 39 Desoto and the early Desoto models. Was the 39 Parts and Model coordinator and was the Chairman for the 13th NDC Convention that was held in Valley forge Pa that had over 140 cars attend the National Convention.

Rich Hartung

For Sale 1939 DeSoto model S6 Four Door sedan. The original owner drove the car from 1939 to 1965. The second owner purchased the car around 1980 and had the engine and mechanical work done to get the car road worth and drive-able.
In 1985 I purchased the car and everything was still original to the car including the radio with the 4 our antennas under each running boards. This was a major option when the car was purchased. I was able to purchase an original operating hot water heater and that has been installed under the dash on the front passenger side of the car.
All of the plastic original knobs are still used on the dash control panel and also on the 8 eschution plates that are on the 4 door panels. The car still retains the original mohair upholstery and has the hogs hair kick panels on the bottom of each door and also on the bottom portion of the front seat. The headliner has been replaced. When you sit in the rear seat you can stretch out legs fully to rest against the rear foot rest. The car still has the original blanket rope holder that is attached to the back of the front seat and also has the rear ashtray that has never been used.
The engine and trans were removed from the car. The engine was rebuilt and a new water pump, distribution tube and oil pump were installed. Over the past 40 years of ownership I have done the following maintenance to the car. NOS Lockheed Master cylinder, NOS factory Autolite distributor, NOS Cater factory carburetors that is the proper carb for the car, NOS King Pins and Lower Control arm Bushing, Front end Alignment, NOS Front wheel Cylinders, NOS Speedometer cable and installed the original style Lockheed brake shoes along with 5 Goodyear Air Cushion white wall ribbed tires that are the exact style that were used when the car came off the assembly line. The braking system was been converted over to DOT5 brake fluid.
The car came to life on May13,1939 in Michigan and was delivered to the Wolfington Dealership on 34th and Chestnut street. I do not know the original owners. I am the third owner of the car. The car has stayed in the local area all its life around the King of Prussia Valley Forge local.
This is a real survivor of the Art deco period of styling, The car retains the original plastic insert for the speedometer and also the original fuel gage, temp, ammeter and oil gage. It also has the original pushbutton radio that has been restored. A proper 1939 Desoto clock and glovebox lid was found with the period correct clock and the original wire harness. The entire glovebox lid with the clock has also been installed. The garnish molding all still retain the wood grained look and the drivers side molding is worn just from age and from the drivers arm resting on the molding. The door also have the original arms rests and the front has covers over the rest. The rear vanity light still works via a switch located on the door pillar on the right side of the car. Also of note is that there is not exterior door lock on the passenger side of the car. It was illegal to exit car when parallel park on a street, so the only lock is on the right front passenger side. There is a separate key for the truck lid.
In 1995 the entire car was taken apart, the fenders removed, the doors taken off the body, the front nose section was removed along with the hood and side panels and trunk lid and the running boards. The running boards still retain the original rubber matting and these have a full rubber covering and the stainless trip strips.
The car has been rewired and upgraded to modern wire to insured that the car can run properly and safely down the road.
Travel history of the car:
We have driven the car to several of the National Desoto Car shows and annual conventions, including the ones held in Altoona,PA, Baltimore MD Twice and to Winchester and was the featured car for the 13th convention that was held in Valley Forge, PA. This car is currently a driver car and is not a trailored car. This is a very reliable car and we can easly travel at 50-55 MPH and still have great braking power. The car has the original Three on the Tree shifting pattern and electric wiper motor. The car has received several 3rd place National Desoto Club trophies along with local car show awards.
The car has been repainted a factory enamel green color. The floors and also inside of the floors have also been painted the same color and also the door jam. The 5 rims have been pinstriped in a creamy color. The four factory hub caps have been totally restored and triple plated in chrome by the same plater that did all the chrome plating for White Post Restorations.
I am asking $30000 or best offer for this car. The selling of the car also included the following extremely hard to find parts:
All four door, High altitude radiator, two front nose sections, hood with center hinge, r/l side hood panels,r/l running boards less the rubber, trunk lid, spare transmission, two steering wheels and other smallparts to support the car for future ownership.
The car is located west of Philadelphia near King of Prussia, PA and Valley Forge Park very close the exit of the PA Turnpike and route I76.
Refer to the attached picture for details on the car. If interested then send me a private message and then we can talk about the car.

I am asking a fair price for the car which includes all of the major metal parts for the car as listed above and possibly additional manuals such as the 1936-42 DeSoto Master Parts Manual and copy of the two service manuals.

This is your opportunity to own a car that you do not see at your local car shows and not even at the Hershey Car show.

Rich hartung desoto1939@aol.com or Private message or cell 484-431-8157