Unregistered users may browse the website, but in order to participate in the forums and view select pages (such as "Club Contacts" and "Classified Ads") a user account is required. Click HERE to email the webmaster and request a free account. The National DeSoto Club uses real names rather than pseudonyms. Notify the webmaster of your user name preference (Johnathon Doe vs. John Doe, etc.), preferred email address, and password request.
I've got a spare and don't need another. These are very hard to find and were not available aftermarket other than from Autolite. Buy It Now price of $99.00 is very good compared to what other vendors are asking. If you have an early '50's six volt DeSoto, you'd be wise to buy this for a spare.
Already sold. I'm not surprised. Anybody here snag it???
Another one on eBay at a low starting bid. Already some bids showing.
Hola
Look to see if NAPA's ST-62 ( retails for $21.99 ) can be used.
Rodger & Gabby
COS
FltSgt@outlook.com
Another one on eBay @ $79.95 BIN price. Reasonable price for a hard to find part:
don't I remember that a 6 volt ford tractor relay works? porbably doesn't look right tho. dave
I have a 53 Desoto and do not find a relay on my car that looks like the one being discussed. Where is it? I looked all over except in the vicinity of the starter - is it down there? I am thinking it is on the forward end of the driver's side inner fender well - just behind the battery. It does not look like the one being shown. So is the 53 one different? Is this it?
Paul,
Is your '53 a Powermaster or a Firedome?
Mark
Mark, my DeSoto is a Firedome.
Paul,
Although not certain, I'm pretty sure the starter relay from the previous posts was supposed to be the same for '51 - '55 Chrysler and '52 - '55 DeSoto. It should be located on the LH inner fender as it appears where your relay is located. The relay shown in the eBay links was produced by Autolite but never reproduced for the aftermarket by other parts suppliers. With only Autolite NORS stock available after all these years, NORS relays are pretty rare hence the hefty asking and selling prices. That being the case, someone at some point may have replaced a faulty relay on your car with something that worked but was not original since the Autolite part soon was unavailable to most parts stores. A theory, but you know the history of your car. As I recall it's a family car so you may debunk this theory.
Mark
Mark, as far as I know the relay has never been replaced. There is a possibility it was replaced very early in its life but that would indicate this part to be unreliable which fortunately mine does not seem to be. Holding my breath - $450!
Although not certain, I'm pretty sure the starter relay from the previous posts was supposed to be the same for '51 - '55 Chrysler and '52 - '55 DeSoto. It should be located on the LH inner fender as it appears where your relay is located.
Photo of the LH inner fender on my '55 Firedome, the black box on the left in the foreground is the starter relay, to the right the lighter colored box is the horn relay.
Thank you Greg and Mark. My 53's does not look like that at all. I am starting to believe the relay is not for the 53 and may not be for 51 and 52s. I will see if mine has a part number.
Paul,
According to the '55 MoPar parts book the p/n for the starter relay is 1440445. That is the same p/n for both the DeSoto and Chrysler in '55. The '46-'54 MoPar parts books shows the same p/n for the '53 & '54 DeSoto and Chrysler six and eight cylinder models. Using an Autolite cross reference I have that p/n - 1440445 - crosses to Autolite numbers HRW-4001 (old) or 9-26 (new).
Mark
Mark, so are you implying that my 53 may have an Autolite relay. Just about everything seems to be Autolite on the car. So would the Autolite relay look different from the Mopar?
