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My new 55 Desoto Fireflite 2dr is missing the kick panels. I know that there is a stainless moulding at the center of the kick panel. I have those. Does anyone have a nice, clear photo of what the Fireflite 2dr kick panels should look like ?
Also, do the cars that came with optional all-leather interior have vinyl, while the cars with the standard cloth interiors have cloth on the kick panels ?
Ron
Ron, I looked and I still have the original kick panels from the 55 Fireflite sedan that we did.
They are not covered in any vinyl or material of any kind they are just colored cardboard. The trim level that our sedan had did not include any moldings, either
They should be physically the same shape as what you need. I can trace them and send a template to you.
It's supposed to be fun!
1949 De Soto Custom Convertible (project)
The interiors of Fireflite HTs had a very different design than the sedans. The moulding on the kick panel was an extension of the lower moulding on the door panel. Sizewise, though, the kick panels were the same. So a tracing would be great !
Ron
Ron,
Unlike some parts of the interior, the kick panels were not a feature in most '55 literature or dealer promotional material. Here are some things that might help.
The first attachment - hopefully - is a scan of the '55 announcement article in the People & Places dealer magazine. It shows a color shot of a '55 Fireflite hardtop interior clearing showing two-tone kick panels matching the door panels. What is not exactly clear is if the upholstery material is continued to the kick panels or if is a color matched vinyl or leatherette.
The next attachment comes from here: http://www.oldcarbrochures.com/static/N ... index.html
This is the '55 color sales catalog and has a pretty clear artists rendering of the '55 Flite sedan interior again showing two tone kick panels.
The next few attachments were found on the web searching for "1955 DeSoto kick panels". A couple show what appear to be nice original cars showing two tone kick panels and another is an old factory photo of a Flite sedan. What again is unclear is if the material on the kick panels matches the doors.
Finally, I ordered a set of these die cut kick panels off eBay not too long ago in a shade of grey to match my worn originals. These are a perfect fit and are made of a much more robust material than the original cardboard panels. They would be a good base for you to create two tone panels for your Fireflite hardtop.
Link: http://www.ebay.com/itm/1955-1956-DESOT ... no&vxp=mtr
Good luck! Mark
Thanks Mark !
On the picture with the cloth interior, it does appear that the uppers are vinyl. The pic with the leather interior, it's vinyl as expected.
The kick panel guy on ebay is outrageous in his pricing. $46 for two pieces of cardboard is too pricey for me. I'll go with Tim's tracings and make my own.
Ron
Ron,
The panels on eBay are not made of cardboard but of a stronger, more flexible material available in several colors. When you maneuver them to fit, they don't crack like cardboard. Well worth the cost...IMHO.
Mark
I had a die cut set for my 58 Plymouth that I bought a few years ago from this guy (or someone similar). So I'm familiar with the material that he uses. At the time, the set was around $26, with a more reasonable shipping fee (maybe $6).
When my 58 Plymouth kick panels got damaged, I went to the local art supply store and purchased a sheet of similar material. From there, I made the kick panels using the damaged ones as patterns. The material is much stiffer than regular cardboard, but has enough 'give' that I was able to fit them inside the metal channel that holds them in place.
Ron
