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I received this email today and asked permission to share it since the remembrance was so fitting.
"Came across your web site by chance this morning and was delighted to find your directory of Desoto dealers. In the mid fifties I was in middle school in West Allis, Wisconsin, and every noon hour my friends and I would spend our lunch period looking at new cars. Burbach Desoto Plymouth was always our first stop. I recall seeing a 54 Coronado there one day (whitish top and aqua lower...stunning, with wire wheels) and thought car design had peaked with nowhere to go from there. What a lovely, lovely car that was. On 63rd and Greenfield was Doering Dodge Plymouth, and four blocks down the street was Hub Chrysler Plymouth. Three Plymouth dealers within four or five blocks of each other! But, arguably the largest employer in the state, Allis-Chalmers, was almost in the midst of these dealerships. And many of these working class employees lived in close proximity to the plant...our family included. The Plymouth market must have been huge. After Burbach closed shop, the building became home for Buran Rambler. Buran did not stay long as I recall, and a bakery took over the space. Your directory listed Regal Motors, address unknown. The business was on Wisconsin Avenue at about 37th/38th, south side of the street. It was adjacent to a Lincoln Mercury dealer---name escapes me. I recall Regal because my friend Jim Corrigan's father sold cars there. I was surprised to learn AFL Motors was a Desoto dealer. They were in business until the late sixties, selling foreign cars and motorcycles at that point. I bought a 1966 Honda CB 160 from them and rode it like a fool. I thank you for the time you spend keeping the web site going. It's been a joy to visit.
Regards,
Bob in Indiana "
Bob also asked.
A question for you now that I think of it. Might you know if Virgil Exner was personally involved in the design of the 53 Adventurer? My understanding is the car almost made it to production on a limited basis, but senior executives nixed the idea based on their remembrance of the Airflow disaster. Apparently they thought the Adventurer, like the Airflow of the 30s, too radical for the time. Also, would you or anyone in the club know what became of that pretty jewel?
Bob Kremer
Terre Haute, Indiana
Lee
