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Is there any resource that tells by serial number whether a car is a Custom or Deluxe? The earlier cars had no badging to tell other than the interior trim level, yet in the DeSoto Plymouth story it states that there were 424 Customs and 7472 Deluxes built in 1939. Chrysler had to have some way of keeping that total. Anyone with any ideas?
-Chris
Chris,
In the years prior to the 1939 models and the years after the 39 model, the Custom and Deluxe models had their own beginning serial numbers and the production of each could be determined from the beginning and ending serial numbers for each. It appears this was not done for the 1939 models. The production for the 39 model was lumped into one range of serial numbers beginning with 5,634,001 and ending with 5,687,134 for a total production of 53,134 DeSotos. I know of no information available which breaks this out by Custom and Deluxe production.
Mac
Mac,
Thanks for that info....seems odd that they selected 1939 to be different, but like the car there are so many things for the 1939 that were that year only...
Chris
