"Loaded" '56 4-door Sportsman parts car

Here's a few photos taken during our trip.

Interestingly, there's no data tag on the firewall. I don't even see a shadow of where it used to be.

Saw 2 four door sedans just south of where we picked up the car. Maybe I should have cut the trip short by a few miles and grabbed the sedan that was for sale. Very basic, no frills, but it looked like it was all there and would be an easy fix to make it driveable.

1 is how the car was situated when we arrived.
2 is the other car for sale.
3 is the for sale sign with contact info in case anybody wants to make a call.
4 is the 2nd sedan in the guys yard. This car doesn't look to be for sale.
5 is the car from the right side. Front tire is completely shredded. The other 3 were flat when I got there, but as of now are still holding air. However, NONE of the wheels actually turn.
6 is the rear bumper. Notice that it has the frame's rear cross member and about 8" of the side rails still attached to it, including the rear most body mounts.
7 is lower rear of driver's front fender.
8 is more of the rusted left side rocker.
9 is rusted rocker and body rails at the rear of the left side rear door.
10 is the treasure that came in the back seat as a bonus. Anybody need a vintage multimeter?
Pict 11 shows the missing data tag next to the master cylinder.

Now that I've typed that out, I hope all the pictures load!

Tim

Tim,

After seeing your photos of the car, I agree with Les Fairbanks. This would be what many in deicing salt country refer to as an "easy restoration"!

I found the data tag; it was on the passenger side of the car over by the gas heater. It, like almost everything else, is terribly corroded and didn't like being handled very much. Surprisingly to me, it has far fewer options stamped on it in the areas that are legible. I thought the thing would be stamped like crazy with all the options that the car appears to have.

The few things that we've had the chance to remove from the car have come off easier than I expected. As I looked at the few images that had been provided with the sales ad, I was becoming more and more pessimistic about things, and wondered if it was a big waste of time to go get the car, plus the cost of purchase. What I consider somewhat miraculous, the horns were not only NOT all rusted out, but they actually all work with a little clean-up effort. I was especially wanting the triad horn for the Adventurer. With those 3 horns, we'll never have to worry about announcing our presence.

The AC has provided us with full samples of the lines and hoses, another thing that we needed for the Adventurer, so that has turned out to be good for us. Once we've copied everything, we'll have a complete factory AC setup available for sale.

I noticed that this car has a different rear seat speaker grill than what I'm used to. After looking at it harder, I think the more common speaker bezel that goes on the rear package tray would conflict with the AC air plenum that is also on the package tray, so I'm supposing that AC cars got a different speaker bezel. Anybody know this for sure?

The frame of the car is VERY rusty. Many areas of the complete rectangular "box" have the bottom side completely gone. And of course, the floorboard is very soft. I still haven't been able to get the front doors open, but have both back doors working (kind of....)

Amazingly, too, the hood nose on the car is not cracked, and really isn't that pitted, so it should make a good core for somebody. Also, both rear courtesy lights were intact, with all 4 pegs still firmly attached. They're in really good shape, but are quite discolored.

You got a lot of good stuff with this car...Hemi Drivetrain, gasoline heater, A/C...etc! If you remove these and everything else that is of immediate use/value on this car it would probably still have a "crush" value of about $300 or more around here.

Here's a picture of the data tag. Aint it purty?

What we can tell is that the paint code is 356, and the trim code is 560. Also there is a "5" stamped under AC and PB.

But that's all we can tell for sure.

Tim...in case you need a second A/C switch:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1956-Desoto-AC- ... a4&vxp=mtr

I wonder if that's the switch from the standard unit? It's not like the switch for the deluxe AC.

Here's another loaded '56 Fireflite 4-door hardtop for sale cheap. Note the A/C, search tune radio, optional horn, and looks like power windows.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1956-desoto-fir ... 6a&vxp=mtr

And the front door opens! I still haven't gotten the front doors to open on the heap I bought, although I haven't really tried yet. Might involve the torch.....