[Sticky] Welcome to New Forum Members!

Hello from Edmond OK. I am Jim Yates and my wife Vicky and I have just became proud Desoto owners. We have a 1948 custom club coupe. I have always had a soft spot for old Chrysler products. My Dad liked Dodges and I remember riding to the top of Pike's Peak in a 1946 Dodge. When I started to drive he had a 1950 Dodge with the "Tip Toe Transmission" (Dodge called it Gyromatic) and a 1946 Plymouth. I took my drivers test in a 1954 Dodge and have owned several Plymouths. Currently I own a 1951 Plymouth and a 1971 Plymouth Scamp. My son and I are working on the 51. It runs good and drives good or at least it will when we finish a brake job, but it needs restoration.

We obtained the Desoto from Leo Johnson in Oklahoma City. It is in very good original condition and has been storage for about 10 years. However it has several issues that my son Chris and I are working on. The carb and gas tank have a lot of varnish in them so the local carb shop is working on the carb. We are going to pull the tank and have it cleaned. Maybe someone can tell me how to flush the gas line. The headlights didn't work, but that issue is just about solved. The brakes don't work, but we haven 't started on them.

Route 66 passes through downtown Edmond, so if anyone drives 66 give me a call. If you want my number send me a personal message. I will be sending my membership application in the next few days. I thought I had a photo on my camera to post, but it must be on my cell phone. I will post a photo in the next few days.

Jim,

Great to hear your DeSoto story! Looking forward to seeing a photo of your car. There is a group of NDC members planning a Route 66 trip this summer on their way to / from the National Convention in San Diego. Your offer to folks to contact you when passing through may be acted on very quickly!

Welcome to the Club!!

Mark

The iphone is new to me, but I figured out how to download photos to my PC. The car is all original with 48000 indicated miles. There is a service sticker on the door that shows an oil change at 46000 miles in 1976. I was able to start the engine, but with the varnish contamination it did not run very good. At least the oil pressure is over 40, no engine noises, the generator works, the horn works, all the gauges work and the radio works.

Hi Jim, it looks like you have quite a find there. Looks to be very solid and original. Keep us posted on your progress and if you have questions someone on here probably has an answer.
As Mark said, a group of us are planning on driving Route 66 out to the convention in San Diego in Aug.. Don't know how many we will have yet. We will keep in touch and let you know when we might be coming your way. Les

Hello Everyone,
A little background from me. I am from the West suburbs of Chicago in a town named Hanover Park. In Feb. I lost my grandfather, who was the owner of the car I have come to own. The vehicle I have come to own is a 1952 Desoto Custom. A little background on the car. My grandfather purchased it quite awhile ago in a bunch of peices. The body was all painted but needed a lot of work. We ended up purchasing a second car just for some of the important parts. It has since won a few local shows and cruise nights. In 2010 he brought the car down to Springfield IL. For the Desoto show. He brought home a 2nd place trophy!!! To be excited for him as well as all the hard work was awesome. Since growing up around cars and helping with all of the many vehicles the family has owned over the years the family thought it would be the best for me and my twin brother to own the two cars he had owned. Thank you for allowing me to share a part of my story.
Justin

Hello Justin!

That is one nice looking 1952 Custom, thanks for sharing it! If you haven't done so already, I strongly urge you to join the National DeSoto Club. The club newsletter alone is worth the price of membership, but the fellowship with other DeSoto owners is the most fun. The National DeSoto Club has a Great Lakes Regional chapter that I urge you to also join. Our chapter president Les Fairbanks in Watervliet, Michigan also has a 1952 Custom. I live in Ann Arbor Michigan and have a 1952 Firedome.

We look forward to meeting you and your 1952 Custom!

New to the forum and club.

My name is Christian Shield, and I just purchased a '56 Fireflite off of Bring a Trailer which was an impulse buy. My wife, Sherrie, and I live in Richmond, Virginia. I have 3 kids and bought this with visions of taking them to get cheeseburgers and milkshakes on the way to a drive-in movie. Perhaps a tad unrealistic with teens and preteens, but who knows.

The below pictures are from the auction as I have not taken delivery. The vehicle is a driver, and it needs some interior work (seats, door cards). It will also need a heater core repair. Other than that, it is hopefully good to go. I like to keep things original, so I will do my best to make her look her best from 1956. I confess to some trepidation as this car predates me by about 20 years.

I am a bit of a car guy (no real knowledge, just appreciation). I have a '73 CJ5 which my dad bought new. I have a Model A Ford and '41 Ford 3/4 ton pick up. I also have a '85 Ferrari 308, Euro. I do some amateur racing (Spec E30, Spec E36, SRA Ariel Atom).

I'll post up more pictures when it arrives, some before and after. I apologize in advance for the forthcoming questions and cries for help!

You bought Doug Lyle's car! Great to know that it continues its journey with an appreciative owner.

There's plenty of '56 DeSoto help on the forum, so don't hesitate to ask questions. We also have two great '56 Tech advisors in Russ Frank and Henry Clemens. Their contact info can be found in the Resources tab of the main menu.

Tim

Hello all. My name is Michael Rhodes. I was born into a MoPar family, my father owns 20-30 prewar Dodge, Chryslers, and Plymouths, and usually has a DeSoto or two around as well. I am also the proud new owner of a 1930 CF8 Roadster (major project). and if that is not enough I am also the Director of one of the largest private automobile collections in the world, which currently cares for 5 DeSotos. I have been in the antique and classic car industry for over 20 years. I also hold a bachelors degree in Automotive Restoration Technology. With my resources for all the extremely rare and obscure automobiles i deal with every day at work, and my family's extensive MoPar library, I thought the research on a DeSoto Roadster would be simple and easy, I was wrong. I can't even find any past sales to properly value my new pride and joy. I am looking forward to scouring this site, joining The NDC and meeting you fine people (then picking you brains), and hopefully be able to help some of you in any ways I may be able to. Thank you for accepting my request to join.

A big thank you for the welcome. I recently picked up a Jade Green Poly 1959 Firesweep 4 dr Sedan. It's a really nice, very basic, unmolested 43000 mile car with original paint and interior. I spent the past few months going through everything to make her a reliable road car. It's been a bit of a struggle as she's seen AAA rollbacks on 3 occasions since acquired last April. After bragging to a friend how I'd gone through nearly everything, fuel, cooling, hydraulics, brakes, suspension, the starter decided to check out. Trying to find a starter for the '59 361 engine is no small feat. We'll attempt a rebuild. At any rate, I'm getting close to my reliability goals.

Issues like old, obsolete, centrifugal starters make club membership invaluable.
Someone out there has gone through the pain before, so misery loves company. Having come from a British Car background, my Club membership experience has been a blessing in dealing with Lucas, "The prince of darkness."

Anyway, thank you for providing great a forum. Living in the Wichita KS area, you don't see many Forward Look Mopars on the roads so it is a bit jarring to be passed by this gigantic Jade Green finned machine on the Kellogg Expressway. Always fun to see those heads swivel as you cruise past in Jet Age splendor.

Tom Reardon
Andover, KS
1959 Desoto Firesweep 4dr Sedan

Tom,

Welcome to the Club. Be sure to not only cruise this forum but join the Club as well. You will not want to miss the award wining magazine DeSoto Adventures.

As for your starter issue, these guys are in your backyard and should be able to assist:
http://acewichita.com/index.html

Mark

A few photos of my DeSoto. I love this car.

Tom,

Welcome to the Club. Be sure to not only cruise this forum but join the Club as well. You will not want to miss the award wining magazine DeSoto Adventures.

As for your starter issue, these guys are in your backyard and should be able to assist:
http://acewichita.com/index.html

Mark

Thanks Mark. I joined this afternoon and hopefully I can make it to meetings and events soon. Glad to be in good company.

Welcome Tom, glad to have you aboard. One event to be sure to mark on your calendar is the DNC 2018 National Covention being held in Branson, MO which isn't too far from Wichita.

Congratulations on your fine '59 Firesweep. I too have a '59 Firesweep 4 door sedan and enjoy it more than any other car I've owned.

"It's delightful, it's delovely, it's DeSoto"

Tom,

Thanks for joining. Beautiful car! Did you say it was green

As Fred says, hope to see you and the car in Branson next year. Looks like a sure award winner!

Mark