[Sticky] What did you do with or to your DeSoto today?

Our local AACA Region had been contacted months ago to provide a few '50's era cars for display at the 60th anniversary fund-raising event at Cedar Ridge Camp, a Presbyterian church camp for children in eastern Louisville. I offered to coordinate the event and we had five members display their cars including Pat and I. Cars joining my '55 DeSoto on display were a '58 Dodge, '51 and '57 Chevys and a '51 Frazer.

The camp allowed us access to the free open bar and provided a table for our members to enjoy dinner and dessert with the attendees. Beautiful autumn weather made for a great evening.

Mark

Great day in the Ozarks - open car show and fun run combo. Only about 20 cars/trucks but everyone had a wonderful time. The fun run required stops at various designated places and you had to have your car and yourself in the picture at each stop. The cars with the fastest time to leave and return were the winners of the trophies. Unfortunately, I wasn't one of them but what the heck, it was fun anyway. As usual, the only DeSoto at the show.

Attended a car show today at the Kentucky Railway Museum in New Haven, KY, south of Bardstown. Unusually warm late October weather and one of the last shows of the season brought out a record 236 registered cars. There was only one DeSoto - my '55 Firedome sedan - and only one other '50's MoPar, a rodded '56 Plymouth Savoy. That's my buddy's '41 Dodge next to the DeSoto.

Mark

Hmmm. Is February 27th too early to get out a DeSoto in Michigan? Well, it is 56 outside. And recent rains have washed off all the salt. Oh shucks let's go for it! So the 1952 Firedome and I headed out for a small adventure and ended up at old St Patrick's Catholic Church on Whitmore Lake Road just north of Ann Arbor. For those not familiar with this part of Michigan, Whitmore Lake Road is the original grade of U.S. 23, a highway that rivals route 66 for interesting folklore. U.S. 23 was the eastern grade of the "Dixie Highway" a route famous for country music, rum runners, and the birth of NASCAR as many drivers got their start running hooch.

Here is the '52 sitting in front of this historic church. Wait, what does that hand written sign say? "Friday Fish Fry 4:30 to 7:00". Might have to try that......

Saturday I went to Tim's shop in Kansas (Stellar Antique Auto Restorations) to check on the progress up to this point on my '56 Fireflite and to drop off some parts.

I also took a 2 block detour to see the progress that has been made on the red '56 Fireflite since I sold it in December. Since selling it, that car is now fully roadworthy again and has had the paint buffed. That car is now also residing in Kansas, coincidentally in the same town that Tim lives in.

All too often we neglect to do anything out of the ordinary regarding stone shields. These things take about as much abuse of anything on our cars and seldom, if ever, get more than an ordinary wash and polish or wax. So today I took some time and renewed mine after about 60 years of them being on the car.

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

Way overdue, but today I decided to have my front seat cushion re-padded with new foam 'cause I just got tired of the "sugar" foam falling down under the seat. With the car being 59 years old and a wee bit out of warranty, I finally bit the bullet. As much as I wanted to keep the car as factory original as possible, I realize there are such things as limitations - this is one of them.

Hopefully I will feel, and actually be, a little taller in the saddle when all is said and done.

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

Well, I did it again after I said I wouldn't. I went to the Route 66 All MoPar show again held at Presley's Jubilee theater here in Branson. There were 147 MoPars with about 10 being older than 2017 models (being a fit facetious) but you get the point. Sad to say only the "Geritol" generation paid much attention to the older cars.

I did get a fairly neat picture of King Kong scaling the building in the background using my right tailfin as a "sight".

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

Our local AACA Region conducted a day tour to Indiana Caverns near Corydon, IN. Before descending 110 feet in the cavern, we stopped in Brandenburg, KY, for lunch at Jailhouse Pizza. Before leaving for the day trip, I traveled ~25 miles round trip to gas up with ethanol free gas at the closest station to my house selling such fuel. The club excursion added another 110 miles traveled and the '55 ran flawlessly. Finally have all the drivability issues addressed, so it must be time for something else to go wrong

Attached photo includes some local club members, but not me. As you can see from the lineup, my '55 DeSoto was the oldest car on this "old car" tour. There was a time shortly after I bought the '55 some ~37 years ago that the pre-war guys would turn up their nose at me for not really driving an "old" car. Now I'm them...

Mark

This last weekend I had the opportunity to attend the "Wings and Wheels" car show sponsored by the Yankee Air Museum, and held on the hanger ramp of the old B24 Bomber plant in Ypsilanti. My '52 and I only had to go about 10 miles to this show, so none of the adventure of Mark's excursions, but still a lot of fun. I think you can see the tail of a B25 bomber in this photo. My Wife and I had a good time! As usual, ours was the only DeSoto there.

A group from the Great lakes Regional including Rick and Joyce Wresche, Don and Judy Smith and Brent and Pat Jacobsen brought their DeSotos to the annual Rolling Sculpture car show in down town Ann Arbor. A very interesting show this year, and we had a lot of fun. It was hot-90 degrees. Say, isn't that a Kilwin's Ice Cream Store over there.....?

Great representation of the '60s, '50s, and '40s.

Will be nice to see these in Branson next month where I have put my order in for temps in the 70's and no rain.

Fred,

Someday my '52 will make it to a National Meet, but unfortunately not this year. It seems the early August timing seems to be in a perpetual conflict with other family obligations. I guess I will have to attend vicariously through the club magazine and online photos. Still, someday.....

This past weekend, a dozen couples from our AACA Region traveled ~70 miles southeast of Louisville to Danville, KY. My wife Pat and I organized this overnight tour with the main attraction attending an outdoor play at Pioneer Playhouse in Danville. The playhouse arranged special parking for our old cars and they attracted quite a crowd.

On Sunday morning we traveled 11 miles on the return route to visit the Perryville, KY, civil war battlefield. We were treated to a young reenactor dressed in Union garb who provided quite a history lesson on the life of a civil war infantryman.

The '55 performed flawlessly on the trip, especially important as we were the lead car on most tour segments.

Mark

Saturday 8/25/2018.

Used my 1939 Desoto for my daughters Wedding. This daughter was only 6 months old when she attended her first National Desoto car Show that was held at the whitepost restoration shop. We have pictures of her crawling in the grass at the car show. Oh how the time has flown by to now getting married and standing on your own and ready to walk into life. My youngest daughter was the maid of honor and is standing next to my oldest daughter. Bride is Sarah Hartung Maid of honor is Emily Hartung.

Sorry but missed the convention but the wedding took first place in my book.
Rich Hartung
desoto1939@aol.com