1951 DeSoto - Awaiting Rescue

I've been driving passed this car for probably 5 years. Up until a year or two ago, it was covered by a tarp. I had always wondered what exactly it was, though envisioned something along the lines of the 1949 Buick from the movie Rain Man judging by the curvature of the tarp. As mother nature allowed a peak of the rear end, I had my early predictions.

Last winter, the winds were brutal enough to shred the tarp, finally exposing the classic underneath. Even while exposed, I wasn't positive what kind of car it was. For months, I referred to it as a Cadillac, as my wife and I drove by. Every time I would say "I'm gonna have to stop and get the story on that car sometime." Well, yesterday turned out to be that day. Recently, I concluded it definitely wasn't a Cadillac. So many cars from the late 40's and 50's had similar designs that I couldn't be for sure what it was.

As I pulled into the used car/mechanic's lot, the front badges (what letters that were left) displayed that it was in fact a DeSoto. According to the shop owner, it is a 1951 DeSoto. As the story goes, the owner lives near by, dropped the car off about 4-5 years ago, (which is an underestimate by my estimation) the owner needed some work done, but I'm not sure whether or not that ever happened. The shop owner stated that the owner wanted to sell it, but was asking $7,500. I couldn't bite my tongue, and blurted out "He's fuckin' dreamin'." LOL

The engine was apparently rebuilt, and aside from the flat tires, the car is drivable I'm told. At $7,500, it just doesn't work in my opinion. Now, for maybe around $3,000 (tops) you could make it work. The interior is mostly all there, aside from a few chrome toggle switches and an ash tray. The interior has been....hmmm...I'm being kind when I say "changed." Looks like somebody got some orange-ish fabric from Jo-Anne fabrics, wrapped the seats, and added some buttons. The quality actually isn't that bad, but it's about 40 years out of style. Perhaps the worst thing I saw was the stainless steel molding on the exterior body. Instead of finding or fabricating the proper attachment hardware, somebody just ran some sheet metal screws right through the trim, warping the shit outta the metal (and probably the body), and arguably mangling it beyond saving without spending big bucks through somebody who is an expert in metal working and welding up stainless trim.

I can't attest to the undercarriage, though I was assured that it is solid, and was a southern car prior to the current owner. Perhaps one of these days I'll make my way back over to the shop, crawl underneath the car, and take a closer inspection. Maybe even take a look under the hood, just to see what's there, but I was told it was a 6 cylinder.

Being the visionary I am, I see the potential in this car. In fact, I've been dreaming about how to build this car since the first time I saw what was hiding under the tarp. Knowing that it's a DeSoto, nothing short of a new fuel injected Hemi backed by a 6 speed transmission would seem appropriate. An independent front suspension, new set of white walls, and perhaps a few inch chop and I think she'd be good to go. Chopping the roof right off, turning it into a convertible, is also another possibility. While the interior isn't as big as I had envisioned, this would still be a suitable car to take across the country in, and definitely plenty classic and unique enough that people would take notice. It can't go without saying, this would be the PERFECT Hot Rod Power Tour car!

Maybe another few years down the road, cash and hand, I'll convince the owner that he needs to let it go to somebody who will restore this car to the beauty it deserves. For now, I'll simply continue to dream.