1959 DeSoto

73Coupe

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Next in the DeSoto series we have this beautiful black 1959 Firesweep. I'll admit that I only know that it's a Firesweep because of the emblem on the dash, otherwise I'm still trying to learn how to differentiate forwardlook DeSoto models.

I saw this at the CCOC car show in May of 2011, in San Jose, CA and keep having dreams about it. If anybody knows there whereabouts of this car please let me know. I would like to buy this car someday.

Apparently, this car sold at auction in Palm Springs in 2014. Dang...
Classic Car Auctions

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I think its coming up at auction in the near future. I just can't remember where I saw it. Stay tuned....
 
Please advise. Although that probably means it's being flipped from the previous purchase at auction. Sad to see these cars being used as "investments" when there's people who just would like the pleasure of owning them to drive and enjoy.
 
I remember seeing these Forward Look cars everywhere in tbe 1970's.....you couldn't give them away.
 
I bought my 69 Super Bee and 73 Challenger from the same Dodge dealer (in Milwaukee) and there was a Chrysler/ Imperial dealer right across the street. Those were old man cars....now look at me. Lol.
 
Here is another 59 Desoto for sale, in this case a firedome, which I believe is the low line model. If it were not a 4 door, it would be more interesting though. Nice shape though.

1958 Desoto Sedan
1959 Desoto

condition: good
fuel: gas
odometer: 87500
paint color: blue
title status: clean
transmission: automatic

1958 Desoto Firedome. 87,500 miles; almost certainly correct. New radial tires and correct paint. No AC. Interior in good condition. Mechanically sound: Recent brakes, tune up, radiator. Some needs: Steering wheel as two thin cracks; two small dents on body. Bright work unusually nice. Western car; rust free with 318 motor. Clean and clear title.

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And here is a 1959 (not a 1957 as indicated in the listing) Firesweep 2 door if you really want punishment! Not that far from you either. Looks very rust free.

1959 Desoto 2 dr

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1957 desoto

condition: good
cylinders: 8 cylinders
drive: rwd
fuel: gas
title status: missing
transmission: automatic

1959 desoto fire flight, big V8 push button auto transmission, no rust , clean car needs restoration been sitting, lost title, $ 6000.00. Taft call six six one six two three 0 six six seven. No texts
 
What's wrong with 4 doors? "Hemmings Classic Car" June editorial was all about how 4 doors should be better appreciated. See previous post with pics here: "fire dome" says "Hi". We have a blue '59 Firedome 4 dr sedan and a red '58 Firedome 2 dr coupe.

We've also had 2 Chrysler ForwardLook convertibles:, '57 300c & '58 NYer. But 4 door hardtops are by far my favorite body style, we previously had a '58 FireSweep Sportsman Sedan, and a '58 Windsor 4 dr hardtop, both now sold to Sweden... and my blue '59 4 dr. may be going there as well, Americans just don't seem to appreciate them properly. I'd swap my '58 coupe for the right Sportsman Sedan.

The FireSweep was the low-line DeSoto model, basically a DODGE (122" wheelbase) with DeSoto sheetmetal built on the Dodge assembly line. The 126" wheelbase (longer front-end) models were essentially Chryslers, Firedome is mid-model, Fireflite the upper model, and the Adventurer, most expensive, is the performance/super-luxo model, ala Chrysler 300 of the DeSoto line.

The dark blue '59 Firedome sedan shown above is nice looking, but it has the wrong engine. No DeSoto ever had a 318 "A" block poly or 318 or small block of any kind for that matter. A '59 'Dome should have a "LB" low block 383 2 bbl, the 'Sweep would have a LB 361 2 bbl, the 'Flite a LB 383 4 bbl, and the Adventurer a LB 383 2 x 4 bbl (2 air cleaners).

Only '59 Chryslers had the RB "raised block" - longer stroke, narrower bore version of the 383 engine, adapted from the 413, due to a shortage of LB (wider bore, shorter stroke) engines that year. '59 was the only year for RB 383s, all 383s from then on were the LB versions. There was also 350 LB, only in '58. Mid to late '50s Mopar V8s can be particularly confusing, and we haven't even gotten into the 1955 to 1958 Plymouth and Dodge engines!
 
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What's wrong with 4 doors? "Hemmings Classic Car" June editorial was all about how 4 doors should be better appreciated. See previous post with pics here: "fire dome" says "Hi". We have a blue '59 Firedome 4 dr sedan and a red '58 Firedome 2 dr coupe.

We've also had 2 Chrysler ForwardLook convertibles:, '57 300c & '58 NYer. But 4 door hardtops are by far my favorite body style, we previously had a '58 FireSweep Sportsman Sedan, and a '58 Windsor 4 dr hardtop, both now sold to Sweden... and my blue '59 4 dr. may be going there as well, Americans just don't seem to appreciate them properly. I'd swap my '58 coupe for the right Sportsman Sedan.

The FireSweep was the low-line DeSoto model, basically a DODGE (122" wheelbase) with DeSoto sheetmetal built on the Dodge assembly line. The 126" wheelbase (longer front-end) models were essentially Chryslers, Firedome is mid-model, Fireflite the upper model, and the Adventurer, most expensive, is the performance/super-luxo model, ala Chrysler 300 of the DeSoto line.

The dark blue '59 Firedome sedan shown above is nice looking, but it has the wrong engine. No DeSoto ever had a 318 "A" block poly or 318 or small block of any kind for that matter. A '59 'Dome should have a "LB" low block 383 2 bbl, the 'Sweep would have a LB 361 2 bbl, the 'Flite a LB 383 4 bbl, and the Adventurer a LB 383 2 x 4 bbl (2 air cleaners).

Only '59 Chryslers had the RB "raised block" - longer stroke, narrower bore version of the 383 engine, adapted from the 413, due to a shortage of LB (wider bore, shorter stroke) engines that year. '59 was the only year for RB 383s, all 383s from then on were the LB versions. There was also 350 LB, only in '58. Mid to late '50s Mopar V8s can be particularly confusing, and we haven't even gotten into the 1955 to 1958 Plymouth and Dodge engines!

There is nothing "wrong" with four doors, but to me they are more a symbol of a "family car" rather than a "sporty car". If that is what you want, then fine, but I prefer the more sporty models. They didn't make a Chrysler 300 "letter car" with 4 doors for example for a reason. Most people prefer cars that excite more because they are more stylish and less of an "appliance". Overseas, where they generally have seen very few of these vehicles in their lives, any forward look car might be interesting regardless of the number of doors.
 
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photos from the Mecum site....and specs:

Wouldn't the motor originally been painted silver?

  • 361/295 HP V-8 engine
  • Automatic transmission
  • Two-tone Black and White exterior
  • Blue interior
  • 5 new tires
  • Front disc brakes
  • New brake booster and master cylinder
  • Machined rear brakes drums and new brake shoes
  • Adjustable rear air shocks
  • 12 volt alternator
  • New radiator core
  • New distributor, ignition coil, spark plugs and wires
  • Modern 3-point seatbelts installed
  • Rebuilt water pump
  • Rubberized undercarriage
  • Stereo with smart phone and MP3 connectivity

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Desoto-4.jpg
 
What's wrong with 4 doors? "Hemmings Classic Car" June editorial was all about how 4 doors should be better appreciated. See previous post with pics here: "fire dome" says "Hi". We have a blue '59 Firedome 4 dr sedan and a red '58 Firedome 2 dr coupe.

We've also had 2 Chrysler ForwardLook convertibles:, '57 300c & '58 NYer. But 4 door hardtops are by far my favorite body style, we previously had a '58 FireSweep Sportsman Sedan, and a '58 Windsor 4 dr hardtop, both now sold to Sweden... and my blue '59 4 dr. may be going there as well, Americans just don't seem to appreciate them properly. I'd swap my '58 coupe for the right Sportsman Sedan.

The FireSweep was the low-line DeSoto model, basically a DODGE (122" wheelbase) with DeSoto sheetmetal built on the Dodge assembly line. The 126" wheelbase (longer front-end) models were essentially Chryslers, Firedome is mid-model, Fireflite the upper model, and the Adventurer, most expensive, is the performance/super-luxo model, ala Chrysler 300 of the DeSoto line.

The dark blue '59 Firedome sedan shown above is nice looking, but it has the wrong engine. No DeSoto ever had a 318 "A" block poly or 318 or small block of any kind for that matter. A '59 'Dome should have a "LB" low block 383 2 bbl, the 'Sweep would have a LB 361 2 bbl, the 'Flite a LB 383 4 bbl, and the Adventurer a LB 383 2 x 4 bbl (2 air cleaners).

Only '59 Chryslers had the RB "raised block" - longer stroke, narrower bore version of the 383 engine, adapted from the 413, due to a shortage of LB (wider bore, shorter stroke) engines that year. '59 was the only year for RB 383s, all 383s from then on were the LB versions. There was also 350 LB, only in '58. Mid to late '50s Mopar V8s can be particularly confusing, and we haven't even gotten into the 1955 to 1958 Plymouth and Dodge engines!

I've seen a 1960 Chrysler with an RB 383 in it.

Kevin
 
And here is a 1959 (not a 1957 as indicated in the listing) Firesweep 2 door if you really want punishment! Not that far from you either. Looks very rust free.

1959 Desoto 2 dr

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1957 desoto

condition: good
cylinders: 8 cylinders
drive: rwd
fuel: gas
title status: missing
transmission: automatic

1959 desoto fire flight, big V8 push button auto transmission, no rust , clean car needs restoration been sitting, lost title, $ 6000.00. Taft call six six one six two three 0 six six seven. No texts

Thanks....

Taft, that could be considered the "Fumbuck" of Calif. out in western Kern County. That's about halfway between us, maybe even closer to you.
Too bad they don't have more photos.

Then there's this one that's for sale in Morongo. A 'Dome with factory AC, apparently. No title. last offer was $2500 but they backed out.

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