Lookie what I spotted at C&C today!

[patrick66]

DeSotos! TWO of them! In OKC.

Added bonus excitement... The restaurant that this monthly c&c happens at, caught fire! Mostly smoke damage, fortunately, as a grease trap caught fire.

 

[patrick66]

And a couple more.

 

[DCMC]

No shortage of style there

 

[crv]

The Adventurer ticks all the boxes, what a great looking car.

 

[MAXWEDGECHAR]

An Adventurer with a gas heater! Or is that some sort of vintage AC?

 

[MetalManiacAZ]

An Adventurer with a gas heater! Or is that some sort of vintage AC?

Looks like your first guess was correct. From the National Desoto club website:

In addition to the instant gasoline heater that was available and self-winding DeSotomatic steering wheel clock, the biggest gimmick of the year came in the form of the Highway Hi-Fi record player, which played unique 16 2/3 rpm records.

 

[65Coronet7165]

Reminds me of a friend of mine. 10 years ago he had a beautiful 56 DeSoto 2 door coupe. It was a light green/white two tone with only 20 some thousand miles. I couldn't believe it when he sold it. He did buy a 51 New Yorker convertible which was also fantastic. He only kept that 2years.

 

[3175375]

Looks like your first guess was correct. From the National Desoto club website:

In addition to the instant gasoline heater that was available and self-winding DeSotomatic steering wheel clock, the biggest gimmick of the year came in the form of the Highway Hi-Fi record player, which played unique 16 2/3 rpm records.

If the gasoline heater in that DeSoto is anything like the one I experienced in a Corvair van, they are incredibly powerful!

 

[Imperialist67]

Nothing beats a DeSoto Adventurer sighting, especially a '56, and especially in this condition. Never knew about the gas heater - the '55 isn't bad, either. Very period two-tone green colors....... THANKS for posting these.

 

[MAXWEDGECHAR]

A family friend had his mother's '56 New Yorker and it had a gas heater. It's been so long that I didn't remember what it looked like. Forty years ago Frank Mitchel stopped at my space. I had an NOS "spark plug" for one. He had never seen one and didn't know what it was! The other thing is that you couldn't have AC and a gas heater. Either/or but not both.

 

[live4theking]

Very nice. Thanks for sharing.

 

[patrick66]

I have to say, it was quite unusual to see ONE DeSoto at a local event, but to see TWO was a real treat. The gentleman who owns the black car also owns an immaculate 1955 Packard coupe that is an incredible restoration in itself. It's coral, gold and white. Stunning car!

 

[chipieal]

Ah DeSotos. My favorite. Especially the 56

 

[toybox]

Just beautiful works of art & imagination.