1949 DeSoto Custom

Project Car

DarkSoto

The Riff your hearing is the Pinetop Boogie Woogie Piano, written in 1928 and recorded by Tommy Dorsey 1938 and became a hit.

Well, all is well on the Fat Fender Farm. Got the brake job done on the 49 Custom and couldn't stand the pressure and the calling coming from the ole girl. Raised the door of the shop, threw the booster on the battery and turned the key,and vroom, she came to life and purred. How great she is. So I backed her out of the shop, man what a big steering wheel. Turned her to the left and eased out on the clutch. After about 20 feet, I figured I would see just how cool the Fluid Drive was. So I pushed on the brake and waited for the bucking. Hot damn! the thing works. Now this is really cool. Stepped on the gas and away  we went. Down the drive (450 ft) up on the highway and back in the yard. Back up the drive toward the shop. Hmmmm, maybe once around the shop would be good. Away we went, made a circle and back on the driveway and toward the Highway. Stop at the road, look both ways. Hmmm not much traffic, no Cops, why not. Away we go out on the highway, shift to low gear and right up to 50 mph. Go about 1/2 mile, turn into the Roller Rink and back out on the Highway and back toward the house. Right up to 50 again. What a rush! Slow down, back in the driveway toward the shop. What the heck, once more around the shop and back on the drive out to the Highway, but just around the front yard and back to the shop. Whew! What a ride. The ole girl give a super demo. I think I'll keep her.
Now! If  I’m  going to keep her, she has to have a name. Let me see? DeSoto? + Black + Mysterious + Good Looks = DarkSoto. That it! That’s what we will call her. Don’t ya just love it.

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This has been a rewarding couple of months so far. I have managed to pick up a few items off of Ebay to replace some of the bad trim with better stuff. Not that mine was real bad, just the opportunity to get some a little better.
Picked up a complete back up light assembly, mainly for the lens, but then I’m not sure if the original one on it works. So a back up, if you will. Also picked up a different top brow for the grill and a better hood ornament, that is pretty nice. Also picked up a NOS right rear fender for it, as the original one is pretty banged up from some misjudgment over the past years. Figured I had enough to do, banging dents out of the two doors on the same side without having to do the fender too. Also both front fenders have some minor dings in them. So that will keep me busy for awhile.

{ February 14 -17 } - Just got two stainless trim pieces for the rocker panels off  Ebay. A good buy I might add. Also today we picked up a roll of material for the interior, as it will take somewhere in the area of 25 - 28 yards to do it all. Need some carpet, so will plan on keeping an eye out for that. Probably not original, but regular automotive carpet.  STAY TUNED

This is the project page for our just recently acquired 1949 DeSoto Custom.
To start with, this car was sold in South English, Iowa at Walk Motor Co., a DeSoto Dealership in 1949.
It stayed in that area until the owner decided to move to Goshen, Indiana in the early part of the 60’s. His Grand-daughter told me that he passed away in the mid 70’s, where upon, her Father acquired the car. He didn’t do much with it and it set inside a garage for several years. He passed away in the mid 80’s. His Daughter got the car after that. She kept it for awhile and after being approached by a contractor, who was hired to do work on her place, she sold it to him around 93. From that point it didn’t get driven to much ( about 60 miles ) it set. I had seen the car setting for a few years, but wasn’t interested in it. It set, with a For Sale sign in the window for those few years that I knew about it.
One day, the wife and I drove by it and decided to stop and have a close up look at it. We talked about buying it and do a quick fix up and re-sell it. The day I went to pick it up she asked me “can I have that car?” Well, being who I am and Loving and Spoiling her all our married lives, I said she could. So here we are with our 49 DeSoto.

I plan on posting as we progress on this car. Only thing is, it is on the sideline at this point. Not totally, as I will do some  things to her as I work on some of my others. At this point I have a 1937 Plymouth that is undergoing some repairs that have been long over due.

I have already worked on her. First order of business is to get some decent tires on her. While they are off, sand blast the wheels and paint them.  Second order of business was to get her running, which I did very slowly. Pulled the plugs and put some Marvel Mystery Oil down the cylinders. Even though the past owner said he had cranked her about every six months, but didn’t start her as she wouldn’t run. I left her sit about two weeks and then attempted to start her. BANG! She took right off. Since then I put new plugs, points & condenser. Repaired the vacuum advance, and repaired and sealed the gas tank. Also worked on the brakes. Rebuilt the wheel cylinders and put new shoes on her. She’s got brakes and runs. What more could you ask for?