1948 Desoto 4 door sedan

The owner did a masterful job of restoring this beautiful 48....a car that was so common to the streets of New York City as a Yellow Cab! He has saved the original power train, ready for reinstallation if a new owner would so desire. However, I'd be happy with this conversion to a 318 c.i. Mopar V8 and automatic transmission. It supports A/C very well in the large cabin...A/C of course was not offered by Desoto when this car was new. The paint, chrome and interior are perfection!

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• raconter1
• antique
• car
• show
• Desoto
• door
• sedan

[moparmonster1965]

@raconter1 Thanks, and your point is also correct; it was the Forward Look that had GM scrambling in late 1957. At the time, manufacturers ran their cars in three-year cycles, updating the same basic body as they went, but both Ford and Chrysler broke that tradition for 1957, introducing all-new styles that were longer, wider, lower, and had bigger fins. They also used smaller wheels, going from 15" to 14", which wasn't a great idea.

[moparmonster1965]

Most Chryslers built from 1946-1955 or '56 were uber conservative until, as the book "Fifties Muscle" states, 1957, when all hell broke loose. I highly recommend that book for anyone into pre-1960 factory hot rods.

The Airflow might have been ugly but its engineering was sound; not only did the company learn a thing or two about car design, but a little about the finnicky car-buying public, too.

[raconter1]

@moparmonster1965 Good point! Old man Keller won't get much credit for advanced styling concepts, or trying to reach the youth market! I still think the rejection of "airflow" styling left its mark in a very conservative corporation until the advent of the Forward Look! Thanks! :) Jack

[moparmonster1965]

@raconter1 I agree, but I like the way the '46-'48 Mopars flared out at the bottom because it lends itself well to lakes pipes, especially on the Plymouths. The all-new post-war cars were the KT Keller's "three box" design that were intended to allow a man to wear his hat in the car, something the consumer wasn't actually concerned with, demonstrated by sluggish sales (after the initial buying frenzy when the auto inductry returned to civilian production).

[raconter1]

@moparmonster1965 I remember reading that...I had the feeling that those that bought those early 49 models might have felt cheated when the second series came out, a fairly dramatic restyle! Thanks! :) Jack

[moparmonster1965]

@raconter1 I had a "first series" '49 Plymouth Special Deluxe two door sedan and it was just a reserialized '48. That thing was scary at 60 MPH on the highway.

[raconter1]

@moparmonster1965 That's very true...not much revision from prewar to postwar cars...tailights, grilles, and slightly bigger rear windows were about the only visible modifications. The cowl vent was very useful along with the door and rear vent windows for ventilation back in the day. My aunt's 48 Plymouth developed a leak around that cowl vent, though. Thanks! :) Jack

[moparmonster1965]

All of the Chrysler divisions put out essentially the same models from 1946 through March of 1949 when the all-new post-war models were finally ready. And those were basically warmed-over 1942 models at that.

My favorite part is the hood scoop for interior ventilation. I always wanted to reroute one back to the air cleaner. Maybe I'll get another fat fender some day.

[raconter1]

@moparmonster1965 Not my car, so I don't know why this decision was made. An interesting thought, though!

Thanks! :) Jack

[moparmonster1965]

I also don't understand why the owner would go to all of the trouble of converting the car to a modern V8 and then only use a 318. A 360 is always the best choice here.