The Rusty DeSoto Lawn Ornament

[classiccarjack]

Sounds like a bold guy...  I am rude to people who destroy my car's without my permission also.

Edited April 13, 2017 by classiccarjack

[51custom]

I use torin 6 ton lockable jack stands as I have an f350 that requires I use such devices. 

[51custom]

Also a few things showed up yesterday.  A new battery tray and an original mopar 814 which doesn't look to bad.

[51custom]

Also, my grille for the car is finally not in shambles.  I'd like to get it rechromed but cost is an issue currently.

 

How it came when I got it

 

Vs now

 

[Don Coatney]

24 minutes ago, knuckleharley said:

About all they are good for is stuff like holding parts up off the floor so you can work on/paint them. Stuff like a rear axle housing that has already been removed from the car. I never use them on anything I have to crawl under.

This is how I re built my differential. An old shipping crate with a couple notches. Nice workable elevation. 

[DrDoctor]

   Necessity—the indisputable Mother of Invention . . .

[51custom]

Today I put the car on jack stands and began to remove the old undercoating and 65 years of grease build up around the suspension components.  I also removed the wheel hub caps and put them in storage as they as still shining like new.  I am getting ready to determine what will be required for the brakes and suspension pieces.  More than likely i will replace all brake components as its better safe than sorry.  The only thing I'm worried about  is the condition of the backing plates as they look incredibly corroded and could possibly fall through when i start shaking things up.  The suspension components ill either rebuild with new rubber and some components or source NOS complete suspension (this will probably turn into piece meal.)  This weekend i would also like to drop the gas tank following the instructions laid out above.   Granted this all depends on the fiances ability to tolerate my shenanigans this Easter weekend. 

[Flatie46]

20 hours ago, Don Coatney said:

My favorite jack stands are made from an old Ford rear axle. They have a round base and are less likely to sink than the 3 legged stands. I also use 4X4 wood blocks. No matter what stands I use I bump the car hard with my butt before I crawl under it.

I always put something bigger than me under a car when I get under it. I also bump it a time or too, I would much rather it fall with me standing beside it than under it. We've all heard those stories about the guy that wasn't so lucky, I think about that stuff when I get under one.

[DrDoctor]

Gentlemen,

   I’ve got to admit here and now that my least favorite thing to do to our car, or any car for that matter, it crawl under it. I’ve got 6 good jackstands (I threw away the 2 3-legged ones, as they were VERY unstable), and while they give me a reasonable bit of peace of mind, I’d still rather not be under there. I had a car, again back in the day, that tipped the 3-legged ones over, and it fell on my foot and ankle. The only thing that kept it from crushing me was the stand lying on its side held the car up long enough for my dad to jack the car back up so I could extricate my foot. It was swollen, but I was otherwise OK. Lesson learned . . .

[Don Coatney]

Way back in 1961 when I was 14 years old and (as a typical teenager I had learned everything there was to learn) I had a 57 Desoto Hemi. I pulled it up on some ramps to replace the universal joints and locked the emergency brake so the car would not roll. But being all smart as I was I forgot that the emergency brake was on the tail shaft of the transmission. So I crawled under and unbolted the driveshaft. Boom. No matter how loud I yelled my mother did not hear me. I was lucky that my girth was not where it is today. I was finally able to squeeze my way out and turned my head sideways to clear the frame. Only thing hurt was my feelings and a few scratches on my face.

[55 Fargo]

7 minutes ago, Don Coatney said:

Way back in 1961 when I was 14 years old and (as a typical teenager I had learned everything there was to learn) I had a 57 Desoto Hemi. I pulled it up on some ramps to replace the universal joints and locked the emergency brake so the car would not roll. But being all smart as I was I forgot that the emergency brake was on the tail shaft of the transmission. So I crawled under and unbolted the driveshaft. Boom. No matter how loud I yelled my mother did not hear me. I was lucky that my girth was not where it is today. I was finally able to squeeze my way out and turned my head sideways to clear the frame. Only thing hurt was my feelings and a few scratches on my face.

You musta been a well financed 14 year old with a 4 year old car and a Hemi to boot.... or was the car your Mothers?

[Don Coatney]

It was my car. My mom drove a Cadillac. I bought it for eighty five bucks that I earned working in a hardware store for fifty cents an hour. Did some repairs and an Earl Shibe paint job and 2 years later I sold it for five hundred.

[55 Fargo]

8 minutes ago, Don Coatney said:

It was my car. My mom drove a Cadillac. I bought it for eighty five bucks that I earned working in a hardware store for fifty cents an hour. Did some repairs and an Earl Shibe paint job and 2 years later I sold it for five hundred.

Talk about depreciation value, A 57 Desoto hemi powered retailed for around 3500 bucks, and you bought it for 85 bucks after only 4 years?

Which Hemi engine did it have?

[Silverdome]

Don, you're a lucky man. Those Desoto's sat really low and weighed better than a couple of tons. Even as a skinny teenager I don't know if I could've squeezed out from under one. My '65 Coronet did fall off of a bumper jack once and almost pinned me between it and a tree but luckily I came out with just a couple of skinned up hands that almost got caught between the rear fender well and the top of the tire. I learned a lot that day.

[dale]

Something I had a bad time with my 46 Ply project  was lack of juice in the garage and knocking out the breaker when I had the lights all on.  After I was mostly done I found out if I shut off all the lights on the circuit the welder worked 100% better.  I have an Eastwood 120 volt wirefeed and it works fine for  sheet metal now. Make sure you cutout well beyond the rusted area when replacing the floor etc.  A good self darkening hood and pliable leather gloves are a good idea too.  A thin blade on a 4 inch grinder will do most all of the cutting if you dont want the expense of a cutting torch and tanks.  On my Morris Minor I made a rotissery and what a great thing that turned out to be.  Cost me about $50 to make it.  Ill have to disagree about removing the body as you will wish you had before your done. IMO  Just a few things that may help.

[Flatie46]

28 minutes ago, 55 Fargo Spitfire said:

Talk about depreciation value, A 57 Desoto hemi powered retailed for around 3500 bucks, and you bought it for 85 bucks after only 4 years?

Which Hemi engine did it have?

Probably would be the 241. My buddy has a 57 Firedome he just finished a full resto on. I followed him to Charlotte this weekend for the Desoto club meet there. He has several Desoto's, including a 56 Hemi convertible.

[55 Fargo]

1957 Desoto should be a 341 Hemi or a 325 poly, but not sure if they made a 241

[Flatie46]

Yep, you are correct. I meant 341 but typed 241. Good thing I wasn't doing my Taxes. lol

[Young Ed]

They did-241 is the smallest dodge hemi. 

[Flatie46]

3 minutes ago, Young Ed said:

They did-241 is the smallest dodge hemi. 

Was it the "red ram"?

[Young Ed]

Just now, Flatie46 said:

Was it the "red ram"?

Yes. Then in 55 the red ram was the poly and the super red ram was the 270 CI hemi.

[55 Fargo]

[knuckleharley]

54 minutes ago, 55 Fargo Spitfire said:

There were two engines offered in 56 DeSoto's. The 330 was the standard engine,and until I saw your chart I never realized some of them came with a 4 brl carb. The other engine was a 341 and they came standard with a 4 brl. If you ordered the Adventurer option,you got dual quads and I THINK a hotter cam.

BTW,I have a S-22 engine with the factory 4brl sitting in my shop floor,and didn't know until I saw your chart how much HP it made. Sadly,my 56 DeSoto engine is the 330 2brl option. The good news is I have a 6x2 intake to put on it when I put it in my 33 Plymouth coupe. I also have an Adventurer intake I could run on it if I wanted.

Intakes for he 56 engines won't fit the 55 and earlier engines unless you make custom spacers because DeSoto went with the tall deck block starting in 56.

 

[DrDoctor]

   In 1966, I was 16, and I was helping a friend take the 3-speed transmission out of his Mercury Comet. Being invincible teenagers, we had the car up on concrete cinder blocks (can you see where this is going???). Yep, while he was out from under the car getting some more tools, the cinder blocks crumbled, and the car fell with me under it. Luckily, I was laying where the drive-shaft tunnel was, and I was OK, but trapped. He jacked the car up with a bumper jack, and as soon as the opportunity presented itself, I was “outta there”!!! And, not too soon, either . . . The bumper jack slipped, and the car came down again. Just goes to prove that God does look out for fools, and I obviously had his undivided attention that day.

[rb1949]

The old 4 leg stands still work.