New member

[GG40Dsoto]

Just joined this great forum. I have a '40 DeSoto Deluxe 2 door sedan that my great grandfather owned. It doesn't run as the engine is seized.

Has a 3 speed trans. Car is complete, showing 29k on odometer.

It hasn't been registered since 1964.

My goal is to get it running and drive it. So I'll be on here learning about this cool old car.

Thanks

[DrDoctor]

GG40Dsoto,

   Your grandfather’s car – now that’s a keeper!!! Once you’ve got it back on the road, and you’re behind the wheel, you’ll have a smile on your face that no one will be able to wipe off. As anxious as you’ll get wanting to drive it, take your time, and proceed with caution. This site can be a vast source of information, and you’ll soon discover who you can trust for reliable information, and who the opinionated blowhards are. Sorting thru that can take abit of time, but it’s usually obvious. The main thing is to set your goal as to what you want the car to be when completed, keep that goal in sight, and take it methodically, step by step, to that goal. Remember, the joy of anything isn’t necessarily the achievement of the goal, but rather in the journey itself. Good luck, and best regards to you.

[knuckleharley]

Welcome! A family heirloom! I look forward to seeing and hearing about it.

[GG40Dsoto]

Thanks DrDoctor!!!

It was actually my great-grandfathers car.

Best I can tell he bought it used in 1953 (I have the title from 1953).

When he passed away around 1963 or 64 they had his farm sale and my uncle purchased the car. My uncle pulled it home and never did anything with it. 

Then in the fall of 2017 my uncle (in his 80s) had a sale and sold off about 40 of his cars from his collection and this one was on the list. My dad and I were looking at the sales list of cars selling and my dad said "that was my grandfathers old car". I knew then I had to have it to keep it in the family. Hopefully one of my kids will pass it on to their kids.

I do all my own work as much as I can and love working on older pieces of machinery. This is my first "Mopar".

[Dan Hiebert]

Welcome!  You will indeed either find the info you're looking for here, or someone who can point you in the right direction.  Searching first is usually a good idea to avoid folks simply telling you to search.  The links all have good information, as well.  It's easy to kill an afternoon and/or evening simply thumbing through these pages.  I'll be the first to chime in with "get a shop manual" for your car to make things that much easier, it's not that hard to get repros, and they aren't expensive.  I see a lot of projects listed, looks like you know your way around cars/trucks/machinery/etc., so I'll refrain from sticking my foot in my mouth just yet, and just urge you to post some photos.  

[GG40Dsoto]

Thanks Dan. Yes I do have an original shop manual for the DeSoto.

I totally understand about getting lost in the forums. I have been a member on a Diesel forum for about 1 1/2 years and and have learned a great deal on there.

 

[Andydodge]

Welcome aboard from Oz..........these guys know their stuff..........we would love to see a pic of the car............regards, Andy Douglas  

[desoto1939]

2 hours ago, GG40Dsoto said:

Thanks Dan. Yes I do have an original shop manual for the DeSoto.

I totally understand about getting lost in the forums. I have been a member on a Diesel forum for about 1 1/2 years and and have learned a great deal on there.

 

Dear GG40 Desoto. This is Rich Hartung with a 39 Desoto. I live near valley Forger PA.  I have a lot of information about the prewar desoto and a lot of cross reference parts catalogs.  Write to me so we can talk about your 40 Desoto.

 

Rich Hartung   Desoto1939@aol.com

cell 484-431-8157

[GG40Dsoto]

Hello Rich, what is your e-mail?

i tried to send it to Desoto1939@aol.com and it got returned to me.

 

[Worden18]

Welcome!  Sounds like a great project.  And that it has family history is a definite bonus.  But you need to do us all a favor and post pictures of it please!

[GG40Dsoto]

Trying to figure out how to post pics. Says can't do more than 3MB.   

 

Edited February 12, 2019 by GG40Dsoto

[GG40Dsoto]

 

[GG40Dsoto]

[GG40Dsoto]

[GG40Dsoto]

[GG40Dsoto]

[GG40Dsoto]

[GG40Dsoto]

Well I'll probably get booted off this forum by the moderator, as I'm sure this is not the correct method to post pics.

But here they are.

[Frank Elder]

You are fine, post away!

 

[Plymouthy Adams]

The two door sedan is in my opinion much nicer looking body than the club coupes.....only the bz coupe tops this body style....you got some solid bones with that car.

[GG40Dsoto]

Thanks, Yeah I really wished it was a bz coupe but I'm happy with it.

 

[tom'sB2B]

Man! That looks like a really clean, rust free car. I look forward to watching your progress. I recommend that you take tons of pictures of your disassembly. Take photos of everything. You will thank yourself later. Bag and tag everything you pull off.

[Andydodge]

Great pics of a nice car.....I especially like the 40 De Soto grille, very clean tasteful design, personally the nicest of all the 1940 Mopar grille designs and I have been playing with 1940 Dodges since 1969...........lol............and I second what Plymouthy has said about the 2 dr sedan, we never got anything apart from 4drs and some odd designed coupes here in Oz and the 2dr sedan has a very clean look to it...........again welcome aboard.........andyd  

[RNR1957NYer]

Welcome!  As you may be able to tell, I too am a fan of the two door sedan.  Before I found my P12, I was kicking myself for letting a 41 DeSoto 2dr get away - you've got a great start and wonderful  family story behind it; love it!

[desoto1939]

18 hours ago, GG40Dsoto said:

Hello Rich, what is your e-mail?

i tried to send it to Desoto1939@aol.com and it got returned to me.

 

That is my correct email.Maybe the file server was down. Try again.

 

Rich Hartung