1950 Desoto Custom

[derbydad276]

what carb is that ?????

[falconvan]

It's one of those Carter YF knockoffs they sell on Ebay.  $65 brand new.. I had one on a slant six and was really impressed with it. 

[DonnieT]

That looks great!

[falconvan]

Got a ton of stuff done the last few days. Finished some wiring bits, got the exhaust put on, got the parking brake working, got the carpet glued down and the seat in, and started cleaning up the front clip pieces to start putting the front end back together. Hopefully I’ll be wrapping it up in May. 

[Sam Buchanan]

Where did you source the carpet....looks very nice in the photo.

[falconvan]

It actually came with the car when I got it; the guy who had it before me had put it in but not glued it down. 

[falconvan]

Coming back together...

[falconvan]

The pile of parts is shrinking!

[falconvan]

I really should have this done in a week or so barring any unforeseen issues. I dropped the parts for the driveshaft off at the driveshaft shop and it will be done Wednesday. The rear leaf springs had some broken leafs so I swapped in a pair I had left over from a 47 Plymouth this morning. About all that’s left after that is bleed the brakes, put on the hood, and install the heater box and a radio. I like the ones that go quick and don’t rape your bank account.

Edited May 2, 2020 by falconvan

[falconvan]

While I’m waiting on a couple of transmission parts I decided to make some sill plates since I didn’t have any. Just used some 1/8” steel plate and some leftover rubber mat. Just cut the plate, drilled a few holes and glued the mat on with some headliner adhesive.

[Tim Larson]

Impressive work! You've done a lot in a relatively short amount of time.

 

Could I ask where you found this car? I had seen one that looked like this listed in Des Moines on Facebook Marketplace last year. 

[falconvan]

Thanks! I did get it on Marketplace but in Wentzville Missouri. Might have been the same listing.

[falconvan]

Got the trans back in last night and took it for a test drive today. After some adjustment on the clutch and back brakes it really goes down the road nice. The last thing I had to do was get the wipers going and I did that today. She’s ready for a bath, safety inspection, and lots of cruise time!

[falconvan]

I had to go by the boneyard to pick up a part for my brother’s car today and I noticed that the van I got the seat from that I used for the front was still there. I went ahead and got another one to use for the back. I’ll have to build a mount for it but it’s the perfect width and it’ll be nice to have matching seats.

[MarcDeSoto]

Man I love to see a car coming back together again and you really know how to save a lot of money on the restoration.  I think you must be a mechanic, or body man, or something to do this work in months instead of taking years like most of us!  Congrats on keeping a 50 DeSoto rolling.  I particularly like 1950 cars because my first ever car was a 50 Chrysler, and I myself am a 1950 model human!  Love it!  Right I'm restoring a 48 DeSoto 3 window coupe.  

 

[falconvan]

Thanks, man. My dad was a bricklayer and we always had cheaper cars that we worked on to keep going. I was out there helping him when I was in grade school. He always taught me to work organized to remove as many unnecessary steps as possible but not skip the details. I got my first car when I was 14 and been building them ever since. I don’t do it for my regular job but it’s what I love to do in my spare time along with playing in a band with a couple of buddies.

 

Your Desoto is really cool; I love the massive front end and grill of the 48. That 3 window coupe is a pretty rare find in the Desoto. I did a 49 Plymouth 3 window a few years back, very neat car.

[MarcDeSoto]

Yes, just 1,950 DeSoto S-11 3 window coupes were produced, and that was the last of 3-window coupes for the DeSoto and Chrysler lines.  Of course Dodge and Plymouth continued making them from 1949 to 1952.  When my grandfather died in 1953, my dad inherited his 1950 Dodge Coronet club coupe.  So I remember riding in the back seat of that car from 1953 until 1957.  In 1957, my dad traded it in for a brand new Ford Fairlane convertible.  

Edited May 21, 2020 by MarcDeSoto

[falconvan]

She's been running good; passed inspection and I've been cruising it around quite a bit. Only issue was I blew out one of the brand new freeze plugs and had to get towed home. Guess I didn't have that one in tight enough.

[jeff0547]

Great job, as usual. I've been following you since you put a 5-window GMC pickup cab on a 40s Dodge frame.
And I should mention that mail truck ( FJ-8 Fleetvan ) you tried to put a 455 Olds engine in. You continue to amaze me. Keep it up.
Also, do you have a link for that $65 Carb?

Edited July 13, 2020 by jeff0547

[James_Douglas]

How is the steering at freeway speed? Did you get the a front end alignment? If you did, I would like to know the final settings used.

 

Thanks, James

[falconvan]

It’s good; I just did my own alignment with a home made toe gauge and a caster/camber gauge off of eBay. I used the specs in the manual.

[falconvan]

So I sold the car; my wife and I bought a weekend cabin and some land and I’m using the money to fix the cabin.

i had started to rebuild the 236 that was in the car and dropped the crank off to be checked. Unfortunately the shop found a hairline crack and recommended I get another crank. I have the rest of the engine apart and it’s definitely can be saved. If anyone wants it I’d be happy to give you the complete engine. Just PM me if you’d like to come pick it up.

[falconvan]

On 7/13/2020 at 2:40 PM, jeff0547 said:

Great job, as usual. I've been following you since you put a 5-window GMC pickup cab on a 40s Dodge frame.
And I should mention that mail truck ( FJ-8 Fleetvan ) you tried to put a 455 Olds engine in. You continue to amaze me. Keep it up.
Also, do you have a link for that $65 Carb?

Thanks! Here’s a link:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/293635363185