Identifying a 1946 DeSoto

[Catharina Beattie]

I am wondering if someone can decode this for me please. A very big Thankyou.

The previous owner has passed away and his son know nothing about the vehicle.
I have tried to contact an earlier owner without success.
I purchased it as a 1946 DeSoto Custom Coupe???
I live in Australia.
There are rumours it came out of South Africa??? It is an export model.
It is a right hand drive DeSoto.
She was repainted and trimmed many years ago.

Engine number C38-205242.
VIN/Chassis Number 5956682
I have figured out that Model 11 means S11. Body 22 is Coupe?
Paint (227) code I have found some information but nothing on the Trim (917) Code.
What is RD - 3?
What does Spec Fo. No. - 4723, Sched. 708 and Item No. 3099 mean?
Where can I get more info on body numbers?

 

[sidevalvepete]

What a smart looking vehicle. Sorry that I can't help your enquiry but others surely will. Welcome to the forum. You came to the right place but maybe the main page to get noticed more...

Chrysler Historical Services could be of help to you.....

 

Chrysler Build Records

 

What To Do:

 

Send a letter requesting your Build Record to:

 

Chrysler LLC

Corporate Historical Collection

12501 Chrysler Fwy.

CIMS 410-11-21

Detroit, MI 48288 USA

Attn: Historical Information

 

Be sure to include the serial number of the car in question (tag is mounted to the A pillar and proof of ownership (a copy of the title, for example), a self-addressed stamped envelope and a check made payable to Chrysler LLC.
 

when last I checked the service was being offered for free.

 

I pasted this from another thread and aren't sure of the cost but it is a start...someone else can jump in here!?

[greg g]

S 11 was the model code for 1946 through early 1949. Cars.  Chrysler had problems getting the new 49 model body part stamping tools so 1948 models were built as 49s till March or April of 49.  Take a look at ALLPAR.COM website and use exports in the search bar.  Some interesting  reading there about Chrysler  working around customs and exporting knock downs as parts rather than finished cars. These went to England, Australia, and Turkey as it was cheaper tax wise to have the cars made in England and then exported from there to other commonwealth partner countries.  The serial number should be the best number to research this cars origin.  It looks like the engine is numbered for Chrysler as it begins with C.  Does the cylinder head have a raised spitfire casting?  The Desoto engine should begin with S11.  So somewhere along the line it must have been swapped out as maintenance.  Common practice in the day.  Also many export desotes were Plymouth jazed up with Desoto  trim and badges.  Yours isn't one of those as indicated by the front fender lines continuing into the doors.  Hope you can find your info, that's a right nice motor car.

 

I believe the current historical search fee is 50 or 60 USD. You must now supply copies of proof of ownership with the application.

 

You might be able to lookup the serial number on the Desoto Owners club web site.  Cars built in Canada for export I have heard have a spotty history of build sheets.  A lot of the archives are missing or illegible. Good luck and enjoy.

[chrysler1941]

Beautiful car

Let's see more photos, engine and front

 

I suppose it has a M5/M6.

How weird it must be to shift gear with left hand, I would probably crunch all the gears

 

[42 DeSoto Fifth Avenue]

Hopefully this helps a bit. From the VIN number what's know is that your car was built for export in Detroit. Whether the car was complete when it was shipped or was a 'knock-down' (needed to be assembled once it reached its' destination). I don't know. Your car is the top of the line Custom would be identified as an S11-C. The steering wheel is the best DeSoto offered that year. There are other folks on this site who have 46-49 S11s who may know more about decoding the body tag. I'd guess that the RD is most likely the radio and specifically one of three radios made for export. These are the 602, the 608 and the Universal. The 602 and 608 mounted in the dash, the universal under the dash. So you have either the 602 0r 802. You have the paint code 227 and I found one listing for it, Lupine Blue, and it was used on the 1935 DeSoto. The blue colors listed at the reference site, https://paintref.com/paintref/make/blue_DeSoto.shtml ,  are Carmel Blue with codes 213 & 214 and Monterey Blue with codes 216 & 217. I can't locate my copy of the S-11 parts book to look up the trim code. I looked in the 1942 DeSoto Export Parts Book and in the domestic 1942 DeSoto parts book and neither of them list the trim code 917. So it would seem that these codes indicate either a special order or they are for export only and so not listed in my sources.                                      I'd encourage you to join the National DeSoto Club. There is a club website and a FaceBook page. There is at least one NDC member who owns a 1942 DeSoto and there is another guy who is active on the FB who is restoring one. There may be other 46-48 S11 owners in Oz or New Zealand that you can contact through the membership roster.

What we know from the work the 42 owner did on his car and its' history was that it was part of a group of DeSotos and Chryslers that were shipped from the States. Some were off loaded in South Africa and then the remainder in Australia. I'd suspect that a similiar shipping process happened with your car.

It's a great DeSoto. Enjoy!

[usmc1972]

you can get some basic information by going to classiccaedatabase.com           just fill in the information at the top