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michiganhotrod1

Posted 2014-08-31 7:48 PM (#454843)
Subject: 58 DeSoto Convertable Sold at Auburn

Regular

Posts: 89

Hello;
I'm mildly surprised this site did not lite up on the news that the widely promoted green 58 De Soto Firedome convertible sold at the Auctions America Auction Saturday. It went for $175,000, plus commission, a bit over top estimate. Pretty lively bidding.
Lots of nice cars there. Good ones appeared to sell for good prices.
Mark

http://www.auctionsamerica.com/events/feature-lots.cfm?SaleCode=AF1...

57desoto

Posted 2014-08-31 7:57 PM (#454844 - in reply to #454843)
Subject: Re: 58 DeSoto Convertable Sold at Auburn

Expert

Posts: 1489
1000

Location: New Castle PA

Do you know what the '57 Desoto convertible went for? Auction results aren't posted yet (that I could find...)

Edited by 57desoto 2014-08-31 7:58 PM

Doctor DeSoto

Posted 2014-08-31 11:58 PM (#454865 - in reply to #454844)
Subject: Re: 58 DeSoto Convertable Sold at Auburn

Location: Parts Unknown

I wonder why THIS car went so high ? It is not particularly well optioned, is known to be "less than perfect"
by purist standards, has a "love it or hate it" paint color ...

... I guess enough people loved it to bid it high !

Hard to believe how valuable these cars have become in the last 25 years.

BSoto

Posted 2014-09-01 7:23 AM (#454881 - in reply to #454843)
Subject: Re: 58 DeSoto Convertable Sold at Auburn

Veteran

Posts: 118
100

Location: Nawth Kerolinuh

It's also a case of Economics 101 - supply and demand. If you want one of THOSE cars, there aren't any more for sale, and you're going to have to pay THAT much to get THAT car. Want a Corvette at Auburn? Wait 5 minutes and another one will cross the block, no problem.

On this sale, it seemed to be a phone bidder and a guy in the room. The phone bidder kept hesitating and then knocking it up $2500 at a time - the guy in the room was a lot quicker and he eventually won the car. So he had obviously looked it over carefully, was OK with the condition and still felt it was worth it.

And yes Doc, it is hard to believe how valuable these cars have become in the last 25 years.

Doctor DeSoto

Posted 2014-09-01 11:42 AM (#454898 - in reply to #454881)
Subject: Re: 58 DeSoto Convertable Sold at Auburn

Location: Parts Unknown

Well, I certainly understand the logic of supply and demand. However, it seems to be arbitrarily applied
much of the time when it comes to old cars. As you point out, finding a nice Corvette is like waiting for the
bus. Yet legions stand in line to do so and sellers spew forth in moronic terms about how rare they are.
Clearly a disconnect of terms and definitions, if not supply vs. demand ! Hehehehe !

I am not "knocking" the car here. Just kind of surprised to see THIS car go so high at THIS time. I think
Everyone knows MY position on 58 DeSoto ragtops !

It seems to me that selling prices have been down around half that number for a long time now, after
spiking into stupid money territory about 10 years ago. This one is heading back up to the strotosphere.

I note the Montana license plates. I have heard rumor of a 58 Fireflite in Montana, but given the rarity
of these, is this Firedome the rumored Fireflite I have been hearing of ? Or is there another car out there ?

Edited by Doctor DeSoto 2014-09-01 11:43 AM

Rebels-59

Posted 2014-09-01 12:59 PM (#454905 - in reply to #454843)
Subject: RE: 58 DeSoto Convertable Sold at Auburn

Board Moderator & Exner Expert 10K+

5000

Location: .Norfolk..Mafia.. ,England UK

michiganhotrod1 - 2014-09-01 12:48 AM

Hello;
I'm mildly surprised this site did not lite up on the news that the widely promoted green 58 De Soto Firedome convertible sold at the Auctions America Auction Saturday. It went for $175,000, plus commission, a bit over top estimate. Pretty lively bidding.
Lots of nice cars there. Good ones appeared to sell for good prices.
Mark

http://www.auctionsamerica.com/events/feature-lots.cfm?SaleCode=AF1...

It has actually been discussed for the past Month here on the Forum ,, Look on this thread here .. http://forwardlook.net/forums/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=53915&post...

.

Lancer Mike

Posted 2014-09-01 2:58 PM (#454912 - in reply to #454881)
Subject: Re: 58 DeSoto Convertable Sold at Auburn

Location: The Mile High City

I wonder where this De Soto might end up? Even though there was a "guy in the room" that made the winning bid, that person may have been a proxy bidder for an overseas buyer. Sometimes, we see these cars bounce around auctions for a while. At that price, it seems unlikely to be driven around though.

The Chrysler Kid

Posted 2014-09-01 5:49 PM (#454925 - in reply to #454912)
Subject: Re: 58 DeSoto Convertable Sold at Auburn

Expert

Posts: 1384
1000

Location: Ocala, Florida

What was the price for the other DeSoto vert that went across?

Here is the thread for the green on green car.

http://www.forwardlook.net/forums/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=53915&...

B-61

Posted 2014-09-02 11:05 AM (#454967 - in reply to #454925)
Subject: Re: 58 DeSoto Convertable Sold at Auburn

Member

Posts: 27

The Chrysler Kid - 2014-09-01 5:49 PM

What was the price for the other DeSoto vert that went across?

Here is the thread for the green on green car.

http://www.forwardlook.net/forums/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=53915&...

I watch that bidding, it goes for $46000.

58 DESOTOS RULE

Posted 2014-09-02 7:57 PM (#455021 - in reply to #454843)
Subject: RE: 58 DeSoto Convertable Sold at Auburn

Expert

Posts: 2308
2000

Location: The Bat Cave, Fairborn, OH

The bidding went to $175K. That's 25K more than the car was listed at as of 30 July. How's that for a return on your investment? My financial adviser couldn't do any better.

A ho-hum color and it's only got manual windows but the power train is nice. I notice that it has only the 6 stainless steel spears on the trunk lid and no aluminum insert for the spear nor the rocker moulding underneath the door. Apparently it wasn't a Spring Special?

Doctor DeSoto

Posted 2014-09-02 9:58 PM (#455036 - in reply to #455021)
Subject: RE: 58 DeSoto Convertable Sold at Auburn

Location: Parts Unknown

As the dash is 57 for preferential reasons, my guess is the SS decklid bars are some added bling
the owner also liked (?). But it could be a lingering fubar from a collision repair ? Or it might even
be original to the car ??? All the SS parts were available separately.

The photos of it over on the eBay forum show all eight bars.

It appears to be a well refurbished, not-quite-original "restoration". The 361 2bbl standard Firedome
drivetrain, ... it there something special about that, or are you referring to the detailing ?

I would love to know what the tag says the original colors were.

firedome

Posted 2014-09-03 9:53 AM (#455070 - in reply to #454843)
Subject: Re: 58 DeSoto Convertable Sold at Auburn

Expert

Posts: 3155
2000

Location: NY & VT

I love the colors on that car, probably the one one existing in that combo. Price was crazy high, so someone must have agreed. But put it up for auction again next year and it might bring half that, you just never know.

58 DESOTOS RULE

Posted 2014-09-03 10:01 AM (#455073 - in reply to #454843)
Subject: RE: 58 DeSoto Convertable Sold at Auburn

Expert

Posts: 2308
2000

Location: The Bat Cave, Fairborn, OH

I looked again at the pictures on e-Bay for this car and I stand corrected. There are 8 bars, 4 on each side. That was the standard number of bars used apparently on the Spring Special as my car has the same number and it was a Spring Special with the full trim. (Aluminium sweepspear inseert, rocker mouldings, drip rail moldings, etc.)

There is nothing special about the engine bay. I just liked the look of it. One would expect a certain amount of detailing of the engine room would have been done to a car that sold for $175K.

I find it interesting that you identify the dashboard as a 1957 item. How do you know that is a '57 and not a '58? Is it because the way the inside mirror is mounted? (Centered, against the windshield) My '58 has the inside mirror mounted on the right side of the hump. It is, frankly, not too convenient a location. Here are two photos. One is the auction car and the other is my car.

(Firedome dashboard right side.jpg)

(1958 DeSoto Interior Mirror Detail.jpg)

Attachments
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Firedome dashboard right side.jpg (84KB - 75 downloads)
Attachments

1958 DeSoto Interior Mirror Detail.jpg (147KB - 73 downloads)

Doctor DeSoto

Posted 2014-09-03 10:30 AM (#455077 - in reply to #455073)
Subject: RE: 58 DeSoto Convertable Sold at Auburn

Location: Parts Unknown

Someone else mentioned the dash that had seen the car. I know the instrument cluster has a different backing
pattern, with a different matching backing pattern on the lower dash at the knob area, running across to the glove
box (not sure if Sweeps got that trim ???) .... and, of course, the mirror location.

Roger that on the engine bay.

Your mention of the drip mouldings as part of the SS package is news to me. Makes sense on junior models, as
it is an easy, blingy add-on. Do you have paperwork showing that as an actual SS piece ? Honestly, my "knowledge"
on the subject is entirely piecemeal assumptions from seeing the very few I have seen. I *might* have some paper
on the subject, but I seem to think it was for the Dodge SS package (brain fade).

I can't say I am very attracted to the darker greens Mopar offered through this era. The lighter sweep color would
be pure sexy with a charcoal sweep and black top to me, but as is, I think it's sort of underwhelming on a car like this.
But I will say it is refreshingly different. Kind of like seeing a silver or bronze 68 Roadrunner in the ocean of bright
reds, yellows, lime greens they are typically seen in.

58 DESOTOS RULE

Posted 2014-09-03 12:02 PM (#455099 - in reply to #454843)
Subject: RE: 58 DeSoto Convertable Sold at Auburn

Expert

Posts: 2308
2000

Location: The Bat Cave, Fairborn, OH

Here are two detail pictures of what I am trying to describe on my Firesweep. It is a moulding about 1 inch wide above the windows. I think it's made of stainless steel because it doesn't appear to be chrome and isn't bothered by weathering. My car is a 2 door hardtop, but I imagine it would be the same for a 4-door. It's extra bling and I don't see it on every DeSoto. It might not be a Spring Special item but I can't verify that at the moment as my parts book is in storage. If any one's got an authentic MoPar Spring Special list with the contents of the kit for each car line it was used on, I would be glad to see it.

I hear you about the color. The green is too plain for my taste, but it is nice to see a car painted in a color other than the ubiquotous red.

(1958 Firesweep left moulding detail.jpg)

(1958 Firesweep right moulding detail.jpg)

Attachments
----------------

1958 Firesweep left moulding detail.jpg (126KB - 75 downloads)
Attachments

1958 Firesweep right moulding detail.jpg (104KB - 74 downloads)

BSoto

Posted 2014-09-03 3:40 PM (#455127 - in reply to #454843)
Subject: Re: 58 DeSoto Convertable Sold at Auburn

Veteran

Posts: 118
100

Location: Nawth Kerolinuh

It's not a spring special car. Just has the trim added on the trunk. Also, as the other thread pointed out, it has the 57 mirror placement Doc referred to, along with a 57 hood emblem and 57 trunk letters. So there's a lot going on there.

firedome

Posted 2014-09-03 4:15 PM (#455132 - in reply to #454843)
Subject: Re: 58 DeSoto Convertable Sold at Auburn

Expert

Posts: 3155
2000

Location: NY & VT

My '58 Windsor Spring Special has that same wide moulding over the rain gutters, stainless steel, not chrome. It also has the added trunk mouldings, (3 horizontal ones in the case of Chryslers), and stainless rocker moldings. This constituted the Windsor Spring Special trim package.

The car would look even better if the dark and light green were reversed, imo.

Edited by firedome 2014-09-03 4:21 PM

Doctor DeSoto

Posted 2014-09-04 2:51 AM (#455181 - in reply to #455132)
Subject: Re: 58 DeSoto Convertable Sold at Auburn

Location: Parts Unknown

We had a cat join the PSC/NDC that owned a 58 Sweep 4HT in the light green with BLACK sweep and
roof. It was quite stunning in that dramatic contrasting color combo.

He kinda dropped out of sight for a while, and when he reappeared, the car had been repainted blue
and white ...

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