Here are just a few of the De Sotos that appeared on the show field at the NDC Convention in Fort Wayne, IN. Doc Desoto might have something to say about the 1958 Firesweeep convertible. It seemed like a nice car, but not the rarity the car dealer was making it out to be. 

The next car is a pretty nice average 1960 Adventurer (the only model available in 1960 was Adventurer) but there's nothing special about it except for the story the owner tells about how he came to acquire it. He had told it to his local club and they published it in their magazine and in case you can't read it in the picture I made of the cutting, I've made a transcript of it here:

What a Gem!

By Thomas Kenney

When I bought my 1960 De Soto last October, it came with just one key. That key would start the car, but it didn't work the locks or open the trunk or the glove box.

On e-bay there was a set of matching keys and locks for sale and the price was right. The owners' manual described how to make the switch. However, before I started that job I found a leather bound set of keys under the driver's seat.

They were the old style key fob with aluminum keys. The best part was that these keys were able to work all the locks, including the trunk.

I thought all that I would find in the trunk was the usual, a spare tire, a jack, some spare parts and maybe a few old newspapers. Yet upon further inspection, there was an envelope, tucked down along the side, stuffed with money!

The car used to be owned by a farmer and they were notorious for hiding money instead of using the banks. The car sat in a barn for 30 years before being sold at auction.

The original owner has long since died. We counted it several times and the total was $40,120.12! That number, 4-01-2012, has a nice ring to it does it not?

It took me a minute or two before I realized that it was an April Fool's joke. It would have been nice to find some serious money like that in the car I'd just bought but that kind of luck never happens to me. 

Some of the 1960s still had the little metal tabs on the taillight lenses and others did not having been lost long ago. The ones that still had the metal tabs attached looked pretty snappy.

The Airflow was way ahead of its time. It would not be noticed in traffic today because every car looks like it, but in the 1930s it was pretty daring. This example is, I think, a 1935 model, but I will be open to correction.

(NDC Conv 1 - 1958 Firesweep front.jpg)

(NDC Conv 2 - 1958 Firesweep engine.jpg)

(NDC Conv 3a- 1958 Firesweep rear.jpg)

(NDC Conv 3b- 1958 Firesweep Dealer Logo.jpg)

(NDC Conv 3c- 1958 Firesweep Front 3_4 view.jpg)

(NDC Conv 4- 1958 Firesweep trunk area.jpg)

(NDC Conv 6 1959 Fireflite From WI front.jpg)

(NDC Conv 7 1959 Fireflite From WI engine bay.jpg)

(NDC Conv 8 1959 Fireflite From WI AC Comp detail.jpg)

(NDC Conv 10 1959 Fireflite From WI rear.jpg)

(NDC Conv 11 1960 Adventurer April Fool_s Joke.jpg)

(NDC Conv 12 1960 Adventurer Front.jpg)

(NDC Conv 13 1960 Adventurer Rear.jpg)

(NDC Conv 14 1946-48 DeSoto Taxi Rear Left 3_4 view.jpg)

(NDC Conv 15 1946-48 DeSoto Taxi Front Left 3_4 view.jpg)

(NDC Conv 16 1935 DeSoto Airflow front.jpg)

(NDC Conv 17 1935 DeSoto Airflow engine bay.jpg)

(NDC Conv 18 1935 DeSoto dashboard.jpg)

(NDC Conv 20 1935 DeSoto Airflow Interior shot 2.jpg)

(NDC Conv 21 1935 DeSoto Airflow rear.jpg)

(NDC Conv 22 1956 DeSoto Indy Pace Car rear.jpg)

(NDC Conv 23 1956 DeSoto Indy Pace Car right side view.jpg)

(NDC Conv 24 Groucho Marx Doll in box.jpg)

(NDC Conv 25 1956 DeSoto Indy Pace Car engine bay.jpg)

(NDC Conv 26 1956 DeSoto Indy Pace Car front.jpg)

NDC Conv 1 - 1958 Firesweep front.jpg (242KB - 138 downloads)

NDC Conv 2 - 1958 Firesweep engine.jpg (272KB - 183 downloads)

NDC Conv 3a- 1958 Firesweep rear.jpg (250KB - 161 downloads)

NDC Conv 3b- 1958 Firesweep Dealer Logo.jpg (137KB - 148 downloads)

NDC Conv 3c- 1958 Firesweep Front 3_4 view.jpg (366KB - 142 downloads)

NDC Conv 4- 1958 Firesweep trunk area.jpg (170KB - 138 downloads)

NDC Conv 6 1959 Fireflite From WI front.jpg (277KB - 142 downloads)

NDC Conv 7 1959 Fireflite From WI engine bay.jpg (261KB - 143 downloads)

NDC Conv 8 1959 Fireflite From WI AC Comp detail.jpg (226KB - 136 downloads)

NDC Conv 10 1959 Fireflite From WI rear.jpg (269KB - 140 downloads)

NDC Conv 11 1960 Adventurer April Fool_s Joke.jpg (223KB - 145 downloads)

NDC Conv 12 1960 Adventurer Front.jpg (202KB - 137 downloads)

NDC Conv 13 1960 Adventurer Rear.jpg (232KB - 141 downloads)

NDC Conv 14 1946-48 DeSoto Taxi Rear Left 3_4 view.jpg (264KB - 188 downloads)

NDC Conv 15 1946-48 DeSoto Taxi Front Left 3_4 view.jpg (277KB - 428 downloads)

NDC Conv 16 1935 DeSoto Airflow front.jpg (266KB - 154 downloads)

NDC Conv 17 1935 DeSoto Airflow engine bay.jpg (209KB - 156 downloads)

NDC Conv 18 1935 DeSoto dashboard.jpg (216KB - 166 downloads)

NDC Conv 20 1935 DeSoto Airflow Interior shot 2.jpg (242KB - 164 downloads)

NDC Conv 21 1935 DeSoto Airflow rear.jpg (247KB - 159 downloads)

NDC Conv 22 1956 DeSoto Indy Pace Car rear.jpg (237KB - 180 downloads)

NDC Conv 23 1956 DeSoto Indy Pace Car right side view.jpg (223KB - 139 downloads)

NDC Conv 24 Groucho Marx Doll in box.jpg (297KB - 142 downloads)

NDC Conv 25 1956 DeSoto Indy Pace Car engine bay.jpg (227KB - 193 downloads)

NDC Conv 26 1956 DeSoto Indy Pace Car front.jpg (277KB - 148 downloads)

The  1958 Firesweep convertible was shown by a classic car lot somewhere in Illinois. It was a pretty nice and accurate restoration. I'm not sure if the classic car lot was trying to sell the car or not; that would not have been allowed at the show anyway, but the signboard that the car lot had made up touting the car's features seemed to indicate that money would talk. The car was fitted with the "Spring Special" chrome accents, including an aluminum insert for the "sweep" and it had a Benrus wind-up watch fitted into the center of the steering wheel; that is a rare and desirable accessory. The usual electric clock that came with the DeSoto was normally fitted to the dashboard to the right of the radio. (I have one on mine) I took a picture of this car's interior but the window was rolled up and I couldn't tell if it had a standard electric clock on the dashboard as well as the wind-up watch in the steering wheel because of the reflections. You can, however, make out the wind-up watch in the center of the steering wheel.

The signboard is somewhat misleading in its presentation. It says, for example, that 700 were made and only 12 are known to still exist. Just 6 are registered with the DeSoto Club of America. (I think the signboard is talking about the convertible model only, as there were many more Firesweeps built as hardtops and sedans.) The next statement though is where the author gets it wrong. He says "[The]1958 Firesweep was very rare and came in one model (the convertible) and was the most expensive DeSoto ever." Well that's just plain wrong. The Firesweep was produced in various body styles and not just as a convertible as the text seems to suggest, and it wasn't particularly rare. (Neither are the Spring Special chrome accents) It certainly wasn't the most expensive DeSoto ever made either; as a matter of fact, the Firesweep was meant to be a price leader to generate sales. It was built on the Dodge wheelbase (122 inches) in the Dodge plant and was shorter than the senior DeSoto lines (Firedome, Fireflite and Adventurer) built on the longer 126 inch wheelbase at the DeSoto plant. The company even made a version of the Chrysler WIndsor at the Dodge plant on the short Dodge wheelbase to help the Chrysler sales figures. Oh well, you know what they say, never let the facts get in the way of a good story or a good write up for a car you want to flog on the market to a bunch of unknowing punters,

Edit: Looks like this is Tim F-A-Gan's old car (to beat the swear filter) See further info on this thread:

http://www.forwardlook.net/forums/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=53686&posts=22&start=1

I'm suirprised that no one has yet mentioned the hemi engine in the 1959 Fireflite. Or the Nippondenso A/C compressor masquerading under a vintage MoPar Parts decal as a Chrysler V-2. Nice. I think the owner got a 392 hemi from a 1957 Chrysler to replace what was in there originally. As for the modern A/C compressor, that is probably a Vintage Air package. Jay Leno says they do good work on air conditioning cars that never had A/C. 

Tim F-a-g-an is listed as a model year coordinator for the 1958 De Soto with the NDC. I don't know if he has any other office in the organization currently. I met him at the 1997 convention in Terre Haute, IN but I have not seen him recently.I did not see him at this year's car show and as I was not registered to attend the meet I did not go to the awards banquet. If he is still active in the club he would have been there but I can't confirm that.

Wonder where they scored the rubber mat for the trunk? Mine is in still pretty good shape, but there are some tears in it and the ones I used to be able to find in the boneyards are long gone.  :stressed: