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I inherited a 1957 Desoto Firesweep project
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Chrispy
Posted 2016-02-19 10:16 PM (#504671)
Subject: I inherited a 1957 Desoto Firesweep project



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Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado		Well my project plans have taken a turn, my dad is handing me the keys to his still born 57 desoto project. It's been sitting in our barn for the last 14 years and it's time to get this back on the road.

Current plans are to install the 392 im rebuilding, I'm aiming for 400hp at the crank on that build which should make this car scoot pretty well. This car donated it's spindles to magnum force back before it went in the barn to mock up their 57 wilwood kit so it's got a set of those and he has a full front end rebuild kit for it. It already has a 65 c-body rear axle (screw those tapered axles) and the mechanical side of things should go pretty smoothly. I have a power steering box from my old 57 dodge, but i may keep it manual for now for weight and road feel reasons. The body is straight with minimal rust so current plans are to smooth the side of it by filling the trim holes and then painting it the factory muscatel maroon with the white top and drop it on black steelies. I've got a proto 300 race car vibe in mind here since we will have a nicely warmed over hemi with some aluminum on it to shed weight and these light wilwoods with aluminum hubs and adapters.

It won't come out of the barn until my engine build is done but that should only be a few months. I'll update this as things happen.


Ive got pics over on my Jalopy Journal Thread, don't have time to resize them for this site right this second. I copy pasted the text from that thread in here but i wanted to show you guys too. My 58 plymouth project will be for sale at some point once i get this all sorted out.

Pics here:
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/i-inherited-a-57-desoto-...

Edited by Chrispy 2016-02-19 10:21 PM
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oldwood
Posted 2016-02-19 10:58 PM (#504675 - in reply to #504671)
Subject: Re: I inherited a 1957 Desoto Firesweep project


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Location: little rock, AR		I'd sell a '58 Plymouth too to get to drive a '57 Desoto. I saw your HAMB post. Now get to work!!!
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SavoyPlaza
Posted 2016-02-20 6:52 AM (#504690 - in reply to #504671)
Subject: RE: I inherited a 1957 Desoto Firesweep project



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Location: Georgia		Very good, Chris! Looking forward to see your progress with this one. The '58 should be an easy sale, the hardtops are always
in high demand.
Pete
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firedome
Posted 2016-02-25 10:11 AM (#505144 - in reply to #504671)
Subject: Re: I inherited a 1957 Desoto Firesweep project



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Location: NY & VT		IMO the side trim of the '57 Desotos was possibly the best looking ever put on a car. I'd give serious consider to using it, as it totally enhances the overall look of the Forward Look body design! I think Doc would agree here.
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Chrispy
Posted 2016-02-25 5:11 PM (#505181 - in reply to #504671)
Subject: Re: I inherited a 1957 Desoto Firesweep project



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Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado		I'm starting to think i will keep the side trim, i do like it. I am going to ditch the giant bird on hood and the spear though, I'm on the fence about the "desoto" lettering. The hood is soooooo busy with all those on it.

Edited by Chrispy 2016-02-25 5:12 PM
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Doctor DeSoto
Posted 2016-02-25 10:08 PM (#505206 - in reply to #505181)
Subject: Re: I inherited a 1957 Desoto Firesweep project



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Location: Parts Unknown		Agreed. The 57 DeSoto side trim is as good as it ever got. Note the repeating
pattern of the coupe roof shape and that color sweep !

The Firesweep nose IS very heavy, as you mention "busy". On the big body cars,
I prefer the finer hood "bird" and fender top ornaments of the 58. 57 was a bit
excessive. With the heavy Sweep "eyebrows", it is even moreso.

I consider the 58 Plymouth to be about as close to aesthetic perfection as Exner
ever got. Had he hung 57 DeSoto side trim on the 58 DeSoto, I think that would
be absolute perfection. Unfortunately, there is a bit of a mismatch.

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firedome
Posted 2016-02-27 3:34 PM (#505340 - in reply to #504671)
Subject: Re: I inherited a 1957 Desoto Firesweep project



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Location: NY & VT		One of the features I didn't care for so much on my '58 Sweep and Windsor were the aforementioned heavy chrome "eyebrows". At the time it seemed the fashion to slather on as much chrome as possible in attempt to look more "upscale", which to me clashed with the clean Exner directed designs. I think the '58 Dodge Regal Lancer had the same heavy eyebrows too, so I always wondered if the thinner and lighter looking regular Dodge headlight eyebrow trim would fit on a 'Sweep and Windsor. I'd thought about trying to do that modification, if it were possible, to make my cars look cleaner ("less is more" &c), but never got that far before, regrettably, selling them :-(

Edited by firedome 2016-02-27 3:36 PM
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Viper Guy
Posted 2016-02-27 6:40 PM (#505351 - in reply to #505206)
Subject: Re: I inherited a 1957 Desoto Firesweep project



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Doctor DeSoto - 2016-02-25 9:08 PM

Agreed. The 57 DeSoto side trim is as good as it ever got. Note the repeating
pattern of the coupe roof shape and that color sweep !

The Firesweep nose IS very heavy, as you mention "busy". On the big body cars,
I prefer the finer hood "bird" and fender top ornaments of the 58. 57 was a bit
excessive. With the heavy Sweep "eyebrows", it is even moreso.

I consider the 58 Plymouth to be about as close to aesthetic perfection as Exner
ever got. Had he hung 57 DeSoto side trim on the 58 DeSoto, I think that would
be absolute perfection. Unfortunately, there is a bit of a mismatch.



I agree with you Doc regarding the '58 DeSoto in having the '57 side sweep making it perfect.....that's the only thing I like better on the '57 than the '58. However, regarding the '58 Plymouth, my preference would be the '58 with the '57 side sweep and tail lights/back-up lights which would eliminate the "add on" look of the '58 back-up light. I also prefer the '57 wheel covers. I'm neutral on the single headlights vs. dual headlights.
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Doctor DeSoto
Posted 2016-02-27 10:32 PM (#505366 - in reply to #505351)
Subject: Re: I inherited a 1957 Desoto Firesweep project



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Location: Parts Unknown		You and I must think alike. The ONE issue I have with 58 Plymouths is that
gawdawful tacked-on backup light housing. It looks like a #@! chrome billboard
on an otherwise curvy, sculpted bumper !

Not sure what you mean about the side trim, since there were different versions
with the different models. I hate the sag at the rear of the 57 Belvedere color
sweep version, but the other models look great. My answer, 58 Plaza with NO
side trim and the backup billboard removed, and the valance customized to carry
the line all the way across the back:




(valance rear 10 13 Feb 13.jpg)



(bumper rear proper.jpg)



Attachments
----------------
Attachments valance rear 10 13 Feb 13.jpg (37KB - 115 downloads)
Attachments bumper rear proper.jpg (85KB - 112 downloads)
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Viper Guy
Posted 2016-02-28 9:05 AM (#505396 - in reply to #505366)
Subject: Re: I inherited a 1957 Desoto Firesweep project



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Posts: 2003
2000
Location: Branson, MO
Doctor DeSoto - 2016-02-27
Not sure what you mean about the side trim, since there were different versions
with the different models. I hate the sag at the rear of the 57 Belvedere color
sweep version, but the other models look great. My answer, 58 Plaza with NO
side trim and the backup billboard removed, and the valance customized to carry
the line all the way across the back:


I actually prefer the '57 Belvedere sweep over the '58 because of the lack of the rise at the tail fin......I just like the uninterrupted lines from nose to tail. By contrast though, I like the '58 Savoy sweep much better than the '57 Savoy - looks very similar to the '57 DeSoto sweep which is the best there was in my opinion.



Edited by Viper Guy 2016-02-28 9:07 AM
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Doctor DeSoto
Posted 2016-02-28 8:23 PM (#505438 - in reply to #505396)
Subject: Re: I inherited a 1957 Desoto Firesweep project



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Location: Parts Unknown		Interesting. I have always liked the kick up of the 58 Belvedere trim. Prolly
based on liking the 56 Dodge Custom series kick up trim. It looks perky and
"energetic" to me. But I can get with your call for the clean sweep too. Were
it left to me, I'd straighten that sag in the lower bar of the 57 Belvedere sweep
and lower the entire line (if necessary) to meet the two-toned rear panel. But
57's are lost on me because of the goofy mis-oriented lower grille, giant "wart"
of a parking light, and the rabbit ear tail lights. Mind you, I still think the 57
Plymouth is a beautiful car, but if we are really counting brass tacks for design,
this is where the 58 really got it perfect and the 57 gets a "runner up" award in
this goofball's opinion. Your results may vary.
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oldwood
Posted 2016-02-28 10:29 PM (#505448 - in reply to #505438)
Subject: Re: I inherited a 1957 Desoto Firesweep project


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Location: little rock, AR		I like the "wart" and its seen a lot easier when it flashing. The same goes for the tail light. Easier to see and more appealing. I'd have a '58 but I'm partial to a '57 since that was my birth year.
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Doctor DeSoto
Posted 2016-02-29 1:27 AM (#505458 - in reply to #505448)
Subject: Re: I inherited a 1957 Desoto Firesweep project



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Location: Parts Unknown		My first FL car was a 57 NY'er coupe. Champagne Gold and Charcoal. That one car
turned my many year commitment to finned GM's on its nose and I never looked back.

I remember a lot of people back then looking for 57 Chrysler tail light assemblies to
fit into their 58's. Everyone loved the dramatic, cathedral-like rabbit ear towers of
glowing red at the end of the fins. And for a while, I agreed.

But as I learned more about design, read about the motivation behind the 58 Chrysler
and Plymouth tail light design vs. what they did in 57 (the idea was the smaller light
and lense allowed the light from said lamp to cast an ambiant glow inside the hollowed
end of the fin like a halo), the concept grew on me to where its elegance and not so in-
your-face design became my favored of the two.

And let's not overlook that the 58 Plymouth tail lights look like upturned lollipops ... a
very appealing item to a 2-3-4 year old kid, when I first began to notice these cars !



Edited by Doctor DeSoto 2016-02-29 1:29 AM
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Chrispy
Posted 2016-12-14 10:26 PM (#528721 - in reply to #504671)
Subject: Re: I inherited a 1957 Desoto Firesweep project



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Posts: 520
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Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado		Its been a while since i've posted so i figured i'd update. My 392 is at the machine shop waiting for my new pistons to come in, it had .013 taper in the bores so it was time to go to .030. Doing the keith black Hypereutetics in 10:1, going to likely order a set of H-beam rods to replace the stock rods as well. The crank is good and doesn't need anything more than polishing. Planning on running a Howards cam in .470 lift, 221 duration @050, 110LSA along with the Hot Heads intake and a holley 750. On the hunt for a 518(46RH) to rebuild for the car so i can run some higher gears (3.73 or higher).

This thing should scoot pretty nicely. Well once we pull it out of the barn that is.
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Lancer Mike
Posted 2016-12-14 10:54 PM (#528727 - in reply to #528721)
Subject: Re: I inherited a 1957 Desoto Firesweep project



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Location: The Mile High City
Chrispy - 2016-12-14 8:26 PM
This thing should scoot pretty nicely.


I'll say!
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