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57 Desoto Fireflite Shopper Wagon Jump to page : 1 2 3 4 Now viewing page 1 [50 messages per page] | View previous thread :: View next thread |
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ToMopar |
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Elite Veteran Posts: 1159 Location: D-70199 Heslach | Hello Everybody, I like to introduce me and my FL car here under like-minded people. I bought it as a broken restauration, and I hope I could bring the car to its former glory. Hope you support me a bit. At the moment I sort out all the parts and bits to find out what is missing or wrong. Tom (1555.jpg) (1392.jpg) (1420.jpg) Attachments ---------------- 1555.jpg (137KB - 748 downloads) 1392.jpg (114KB - 736 downloads) 1420.jpg (119KB - 736 downloads) | ||
FIN ME |
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Expert Posts: 2788 Location: USA - KY | Welcome, Tom! Very cool DeSoto you have there! Please keep posting photos! | ||
earleebob |
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Elite Veteran Posts: 1120 Location: Brisbane, Australia | Hey Tom we finally get to see your car. No wonder you had a keen interest in MY 57 Flite. That wagon looks to have great potential. you are certainly in the right place to ask for FL help!! | ||
sidesho_bob1961 |
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Expert Posts: 1728 Location: Fleetwood, Pa | I love it!!! I love wagons. It is looking awesome.... | ||
miquelonbrad |
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Expert Posts: 1737 Location: Hay Lakes, Alberta, Canada | WOW!! Very cool grocery getter!! | ||
Doctor DeSoto |
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Location: Parts Unknown | AT LAST !!!! .... a surviving big body DeSoto wagon ! | ||
jim's56 |
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Regular Posts: 76 | Welcome, please keep posting. | ||
b5rt |
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Expert Posts: 2519 Location: central Illinois | As is, that baby is SHARP!!! Can't wait to see how she comes along! | ||
des5758 |
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Veteran Posts: 152 Location: Vara Sweden | Wow nice stw congratulations | ||
57desoto |
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Expert Posts: 1488 Location: New Castle PA | Tom, your car is looking great, as I knew it would. Wagon parts are tough to find, but I'll help in any way I can. Nice to have met you, too! | ||
horace |
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Extreme Veteran Posts: 471 Location: MN | I see you also have a CAR W/ STRIPES gOOD CAR fopr wide whites | ||
d500neil |
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Exner Expert 19,174 posts. Neil passed away 18 Sep 2015. You will be missed, Neil! Posts: 19146 Location: bishop, ca | Welcome, Tom. Since the front finish parts may not yet be installed, is the lower front body panel painted in body color, or is it painted in semi-gloss black-out finish, like the radiator core support is? | ||
NorthernFins |
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Extreme Veteran Posts: 471 Location: Central Alberta | Very nice wagon, Tom, love everything about it! Welcome to the site, Marty | ||
oldwood |
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Expert Posts: 2905 Location: little rock, AR | I've been off line for 5 days with bad weather here in Arkansas and up pops this thread. I love wagons. I must since I have 6. We like pictures!!! | ||
raffaplymouth |
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Elite Veteran Posts: 734 Location: Torino - Italy | Wow Tom , i see now your thread !! very nice !! how work proceeds? | ||
ToMopar |
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Elite Veteran Posts: 1159 Location: D-70199 Heslach | Thanks everybody for supporting. Some of you, I know in person, some not, but its good to have a platform like FL.net to share the hobby @ Roberto, yes keen interest to your Flite @ Kent & Peter, I will email you soon to order some parts I need @ Ed, have to study your homepage a while, to have the correctness on project @ horace, yes the other striped car could produce some smoke @ Nick, is it's painted in semi-gloss black-out finish, I know it's wrong @ Raffaele, I can not find a proper beginning | ||
Doctor DeSoto |
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Location: Parts Unknown | d500neil - 2012-12-30 3:30 PM Welcome, Tom. Since the front finish parts may not yet be installed, is the lower front body panel painted in body color, or is it painted in semi-gloss black-out finish, like the radiator core support is? ==================================================== " .. lower front body panel .. " ???? There is an elongated valance (air duct) that goes side-to-side not shown in these pix that should be P&A Black. However, as it is largely hidden from view once the bumper is in place, I would hesitate to call it a "body panel". Other than that piece, all that is really missing from the nose is the bumper and inserts. The upper insert on 57's was Argent, while the lower is a silver anodized aluminum sheet punched out to create a "mesh" of vertical/horizontal open squares about 1/2" each with a "bar" between of about 5/16". | ||
Mopar1 |
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Expert Posts: 3034 Location: N.W. Fla. | Nice wagon, see you have a '68 Charger also! :-) | ||
ToMopar |
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Elite Veteran Posts: 1159 Location: D-70199 Heslach | Some question's about front section In Parts calalogue Plate 13-7 (Fireflite/Firedome) are only 6 brakets of 13-64-32 but I have 8 of them, like on Plate 13-8 (Firesweep) ?? The both reinforcement's 7-16-46 like on plate 13-7 is missing, but on parts catalogue I couldn't find too for 1957 And what color should be the closure 13-64-26 & screen 7-16-11 of plate 13-7 is the split in my closure (Picture 2020.jpg) from OEM or is it broken (Plate13-07.jpg) (Plate13-08.jpg) (2020.jpg) Attachments ---------------- Plate13-07.jpg (57KB - 739 downloads) Plate13-08.jpg (65KB - 754 downloads) 2020.jpg (48KB - 750 downloads) | ||
57desoto |
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Expert Posts: 1488 Location: New Castle PA | Just re-assemble things exactly as they WERE assembled, Tom, and you'll be fine, whether your car had 6 or 8 of those brackets. My Firedome didn't have the mesh reinforcement, 7-16-46 but my Fireflite did. I don't remember on the Adventurer, but it's been my experience that despite the parts catalog, and from what I've seen, SOME cars had the reinforcement and some didn't. The "crack" in that closure panel is most interesting, and I honestly don't know if it's really a break or from the factory, but each of my 3 cars has that exact same split. I assume, then, that it's factory, but I could be wrong. It's a small thing, no one will notice it, and I'd leave it there. From Doc's note above, " The upper insert on 57's was Argent, while the lower is a silver anodized aluminum sheet..." Paint the closure panel 13-64-26 argent silver, and if the anodized screen 7-16-11 can't be cleaned up on its own, I guess you'd have to paint it silver, too. | ||
ToMopar |
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Elite Veteran Posts: 1159 Location: D-70199 Heslach | Hello together, who can tell me whether this petrol - tank is original, or aftermarked? (3232.jpg) (3231.jpg) Attachments ---------------- 3232.jpg (114KB - 721 downloads) 3231.jpg (141KB - 750 downloads) | ||
GregCon |
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Expert Posts: 2524 Location: Houston | My opinion is it is OEM but I could be wrong. Weirton was a big steel maker back then so that stamp is probably just their mill stamp for the steel itself and not a reflection of who actually made the tank. Apparently, at one time, actual products like cars and steel and glass were made in the USA. Luckily, we were able to tear down those smelly factories and replace them with nail salons, insurance agencies, and ice cream parlors. If anyone dares to think that ANY country on Earth has better nail care options than the good 'ol USA I'll fight them to the death. No, actually I'll just sue them and splash my decaf vanilla light latte in their face then unfriend them on Facebook. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISG_Weirton_Steel http://www.theintelligencer.net/page/content.detail/id/570754/Steel... Edited by GregCon 2013-02-15 9:39 AM | ||
ToMopar |
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Elite Veteran Posts: 1159 Location: D-70199 Heslach | I think to swap my rear axle into a "modern" mopar one. The reason is the very bad supply of spare parts, and the little 7" parking brake, which is not sufficient in an emergency case with the high volume of traffic. Has anyone had made such a conversion, or has the dimensions of the 57 OEM DeSoto rear axle. I need the Dimension A, B and C of the 57 OEM rear axle Edited by ToMopar 2013-03-17 9:52 AM (rearaxledims.jpg) Attachments ---------------- rearaxledims.jpg (64KB - 723 downloads) | ||
PlymouthFury |
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Expert Posts: 1324 Location: Hickory, NC | Nice wagon! I know that a 63 Chrysler 300 rearend bolts right up to a 57 Plymouth. It has the cable emergency brakes to the drums. | ||
soiouz |
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Expert Posts: 3480 Location: Montreal, Canada | GregCon - 2013-02-15 9:34 AM If anyone dares to think that ANY country on Earth has better nail care options than the good 'ol USA I'll fight them to the death. No, actually I'll just sue them and splash my decaf vanilla light latte in their face then unfriend them on Facebook. Haha!! The wife heard me laughing out loud in the living room, as I read this! Super nice wagon, by the way! | ||
ToMopar |
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Elite Veteran Posts: 1159 Location: D-70199 Heslach | Another possibility would be instead of the whole rear axle only pull out the shaft's, and change the anchor plate & shaft's. But I don't have any idea, if I could swap the shaft, because of length, diameter and amount/shape of spline. And no idea, if the later anchor plate fit's on the OEM bolt circle. The advantage of this conversion would be a "real" parking/emergency brake, not like the OEM toy, and no more anger with the OEM brake drum (puller). In case I solve it... Edited by ToMopar 2013-03-26 11:58 AM (wanted conversion 2.jpg) Attachments ---------------- wanted conversion 2.jpg (74KB - 719 downloads) | ||
JT Vincent |
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Expert Posts: 1493 Location: Jamaica Plain, MA | I just discovered this thread. Very cool stuff. The screen on my '57 Sweep is gold. I never realized that was wrong. | ||
JT Vincent |
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Expert Posts: 1493 Location: Jamaica Plain, MA | Also, that car looks like a resto someone stopped. It looks way more together than not. The fun part is putting the thing back together. | ||
ToMopar |
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Elite Veteran Posts: 1159 Location: D-70199 Heslach | Yes, someone stopped. At the moment it's more apart, than on the first pictures. And I try do do my best, to finish it (with some modification's) | ||
2Jay |
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Member Posts: 26 Location: Prince Albert, Saskatchewan | Love the wagon! I also really like the looks of your shop, complete with the Scat Pack flag and 68 Charger - very cool. | ||
60 Finatic |
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Extreme Veteran Posts: 481 Location: near St Augustine, FL | Is this the car Tim Bowers was working on? If so, know that his work is 'stellar'.... | ||
ToMopar |
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Elite Veteran Posts: 1159 Location: D-70199 Heslach | No, this car is not the Explorer from stellarrestorations, and Tim didn't work on it. | ||
ToMopar |
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Elite Veteran Posts: 1159 Location: D-70199 Heslach | We found on left side the frame number 1675805 and the date of manufacture 3/20/57 Thats sensational after 57 years behind undercoatspray. But wonder because couldn't find this number in the parts catalogue. (Fr08.jpg) Attachments ---------------- Fr08.jpg (130KB - 716 downloads) | ||
The Baron |
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Member Posts: 23 Location: Victoria, Australia | Nice Goon Mate, It is good to see a long roof getting love to, not just the 2 doors. | ||
Powerflite |
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Expert 5K+ Posts: 9670 Location: So. Cal | I know that the '70-'74 E-body rear is a direct bolt in for my '57 Chrysler. I would expect your wagon to be the same. However, you will need at least 11" brakes on it to stop a big wagon sufficiently. Don't even attempt to use the more common 10.5" drums on it. It would probably be better to upgrade to rear discs. My '70 Satellite wagon has an 8 3/4 with 11" drum brakes and it works well most of the time. But when I have it fully loaded with 7 people and camping gear, it would definitely be better to have more stopping power there. If you upgrade your original axle with disc brakes, would that solve all of your complaints? I believe that a disc conversion would give you a parking brake and eliminate the headache of having to remove the axles on a regular basis. | ||
ToMopar |
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Elite Veteran Posts: 1159 Location: D-70199 Heslach | so far so good, body is back on the frame, next step is painting the firewall (130830_7160.jpg) (130916_7421.jpg) (131001_comp.jpg) (131003_7591.jpg) (131005_7616.jpg) (131019_7680.jpg) (131026_7695.jpg) (131109_7759.jpg) (131109_7763.jpg) (131109_7753.jpg) Attachments ---------------- 130830_7160.jpg (61KB - 683 downloads) 130916_7421.jpg (67KB - 680 downloads) 131001_comp.jpg (77KB - 669 downloads) 131003_7591.jpg (72KB - 688 downloads) 131005_7616.jpg (75KB - 690 downloads) 131019_7680.jpg (73KB - 671 downloads) 131026_7695.jpg (58KB - 690 downloads) 131109_7759.jpg (70KB - 694 downloads) 131109_7763.jpg (65KB - 668 downloads) 131109_7753.jpg (78KB - 661 downloads) | ||
Kenny J. |
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Inactive by user's request Location: Las Vegas, Nevada | ToMopar - 2013-02-15 4:00 AM Hello together, who can tell me whether this petrol - tank is original, or aftermarked? That is a correct factory tank for Mopar '57-'59 wagons. It holds 22 U.S. gallons. K. | ||
RockinAllOver |
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Regular Posts: 58 Location: SE Iowa | could you post a pic of your 68 Charger?...looks like a very nice car | ||
57desoto |
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Expert Posts: 1488 Location: New Castle PA | Tom, you're doing a GREAT job on your car!!! | ||
FIN ME |
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Expert Posts: 2788 Location: USA - KY | Very tidy work, Tom! Great progress! Thank you for the latest pic's! | ||
T-34 |
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Veteran Posts: 117 Location: Kättilstorp Sweden | Very nice work. Great Magnus | ||
backhead |
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Regular Posts: 83 Location: Ulm, Germany | Nice wagon Tom!!! Let's see if we can arrange something as soon as our wagons are back on the road as we are not too far away from each other! ;-) | ||
ToMopar |
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Elite Veteran Posts: 1159 Location: D-70199 Heslach | The firewall is finished (7964.jpg) Attachments ---------------- 7964.jpg (138KB - 678 downloads) | ||
oldwood |
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Expert Posts: 2905 Location: little rock, AR | Now all ya need is a bunch of CHILLDRUNS as they say down in the hood here in the south. Great restoration. | ||
henricthornsund |
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Location: Sweden | Beautiful job and great detailing! | ||
ToMopar |
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Elite Veteran Posts: 1159 Location: D-70199 Heslach | After the summer the project still going on (141101_2301.jpg) Attachments ---------------- 141101_2301.jpg (158KB - 641 downloads) | ||
firedome |
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Expert Posts: 3155 Location: NY & VT | Nice work!! '58 Chrysler wheelcovers? How will you replicate the rubber coverings in the rear compartment? Nothing is available as a good reproduction, afaik. That's a conundrum that I faced with my '57 Sport Suburban, but I ended up selling it before I had to deal with it. | ||
Chrys 68 |
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Elite Veteran Posts: 673 Location: Malung, SWEDEN | Wow! | ||
mogge65 |
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Expert Posts: 1295 Location: Nasco , SWEDEN | Very nice job done! (des57exp.jpg) Attachments ---------------- des57exp.jpg (135KB - 689 downloads) | ||
raffaplymouth |
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Elite Veteran Posts: 734 Location: Torino - Italy | Very great job !! | ||
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