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Veteran
Posts: 113
Location: Washington State, the wet side | Bought this -60 one owner Desoto from Eastern WA. Lots of new parts, older restoration, last licensed in -74. Cannot find any rust in usual places. 361 was replaced with a 413 at some point but still very original looking. Have few minor wiring issues and brakes that stick, needs new tires but that's about it.
Edited by haspe 2014-04-24 5:50 PM
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Veteran
Posts: 209
Location: The Republic of Texas | Beautiful car. Congrats!
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Veteran
Posts: 279
Location: Klein, TX | Looks like you got a great car. Congratulations. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 792
Location: Buena Park, CA | You have a very nice car there!!!!!! |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 440
Location: Vermont | Very nice ride you have. |
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Expert
Posts: 4589
Location: Northern New Jersey | I Like Your Desoto!
Enjoy It!
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 7207
Location: Victoria, BC, on Vancouver Island, Canada | Very nice find, you can't beat a good solid, Pacific Northwest car that has been well maintained!! |
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Location: North Australia | Score! You may well have become the caretaker of the last One Owner 1960 Adventurer 2drht in the world. I am envious.
Congrats and keep the photos and information on your car coming.
Steve.
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Board Moderator & Exner Expert 10K+
Posts: 13049
Location: Southern Sweden - Sturkö island | Congrats to the nice find - they sure are rare in such good condition! |
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Expert
Posts: 2788
Location: USA - KY | 
Congratulations! Lovely DeSoto, that appears to be in great shape!
A wonderful find!
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Veteran
Posts: 113
Location: Washington State, the wet side | The more I dig in to the car the better it gets. Transmission was rebuilt last year. All glass in perfect condition (I really like the blue tint). Fuel tank cleaned. New rear-end seals. New weather stripping (little lacking in the installation). New brakes all the way around. Re-chromed bumpers. Perfect headliner. New carpeting. New interior in "stock pattern and colors" (not digging the vinyl). All stainless good. Painted 15-20 years ago and only a few bubbles below the deck lid by the vertical seams. Paint is sun baked but I am sure it will buff out just fine. Frame, wheel wells, rear-end are all painted, not show but very nice driver condition. Still looking for rust but so far can not find any !! The original title from 1960 came with the car, and I just talked to the original owner that is now 86 and traded the Desoto for a used Tarus a few years back!! I got the car form the dealer/garage that made the trade. And all of this for $11,000 |
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Expert
Posts: 1506
Location: Colo Spgs | Peter
Not knowing what is on the car now --- here is The 1960 Information.
In 1960 every De Soto ( and like sized Chrysler ) had The 5 x 14 Inch Wheels with 8 x 14 inch black Wall tires. The Marketing and Sales People were wanting you to purchase White Walls
or the 8.50 x 14's in either Black Wall or White Walls.
The Rear Axle Ratio is: 2.93:1 . About 1 in every 300 1960 De Soto's may have the optional 3.23:1 gearing.
Rodger and Gabby
COS |
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Expert
Posts: 3155
Location: NY & VT | I'd say that was a bargain! IMO the nicest designed non-57/8 car of all the later FLs. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 471
Location: Central Alberta | What a find, congratulations! Great looking car!
Marty |
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 7207
Location: Victoria, BC, on Vancouver Island, Canada | haspe - 2014-04-25 10:07 AM
and I just talked to the original owner that is now 86 and traded the Desoto for a used Tarus a few years back!! I got the car form the dealer/garage that made the trade. And all of this for $11,000
I bought a one-owner 1960 DeSoto back in 1977. I spied it on a dealer lot on the way home from work one day. After supper I went over and bought it for $400.00. The salesman was too happy - he was going to wholesale it off the next day. An old couple had traded it in that afternoon on a brand new Subaru, which at that point was my first time even hearing of a Subaru - the cars and the dealer were new in town here that year. The clock was missing from the car and so the salesman gave me the old guy's name and address. The car had an alternator installed and there was an ammeter gauge rigged into where the clock housing had been. SO I went over to the guy's house in the DeSoto later that evening, and he and his wife broke down crying, saying they wished they hadn't traded it in on the Subaru which by this time they hated, only several hours after the sale. Anyhow he found the clock housing for me but not the clock. I sold the DeSoto a month later to a friend of mine for $650.00 - instant profit! He kept the car until the mid 80s and sold it - never to be seen again. To sum up the story, the Subaru owners traded that thing in for a brand new Ford Maverick just a few weeks later. I felt bad for the guy. |
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Expert
Posts: 2519
Location: central Illinois | Congrats on scoring a solid one owner! Dual mirrors on a Fireflite is a nice touch. The horn rings were easily broken and will be tough to find but they're out there. Some proper wide whites and she'll look even better. |
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| Sweet find!! I have original dealer brochures for 1960 Desoto, if you pm me with your address I'll send one to you. |
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Expert
Posts: 2312
Location: Arizona | imopar380 - 2014-04-25 12:51 PM
haspe - 2014-04-25 10:07 AM
and I just talked to the original owner that is now 86 and traded the Desoto for a used Tarus a few years back!! I got the car form the dealer/garage that made the trade. And all of this for $11,000
I bought a one-owner 1960 DeSoto back in 1977. I spied it on a dealer lot on the way home from work one day. After supper I went over and bought it for $400.00. The salesman was too happy - he was going to wholesale it off the next day. An old couple had traded it in that afternoon on a brand new Subaru, which at that point was my first time even hearing of a Subaru - the cars and the dealer were new in town here that year. The clock was missing from the car and so the salesman gave me the old guy's name and address. The car had an alternator installed and there was an ammeter gauge rigged into where the clock housing had been. SO I went over to the guy's house in the DeSoto later that evening, and he and his wife broke down crying, saying they wished they hadn't traded it in on the Subaru which by this time they hated, only several hours after the sale. Anyhow he found the clock housing for me but not the clock. I sold the DeSoto a month later to a friend of mine for $650.00 - instant profit! He kept the car until the mid 80s and sold it - never to be seen again. To sum up the story, the Subaru owners traded that thing in for a brand new Ford Maverick just a few weeks later. I felt bad for the guy.
A friend of mine and I both had 76 Vettes in around 77/78 time frame. Then he got married and next thing I know he's traded in the vette on a new 78 subaru and a 78 Ford Courier Pickup. While they were out driving on a major road in the Subaru they got rear ended by a guy driving a motorcycle. The Subaru was totaled. The Motorcycle needed new front struts and front wheel. The entire back of the Subaru was staved in all the way from the bumper to the back seat in the shape of a V from the Motorcycle front wheel. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1110
Location: Tulare Ca |
Absolutly Gorgious!! |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 988
Location: Kansas City, Kansas | Beautiful Fireflite! Finding an unbroken horn ring and the center plastic part will be a hard one, so start searching now. The replacement seat covers thoughtfully replicated the originals at a time when sourcing original fabric was hard to do and very expensive. |
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Location: Parts Unknown | I see downtown Ritzville in the background of one of these shots. Where did this car come from ?
How long ago did it leave Ritzville ?
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Veteran
Posts: 113
Location: Washington State, the wet side | Doctor DeSoto - 2014-05-04 11:27 PM
I see downtown Ritzville in the background of one of these shots. Where did this car come from ?
How long ago did it leave Ritzville ?
The car was a dealer demo in Odessa WA and that is where the previous owner bought it in November 1960. He lived in Lind WA and drove the car until 1974. At some point after that he started to restore the car with the help of a shop (not sure where). I think he got tired of spending money and traded the car for a Taurus at Pete's garage in Ritzville. Pete's did some mechanical work on the car, brakes, rebuilt transmission, rear-end etc. I first saw it a few years ago on CL but it disappeared. I found it again through a third party last year, and took delivery last month. |
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Location: Parts Unknown | Boy, ... that is my back yard !
What a great history !
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| On another note, fantastic photography! |
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Veteran
Posts: 113
Location: Washington State, the wet side | MoParMan57 - 2014-05-06 2:50 PM
On another note, fantastic photography!
My favorites
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Location: Parts Unknown | haspe - 2014-05-07 7:39 PM
MoParMan57 - 2014-05-06 2:50 PM
On another note, fantastic photography!
My favorites
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While I am always eager for the warm weather to put winter behind us, our spring weather
is crazy cool. Black, brooding skies and bright sunshine, snow, hail, warm, windy, ... all at
the same time ! If you don't like what you see, just wait 20 minutes !
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Veteran
Posts: 113
Location: Washington State, the wet side | Replaced the 14" rims and old diagonal tires with 15" and razorback radials. It drives so much better!! Still not happy with the brakes so I might give AAJ a call on Monday and order the disc conversion. Does anyone have experience with disc brake conversion and 2" dropped spindles?
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Walter passed away on Jul 29, 2014. We will miss you, Walt!
Posts: 5358
Location: Heaven Above (Formerly Oklahoma City,OK) | Isn't your luck there sort of like winning the lottery? Beautiful car, Great Find. |
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Location: Parts Unknown | Haspe ~ What is your location ?
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Veteran
Posts: 113
Location: Washington State, the wet side | Doctor DeSoto - 2014-05-17 9:37 PM
Haspe ~ What is your location ?
Woodinville WA
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 8443
Location: Perth Australia | Can you get dropped spindles for these?
Nice car, I recon your dropped spindle comment has just scared the purists
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 982
Location: Upper Hunter NSW Australia | ..............
Waa........waa.............waa..............whats that.........................dropped spindles.............. someone say dropped spindles ?????...........
Tell me........ where ??................... how ??.....................
I wanna know...........................
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Location: North Australia | My opinion only, but this car looks great with its current stance. Dropped spindles might be an overkill. Just wind her down some on the torsion bars. Give the threads a couple of sprays with penetrant before having a go.
My car (60 Imperial) was quite low on re-assembly and I have cranked it up another inch and lifted the left side to compensate for the Territory road camber, which is pronounced. I have now lifted the rear too (my car has helper springs on the back), but not sure of the look yet. Still, doesn't look like it has worms now!
You have a beaut car Pete! She don't need anything radical like dropped spindles to rank as ULTRA-COOL. I Love it.
Steve.
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Veteran
Posts: 107
Location: Sydney | Man, '60 DeSotos have to be one of the prettiest, best-conceived of all fin-era cars. Gorgeous.
I took the tough decision to re-build all of my suspension to stock height, after 50 years of sag. To 99.999% of people out there, a FL Mopar still looks totally alien, even if it's not in the weeds any more. But, she drives so well, I couldn't ever consider lowering her. Did all of that stuff when I was a younger rooster, I know better now.... |
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Expert
Posts: 2312
Location: Arizona | In my formative car years the "look" was "up" combined with balloon sort of tires. I've never grown to appreciate the skinny tires and slammed look of so many modern cars. I especially detest it on SUVs but of course most of those people will never take it off a highway or on anything rougher then the bell pressure hose at a Micky D drive thru. |
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Veteran
Posts: 113
Location: Washington State, the wet side | SalesGuy - 2014-06-06 4:46 AM
Man, '60 DeSotos have to be one of the prettiest, best-conceived of all fin-era cars. Gorgeous.
I took the tough decision to re-build all of my suspension to stock height, after 50 years of sag. To 99.999% of people out there, a FL Mopar still looks totally alien, even if it's not in the weeds any more. But, she drives so well, I couldn't ever consider lowering her. Did all of that stuff when I was a younger rooster, I know better now....
After further consideration it will stay the way it is. |
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Board Moderator & Exner Expert 10K+
Posts: 13049
Location: Southern Sweden - Sturkö island | Good decision man - she looks really good "as is". I have my car at stock height, renovated front suspension and an extra leaf spring to reinforce the springs. The road ability is totally fantastic now. |
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Expert
Posts: 2633
Location: Minor Hill, TN | Very nice. |
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Veteran
Posts: 113
Location: Washington State, the wet side | wizard - 2014-06-10 10:05 AM
Good decision man - she looks really good "as is". I have my car at stock height, renovated front suspension and an extra leaf spring to reinforce the springs. The road ability is totally fantastic now.
Tack ska du ha. |
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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 | I 'lived with' a dropped torsion bar suspension adjustment for LESS than 30 minutes....
Lowering the car reduces suspension travel; buck-boards went out of style around 1900.
What don't you like about your brakes' application?
Pulling/grabbing, pulsation, or just a slow-slide?
You can put on Firm Feel's Carbon-metallic brake shoes for increased stopping.
Evilpay has new (round, anyway) brake drums...which can eliminate pulling/grabbing and pulsation.
Edited by d500neil 2014-06-10 5:51 PM
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Expert
Posts: 1493
Location: Jamaica Plain, MA | Good decision not to drop it. It's too nice. I think AAJ is discontinuing. If I were you I'd even be into the 413 and vinyl. More go power and tougher seats. I like fleet service and convertible style interiors, though. Probably because I have 2 dogs. Anyway, sweet car. |
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Veteran
Posts: 113
Location: Washington State, the wet side | Finally have some more time to devote to the DeSoto. Many years of Eastern Washington sun exposure was reversed by 3 hours of cutting and buffing by my friend Nate. The AAJ disc conversion is on its way and will be installed as soon as the engine bay is cleaned up and detailed.
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DeSoto Cut and buff.jpg (112KB - 184 downloads)
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 7207
Location: Victoria, BC, on Vancouver Island, Canada | Looking very good!! |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 471
Location: Central Alberta | Beautiful!
Marty |
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Expert
Posts: 2596
Location: Upplands Väsby, Sweden | What a fine condition you received it, looks really good as new |
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Expert
Posts: 2633
Location: Minor Hill, TN | You missed a spot |
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Expert
Posts: 1737
Location: Hay Lakes, Alberta, Canada | When is Nate coming to do my cars?  |
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Location: North Australia | Haspe, if you ever decide to sell that car, please let me know first!
Keen to see more up-close pics of the interior and engine bay.
Love your car.
Steve. |
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Veteran
Posts: 113
Location: Washington State, the wet side | 60 Imp - 2014-10-06 3:42 AM
Haspe, if you ever decide to sell that car, please let me know first!
Keen to see more up-close pics of the interior and engine bay.
Love your car.
Steve.
Decided to touch up the engine-bay, rewire and install the NOS speedo I scored on E-bay a few months ago. Pretty sure the motor will come out and be freshened up.
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New User
Posts: 1
| If you find any dropped spindles could you let me know
Regards Karl |
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1960 DeSoto
