Expert
Posts: 1819
Location: Vancouver, BC |
The wheelbases quoted in my previous post came from the 1958 and 1959 Chrysler parts books.
Mr. Redgap has the 1958-59 wheelbases correct, although he is dead wrong on the RB 383. The RB 383 was not a special raised block but a small bore 413. In 1959 and 1960 only Chrysler used the RB engine, both 413 and (in the U.S.) 383.
The so-called Dodge 383 was a bored-out 361 and was used by both Dodge and DeSoto in 1959 and 1960.
Part of the confusion probably comes from the fact that the B engines share blocks and intakes manifolds while the RB engines share another set of manifolds. And Chrysler had two sets of heads - the small valve heads were used by the B block 361 and RB block 383 while the larger valve heads were used by the B block 383 and RB block 413.
The above information was derived from the 1959 and 1960 Chrysler parts books.
By the way, DeSoto did offer taxi models in 1957 and 1958. They were basically stripped 6-cylinder versions of the DeSoto Firesweep. Do not know how many were built in 1958, but 1957 production came to 149. Not very encouraging numbers. Also, outside of the Imperial, Chrysler did not push non-factory stretch models (hearses, etc.) Those were done by outside suppliers.
If you read Mr. Redgap's next installment you will read the 1960 DeSoto Fireflite came on a 122" wheelbase while the Adventurer was on a 126" wheelbase. Not true. Both series were on the 122" wheelbase, as verified by every published reference on the 1960 DeSoto, except for Mr. Redgap's article. People have sent Mr.Redgap corrections, but he ignores them all. Which is sad as it puts all of his recollections into question.
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