Re: [FWDLK] RARE 1961 Newport
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Re: [FWDLK] RARE 1961 Newport



That car was extremely easy to order - basically only one option box was ticked, the engine - $283 on the Adventurer, probably $376 on the Fireflite. The 12" brakes were part of the cross ram package. Although the engine was advertised as optional only on the Adventurer, I don't think too many arms would have been twisted to get it on a Fireflite given the 43% drop in sales in 1960.

The rubber floor mats would have been the only item not offered on any 1960 DeSoto and thus a special order. But as they were offered on the big Dodge police models they would fit a DeSoto. Items with '*' were standard on the Adventurer -

On the Fireflite, options were -
power brakes - $43
power seats - $101
power steering - $106
power windows - $106
radio - $89
heater - $98
tinted glass - $43
* back up lights - $12 (about 5,672 Fireflites built with no back up lights)
* Torqueflite - $227   (about 24 Fireflites built without Torqueflite)
* Wheel covers - $19

So, that Fireflite was a stripper model with big engine, big brakes and easy-to-clean rubber floor covering.

The 3-on-the-floor shifter was also used on 122" wheelbase Dodges and DeSotos to spread the tooling costs. Chrysler built about 215 Dodges with a manual transmission along with less than 70 Chrysler Windsors, so the demand was far from great. All to keep the advertised base price as low as possible.

Bill
Vancouver, BC


----- Original Message ----- From: cgico@xxxxxxxxxxx
To: L-FORWARDLOOK@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Sunday, July 18, 2010 10:03 AM
Subject: Re: [FWDLK] RARE 1961 Newport


In 1990 I bought a 60 Fireflite coupe with this 3-speed on the floor. Also had a 383 and crossrams. :-) Manual brakes, seats, steering, and windows, no radio or heater, clear glass and rubber floor mat. It remains the only 60 DeSoto I have seen with back up light block-off plates. The car also had 12" brakes. Bought new by the dealer's son at the dealership in Bellingham, Wa - I suspect this car either had "strings pulled" to have it built that way, or saw some extra time in "dealer prep" applying a few over-the-counter goodies from the parts dept.


 A bear to drive in anything but open road driving.  I was fast as hell.


 B.

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