Ed, thanks for starting this thread. I love the DeSoto brand, and every one of these models pictured are a treasure, as are the ones in my collection. I have always been a huge fan of the DeSoto brand even though, like most of the brands I cherish, they were out of business before I was born.
And my apologies too Ben, I seem to remember when I bought my pink & white '56 DeSoto from Buz a few years ago-he told me I got the last one, but that's happened a few times so I can't be sure. It is a perfect color combination for the '56 style.
Harv, every time you show that '49 convertible, I drool on the keyboard. That is one I still have on my wish-list.
I have quite a few amazing DeSoto models, but here's my contribution to the thread with a couple of them.
a '54 modified w/a white top by John White
a '57 Fireflite Convertible
a '59 Fireflite Convertible
and one I am incredibly fond of... a '42 Custom Fifth Avenue Club Coupe w/friends
and as a tease, I have what looks to be a gorgeous '57 Fireflite station wagon in coral & white coming to me very soon.
I've had that French Desoto Diplomat since childhood but until my automotive knowledge increased could not understand why it had a Desoto front clip but Plymouth tail fins. An export car or Canadian version was the answer.
I hope one day we will see a highly detailed 1934 Desoto as either Coupe or Sedan. My father had one in 1037 and I still have a picture somewhere. It was green in the first few color pictures of the time.
And here are a couple from my old toy cars shelves, and then both with a favorite Chrysler Airflow.
I agree with Nickies.
And here's a good description from Hemmings a few years ago;
This model--called the "Airflow De Soto" in period advertisements, emphasizing the body design over the model--was, along with its Chrysler equivalents, a clean-sheet design that would set the standard for coming decades. Chrysler-branded Airflows are more recognizable, but it was the De Soto subsidiary that went all-in for 1934, the Airflow's debut year; while Chrysler offered conventionally-designed cars in its 1934 lineup to appeal to less adventurous buyers, all De Soto models that year were Airflows. The buying public stayed away in droves, with total production amounting to only 13,940 cars, 11,713 of which were the six-passenger, four-door Sedan seen here. The De Soto Airflow Sedan's $995 price was not inexpensive in that Depression era: It's the equivalent of $17,700 in 2015 dollars, and that's roughly the average value of this model 81 years later.
This post was modified 3 years ago 3 times by David H
Two excellent models Frank. AGM - Adrian Geoff Moorhouse - worked for Dinky Toys as a Product Designer from 1972 - 1976 and mastered the Foden lorry in 1:42nd scale and this was issued in several versions: tipper, army and fuel tanker tractor. Then from 1976 - 1979 worked for Mettoy (Corgi Toys) as a Design Draughtsman. In 1979 set up AGM and shortly after he designed the De Soto in resin then this casting became the first model in the fledging Sun Motors brand, started by Rod Ward, but issued in white metal. Geoff Moorhouse then focused on designing white metal kits under the Heavy Goods brand.
Autominologist residing in the Robin Hood County
Nottinghamshire England UK
