[Closed] Picture: Victory Models 1942 DeSoto

My guess is to keep costs down due to post-war inflation. The Feb. 2008 Collectible Automobile cover story on the 1940-1948 DeSoto only mentioned that the post-war models did not have the hidden headlights, but not why. With the huge pent up demand for cars after the war, materials shortages, and cost inflation, it very well may have been decided that that little feature was an unnecessary item to sell cars. I suspect that perhaps there also may have been some complexities in the mechanism that did not lend it to volume mass production, but that is only speculation on my part. Interestingly, I don't recall hidden headlights appearing on any mass production Chrysler Corp. car until what, the late sixties or early seventies? I recall my friend's 1971 Fury had hidden lights, but am a bit rusty as to the 1970/1969 models.

The 69 Charger had them

They became optional in '72.

Cost and problems with the mechanism kept them off of postwar models.

OFB is really kicking in! The 68--70 Charger is one of my all time favs and the 66--67 also had them

I read somewhere that the post-war DeSoto had the most extensive and expensive changes by far of...

of the warmed-over Detroit cars immediately following the war. Indeed,
changing to fixed headlamps required lots of changes to the DeSoto's sheet
metal, including its fenders, hood, and front end.

Given the expensive changes on the post-war DeSoto when most of the cost
on the pre-war hidden headlamps was presumably already sunk, how much
could expense have really played a role in the change from hidden
headlamps?

Thanks.

DeSoto shared the front fenders and body panels with Chrysler, so dies and tooling were available.

Thanks for that fine snap, Dillon. Man, that DeSoto is a real eye-catcher !

Thanks Frank. Just to clarify: Are you saying that pre-war DeSoto fenders were unique, and the post-war changed DeSoto fenders were shared with Chrysler? If this is the case, DeSoto's post-war changes now make sense to me. Mystery solved. Thanks again.

Dillon, the post-war Chrysler Corp. products shared many common body stampings and parts, which

I've also personally observed as an older "Boomer". Those post-war 1940's MoPars look almost alike except for their grilles and trim. I believe that the same holds true for the 1942 Chrysler and DeSoto, although I don't recall personally seeing any of these 1942's in person. However, looking at pictures of both of these makes for 1942 seems to bear out that the general overall front fender stampings were very similar, if not the same, except for the headlight fairings vs.doors.