Wednesday, July 13, 2016

1956 DeSoto Garage Find

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This car not only pushes my buttons, whomever buys it and drives it gets to push buttons as well! It’s located in Phoenix, Arizona where it was recently removed from more than 30 years of storage in a garage. The seller has cleaned it up and checked some things out, and is now selling it here on craigslist for $5,400.

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“That’s not the same car, you say!” Actually, it is, after it’s been nicely cleaned up! The seller tells us the car has been an Arizona car since at least the early 1960’s, but possibly for it’s entire life. The paint is brittle but can shine up (as you can see). Chrome is “fantastic” and that old license plate adds just the right character. Personally I think this car does a great job of appearing sporty despite being a four door.

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Pretty doggone straight sides, don’t you think? I even found you a replacement tailight for that broken lens. I love the detailing here; not too much, not too little — just right! Those beautiful wide whitewalls are brand new from Coker Tire. The seller seems delighted over the car’s condition when they say “All the lights outside and inside work, including the turn signals and dash and dome lights. The power windows still go up and down. Even the original radio still plays!” Sometimes I wonder why folks sell cars (my track record of selling cars I think I’m going to isn’t very good).

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The dashboard looks like it belongs on a sports car, apart from the push button transmission controls on the left, anyway. The seller tells us that the dash is in nice shape, and that there’s even an extra chrome horn ring, gauge cluster and dash parts. I think the upholstery and carpet are probably only good for patterns, but at least they are there.

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Unfortunately, the 331 Hemi is locked up at the moment, although, of course, we are told it was driven into the storage location originally. The seller has squirted oil down the holes, but has done nothing else to try to free it up. Given the generally nice condition of the rest of the car, I’d be surprised if it was abused before the car was taken off the road, which based on the license plate was 1972. I really do like this one, and honestly, once I made it running and safe, I don’t know that I’d even restore the interior–I’d just enjoy it!

Source: barnfinds.com