If there is a forum member located near Tomball, Texas (hint, hint) that could find the time to look at a 37 Desoto coupe it could result in a serving of a thick slice of cow meat and a refreshing beverage of choice. This car has been on Craigslist for a while and looks pretty good in pictures but that can be deceiving. The phone # listed is 817-690-8976. We have a 440/4sp set up out of a 68 Satelite that is looking for a new home.
Road trip Ken??? Maybe you and I could go call this baby ugly. Call me on my cell tomorrow during the workday (mine, not yours that starts before the chickens). Evan: I'm not a CraigsList person. Could you drop a pointer to the ad into this thread?
Wow, Bill, you are asking a guy that just uses ONE finger to type a high tech question. Here's the total of my knowledge which could be written on a matchbook cover. First you type www.craigslist.org in the box at the top. This will show a page that on the right side has a listing of cities and a listing of states. Mine automatically selects "Dallas". Now a list will display and you click on "cars and trucks". Finally you type 1937 Desoto in the search box. The ad shows several pics but gives no address, just a phone number. It does show to be in Tomball. Craigslist is kinda neat in that you can select how much you will pay for what your looking for and how far you are willing to travel. Keeps you from getting stuck with something that came from a liar in southern Argentina or similar location which is too far away to grab them by the neck. Funny story: a very nice but straight laced friend of ours entered "craiglist.com" (omitted the "s" and used "com" instead of "org". Turns out it used to be a hardcore porno site and she carried on so wildly trying to exit the site that others gathered around her cubicle and started carring on with cat-calls and wolf whistles. They say they can document seven different shades of red on her face.
I've exchanged e-mails with the seller and will work out a time to meet in the next couple of days. I'll take a camera and try to give you a good description, but I am no expert on prices of 37 Desotos. Ditch the wedge and put in an early hemi.
Craigslist hint Okay guys, I hate to do it, but I'm giving away my coveted Craigslist search secret. Go to Google. Type "Craigslist classifieds" and hit "search. Your first choice will have a text box in it. Type what yoou are looking for and it will search ALL of Craigslist across the country. Have fun staying up late everyone !!! Click link below for example http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=craigslist+classifieds&rlz=1W1ADBR_en&aq=f&oq= Andy
Bill, I really appreciate what you have done already. Be sure to keep tract of any and all expenses for which I'll GLADLY make up to you---one way or another. Thanks; Evan
Evan, Bill and I talked today and hopefully will meet with the guy tomorrow. It appears as though he's taken it apart and started some street rod mods to it from what I could see from the pics on Craigslist. I'm going to ask to see all of the sheetmetal and see if he's chopped up any of it, check the condition of it too. I also want to see all of the hinges, especially the trunk hinges, which should be exterior type. I hope he saved the ribbed bumpers, they might be hard to track down, if not with the car. There appears to be pretty massive trim work on the originals. Do you know if the grille and side trim going down the hood and fenders was stainless or chrome? Do you care if the frame has been modified? Just thinking aloud here. Bill and I will take plenty of pics and give you a report when done. If you read this before we go, tell us anything that you might want us to ask the owner or check out ourselves!
Bill and I scoped it out today... Evan, your fab guys would love this one! First, let me give you some reference pics. These are not the actual car. Bill took some really good shots of the car, but he's drinking margaritas tonight with his wife and will probably be preoccupied tonight. My first disappointment is that the seller doesn't have the ribbed bumpers, front or back. Secondly, we could not find the, what I will call, the side hood panels. If you will notice the pic with the hood open, there is a panel with some extensive stainless trim extending to the fenders. Did not find them. As far as the body sheetmetal, the car looks really solid. It has not been chopped or modified at all. There is the usual rot where the front fenders meet the body but it is nothing for your fab guys. The floorboard is rotted out, but then again, nothing for you guys. The hinges on the doors (3 per door) are in great shape and the passenger side works really good. The trunk hinges (internal, by the way) work well, but you need a cherry picker to lift the trunk because of its weight! Another disappointment is the front headlight lenses. One is missing, the other is cracked. The frame has been modified to accept, what the seller says, is a mustang II front end. It also has, again what the seller says, is a 9" ford diff, with a spool. The front end mod will require some engr to tie the existing sheetmetal to. All in all, the car looks like a definite candidate for a rebuild, especially given you and your team's expertise! My dilemma is: what is fair market value? In my opinion, the lack of certain parts (bumpers and hood side panels) should detract from the value of the car. Anyway, wait until Bill posts some pics of the actual car and you be the judge. If you decide to get it, know that I'll be there to help load it, help transport it, or otherwise do what it takes to get it to Plano USA Ken
Evan, we need an e-mail address I have a bunch of pictures and two audio files of comments that Ken & I made during our inspection of the 37 Desoto today. The audio files total about 6 Mbytes and the pictures are another 6 Mbytes. I could e-mail the audio files to you if your in-box can hold that much data (mine can't). There is somewhere around 20 minutes of audio. The pictures make more sense if you can listen to the comments. I'll upload just the pictures to the Classic Parts picture gallery.
Pictures are uploaded This should take you directly to the pictures: https://talk.classicparts.com/photos/showgallery.php?cat=500&ppuser=2120 They will make a lot more sense when you get the audio files to go with them. More comments from the seller: Ford 9" rear 4.57: ratio with a "mini spool". 15x15 centerline rear wheels with Mickey Thompson tires. Mustang II front clip.
Only had one Margarita (and the remains of SWMBO's, don't want it to go to waste!), but was a good boy and let her drive home. I'm stupid enough without the help of alcohol.
Guys, I really appreciate the effort. I am at the house in the country right now (which only has slooowww dial-up but will take my lap top to Plano tomorrow so it won't take an eternity to download. Bill, regular or frozen?, with/without lime/salt?, brand of tequila?
Couldn't wait and it really didn't take that long by going onto Bill's photo site. You did a great job of showing a lot for what looks like a sardine in a can. I am now going to look in Hemmings "Parting Out" section for Desoto and try to locate the hood side panels. Bumpers I can work around although, they won't equal the ribbed ones. After looking at Ken's photos the side panels are a must since they complete the grill profile. Couldn't tell much on the narrowed frame at the rear but the weld on the front strut rod brackets looks good. The front is a 74 or newer MII/Pinto since it mounts with two large bolts running through the crossmember. You both done good---Thank you
Frozen, with & I don't care. You forgot to post an e-mail address Evan. I think the audio will go a long way to helping you make a decision. Ken & I decided you really should put a Hemi in it.
Old DeSotos There was an unmolested DeSoto AirFlow Coupe in Bevery Hills a few months ago..... I decided not to go look at it 'cause I was afraid I'd not be able to leave it behind , sure someone would destroy it into a Hot Rod . Good luck Even! sound like a good beginning .
