We all dream of finding some dusty but solid barn find car in the corner of a building that is just waiting to be put back on the road. A little cleaning, a little fixing, a little tinkering, and then back to the highway. Well, the seller of this 1941 DeSoto Custom coupe being sold here on eBay in Arroyo Grande, California has done exactly that. Found under a thick layer of redwood dust, this solid DeSoto proved to be in good shape, and the seller even has brought it back to running and driving condition. With a current bid of $6,011 not yet hitting the reserve, what do you think this gorgeous green DeSoto will eventually sell for?

As you can see from the above two photos, this DeSoto cleaned up really well. The inside storage must have either been climate controlled or the area it came from has a distinct lack of humidity (if it didn’t come from the seller’s location). The chrome and stainless trim are in terrific shape. Both of the bumpers have an appearance that suggests that they just came back from the chrome shop. Even the paint seems to have held up well. Just look at the reflection on the side of the car.

A view from the rear is another testament to the condition of this car. It presents as an older restoration, which it may very well be. Still, all the parts and pieces are where they need to be and in great shape. The running board may need some recovering, but it is hard to tell if the roughness is just some waviness or some pieces of rubber missing.

There is a little bit of roughness to some of the interior. The carpet looks worn and ready for replacement. I also don’t believe the seat coverings are factory original. Still, I’d use them and just replace the carpet. Maybe adding some Dynamat insulation under that carpet wouldn’t be a bad idea. The only other problem visible appears to be a missing bolt in the seat pivot point.

From the other side, we can see that all of the important trim pieces for the dash are present. The dash itself could use some refurbishment, but there is nothing that would prevent you from using the car as it is. The seats and carpet do present better from this side.

A peek into the trunk reveals some aftermarket fabric covering the trunk interior instead of the usual rubber mat. Considering that this is a before cleanup picture, the trim pieces in the box may have been pulled from the dash in the past, or they may be spare pieces. If you had a fairly rare car like this, I am sure you would grab up spare parts whenever opportunities presented themselves.

The great news about this car is that the seller has returned it to running status. Inline six-cylinder Mopar engines are one of the most reliable engines you can find. Many were used in industrial applications that required them to run for hours on end with little maintenance. One thing to look out for in a car that has sat so long is the water distribution tube. This is a long, somewhat triangular-shaped tube that was inserted into the block behind the water pump. It ensured that all of the cylinders received an equal amount of coolant during operation. Unfortunately, these will rust and break apart, clogging up the cooling system in many situations. Removal is not easy when they are in rough shape, and often the front end of the car has to come off to easily get the thing out.

Just looking at this car and knowing that it runs makes one want to buy it and road trip it home. It is an appealingly styled car in a unique body style. Still, the devil is in the details and there will likely be a few issues that will creep up when put into regular service. If you picked this one up you would certainly start with a very good car. Does this DeSoto appeal to you? What would you do with it if it was in your garage?