Chrysler went “all in” betting on fins with its completely re-designed 1957 lineup. Designer Virgil “Ex” Exner’s fins graced every Chrysler brand. The Adventurer topped the DeSoto line, and this 1957 DeSoto Adventurer came with the brand’s most powerful engine and special gold trim. “Found in the high desert of California where it lived its life,” this former beauty now resides in Everett, Washington and awaits the high bidder here on eBay.
Interestingly many 1957 DeSotos (and other brands) could be ordered with either single and dual headlights. All Adventurers (and the similar top-trim Chrysler 300s) came with quad headlights. The entire 1957-1961 Chrysler fleet ranks high on my list, and to my eye the DeSoto’s clean front end design beats the others.
Adventurers came in one of two color schemes: white or black, both decorated with gold accents. The rocket-booster tail lights warned everyone that this Space Age car, with its aerodynamic styling, could overcome the Earth’s gravity with a simple application of boost.
The Adventurer’s gold-trimmed color scheme continued inside. Space-ready controls in this terrestrial explorer include power windows, power front seat, and a push-button automatic transmission. The crappy $20 K-Mart steering wheel was *not* part of the original interior. Bullet holes perforate the windshield and select body panels, making a great conversation-starter… “What, like you’ve never been shot at?”
The DeSoto’s 345 cubic inch engine made 345 horsepower, the first mass-produced vehicle to achieve this milestone (thanks to allpar.com for some details.) While this One-of-1950 Adventurers made in 1957 should probably get a complete and accurate restoration, my two-minute daydream fills this hole with a 707 HP Hellcrate engine, or a budget-built 440. How do you picture this golden classic living out its remaining days?
Christine is a lovely car!
Stephen King!
I would restore to original IF possable. Though this car would take a lot of work and money.
Christine was a Plymouth
I have always liked anything with fins, and these
Had some great ones!This looks very rough,but these
Are probably pretty scarce now.Somone better expect to pay
Dearly for that windshield…!,they were about a thousand dollars..,twenty years ago,and it was hard to find a good one then…for a 58 Coronet.
Maybe there are repros now?Very cool, I sure hope it gets saved in some manner,rod n custom..?lead sled…? Restored…..!
Also. Merry Christmas to you all……!.May Santa bring us all some nice
Tools and iron to use them on…!😀
Best tail lights ever made that year.
Those are some outrageous fins an tail lights. Exner was a brilliant designer.
Thee single best car fins ever. EVER. Perfect.
Love the idea of a Hellcrate in it. Lowered, fat meats. Awesome paint.
Well to start MERRY CHRISTMAS From a cold and snowy Utah! I would go with the Hellcat and a 6 speed Auto AC and a good sound system NEVER AND I REPEET NEVER lower but that is just me, good tires and a GREAT body shop to make this a car that would be wonderful on the road and then drive it in my Appraisal Business what a great way to show up!!
The ‘piece de resistance’ is the rear bumper. THAT is what makes the car. Engines, interior et al are going to be easy compared to finding the rear bumper.
My dad had a ’57 De Soto as a company car. What a ride. Chip Foose could do this one. The “Monkeys”are too smashed to try it.
Already sold ! I’d go with a budget-built 440 and restore the rest to original as possible.
The reason behind Chrysler product cars having either 2 or 4 headlights is simple: In 1957 several US states still had vehicle regulations that said all cars had to have 2 sealed beam headlights. The regs didn’t say “a minimum of 2”. Prior to those regulations there were a few cheap micro cars built with a single headlight, and before 1940 cars were not required to have sealed beam headlight bulbs.
Taillights remind me of my father’s 57 dodge
Has anyone here ever restored a desoto from this era? How hard would it be finding glass, trim etc?
Love this!
Shared a lot behind the trim with the Chrysler 300, but going for a lot less money at the moment. Almost bought a ’57 Chrysler 300, quite used, in 1966, it was incredibly fast for the time, torsion bar suspension took it around corners very well, was in USAF, wanted the car, but no place to park it if I got sent to Viet Nam, so passed on it. It would cost a lot to fix this one, if you wanted to keep it, worth it, to fix and flip, probably not.
Restore it and drive it. The car has upside potential and is a blast to drive.
I’d restore the body & interior, keep it looking factory stock, and either source a period-correct V8, or put some serious muscle in that engine bay!
She’s beautiful!! Omg I’d love to have that in my driveway.
Only two bullet holes. Love this car and it’s a Hemi . I had a friend in basic training back in 1964 that had one of these.