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Low Mileage Finned Coupe: 1957 Desoto Firesweep

Described as a true Barn Find, this 1957 Desoto Firesweep has supposedly only covered 20,100 miles since it’s date of assembly. Much of this car seems very original and miraculous, but this Desoto has recently been repainted giving it a stellar appearance. Beautiful and stylish, this this rare finned coupe is offered at $48,000. Find it here on Hemmings out of Colorado.

Extremely clean, and tidy, this 325 cubic inch V8 looks as if it could be given a white glove inspection with amazing results. With a claimed 20,100 miles, this V8 with its push button automatic transmission are “hardly” broken in. In fact, this low mileage Desoto looks virtually brand new under the hood.  There is no evidence of any corrosion, and the paint is phenomenal. The only thing this car really needs is a battery with a vintage appearance.

Completely original, minus the carpet, this interior seems to be perfect. Hot and sticky, in the summer, but cold and slick, in the winter, who knew that those clear plastic seat covers would actually protect your seats this well? With hindsight, look at what a great idea these covers are! This interior has survived wonderfully and is absolutely stunning. There are no discolorations, cracks, or wear present.

Although having recently been repainted, this Desoto seems like a rock solid car. All of the trim, and chrome look fantastic, and the paint job makes the car show like a low mileage vehicle. The trim on the passenger side door does not align quite perfectly, and the gaps around the door seem fair, but the bottom gap seems a little wide in my opinion. The trim on the driver door has the same alignment issues as well, so perhaps this is a factory issue, versus a repaint issue? Looking past that minor concern, this paint looks nice, with a lovely glow. The glass is beautiful, and shows like new. Not quite a survivor by definition, but certainly a survivor by its circumstances, this Desoto is a beautiful partially restored vehicle. Destined for someone with a big piggy bank, would you crack your piggy for this lovely Desoto Firesweep?

Comments

  1. Avatar Flmikey

    Worth. Every. Penny.

    Like 0
  2. Avatar Fred W.

    A face only a mother could love, compared to the front end treatment the Chryslers got.

    Like 0
  3. Avatar dirtyharry

    Those rear fins are just off the chart. Wild and crazy and the colors are awesome. I hope there are some BF readers who can share how these were to drive. I know I would love to have it. My wife said the other day, nothing comes in until something goes out. For a moment, I thought were I could move her.

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    • Avatar Adam T45 Staff

      These were really a highway cruiser. The brakes were a bit small for the weight of the vehicle, but modern friction materials assist there. I suggest that you just go out and buy it. After all, it’s easier to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission!

      Like 0
    • Avatar Dolphin Member

      harry, I can tell you how these drive. My first car was a ’57 Desoto convertible. I have mentioned this on here before. I have strong memories of that car even tho I owned it back in the early ’60s. It cost me $750 and was in very good condition except for a crunched LF fender. My Dad, a mechanic, helped me fix it. I mean, mainly he fixed it.

      Yes, those fins are off the chart—-and this is a coupe. In a convertible you were even more aware of them. They stuck out-and-up on both sides of your head, and you were aware of them if you glanced left or right.

      The tranny shifted by pushing buttons on a small panel just inboard of the driver’s side vent window (remember vent windows?). And of course the suspension was very soft, and the car floated down the road. There was lots of power with the Dodge hemi, and that big car went…I mean floated…down the road with ease. I had it up over the hundred mark once and it scared the heck out of me. The faster it went the more it floated. I actually liked speed, just not in a Desoto convertible.

      Of course it used a lot of gas, and I wasn’t exactly raking in the bucks at the time, so I asked him if he would help me get a small, more economical car. Dad…bless his soul…sold the Desoto to a friend for me, and he found another, smaller car for that also had a crunched front fender. It was an MGA, and it was VERY different from the Desoto.

      Like 0
  4. Avatar KeithK

    There are still folks that give their new cars the slipcover treatment. I always ask them” when will it be time for you to enjoy your new car? ” Followed up by ” thanks for taking such good care of my next used car.” Hand to god I have seen people cover floor mats with trash bags then cover the mats with a carpet remnant then cover the remnant with a rubber mat. Now the accelerator is in complete unintended acceleration mode but boy are those mats gonna stay pretty.

    Like 0
  5. Avatar Anthony

    My favorite 1950’s car… I think its had some freshening under the hood in addition to the paint job, but it is spectacular i wish i could afford to buy it

    Like 0
  6. Avatar Rod

    This ranks as one of my favourite designs. Wish I could afford it but when you add on the exchange rate from Canadian to us it goes through the roof. Whoever buys this will get an awesome car.

    Like 0
  7. Avatar JW454

    Anything with outlandish tail fins and I’m all in. This one has it in spades. The color combinations and designs of all the “tail fin” cars of the fifties were fantastic.
    I’d prefer the quad head lamps of the 1958 model but, I’d take this one too.

    Like 0
  8. Avatar D

    Beautiful car! Spendy for me, but I feel it’s worth it. I wish I could find some of those seat covers for my big boy toys, too.

    Like 0
  9. Avatar Woodie Man

    In 2000 I was in Cuba for a couple of weeks setting up a spy network. One day as I was cruising around Havana, there in the front yard of a house, behind a low cement wall, up on blocks, was a two door 57 De Soto! It was no rust bucket even in that humid climate. Just amazing.

    I’ve got pictures around here somewhere of all the cars I snapped photos of (no iphone….wow things have changed).

    By now everyone has seen photos of Cuban American iron. You have to stand in the street there and watch them all driving around to really get a sense of how weird it is. (or was)

    Get there quick before they open Walmarts.

    Like 0
  10. Avatar Andy

    I saw a gorgeous DeSoto like this in the parking lot of the Teatro Nacional de Cuba a couple of years ago, true story. On my last trip I saw a Mopar sedan of this vintage down by the harbor, chopped down to a four door convertible. Speaking of four doors, if this one had them, I’d be all over it, but I’m sure we all agree two-doors are just too impractical.

    Like 0
    • Avatar Woodie Man

      Andy……..you’re kidding about the two-doors correct? :)

      Like 0
  11. Avatar Rabbit

    DeSotos are among my favorites, along with Plymouths & AMCs. You guys have really been bringing it this week.

    Like 0
  12. Avatar David Montanbeau

    Me street racing on Woodward Ave in Detroit with my son that caught me in the act. But this is a Dodge with a Hemi.

    https://youtu.be/VCAIkAbrCbs

    Like 0
    • Avatar Woodie Man

      You’re a lucky man ! Super beautiful car

      Like 0
    • Avatar Ed P

      Beautiful Dodge.

      Like 0
  13. Avatar ccrvtt

    Style – with a capital ‘S’! This car makes me proud to be an American.

    Like 0
  14. Avatar G 1

    Gota have the dual headlight version. Still nice to see. By the looks of the pushbuttons its a Powerflite trans (didn’t know that Desoto used that in 57). My dad had a Firedome dual headlights, 341 Hemi and a Torqueflite. Bought it in 59 for a $1000. Sold it in 60 for $850.

    Like 0
    • Avatar Ed P

      Powerflite was available until 62. There were a few engines where this was the only automatic available.

      Like 0
  15. Avatar Loco Mikado

    The 325 V8 Dodge “Red Ram” engine came in both poly or hemi head configurations. The block is the same, the heads and manifolds are different. DeSoto used the poly head engine.

    Like 0
    • Avatar Dolphin Member

      Whether a ’57 Desoto came with a Hemi engine or not depended on the series. The Desoto also had the poly or hemi head depending…..

      The convertibles definitely could have a true Hemi engine in them. I owned a ’57 Desoto convertible with the Hemi engine. It was my first car.

      Here is a video of a ’57 Desoto Firedome (‘dome’ = Hemi) convertible exactly like mine except for the color. At about the 6:30 min mark you can get a view of the Hemi engine when they open the hood.
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZ1WhcIBCZo

      Like 0
  16. Avatar Wayne

    Andy, I agree with your comment about 4 doors. They are practical and have a better silhouette, roofline etc. Door chrome alignment just shows unprofessional workmanship.

    Like 0
  17. Avatar Rustytech Member

    Two doors, four doors, or five doors, I’ll take it! My uncle had a four door hardtop when I was young. It was a two tone black and yellow. It was a pretty car. What I remember most was the back seat, it was huge, I think you could have put six children back there.

    Like 0
  18. Avatar stillrunners

    All mopars had poly’s or hemi’s based blocks 54 to 58…..and with correct piston’s you could slap on those double rocker heads…..saved a 1958 Soto hard top…way different front end……..

    Like 0
  19. Avatar Dickie F

    Growing up our family car was a 1959 version of this car complete with the plastic covers. These were sticky and hot, but what a car.
    I learned to drive on her. I was then still pre-teen.
    Dad had converted her from manual to the pushbutton auto.
    She had a record player fitted and it was my job to change the records.
    We had a trucking business and often she had to do duty towing a truck back to the workshop.
    My eldest brother wrote her off in accidents twice, before she left us.😢

    Like 0
  20. Avatar David Montanbeau

    Working on a 57 Crown Imperial 392 Hemi with the push button 727. This car is loaded with less than 50k miles. These big cars are beautiful.

    Like 0
  21. Avatar ELMER TURNER

    Wow, What memories in dolphins u tube video of the 1957 Desotos. It took me back to 1962 when my mom had bought a 1957 Desoto Adventurer, Exactly like the gold/ white one in the video with the 345 C I Hemi engine with the 2 – 4 barrel carbureters. one item that was not mentioned in that video by that owner was that the A M radio had the so called WONDERBAR STATION FINDER, And also if I remember correctly the speedometer reading went up to 160 M P H. I seen a red convertable on I.m thinking Jackon/ Barret auction that sold for a whopping $300.000.00. What a beautiful piece of machinery.

    Like 0
  22. Avatar Big Mike

    I begged the Wife to let me have it, she said NO, I am heart broken.

    Like 0
  23. Avatar RS

    Looks like a confident sinister spaceship. I LOVE it.

    Like 0

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