If you’re a fan of 1950s Chrysler products, you probably fall into one of two camps. You either go for the 1955-56 models, where the cars finally moved away from being rolling boxes. Or the 1957-59 marvels, where futuristic styling and tailfins reigned supreme. The seller has a 1955 DeSoto Fireflite Sportsman, a top-of-the-line 2-door hardtop. It’s currently a roller with a new interior, but it could be a player again with some mechanical work. Located in a garage in King, North Carolina, this future orphan is available here on Facebook Marketplace for $8,950. Hail to Zappenduster for this wonderful tip!
Chrysler’s DeSoto division had its best sales year in a decade in 1955. And yet, demand for the company’s fourth brand quickly dissipated as the ‘50s wore on, and the line would be discontinued just into the 1961 model year. The Fireflite model was new as the senior model in a two-car lineup (the other being the Firedome). Out of sales of 114,700 cars in 1955, 37,700 were Fireflites, and of those, 10,300 were Sportsman hardtops like this one.
The seller bought this ’55 DeSoto as a project and got as far as having the 291 cubic inch “Hemi” V8 partially rebuilt at 85,000 miles. It has a Powerflite automatic transmission that has been redone, too, but was working the last time it was in the car. However, the machine is numbers-matching, though the drivetrain is elsewhere in the garage. This is a well-equipped Mopar, with power accessories such as the windows and seats.
When you begin to put the Fireflite back together, the interior should need nothing as it’s already been redone. And the older two-tone paint job should look great once detailed. The seller provides a lot of photos, and the car seems rust-free, a huge plus. Should you want an extra Hemi (276 CI) or transmission, the seller says, “let’s make a deal” for these as extras. I hope the right party buys this car, as it would be great to see it back on the road!
Nice car! I’m a little uncertain how easily parts could be obtained for this engine but I’m in the business of finding parts for old Internationals so this shouldn’t be a heck of a lot worse. Sure wouldn’t be lacking power.
I still would be curious as to where a set of heads would be hiding, and how much you would break the bank getting them. Heck with it, just park it at my place and I’ll look after it…
Seller has an extra motor and tranny for additional cost. Seems like a pretty good deal at that price.