Guido, the 1950 DeSoto

[Whelk]

I picked up a project this weekend. It turns over, but doesn't start, sort of stops, but for an Ohio car it has hardly any rust.

[Monk]

I dig it...........what's the plan?

[Whelk]

I'd like to update to a modern suspension and then drop in a modern hemisphere and trans. I think it could be an excellent cruiser.

[DanStokes]

A thought - Maybe a Dakota chassis might be a reasonable fit (wheelbase, track width, etc.). You would need to lower it but that might be a great start. 360s will fit right in there though I'm not sure about K-frames and so on.

Dan

[Whelk]

It's not a bad idea. A frame swap may be beyond my skill level though. I.'m pretty much still an armature at this.

[DanStokes]

I think that would be your simplest cure. Take lots of measurements and go to the salvage yard looking for a V8 Dak to see if it's a potential good fit. You'll need a buddy to hold the dumb end of the tape. Dakotas came in several lengths (short bed short cab, long bed short cab, short bed extra cab, 4 door short bed, etc, etc, so extensive searching might be required.

Converting components to fit on a non-standard car like your MOPAR might be a real trick. If it was a Model A or '32, an early Mustang or Camaro, etc. there's lots of off-the-shelf stuff for them but this will be pretty much a one of one. A chassis swap is actually a fairly easy job compared to making stuff and making it fit. I'd sure consider it seriously. The Dakota (or other) chassis will still be VERY challenging but is likely your easiest option. Look at Chad's Rusty station wagon and you'll get the idea.

Dan

[JOES66FURY]

get it running and safe and cruise it...with some better looking horse blankets...maybe some wide whites and red steelies, clean up the "paint" with a cheap respray....sorry...thinking out loud...carry on.

[Deaf Bob]

Inline 8 flathead or valve in head?
The 8's are rather torquey..
I'm thinking maybe a baby hemi?
The kid bought a Desoto hemi.. That thing stock with a tiny 2 barrel has 160 hp, just like my 350 in the flatbed...
The hemi was in a rat rod and the guy put something different in it so my son bought it.. Plans are to build a frame and put the hemi in it using one of the 2-46 ford cabs we have.. Not sure if he wants to keep it auto or go manual..

Whatever you do.. If you can get it running cheaply, drive it and see if it is something you can live with..

[hauen]

I had a '49 Windsor (a baseline Chrysler) with fluid-drive and the standard flathead six. Same bodystyle as your DeSoto as a matter of fact. Fun car to tool around in but definitely in the slow category. I'd say just get it running and enjoy it for a while before it goes to the neverending Hell that is Projectland. Who knows, you may want to try something completely different and megasquirt and turbocharge the "spitfire" 6 or something else whacky and cool.

[DanStokes]

There's a guy who runs at Bonneville who makes heads and other goodies for the flathead Chrysler engines and he runs them on the Salt. I'll bet a little Googleing and you could turn up his contact info - maybe someone can remember his name. Nice guy, too.

Driving it fixed and more or less like it is is NOT a bad plan either!

Dan

[Monk]

..with some better looking horse blankets.

I just spewed

The grill is epic

[Bob Holmes]

Slow is just an adjustment in attitude. We had a VW van when I was in high school. Once you accepted that the slow lane was your lane, it wasn't bad at all.

[Whelk]

get it running and safe and cruise it...with some better looking horse blankets...maybe some wide whites and red steelies, clean up the "paint" with a cheap respray....sorry...thinking out loud...carry on.

That's pretty much the plan for this year. Get disk brakes on the front, figure out a way to mount seat belts, and may make a center console for a shifter. That'll be fine for the odd cruise. I can probably fit a barcalounger in the trunk instead of a lawn chair for the cruise ins.

[Whelk]

Inline 8 flathead or valve in head?
The 8's are rather torquey..
I'm thinking maybe a baby hemi?
The kid bought a Desoto hemi.. That thing stock with a tiny 2 barrel has 160 hp, just like my 350 in the flatbed...
The hemi was in a rat rod and the guy put something different in it so my son bought it.. Plans are to build a frame and put the hemi in it using one of the 2-46 ford cabs we have.. Not sure if he wants to keep it auto or go manual..

Whatever you do.. If you can get it running cheaply, drive it and see if it is something you can live with..

It's got an OHV inline 6 of some sort. Hopefully tomorrow night I'll have a chance to put a decent battery in it and see if it starts. I'm a little concerned about whether the head has hardened valve seats or not. I might need some kind of lead substitute. The previous owner lived in a hanger at the airport and ran it on avgas. Is that leaded?

[Deaf Bob]

It's got an OHV inline 6 of some sort. Hopefully tomorrow night I'll have a chance to put a decent battery in it and see if it starts. I'm a little concerned about whether the head has hardened valve seats or not. I might need some kind of lead substitute. The previous owner lived in a hanger at the airport and ran it on avgas. Is that leaded?

Don't know for a fact.. Possible it is leaded..
The flatheads while SLOOOOOW just chug on and on.. Had one in my 41 flat fender truck.. It went anywhere including over a log deck.. Kept the radiator topped with ice cold mountain stream water..
Pre slant 6 mopars.. .? Don't remember much about them..