1937 Desoto Treasure Trove: Three Cars Plus Parts
For fans of orphan makes, here on craigslist is a shop full of 1937 Desoto cars and parts, to be sold as a package only. The asking price is $33,333, but the seller is open to irresistible offers. Bring your trailer to Coopersburg, Pennsylvania to gather up the lot, and think about double teaming with a buddy – there’s a lot of metal to haul away. T.J. gets the credit for this tip! Desoto was created in 1928 by Walter Chrysler as a lever to reel in Dodge, which was suffering after the Dodge brothers passed away. Run by bankers, Dodge had a foundry and popular models that Chrysler wanted to own. But he didn’t want to pay up for the franchise and consequently decided to throw his weight into DeSoto as a competitor. If DeSoto was successful enough, the price for Dodge might become much more reasonable. As it happened, the first DeSoto models broke sales records, and shortly thereafter, Chrysler got his shot at Dodge.
The aftermath of the Chrysler/Dodge tie-up left DeSoto struggling for identity against Dodge’s newly invigorated offerings. Chrysler tried positioning DeSoto below Dodge, and then above Dodge, but eventually, the make was allowed to die off. This garage full of 1937 DeSotos includes two four-door sedans and one business coupe. The photos make it difficult to discern their condition, and the seller doesn’t help us out much. These cars were the first truly successful model for DeSoto since the Airflow was introduced in 1932. The Airflow’s radical styling chased off customers – a lesson that all of Detroit took to heart in later years. Modifying the styling to a subtler idiom, and calling it the Airstream, helped sales revive. Sadly, these cars received a downgraded motor in 1937 – a 228 cu. in. six-cylinder with just 93 bhp.
This cache includes plenty of parts as well; the seller promises four 330 cu. in. 1956 DeSoto hemi’s, rebuilt heads, bearing sets, carburetors, camshafts, stainless trim, and countless other goodies. The seller’s suggestion is to combine the cars into a hot rod. Only an in-person investigation will confirm the feasibility of that strategy.
There is such a thing as too much of a good thing. Unless you have a yen to dig into a long-lived project involving 1930s cars, or you’re a whiz at hot rod fabrication, the sheer volume of this find might be a turn-off. My thought is the seller should consider better photos, a lower starting price, or separating the lot. What do you think?
Comments
Too bad you have to take it all if they were sold separate I think a purchase would make more sense to me and be interested
Looks like a gold mine for an early DeSoto buff, but, as Jim points out, separating the lots could make for a faster sale.
Taken together, and brought home, this bundle could really test your marriage.
But you would have a lot of alone time to work on it.
I agree with Michelle. Lower price spit the cars from package deal to individual cars and take more photos. Seller would have a better chance of moving the cars. Seller appears to be trying to clean out his garage and make a killing doing so.
I always enjoy your history lessons. I always wondered how Chrysler and Dodge got in cahoots.
Regarding this find, I really doubt that he will sell everything to one buyer. The cars and the parts need to be kind of a la carte. He might have one part that someone needs to complete their project.
Sell them separately, including the hemis
I have a 1930 DeSoto like brand new. All original. She’s a beauty queen . I would sell for 25 k. By far a better deal.
Where is it listed?
90% of potential buyers don’t have the storage space for 3 cars plus all the parts, and because it typically takes 2 to 3 car spaces to do a restoration or street rod, a buyer will need a very large building to hold everything and do the work as well.
Seller should offer it on an a-la-cart basis, the buyers pick & choose what they want.
Throw in the real estate .
I have a 1930 three window coupe. I’d love to see pics of yours.
Well I think some of you may be giving this man the wrong information. Based on the fact that some people do not like to deal with internet and or Tire kicking texting and other irritations caused by the internet communication. I understand he would only want to do this on a one-time sale and putting them in storage until you could purchase a place to build them would be the only route. Personally I would buy all three decide which one I wanted to build and sell the other two. He has obviously had them for many years and would like to make a sale that would be a cut and dry for all three.
I don’t see that anyone has made an offer to this gentleman. You may pick them up for a considerably less value. But if you hit him too low he’ll pull them off and probably let them Rote in his pole barn or wherever he may have them stored and we will all miss out on the Beautiful yesteryears of these automobile.
The way our world is going we need to have the memory of what once was. Because it is not anymore. I’m a 65 year old man and if I had it in me to restore these cars I would offer him a price of $27,000. I don’t believe that would be a kick in the teeth to him. And if this man wants to sell there are a couple of guys I would refer. One man’s opinion. Thank God we still have that.
Thanks
If he needs help, I would be glad to help.