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DeSoto registered trademark of DaimlerChrysler

DeSoto manufactured August 1928-November 30, 1960

Named in honour of Hernando de Soto, 16^th century Spanish discoverer of Mississippi River and many other regions of North America.

Mid-priced car, popular outside of US, first mass produced Toyota in 1934 styled on DeSoto.

1929

DeSoto Roadster
Rumble seat, optional bumpers and spare tire; 55 hp 174 cubic inch engine 6 cylinder inline

DeSoto Sedan
Series K, hydraulic brakes, 4 door, carried 5 passengers, Wooden spoke wheels; optional bumpers and rear or side mounted spare whitewall tire

1931

DeSoto Rumble Seat Coupe
Folding auxiliary trunk above rear bumper; Optional wire wheels, white wall tires, chrome headlights, cowl lights, rear and side mounted spare tires

1934

DeSoto Airflow Sedan
New sleek rounded bonnet styling, rounded radiator grille, large air vents on side between front fenders and front doors; Optional white wall tires, rear fender skirts with hood ornament trim, front and rear bumpers

1935

DeSoto Airflow Sedan
Less rounded front and smaller vents than ’34; Cranks on top of dashboard opened the windshields; Option bumpers

1936

DeSoto Airflow Sedan
Last of airflow models – not a popular range

DeSoto Airstream Coupe
6 cyl engine, 3 speed transmission, single left hand tail light optional right side tail light; Airflow design scraped by 1937

1937

DeSoto
New style, less rounded, split grill with upper part wrapping under bonnet almost to front doors; Included bumpers; Optional white wall tires and wheel trim rings

1938

DeSoto Covertible Coupe
93hp inline 6 cylinder engine, rumble seat; Optional 100hp engine

1939

DeSoto 2 passenger business coupe
“Hollywood style”; Handy shift gear shift lever on steering column controlling syncro silent 3 speed transmission with optional overdrive. Reduced oil consumption; Safety signal speedometer changed colour with speed. Headlights integrated into the fenders, parking lights below headlights in the bezel; Large trunk

1940

DeSoto custom
100 hp 6 cyl engine; Optional 105hp engine, fluid drive semi automatic transmission, running boards

1941

DeSoto custom series coupe; And less expensive deluxe series
Restyled grill, light bar below rear license plate containing clear light for the plate and red rear light.

1946

DeSoto Coupe
Sun visor, custom wheels, wider half size grill

1948

DeSoto Convertible Custom series
109hp 6 cyl engine, fluid drive transmission

1949

DeSoto Woody Wagon
9 passenger car, 3 rows of seats; Tailgate had spare tire compartment built in and hinged for external opening.

DeSoto Club Coupe
Deluxe script on rear edge of front fenders; Tail light long narrow housings on top of the rear fenders

1950

DeSoto Custom convertible
112 hp 236 c.i.d. inline 6 cylinder engine; Body coloured panel in centre of grill; 1951 model had restyled tail lights

DeSoto Club Coupe; Available in Custom and Deluxe series
3-speed manual transmission in deluxe and fluid drive in custom models; Standard 125½ inch wheelbase custom models 139½ inch wheelbase; Optional lighted hood ornament

1951

DeSoto Deluxe Coupe
New style grill; Designation script on front fenders above character line; Optional sun visor

DeSoto Sportsman
2 door hardtop

1953

DeSoto Firedome Sportsman
6-door hardtop; 276 c.i.d., 160hp Hemi V8 engine; Tail, brake, and backup lights in same unit; 3 pieces of glass in rear window

DeSoto Firedome
4 door sedan, Hemi V8 powered, slight wrap around rear window, model name and V8 emblem on side edge of front fender; Options power front seat, power steering, power windows, power brakes and air conditioning

1954

DeSoto Firedome
170 hp, 276 c.i.d., Hemi V8 engine; V8 emblem on rear fender, Firedome name on front fender; Restyled tail lights

1955

DeSoto Fireflite
2 door hardtop; V8 motor, automatic transmission

1956

DeSoto Adventurer
2 door hardtop; Top speed 144 mph, 320hp, ¾ race cam, dual 4-bbl Carter carbs, 341 hemi cubes; Sold out in 2 weeks

DeSoto Convertible
(pace car for the Indy 500 May 30, 1956); 200-300 replicas sold to public; 255 hp Fireflight convertible with Adventurer’s exterior and interior motifs

DeSoto Firedome convertible
2 door hardtop

DeSoto Fireflite Sportsman
2 or 4 door hardop; Sportsman name and V8 emblem on rear fender; Fireflite series name on side behind front wheel well; DeS Badge between rear and back passenger windows

1957

DeSoto Firesweep
4 door sedan; Larger tail fins; Front fenders resemble 57 Dodge

DeSoto Adventurer
2 door hardtop or convertible; 345 hp 245 c.i.d., V8 engine, torqueflite automatic transmission; Trim strips on trunk lid; Fenders resembled 57 Chrysler; Optional continental kit

1958

DeSoto Firedome Sportsman
4 door , restyled grill, trim bars on back of trunk lid; 4 inch longer wheelbase than firesweep series; Similar body to Chrysler

DeSoto Firesweep Memphian Ambulance
Front fenders like 58 Dodge; Rearward cant on side edge of rear fenders of sedan and forward cant on taillight units of station wagons

1959

DeSoto Sportsman
4 door hardtop; Fin design softer than earlier models

DeSoto Firedome
383 c.id., 305 hp V8 engine; Shiny metal trim around side windows, option brushed metal trim

1960

DeSoto Adventurer
2 or 4 door sedan hardtop; 383 c.i.d. V8 engine and 3 speed Torqueflite automatic transmission; Metal trim from front to rear along side; Top of the range car, fireflite entry level car; Firesweep and Firedome series dropped. No 1960 convertible or station wagons.

1961

DeSoto Adventurer
Last of the range; 2 or 4 door hardtop; 122 inch wheelbase, 215.6 inches overall length; 361 c.i.d., 265 hp V8 engine; Dual grill, caned quad headlights, redesigned taillights; DeSoto spelled out across upper grill; Optional heating, air conditioning, power steering, power brakes, power seat, power windows, RCA record player

National DeSoto Club

Desoto parts