Desoto Diplomat 1958 South Africa Custom Sport Sedan D
Kevin J
Posted 2020-01-09 2:11 AM (#592668)
Subject: Desoto Diplomat 1958 South Africa Custom Sport Sedan D


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Posts: 2

Location: South Africa
Desoto Diplomat 1958 South Africa Custom Sport Sedan

Hi
I was wondering if anyone could assist with some info for me please?
I am helping a friend rebuild his 1958 Desoto Diplomat and we are struggling to find decent info on the vehicle.
The only info I have to go by is the serial number:
LP 2 69188 - which I believe decodes as a 1958 Plymouth 8 cylinder.
Engine number:
SLP 8 169 249
Not been able to find much besides it relates to Plymouth and is 8 cylinder... All info I find ends in 1957....

What we have found out is that the Plymouth Belvedere with a Desoto clip on front fender was sent as a CKD to a company called Atkinson-Oates in Cape Town.
I was hoping someone could help with perhaps origin - I think it might have been Detroit - but not 100% sure.
Any info or a point in the right direction would be welcomed.
Thank you

Regards Kevin J
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56D500boy
Posted 2020-01-09 10:33 AM (#592677 - in reply to #592668)
Subject: RE: Desoto Diplomat 1958 South Africa Custom Sport Sedan D



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You might find some information at allpar:

"The DeSoto Diplomat was a Plymouth with a scaled down DeSoto front end. Most of these were built in the U.S., a few in Canada, all for sale outside of North America."

Diplomat, Diplomat Deluxe, Diplomat Custom, 1958 = 2,346 (total - not separated into LHD and RHD)

Canadian built 1958 Diplomats = 36

REFERENCE (with more info): https://www.allpar.com/cars/production/desoto.html



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Kevin J
Posted 2020-01-10 6:20 AM (#592729 - in reply to #592677)
Subject: RE: Desoto Diplomat 1958 South Africa Custom Sport Sedan D


New User

Posts: 2

Location: South Africa
Thanks - I have been reading a lot of info from Allpar - great site.

I'm stuck on the engine number - can't find any info on it - SLP 8 169 249 - besides being a Plymouth V8 in a De Soto body

Trying to determine what motor it has without opening it up....

I know the car was sent to S.A. in a kit form but was wondering if the build sheet etc would have come from the plant in USA.?
Research leads to a Belvedere Body with a De Soto clip-on front, Dodge chassis......

Paint, interior, tyre's were sourced locally (S.A.)

Thanks again - shall follow suggested link



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Powerflite
Posted 2020-01-10 11:15 AM (#592744 - in reply to #592668)
Subject: Re: Desoto Diplomat 1958 South Africa Custom Sport Sedan D



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The motor is related to a 318 poly, but clocks in at 313 cubic inches for the export market.

Also, it would need to have a Plymouth chassis in order to use the Plymouth body. They had a smaller wheelbase than the Dodge.

Edited by Powerflite 2020-01-10 11:20 AM
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Phil_the_frenchie
Posted 2020-01-11 4:06 AM (#592775 - in reply to #592668)
Subject: Re: Desoto Diplomat 1958 South Africa Custom Sport Sedan D



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I've a french shop manual and the engine (no indications about serial) is the 318 for the LP2, LF 2 (DeSoto Diplomat) and LE2 (Dodge Kingsway). I think the 313 was for canadian market.
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Powerflite
Posted 2020-01-11 10:48 AM (#592780 - in reply to #592668)
Subject: Re: Desoto Diplomat 1958 South Africa Custom Sport Sedan D



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Good to know. Thanks Phil.
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Chrycoman
Posted 2020-02-18 7:35 AM (#594453 - in reply to #592668)
Subject: Re: Desoto Diplomat 1958 South Africa Custom Sport Sedan D



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Engine Number : SLP 8 169 249

It's basically a Plymouth V8 engine with an '"S" stamped on it to show it was used by DeSoto :

S - DeSoto
L - 1958 model year
P - Plymouth (318 V8)
169 249 - 168,249th LP engine built.

The basic body is a Plymouth with a DeSoto Firesweep front clip. They were built in Detroit for export to other countries outside Canada and the U.S. As you wrote, the car is actually a DeSoto Diplomat. The Diplomat came in three trim levels, just as Plymouth did - (base), Deluxe or Custom. By the sounds of it , this car is the top of the line Custom series.

The 313 was for the Canadian market, but any V8 Plymouth (LP), Dodge (LE), or DeSoto (LS) models exported from Windsor would have the 313 V8. And the six cylinder models would have the 251 cid flathead six

Serial number - LP 2 69188
L - 1958
P - Plymouth
- - No entry for the assembly plant means it came from Plymouth's Lynch Road plant in Detroit.
2 - V8
69188 - 68,188th 1958 Plymouth V8 built at Lynch Road. 1958 Plymouths were also built at - Evansville, IN (E), Newark, DE (N), and Los Angeles, CA (L). Canadian Plymouths were built at the plant in Windsor, ON (W)

Are there any other tags on the car? I know cars assembled in Europe had tags placed on the cars by the company assembling the cars. Usually showed the original serial number long with the new serial number, and also paint and trim codes.

And photos? I believe it also has RHD?




Edited by Chrycoman 2020-02-18 7:36 AM
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