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1957 Desoto Adventurer Convertible Jump to page : < 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 ... > Now viewing page 3 [50 messages per page] | View previous thread :: View next thread |
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christine-lover |
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Expert Posts: 2996 Location: Sept. 1958 | Looks like your restoring everyone's dream car:) Superb work to say the least. Enjoy the vacation to CA and good luck at the yards you encounter. | ||
d500neil |
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Exner Expert 19,174 posts. Neil passed away 18 Sep 2015. You will be missed, Neil! Posts: 19146 Location: bishop, ca | Raffa, that's some amazing work. You'll probably never again be as challenged to restore some car, again. I'll also bet that you dream about someday being able to assemble a complete car from its NOS individual parts---a "knocked down" car being discovered somewhere---the ULTIMATE model car! | ||
Doctor DeSoto |
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Location: Parts Unknown | This is about the only type of restoration I have ever known. Few FL cars survived the NW rain without a lot of rust. My DeSoto came from Syracuse, NY and had rust repair done as early as 1960 ! By 1968, when the car was finally removed from service, the floors and trunk were gone, the lower had holes in it you could fit your fist through, and the headlight buckets stood free of gaping jagged edges where the fenders were receding. When it comes to certain types of cars, you take what you can find. I hunted for 15 years to find my Fireflite, and this was in search of parts for a far worse Adventurer ! Heavy body work like this is fun, once you get your mind past the "OMG!" of it. It takes special tools like any part of restoration, but cutting, heating, pounding, and bending metal into shapes and welding it together to fill in the removed crusty stuff delivers a satisfaction I get like in no other part of the process. Raffael, your photos are inspiring and make me impatient to finish my shop so that I can pick up on my very similar project again. | ||
raffaplymouth |
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Elite Veteran Posts: 734 Location: Torino - Italy | Hello ! Guys !!unfortunately I had to stop this job for a few months, now it begins again, with the floor! , The rear sides are pretty ok, I have good news, the old owner after many years he found a box with all the missing pieces... all molding .... plus other parts that were missing, now I have problems with left rear floor, those I've purchased are completely different .... I do not understand, I think I rebuild it with my hands, if anyone has any photos published of DeSoto 57th floor .... Thanks to all
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agirlandher58 |
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Extreme Veteran Posts: 369 Location: buchanan,Ga. | Your body work is out of this world!!!! Bravo!!! | ||
roadkillontheweb |
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Expert Posts: 1357 Location: Iowa USA | Great to hear the other parts were finally found. I know they were all there when the car left my house. Some of the convertible specific parts would be very difficult to replace. Not sure if this will help with the floor? http://kotisivu.dnainternet.net/mtl65/pics/Des57Adv4-91_2.jpg but I am sure some others will have pictures of the floors on a Chrysler or Desoto Convertible going through floor replacement. | ||
raffaplymouth |
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Elite Veteran Posts: 734 Location: Torino - Italy | Doctor, I read your comment right now, you're right, this work is tiring but satisfying, to see the car reborn .... | ||
d500neil |
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Exner Expert 19,174 posts. Neil passed away 18 Sep 2015. You will be missed, Neil! Posts: 19146 Location: bishop, ca | Raffa, WE are seeing it, YOU are making-it be reborn!!!! Your family is not related to Michael Angelo? No, wait; he's from New Jersey! | ||
Doctor DeSoto |
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Location: Parts Unknown | raffaplymouth - 2010-11-15 10:34 AM Doctor, I read your comment right now, you're right, this work is tiring but satisfying, to see the car reborn .... *********************************************** I break this kind of work down into small "steps" and set my mind to just taking each little task as an evening's work. If I run long, then I finish it up the next night. Pretty soon, a whole area is done and I look back and think "Well, that wasn't so bad!". Building my shop has been the same kind of thing. Overwhelmingly huge, but I just keep picking away at it and when I go back to the thread and see all the pictures, it is pretty amazing how far I have come. I appreciate your photos because where you are is inspiring for me to finish the shop so I can do that same work on my car ! Please keep them coming. | ||
raffaplymouth |
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Elite Veteran Posts: 734 Location: Torino - Italy |
This is a never ending story .... even frames are destroyed ... also tunnel....I'm reconstructing the inner rockers and transverse frames, then put the rear floor
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raffaplymouth |
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Elite Veteran Posts: 734 Location: Torino - Italy | Hello Guys !! , anyone has any pictures of front and rear floor and inner rokers? I have no references .. is very difficult ... now I'm thinking of placing the body on frame, or I might make some mistakes, what do you think? | ||
Windsor59 |
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Expert Posts: 2596 Location: Upplands Väsby, Sweden | Hi I can looking at my paper foto album from my renovaiting at this week end and scan it down to you. Maby I have some pics from the rear floor. I think the body is same as 57-59 conv? Edited by Windsor59 2010-11-26 3:37 AM | ||
raffaplymouth |
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Elite Veteran Posts: 734 Location: Torino - Italy | thank you very much !!! i wait
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raffaplymouth |
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Elite Veteran Posts: 734 Location: Torino - Italy |
Fender , hood and trunk lid is ready to paint Uploaded with ImageShack.us [/IMG] Uploaded with ImageShack.us
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Uploaded with ImageShack.us I bought the rockers on ebay, but you can not install them, are different, I decided to build Uploaded with ImageShack.us Uploaded with ImageShack.us now , i build the inner rockers .... Uploaded with ImageShack.us | ||
ripperace |
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Veteran Posts: 195 Location: New Philadelphia, Ohio | Man, that's a TON of work! But your doing an excellent job of it. The only one I recall seeing with more rust was CallingDrLove's Plymouth. What you're going to have is a great car once it's completed. AWESOME!! Ripper | ||
Windsor59 |
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Expert Posts: 2596 Location: Upplands Väsby, Sweden | Hi Here are some pictures on my floor at the Windsor 59 and the red 300C or D?. I have also mailed you a lot of pictures, hope you get no help from the photos. Would like to ask if there is someone who has the black cover plate as you can see the red 300c or D? Also available as a brakets of the plate that holds power window motor, but if anyone has a typical plate (not for power) for sale ok. Look the same on the conv and 2ht. Have not any of my Windsor would like to buy 2 pcs. (All pw parts was lost when I bought the car in 1999) Edited by Windsor59 2010-11-30 7:44 AM (Kopia av 20101130125611860_0002.jpg) (Kopia av 20101130125611860_0001.jpg) (Kopia av 20101130125611860_0004.jpg) (Kopia av 20101130125325356_0002.jpg) (Kopia av 20101130125611860_0006.jpg) (20101130125611860_0007.jpg) Attachments ---------------- Kopia av 20101130125611860_0002.jpg (99KB - 397 downloads) Kopia av 20101130125611860_0001.jpg (102KB - 406 downloads) Kopia av 20101130125611860_0004.jpg (96KB - 431 downloads) Kopia av 20101130125325356_0002.jpg (46KB - 378 downloads) Kopia av 20101130125611860_0006.jpg (73KB - 397 downloads) 20101130125611860_0007.jpg (68KB - 388 downloads) | ||
mogge65 |
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Expert Posts: 1295 Location: Nasco , SWEDEN | Raffaele checkout this resto it might be of some help, they are doing a 58 chrysler convertible! http://www.acar-inc.com/pages/gallery Edited by mogge65 2010-11-30 1:16 PM (Reassembly%20-%20Body,%20Frame,%20Engine.jpg) Attachments ---------------- Reassembly%20-%20Body,%20Frame,%20Engine.jpg (82KB - 405 downloads) | ||
raffaplymouth |
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Elite Veteran Posts: 734 Location: Torino - Italy | i'm Very happy for this help , Mogge and Windsor , thanks !! this is a very professional restoring , this photos is very important for my floors | ||
ari |
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Member Posts: 16 Location: Finland | Hi. Check out this link. There is few rust repair pics of my 57 Chrysler. http://rides.webshots.com/album/570314657yvPLTF -Ari- | ||
raffaplymouth |
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Elite Veteran Posts: 734 Location: Torino - Italy | Ary , you're making these body work? congratulations! is very nice job on your C , is good help for my work , i think my Adventurer was worse than your... how long it takes for this job? Now I'm working in the warehouse where it is too cold, I believe that suspending this work, so I'll work on the convertible frame, which is completely destroyed | ||
moparsteve |
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Elite Veteran Posts: 1155 Location: somerville mass | when raffa the artistan, is finally done - what a beauty it'll be - i can hardly wait! if he comes to the states we have to give him some kind of an award... the orig. owner who built motors for drag cars, if he were alive to see it!!! | ||
ari |
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Member Posts: 16 Location: Finland | raffaplymouth - 2010-12-03 11:19 PM Ary , you're making these body work? congratulations! is very nice job on your C , is good help for my work , i think my Adventurer was worse than your... how long it takes for this job? Now I'm working in the warehouse where it is too cold, I believe that suspending this work, so I'll work on the convertible frame, which is completely destroyed No, my friend Kartsa make the body work. It takes approx. 400hrs. You can find his other works using search key "sledanette" My whole C project took 4 and half years and it still need little work. (IMG_0992 [pieni chrys] (Copy).JPG) Attachments ---------------- IMG_0992 [pieni chrys] (Copy).JPG (188KB - 399 downloads) | ||
mogge65 |
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Expert Posts: 1295 Location: Nasco , SWEDEN | Holy toledo! (SANY0112.jpg) Attachments ---------------- SANY0112.jpg (36KB - 398 downloads) | ||
ari |
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Member Posts: 16 Location: Finland | Mogge. He is not Kartsa on the upper picture. He is mr. Kurt McCormick in Kartsa's Sledanette. -Ari- | ||
mogge65 |
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Expert Posts: 1295 Location: Nasco , SWEDEN | oooops SORRY! Tell the "real" Kartsa he´s the best fu%#"ng welder, carbuilder i´ve seen in a long time! Awesome Resto on your car and supernice Buick customcar! Raffaele hope youre not mad beacause i hijacked your thread! keep up the great job on that Desoto! Here is some compensation................... 345 bhp, 345 cu. in. Hemi V-8 with dual quads, automatic transmission with pushbutton shifter on dash, independent torsion bar front suspension, Hotchkiss style 8¾-inch rear axle with 3.54:1 differential gears, gold turbine look full wheel covers. Wheelbase: 126" - One of the finest restored examples ever offered for sale - The product of a cost-no-object, four-year restoration by Gilbert Probes - The top-of-the-line example from the DeSoto lineup for 1957 “The perfect rust-free body if ever there was one,” is how Milton Robson describes this 1957 DeSoto Adventurer convertible. “When I bought it, the car had original paint. There was a little primer showing through the tops of the fenders.” He found this extremely rare DeSoto in a warehouse in California, where the climate had been very kind to the car after so many years. Finding such a low-production, highly sought-after performance car from the 1950s was high excitement. For Robson, there was no more desirable DeSoto ever built than this model. One could go as far as to say that the DeSoto Adventurer is an American “exotic” from the 1950s. With the division’s top Hemi V-8 under the hood, the Adventurer was an early muscle car with a set of the most aesthetically pleasing tail fins ever seen on virtually any car. Introduced in mid-model year 1956, the Adventurer was DeSoto’s top-of-the-line performance flagship. However, the ’56 Adventurer came out at the tail end of a generation of DeSotos with a more bulbous shape. The newly engineered 1957 ushered in a new “Forward Look” for all Chrysler Corporation models in a longer, lower and wider package. The 1957s have stood the test of time. In the 1950s, fins were de rigueur and echoed the public’s fascination with the possibility of space travel. The ’57 model Plymouth, Dodge, Chryslers and DeSotos had the appearance of a sleek rocket, ready to blast off. DeSoto introduced their 1957 Adventurer in December of 1956, two months after debuting the other models. Traditional launch in those days was late September to early October. Obviously, DeSoto did not want their very special Adventurer to share the spotlight with the bread and butter sedans and coupes. Based on the Fireflite, the Adventurer came with specified color combinations of white with black and a gold side sweep and roof or gold with a white or black side sweep and roof. DeSoto used ample doses on the car for more identification, such as the grille mesh being gold anodized. The “DESOTO” letters on the front of the hood are gold, as is the stylized DeSoto emblem on the middle of the hood. In past model years, this emblem had been a fairly accurate depiction of Hernando DeSoto’s coat of arms. On the 1957 Adventurer, they diluted the lines for this famous logo. Recognized as the first European to cross the Mississippi River, DeSoto was the ultimate Adventurer in North America, and hence the Adventurer became the ultimate DeSoto. This logo also appears in gold on the black center of the full wheel covers. DeSoto called these covers “Turbine” style. Painted gold, they lend a real show car appearance, and no other car had them. More gold “DESOTO” lettering appears on the rear decklid. Five stainless steel strips accent the top of the trunk. The most stylish identification comes on the sides of the tailfins where the Adventurer logo appears written in flowing style with letters joined together. Just ahead of this cursive script is a logo featuring crossed flags and a gold V accented by gold wings. Another Adventurer crest appears on each front fender, just ahead of the doors. In the center of this emblem is the highly diluted, but regal, Hernando DeSoto coat of arms. Uniquely, every Adventurer convertible top was gold. Inside the ****pit, DeSoto inset the light gold seats (60/40 up front) with gold and white tweed in the seated portion of the benches, front and rear. They carried this theme into the door panels. The labor-intensive stitched pattern of the upper door panels reveals the workmanship of the American auto industry of the 1950s. DeSoto had a reputation for building interiors of early American parlor quality and ambience. The Adventurer bridged the gap between old American charm, the rocket age of tailfins and the impending horsepower race. DeSoto gave special attention to the engine. The Hemi in the Fireflite was a 295-horsepower, 341-cubic inch V-8 with a single four-barrel carburetor. DeSoto engineers bored the 341 to 345 cubic inches and installed dual quads to produce 345 horsepower, or one horsepower per cubic inch. DeSoto showcased this achievement in their Adventurer, the same as Chrysler did with their “300.” Essentially, the DeSoto was the division’s flagship, offered in coupe and convertible body styles. There were no four-door sedans. The Adventurer was to DeSoto what the “300” letter series was to Chrysler. Both were the top performance models and tested top speed on the sands at Daytona. No doubt, the new-for-1957 torsion bar front suspension (springs in the back) helped these two tons of gorgeous tailfins maneuver down the road. They were heavy duty on the Adventurer. The Adventurer coupe retailed for $3,997 in base form. The Adventurer convertible was the highest priced DeSoto in the lineup at $4,272. Options such as a record player (called the Hi-Way Hi-Fi), electric windows and six-way power seat pushed the price up even further. Every Adventurer came with the famous push-button automatic transmission. Factory records show DeSoto built exactly 1,650 Adventurer coupes and 300 Adventurer convertibles in 1957. Milton sought out a convertible due to its rarity and more glamorous body style. Starting with what might have been the very best combination of rust-free body and chassis in a 1957 Adventurer, Robson sent the car to Gilbert Probes for a four-year, ground-up restoration. Milton is not prone to hyperbole, but of this 1957 DeSoto he said, “Gilbert Probes restored this car for me, took about four years. He is particular as hell. I believe this is without a doubt the finest one in the world.” The car has remained in absolutely perfect condition. It needs nothing and is show ready and road worthy in every respect. It is hard, if not impossible, to argue with Milton’s description of this particular example. This is without question the finest example RM Auctions has ever had the pleasure of offering for sale. Edited by mogge65 2010-12-07 12:43 PM (6461498-500-0.jpg) (MR10_r124_04.jpg) (MR10_r124_03.jpg) (MR10_r124_05.jpg) Attachments ---------------- 6461498-500-0.jpg (73KB - 379 downloads) MR10_r124_04.jpg (60KB - 418 downloads) MR10_r124_03.jpg (70KB - 391 downloads) MR10_r124_05.jpg (22KB - 379 downloads) | ||
raffaplymouth |
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Elite Veteran Posts: 734 Location: Torino - Italy | no problem Mogge !! this very nice car, I know, has been sold to a very high price | ||
phins |
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Elite Veteran Posts: 1172 Location: bradenton florida | As far as the missing plates go my convertible is also missing the left side one. | ||
raffaplymouth |
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Elite Veteran Posts: 734 Location: Torino - Italy |
Hello Guys i had to change garages and move all the cars ... then it was too cold, now we start again !!! fender installed for rocker allignement Uploaded with ImageShack.us Uploaded with ImageShack.us Uploaded with ImageShack.us | ||
di_ch_NY56 |
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Expert Posts: 1530 Location: ZH, Switzerland | Raffaele I wish ya all the best at the new place. Good luck with all your work ya'll do. Your current project Adventurer Convertibe looks good. Happy motoring! Dieter | ||
raffaplymouth |
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Elite Veteran Posts: 734 Location: Torino - Italy |
Look Guys !! , this is the center frame of the rear seats , completly rebuild
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Ready for rear floor
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raffaplymouth |
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Elite Veteran Posts: 734 Location: Torino - Italy | Uploaded with ImageShack.us Uploaded with ImageShack.us | ||
Doctor DeSoto |
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Location: Parts Unknown | My floors went so much easier with a flawless original pan from cowl to hump, rocker to rocker. The special convertible stanchions and supports had to be made from scratch, but this is like making your own jigsaw puzzle ! Ouch ! | ||
rbmain |
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raffaele, nice work. | |||
raffaplymouth |
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Elite Veteran Posts: 734 Location: Torino - Italy |
Hello Guys !! Body is on the frame !! body exterior is finished .... need only fix the dent on the left side , and rebuild front pan floor and body mount floor , look photos ...
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Doctor DeSoto |
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Location: Parts Unknown | Will you keep this car black/gold, or return it to original white/gold ? | ||
di_ch_NY56 |
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Expert Posts: 1530 Location: ZH, Switzerland | Hello Raffy It looks very good! Congratulatione! All the best wishes to Italy! Kind regards Dieter | ||
BarnFind57 |
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Elite Veteran Posts: 957 Location: Signal Mountain, TN | Amazing Work! That's gonna be one beautiful convertible when you are finished. | ||
d500neil |
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Exner Expert 19,174 posts. Neil passed away 18 Sep 2015. You will be missed, Neil! Posts: 19146 Location: bishop, ca | Raffa, what do you intend to do with this work of art, when you complete it? | ||
raffaplymouth |
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Elite Veteran Posts: 734 Location: Torino - Italy | Hello !! I do not want to sell this car ... for color are undecided .. I do not know what to do ... but I think Black - gold | ||
Windsor59 |
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Expert Posts: 2596 Location: Upplands Väsby, Sweden | Must feels GOOD now. Great works. Funny to see all pics at your DeSoto renovaiting. | ||
raffaplymouth |
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Elite Veteran Posts: 734 Location: Torino - Italy |
More photos of Body on the frame Uploaded with ImageShack.us Uploaded with ImageShack.us Uploaded with ImageShack.us | ||
raffaplymouth |
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Elite Veteran Posts: 734 Location: Torino - Italy |
TRUNK LID INSTALLED
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d500neil |
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Exner Expert 19,174 posts. Neil passed away 18 Sep 2015. You will be missed, Neil! Posts: 19146 Location: bishop, ca | Looks like a 'nice' typical "OEM" fitment of the decklid, there, Raffa, but, you're gonna take care of THAT situation, huh? | ||
raffaplymouth |
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Elite Veteran Posts: 734 Location: Torino - Italy | hello !! excuse my absence, but I have not had much time ... in the meantime I have almost finished the floor and we also started the preparation and filling Uploaded with ImageShack.us
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raffaplymouth |
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Elite Veteran Posts: 734 Location: Torino - Italy | Guys anyone know Wayne R Graefen ? I have a book on the restoration of ADV written by him | ||
miquelonbrad |
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Expert Posts: 1737 Location: Hay Lakes, Alberta, Canada | Wow!! Looking great!! When you are done, I'll ship over my Chrysler and you can get started on it!! | ||
raffaplymouth |
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Elite Veteran Posts: 734 Location: Torino - Italy | Thank you Brad !! | ||
BigBlockMopar |
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Expert Posts: 3575 Location: Netherlands | Wayne is a member here. He'll chime in I guess. Good progress on the Desoto! | ||
BarnFind57 |
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Elite Veteran Posts: 957 Location: Signal Mountain, TN | Looking GREAT! | ||
FIN ME |
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Expert Posts: 2788 Location: USA - KY | . Amazing progress! Please keep the photos coming. | ||
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