Hey, Pete, I owned a '59 Firedome for 10 years and miss it every day.
Being a 4-door, absolute value of this car is relatively low; I'd
guess under $1000. You may not make any $$ off this car but you might
have a cool car for not a lot of $$. There are those who assume a
DeSoto to be worth more than a Chrysler or Dodge of the same era; IMO
this only applies to '61 and maybe '60 due to low production, '61
being last year for DeSoto.
A '59 Fireflite would have a "B" 383 ("RB" 383 AFAIK only in Windsors,
Saratogas). The year code for a '59 block would be "M".
Good Luck,
Mike Sealey
P. S. Sorry it took so long to get back to you on that '69 Coronet.
Is it an AC-equipped car, and if so would you sell the control panel?
Joe Mopar <pgalmish@xxxxxxxxx> wrote on Tuesday January 19, 1999 at
8:05am:
>Hello all,
>A friend spotted a 59 Desoto 4 door Fireflite Sportsman at a local
wrecker and I
>went to check it out yesterday. Talk about an eye catching car! The
body was
>real nice, with low rust. The front fenders are just starting to
rust now but
>they are still nice and solid above the headlights. The rear fenders
have the
>only rust that goes through - Right behind the tires (real low). The
paint is
>nearly gone, and the top is rust covered, but again, still nice and
solid. The
>car has nice chrome, and all the glass looks great. The body is
straight. The
>car has all the emblems, and all of the taillights (two have
cracks). This
>Desoto arrived at the wrecker 8/30/98, which explains the good - all
there -
>condition. The only low points seem to be the interior. The dash is
>weathered, but the dials, gauges, etc, are fine. The seats and door
panels,
>interior top, are weathered as well. The back seat looks presentable
though.
>Everything mechanical (as far as I could tell) has enjoyed our dry
climate. The
>windows all raise and lower smoothly, everything seems to open fairly
easy. It
>is missing: the engine. But there appears to be a 383 (minus heads
and intake)
>sitting in the trunk. The 383 is rusted up pretty good, and is a B
383, and I
>am not sure if the Desotos had a B 383 (as opposed to RB 383? any
help on
>engines?). It is also missing a radiator (but there is a big one in
the trunk
>- could be it). And that is about it. The yard is willing to sell
the car as
>is, without title. I am wondering what anyone thinks the car is
worth so I
>know what to offer? I was holding out for a 2 door Plymouth, but I
might be
>soon working on a mighty Desoto. BTW: If I don't end up putting an
offer on
>the car, I was wondering if anyone else is interested ( Operative
word here is
>"IF"... he he); I would sure like to see this car fixed up and on
the road. I
>went to another yard that had a bunch of 50's mopars that were well
picked over
>and rusting badly, and I don't want this Desoto to share their
fate. Thanks
>everyone!
>Pete
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