Re: [FWDLK] RARE 1961 Newport

[Bill Watson <wwatson6@xxxxxxx>]

That car was extremely easy to order - basically only one option box was 
ticked, the engine - $283 on the Adventurer, probably $376 on the Fireflite. 
The 12" brakes were part of the cross ram package.  Although the engine was 
advertised as optional only on the Adventurer, I don't think too many arms 
would have been twisted to get it on a Fireflite given the 43% drop in sales 
in 1960.

The rubber floor mats would have been the only item not offered on any 1960 
DeSoto and thus a special order.  But as they were offered on the big Dodge 
police models they would fit a DeSoto.  Items with '*' were standard on the 
Adventurer -

On the Fireflite, options were -
power brakes - $43
power seats - $101
power steering - $106
power windows - $106
radio - $89
heater - $98
tinted glass - $43
* back up lights - $12  (about 5,672 Fireflites built with no back up 
lights)
* Torqueflite - $227   (about 24 Fireflites built without Torqueflite)
* Wheel covers - $19

So, that Fireflite was a stripper model with big engine, big brakes and 
easy-to-clean rubber floor covering.

The 3-on-the-floor shifter was also used on 122" wheelbase Dodges and 
DeSotos to spread the tooling costs.  Chrysler built about 215 Dodges with a 
manual transmission along with less than 70 Chrysler Windsors, so the demand 
was far from great.  All to keep the advertised base price as low as 
possible.

Bill
Vancouver, BC


----- Original Message ----- 
From: cgico@xxxxxxxxxxx
To: L-FORWARDLOOK@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Sunday, July 18, 2010 10:03 AM
Subject: Re: [FWDLK] RARE 1961 Newport


In 1990 I bought a 60 Fireflite coupe with this 3-speed on the floor.  Also 
had a 383 and crossrams.  :-)  Manual brakes, seats, steering, and windows, 
no radio or heater, clear glass and rubber floor mat.  It remains the only 
60 DeSoto I have seen with back up light block-off plates.  The car also had 
12" brakes.  Bought new by the dealer's son at the dealership in Bellingham, 
Wa - I suspect this car  either had "strings pulled" to have it built that 
way, or saw some extra time in "dealer prep" applying a few over-the-counter 
goodies from the parts dept.


 A bear to drive in anything but open road driving.  I was fast as hell.


 B.

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