rhoward@xxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
>mystery? I know someone in Scandinavia put a 61 Desoto front clip on a
>61 Chrysler and passes it off as a 61 Desoto convertible-even got written
>up in a magazine. -(In "DeSoto Adventures" and Swedish "Wheels" and
"Power" -ML).
Nobody here put a 61 DeSoto front clip on a 61 Chrysler. That car was a
project car and it was a "correct" 61 DeSoto convertible, when it was
brought here. There were not enough evidences of either the car was an
original convertible or not. Or someone did the uncommon job many decades
ago. As you know, the factory never offered a 61 DeSoto convertible. When
the announcing of discontinuing DeSoto passenger cars was launched, may be
some boss in DeSoto line wanted something unusual and they used body of a
61 Newport convertible to make a DeSoto convertible.. may be. There is also
a 61 DeSoto convertible in Texas in condition #5.
Some guy made a custom-job '60 DeSoto Adventurer convertible long time ago
in Finland.
>Now I guess we need Marko to describe to us statesiders what a 1961 Desoto
>Diplomat wagon looks like..(although we can safely assume it will be a 61
>Dodge with altered side trim) I still would like to see it, however!
You guessed it. As in 1960, the Diplomat was simply a Dodge Dart with
different trim and nameplates. Styling of the rear fin and taillight in a
61 Diplomat wagon was identical to that used on the Dodge Polara. The
jet-tube taillights were also used on Dart wagons and the entire Polara
series. They looked much better than the smaller fins used on regular Dart
and Diplomat. There were two Diplomat wagon models offered - a basic
Diplomat 2-seat and Diplomat DeLuxe 3-seat.
The red '61 DeSoto Diplomat wagon I saw in Forssa has a 225 Slant Six and
the car was for sale. There is also another '61 wagon in Finland, it has a
318 cid 4-bbl engine and is heavily optioned. The '60 Diplomat wagon which
was also in Forssa is the only '60 wagon in the country as far as I know.
The VIN's fourth digit from the left is "2" and indicates, that these cars
were built at "Dodge main" in Detroit. I forgot to mention, that there was
also a '57 DeSoto Diplomat Station Wagon in Forssa meet. Basically Plymouth
with DeSoto Firesweep front end. I have the photos, but unfortunately I
don't have a scanner.
IMO, the most gorgeous export model DeSoto in Finland is a '57 Diplomat
Custom convertible owned by a guy who owns also '60 DeS Adv conv mentioned
above. The most unusual Dodge Kingsway is a '59 2-Dr. station wagon.
Beginning with year 1958, some of the DeSoto Diplomats and Dodge Kingsways
were available with Perkins P4C diesel engine. These engines were installed
or the whole cars were assembled in Belgium. They were very popular with
Finnish taxicab drivers. The demand exceeded the supply. Think about
Forward Look DIESEL Mopar!
wwatson@xxxxxxxxx wrote:
>The 1960-1961 DeSoto Diplomat was based on the Dodge Dart but
>used side trim very similar to that used in the 1957-1958 era.
Only the side trim of '60 Diplomat closely resembled that used on the '57
DeSoto.
Marko Lonngren NDC #605
Finland
'61 DeSoto 2-Dr Ht
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