1957 DeSoto firedome project

[fury1]

Hello all. Thought I'd start my first forum on forward look here as I've bought one that I'm planning on resorting. I was down in Louisville Kentucky two weeks ago for louder than life music festival. Mainly there to see Metallica perform two nights. My dad, sister, and I had time off in-between so we found a local auction and headed over to look. And behold a trove of mopars. The one that caught my eye was this 57 DeSoto firedome. Ended up buying it and bringing it home a week later. It is going to be sitting in the garage a while though because of other projects ahead of it. I will be looking for parts over the next year. This is going to be the most extensive/expensive restoration I have attempted so far. It will take years I'm sure but I will keep it all documented here.
The car is going to need a floorpan, Front fenders, rockers, and floorpan/quarter extensions. Front and rear windshield as well.

 

[mikedrini]

Hello all. Thought I'd start my first forum on forward look here as I've bought one that I'm planning on resorting. I was down in Louisville Kentucky two weeks ago for louder than life music festival. Mainly there to see Metallica perform two nights. My dad, sister, and I had time off in-between so we found a local auction and headed over to look. And behold a trove of mopars. The one that caught my eye was this 57 DeSoto firedome. Ended up buying it and bringing it home a week later. It is going to be sitting in the garage a while though because of other projects ahead of it. I will be looking for parts over the next year. This is going to be the most extensive/expensive restoration I have attempted so far. It will take years I'm sure but I will keep it all documented here.
The car is going to need a floorpan, Front fenders, rockers, and floorpan/quarter extensions. Front and rear windshield as well.
View attachment 491162 View attachment 491163 View attachment 491169 View attachment 491164 View attachment 491166 View attachment 491167 View attachment 491168 View attachment 491171 View attachment 491170

View attachment 491165

Metallica...nice...Trapped Under Ice is one of the most amazing songs I've ever heard live.

 

[BuckeyeBarracuda]

Nice looking car. Keep your eyes open for parts as they become available. No need to pay exorbitant prices, as many parts from Chrysler and Dodge will fit and may be more available...

I have a lot of parts from 57-59 Dodge, including body, electrical, etc. I believe (correct me here guys, if wrong) that the Firedome is basically Chrysler-based.

 

[bigmoparjeff]

That's certainly going to be an ambitious project.

I love the '57-'58 Desoto's and hope to get one some day, so I'm on board with doing whatever it takes to get it fixed up and looking nice again.

I believe they make some reproduction sheet metal parts like rockers and maybe floor panels. There still seems to be a good number of these Forward Look cars sitting in fields and yards out west, so hopefully it won't be too hard to find the fenders and other used parts that you will need.

Jeff

 

[57fury440]

Nice car.

 

[1970FuryConv]

Thanks for saving it!

 

[413]

That's certainly going to be an ambitious project.

I love the '57-'58 Desoto's and hope to get one some day, so I'm on board with doing whatever it takes to get it fixed up and looking nice again.

I believe they make some reproduction sheet metal parts like rockers and maybe floor panels. There still seems to be a good number of these Forward Look cars sitting in fields and yards out west, so hopefully it won't be too hard to find the fenders and other used parts that you will need.

Jeff

Yep you are wrong, Chrysler dodge and Desoto Hemis are different from each other.

It seems odd, but that’s how they did them.

And this will be a labor of love. Expensive and hard to find parts for it. Better off buying one done. This is reality, not negativity. 57-59 Chrysler parts ain’t cheap either.

 

[cantflip]

Hello all. Thought I'd start my first forum on forward look here as I've bought one that I'm planning on resorting. I was down in Louisville Kentucky two weeks ago for louder than life music festival. Mainly there to see Metallica perform two nights. My dad, sister, and I had time off in-between so we found a local auction and headed over to look. And behold a trove of mopars. The one that caught my eye was this 57 DeSoto firedome. Ended up buying it and bringing it home a week later. It is going to be sitting in the garage a while though because of other projects ahead of it. I will be looking for parts over the next year. This is going to be the most extensive/expensive restoration I have attempted so far. It will take years I'm sure but I will keep it all documented here.
The car is going to need a floorpan, Front fenders, rockers, and floorpan/quarter extensions. Front and rear windshield as well.
View attachment 491162 View attachment 491163 View attachment 491169 View attachment 491164 View attachment 491166 View attachment 491167 View attachment 491168 View attachment 491171 View attachment 491170

View attachment 491165

I posted my recent junkyard crawl pictures over on the drydock... new camera takes big file pictures and they have an easy converter built in which made the upload much easier. They are in the members only section. you should browse through them as I tried to get an inventory of everything FL while I was there.

BTW, I love what you've done to the Imperial and your inbox is full so I couldn't PM you... no biggie...info is here now.

 

[fury1]

I posted my recent junkyard crawl pictures over on the drydock... new camera takes big file pictures and they have an easy converter built in which made the upload much easier. They are in the members only section. you should browse through them as I tried to get an inventory of everything FL while I was there.

BTW, I love what you've done to the Imperial and your inbox is full so I couldn't PM you... no biggie...info is here now.

Will definitely check tht out! Probably won't be buying much if anything this year but it's good to know the parts are out there! Thanks for the kind words about the imperial. It needs odds and ends yet but it drives beautifully now.

Yep you are wrong, Chrysler dodge and Desoto Hemis are different from each other.

It seems odd, but that’s how they did them.

And this will be a labor of love. Expensive and hard to find parts for it. Better off buying one done. This is reality, not negativity. 57-59 Chrysler parts ain’t cheap either.

I know the parts aren't cheap. I've wanted a 2dr forward look for a while and I could never afford a done one. This one was $2500. A little money at a time and I can afford this one. And I'm sure I'll have more into it than it's worth by the end. But it is about the journey for me, not the destination.

Metallica...nice...Trapped Under Ice is one of the most amazing songs I've ever heard live.

I have yet to hear this song live. Perhaps at their 40th anniversary show this December!!

 

[W.Weiland]

If the rear glass is same as a 59 desoto which i believe is I have one

 

[BuckeyeBarracuda]

Are the front and rear windows the same for the Chrysler-body based Desotos as the Dodge-based Desotos? Which is which? Firesweep, Firedome?

 

[SGT FURY]

For parts call big M auto in Williams CA 1 530 473 2225
He has a large selection of parts

 

[Promiscuitto]

Nice pup + nice car. On the pics you posted, the front windshield appears intact

 

[fury1]

Are the front and rear windows the same for the Chrysler-body based Desotos as the Dodge-based Desotos? Which is which? Firesweep, Firedome?

I know the Chrysler two door hardtop of the same year are the same but I'm not sure about dodge. I also heard that the 4 Dr Hardtop windows are the same? Don't know about that either

 

[fury1]

Nice pup + nice car. On the pics you posted, the front windshield appears intact

View attachment 491906

The front window is there but there's a crack along the bottom right in the middle unfortunately

 

[71Polara383]

Thats a tough looking Car!

Good luck with it!

 

[BuckeyeBarracuda]

If the windows from a 57 Dodge 2dr Hardtop are the same, I have a nice set available. I know the 2dr HT is different from the 4drs. May also have a spare set of side windows if needed. In Ohio...

 

[Promiscuitto]

@fury1 Do you know anyone local to you who's talented with metal fabrication? If so, the lower quarters and front fenders could likely be saved

 

[bluefury361]

The 57 DeSoto's tell you what the auto styling of the era was. Every one else trying to keep up.

Forward look vehicles are a long, expensive and challenging undertaking, I'm in my 5th year on mine now now. Loving every minute. A very gratifying experience to bring one back to it's original , (or better), condition.

 

[fury1]

@fury1 Do you know anyone local to you who's talented with metal fabrication? If so, the lower quarters and front fenders could likely be saved

Im a welder by trade. The rear quarters a saveable. The front fender eye brow section could be made. Just gonna take some patience!!