Documented Frame Off Restored Fireflite Sportsman 341 HEMI V8 Torqueflite
Make: | DeSoto |
Model: | Fireflite |
SubModel: | Sportsman |
Type: | Other |
Doors: | 2 |
Year: | 1957 |
Mileage: | 58,362 |
Color: | Red |
Transmission: | Automatic |
Interior color: | Red |
Vehicle Title: | Clear |
Item location: | Charlotte, North Carolina, United States |
Extras |
Listed by |
Private seller |
Description of 1957 DeSoto Fireflite Sportsman |
eBay template information@RKMotorsCharlotte. com 5527 Lakeview Road. Charlotte. NC. 28269. US 1957 DeSoto Fireflite Sportsman Documented Frame Off Restored Fireflite Sportsman 341 HEMI V8 Torqueflite Year: 1957 Type of vehicle title: Clear Primary color: Red Mileage: 58362 Transmission type: 3 Speed Automatic Engine: 341 HEMI Interior color: Red Vehicle info I know a lot of you are in love with the '57 Chevy. but one look across the street at what was going on at Chrysler might change your allegiances. Park this heart-stopping 1957 Desoto Fireflite Sportsman next to a 57 Chevy and the Chevy starts to look positively ordinary in comparison. With long. sweeping lines. those killer fins. and a robust 341 cubic inch Hemi under the hood. Chrysler was most definitely at the top of their game with this car. We probably wouldn't have the Big Three today without Virgil Exner's work at Chrysler. The Forward Look cars that he penned for 1955 were revolutionary and instantly made everything else on the market look like yesterday's news. Just one look at the spectacular Fiesta Red flanks on this Fireflite Sportsman will convince you that while excess was still in fashion. it was knowing where to put it that was important. This Desoto has received a frame-off restoration that is absolutely breathtaking in person. The bodywork is exceptionally well done (and it has to be with those giant fins. there's nowhere for inferior work to hide). and the car is magnificently presented. Gaps and panel fit is exemplary. and the doors close with a solid thunk that no modern car can match. The Fiesta Red paint is deep and lustrous. which is obvious even in the studio photos. Look at the reflections and you'll see no distortions or orange peel in the finish. just an incredibly uniform. glossy expanse of red. The gray top is the perfect contrast to the red. more sophisticated and even futuristic than the more typical white used on some of its competitors. And again. the finish is brilliant. with just the right amount of metallic in it to re-create the jet age 50s. When talking about any car from this decade. it's impossible to avoid discussing the chrome. On a car like this. the restoration of the trim is often the most expensive part of the job. so it's always smart to buy a car where all that work is done. On this one. the bright pieces have been refinished to great condition with incredible detailing and impressive depth of finish. Those massive bumpers have been restored to new condition. and all the chrome and stainless detailing throughout glitters like jewelry. Even the twin Dagmars on the lower front bumper. which were unique to the Fireflite. have been finished to better-than-new condition. And the car also carries dual antennas on its rear fenders. which was the height of fashion in the late 50s. In 1957. the horsepower races had already started. and Chrysler was at the head of the pack with their Hemi powerplants. In the Desoto Fireflite. it was a 341 cubic inch Hemi that used a single 4-barrel carburetor to make a very stout 295 horsepower. enough to push these gorgeous cars to more than 125 MPH. The engine bay in this Fireflite is beautifully restored and finished to concours standards throughout. The engine is correctly finished in corporate silver with red lettering on the unique Hemi valve covers. The massive air cleaner assembly dominates the engine bay. which was necessary thanks to the Hemi's improved breathing. Correct finishes. materials. and decals have been used throughout. from the heater housing on the firewall. to the hoses and clamps. to the reproduction battery. Quality control stamps have been duplicated. and even in here the paint has been buffed and finished. A correct generator still makes the electricity and the wiring harness is an accurate reproduction. Taking this car to a show and NOT lifting the hood should be a crime. The standard transmission in the Fireflite Sportsman is a 3-speed TorqueFlite feeding a 3. 36-geared rear end. The rest of the chassis is spectacularly detailed. from the Fiesta Red floors to the satin black frame and all the correctly finished parts in between. Up front. you'll find Chrysler's familiar torsion-bar front suspension. which has been fully rebuilt and rides like a hovercraft. True-dual exhaust was part of the program for the Fireflite. and a complete system has been fabricated to factory specifications on this car. giving it a subtle. yet authoritative voice. The rear end rides on restored leaf springs and damped by new shocks that match the originals in color and function. A new gas tank hangs out back. ensuring that you won't have fuel problems down the road. And the wheels are comprised of gorgeous chrome wires that spin 15-inch wide whitewall radials. The eye candy doesn't stop at the exterior. Chrysler stylists fine-tuned every aspect of the car to match the Forward Look styling. and that meant the interior had to be exceptional. It is. With two-tone red and gray seating front and back. it ties in brilliantly with the exterior color scheme. Everything inside this car is new. from the subtle gray carpets to the gorgeous headliner accented by chrome top bows. The dashboard incorporates a lot of pure 1950s style. from the massive steering wheel to the textured metal panel that surrounds the gauge cluster. The first of the pushbutton controls that made Chrysler famous are found to the left of the steering wheel. and I kind of dig the dashboard-mounted rear-view mirror. The original AM radio still lives in the dash. but a powerful modern JVC head unit has been hidden in the glove box. along with speakers hidden throughout the passenger compartment. The trunk has been restored to new condition. with a new trunk mat and a full-sized spare tire that's complete with cover. And. for a medium-priced car in 1957. I bet this Desoto made its new owner feel like a million bucks. The sale of this smooth DeSoto includes Chrysler Historical Services documentation. I'm flat-out blown away by how much I like this car. Usually when you hear Desoto you think of some frumpy. brown sedan. Then you get a look at this movie star and all you can think about is what it would feel like to be behind the wheel and unwinding the powerful Hemi on a long. straight section of highway. Desoto died in 1961. but they enjoy a very strong support network and with their Chrysler connection. parts are plentiful and easy to find. They're also considerably harder to find than their Dodge and Plymouth siblings. which will make this Fireflite the hit of any show. even the Mopar Nationals. Given the choice between this and. say. a 1957 Chevy. I know which one I'd prefer! About this auction & rk motors charlotte Please note that all sales are binding and final. Our cars are sold "as-is" with no warranty expressed or implied. Please carefully read the terms & conditions of the sale before bidding. Winning this auction does not entitle you to come inspect the car and decide if you want to buy it. but obligates you to complete the purchase! A $1000. 00 deposit via PayPal is due within 24 hours of the auction close . NO EXCEPTIONS. If you have ZERO feedback on eBay. please call or email us to request our authority to bid on our vehicles. We do not release our reserve prices. as this would be unfair to the other bidders. so please don't ask! Each and every one of these cars is listed on eBay. but only one sale. on average per month. actually occurs on eBay. If you see a car you like. don't wait! Call us! When you see it disappear from eBay. it means that it was sold by other means. Because we advertise heavily in other mediums. we reserve the right to cancel any eBay listing at any time. If you would like to make a sales visit or arrange an inspection. we would be happy to schedule a personal appointment with either yourself or your representative. To do so. contact Donald Bernard at (704)596-5211 or (781)773-4648. Donald's email address is: Donald. Berard@RKMotorsCharlotte. com. For those of you who need to fly in. we can provide transportation to and from Charlotte Douglas International Airport. We can also recommend accommodations within a short distance of our facility. RK Motors takes pride in delivering road-ready cars to our customers. That's why every car we sell comes with the assurance of our Seal of Approval process - a comprehensive inspection performed by our sister company. the RKM Performance Center. From major visual defects to basic functionality issues. our Seal of Approval checklist covers the basics so you can feel confident about your purchase. For international buyers. note that we've shipped cars to collectors and classic car fans world-wide for years. We can provide you with a firm quote for transport to any shipping port in the world in a sealed container and handle the process for you from start to finish. Our domestic and international ground transport solutions are enclosed only. If you wish to use an open carrier. you will need to arrange that. Our Transportation Manager. Gregory Smith. stands ready to help you with your transport & shipping needs. Gregory can be reached at: Greg. Smith@rkmotorscharlotte. com. A common question we receive is: "do you accept trades"? We do accept trades. but will only consider #1 or #2 condition vehicles. If you would like us to review a trade. please send recent. high resolution pictures of the entire car. including the underside. Also send a detailed description which includes all specifications. facts. figures. history and documentation present with the car. Lastly. give us a clear idea of what you are seeking in trade value. If you are a MyClassicGarage user. you can send us an Evaluation file for review. Our MCG virtual garage name is: RK Motors Charlotte. Email information and pictures on your trade directly to Donald Berard. Donald's email address is: Donald. Berard@RKMotorsCharlotte. com. Our 60. 00 sqf retail showrooms are located in beautiful Charlotte. North Carolina . We usually have 200-250 incredible cars on display. and there's always something new. Feel free to make an appointment. stop in and meet our staff. and. more importantly. see the Greatest Showroom on Earth! Each and every one of our employees is an absolute car nut and we do this because we love cars! In addition to our retail showroom in Charlotte. NC. the RKM Performance Center is located in a 40. 00 sqf facility in Mooresville. NC. which is about 20 minutes north of Charlotte in the heart of NASCAR country. We perform complete restorations for classic car collectors worldwide. RKM restored cars have won numerous national awards. Check out our feedback from other customers who have purchased cars from us in the past on our website. We pride ourselves on describing our cars accurately. and. our cars really do look better in person than in the pictures! Every car that you see for sale is in our physical possession and located at our main facility. 5527 Lakeview Road. Charlotte. NC. 28269. For general information. call us at: (704)596-5211. RKM Performance Center Heated paint booth Sanding room Mixing room Sandblasting cabinet Interior shop Metal fabrication shop 10 two post lifts Alignment rack Tony Klein Consignment Manager 5527 Lakeview RoadCharlotte. NC. 28269 Phone: 704-596-5211 Fax: 704-596-5980 Mobile: 440-413-0849 Tony. Klein@RKMotorsCharlotte. com Gerry Notara Vice Presidentof Operations 5527 Lakeview RoadCharlotte. NC. 28269 Phone: 704-235-2973 Fax: 704-596-5980 Mobile: 704-773-4658 Gerry. Notara@RKMotorsCharlotte. com Donald Berard Sales Manager 5527 Lakeview RoadCharlotte. NC. 28269 Phone: 704-596-5211 Fax: 704-596-5980 Mobile: 781-773-4648 Donald. Berard@RKMotorsCharlotte. com Gregory Smith Transport Manager 5527 Lakeview RoadCharlotte. NC. 28269 Phone: 704-562-6226 Fax: 704-596-5980 Mobile: 704-562-6226 Greg. Smith@rkmotorscharlotte. com 704. 596. 5211 info@RKMotorsCharlotte. com Showroom 5527 Lakeview RoadCharlotte. NC 28269 |