Vehicle Description
1955 DeSoto Firedome Sportsman Hardtop Coupe� Original California
DeSoto with 14,183 miles showing on the odometer! Resided with the
same owner for the last eight years and he bought the car from the
original owner! Rare Firedome No-post Hardtop Coupe 291 CID Hemi
Firedome V-8 engine with two-bbl. carb on high-rise intake with
dual exhaust (185 hp) Two-speed Flitecontrol automatic transmission
Dual exhausts Carnival Red exterior with contrasting Surf White
roof Black and ivory interior 15-inch original DeSoto wheels
covered by full 'DeS' crested hub caps Newer Classic Coker
whitewall tires "Looking forward" to a new, classic car? "Drive a
DeSoto before you decide!" MotoeXotica Classic Cars is pleased to
present one of the rarest of the DeSotos, the 1955 Firedome
Sportsman Coupe. Debuting the new "Forward Look," with its long,
tapered fins and a 185-horsepower Hemi Firedome V-8, it's no wonder
the DeSoto was picked as The Official Pace Car for the 1956
Indianapolis 500! Owned by the same owner for eight years, who
purchased the car from the original California owner, this nicely
presented Desoto no-post hardtop couple comes equipped with the
aforementioned 291 CID V-8 engine, a two-barrel carburetor on a
high-rise intake and is mated to a two-speed Flitecontrol automatic
transmission. The car has dual exhausts and features power steering
and power drum brakes. This is an original California DeSoto only
showing 14,183 miles on the clock and the previous owner states the
mileage is original, however, there is no documentation to support
that. The wheels are 15-inch original DeSoto steelies, covered by
full "DeS" crested hub caps with newer Coker Classic H78-15
whitewall tires. Finished in bright Carnival Red, this coupe shows
extremely well with only minor imperfections visible upon close
inspection. The contrasting Surf White roof is a tastefully
executed contrast to the rest of the exterior. All of the original
Sportsman trim is present, complete and displays normal wear with
only very slight signs of marring. The front grille has a brilliant
finish. The front and rear chrome bumpers fit extremely tight and
show well with only minor issues. The engine bay is tidy; even the
words on the valve covers sport new paint. The original 15-inch
wheels present well with only slight signs of marring. Car comes
with dual exhausts. Inside, through the New Horizon wraparound
windshield, (a DeSoto first that year), the rich black and ivory
vinyl front and rear seats show well, with little or no noticeable
wear. The matching door panels, carpet and dual-cockpit dashboard
(another DeS first) are a contrasting complement to the striking
red exterior of the car and look great with minor wear. The fuel
gauge is inoperable but all of the other gauges function as
designed and all have the correct appearance. There is a factory
clock and working original equipment AM radio, too. The horn is
inoperable but the originally equipped DeSoto steering wheel is in
good, original condition. Lead stylist Virgil Exner employed The
Forward Look on all 1955 through 1961�Chrysler vehicles. What
evolved was a line of cars lower, longer and wider�and modern in
every sense of the word. The Firedome�was a full-sized Chrysler
automobile produced�from 1952 to 1959. In 1955, Chrysler dropped
its�six-cylinder�DeSoto Powermaster�series and added the
topline�Fireflite�series, pushing the Firedome down to entry level
status. Still, the Firedome was not a cheap offering, riding on a
126-inch wheelbase, retaining its�V-8 engine and increasing its 276
CID to 291 CID with a larger bore and it came with a host of
features and interior upgrades that the Powermaster series lacked.
While Powerflite two-speed automatics were advertised as standard
transmissions on the Firedome, officially the car was offered with
a three-speed�manual, though few were produced. With 129,767 copies
sold, DeSoto placed 12th in sales for 1955. Comparable examples of
competitors include the Buick 60 (Century) Riviera two-door
hardtop, Mercury Monterey coupe and the Oldsmobile Holiday 88
hardtop coupe. This DeSoto conjures up visions of the more relaxed,
simpler times of the '50s, weekend get-aways or a family trips to
the drive-in...GET OUT AND DRIVE! Current mileage on the odometer
shows 14,183 miles, it is sold as is where is on a clean and clear,
mileage exempt title. VIN: 55186949 Note: Please see full terms and
conditions listed below that pertain to the purchase of any said
vehicle, thank you.
