1932 DeSoto 6 SA Series Deluxe Sedan
"Named after the famous Spanish explorer, Hernando de Soto, (who is most known for discovering the Mississippi River in 1541), Chrysler Corporation officially introduced DeSoto Division in 1928 with the 1929 model year, (some early cars are titled as 1928's since some states used the build year). However, Chrysler Corporation was actually not the first company to use the "de Soto" name badge. From 1913-1916 there was a little known de Soto car company located out of Auburn, Indiana, that was of no relation to the later brand our club celebrates." Thx to desoto.org
For consignment, a 1932 DeSoto 6 SA Series Deluxe sedan, a 4-owner car with a title verified 56,467 actual miles. Nearly 25,000 DeSoto 6's were made in 1932 and were available in seven body styles, each of them priced at $675, (about $16,000 in today's money). In subsequent years, DeSoto produced the Airflow, an unconventional car with wild, rounded features, then the Airstream, a design more accepted by the buying public.
Exterior
This stunning automobile is fronted by a black convex grille, straked vertically with a beautiful and robust polished surround, a ribbon like bumper below, and a breathtaking, (and expensive), Flying Goddess hood ornament/radiator cap. Large headlights hug the inside of the fenders over bugle-like horns on each side, just in front of louvered hood covers delineated from the top with a double red pinstripe. Pilot Blue paint coats the car except for the fenders and running board which are black and the tall cabin is replete with windows and light beginning with the perfectly vertical windshield, framed in glorious polished metal and hinged for opening. Light blue 18-inch wire wheels create a dramatic contrast, especially with the wide white wall tires and the spare mounted on the back is not spared the coverage to include polished hubcaps with red highlights. Suicide style doors put the handles to the front offering the only metal on the side aside from the engine cover pulls and side mirror. Some touched up chips and scuffs on the fenders register as the only exterior imperfections we note.
Interior
Gray mohair pile fabric upholstery warmly covers the door panels just below the wood framed windows, to our eyes, constructed of curly maple. The cabin beckons like a fine parlor, warm and inviting decked out in soft, gray mohair fabric on the bench in front and its twin in the rear, both with a vertical stitched pattern. The back space is particularly home-like with fixed wood trimmed windows, armrests, ashtrays, and graceful corded handles, a helpful grip that preceded seat belts by several decades. Up front, a 3 spoke steering wheel fronts a beautiful wood dashboard and a gold oval in the middle houses smaller oval gauges in a tasteful presentation that would be right at home in a mansion's study. A slim shifter rises from the floor which is covered in a gray and white loop carpet that extends on the footwell walls. The mohair velvet headliner is in fantastic shape as well and has a single visor set back off the windshield.
Drivetrain
Behind the engine cover, we find a clean 205.3 ci inline 6 cylinder rated at 75 horsepower and fueled by a 1-barrel carburetor. A 3-speed manual transmission sends power to the rear axle and 4.66 gears. Drum brakes are front and rear in what must have felt like a luxury item in 1932.
Undercarriage
Driver quality on the underside of the DeSoto with a decent amount of surface rust, some oil on the rear diff, some fling around the U-joint, and fluid on the transmission bottom. But overall, generally clean. An X-brace takes in both the driveshaft and the single exhaust which wears a stock style muffler and exits near the inside of the split rear bumper. Leaf springs make up the suspension front and rear.
Drive-Ability
This is one of those cars where the back seat looks just as enticing as the driver's seat, perhaps edging it out by a hair. But lollygagging in the back seat won't do potential buyers any good as our job is to test the working components and roadworthiness of the Six. And so, we do and the inline six delivers fine acceleration and the tall wheels with leaf springs keep things level as we traverse minor imperfections in the road. Visibility is excellent and we note that all functions work as intended in this living room on wheels. While Classic Auto Mall represents that these functions were working at the time of our test drive, we cannot guarantee these functions will be working at the time of your purchase.
The Desoto print ads from 1932 are fantastic, carefully balancing the impacts of the depression with the needs of the masses. "Because of the great demand for this car your DeSoto dealer might not have one on hand. But go and see him anyway. Place your name on his lists for an early demonstration.". Well, no waiting lists here. This stunner is available at Classic Auto Mall now!
Classic Auto Mall is home to more than 1,000 classic and collectible vehicles for sale via consignment in a climate controlled 336,000-square foot showroom (that's more than 8 acres!). The largest single location consignment dealer of classic and collectible vehicles in the country is located in Morgantown, Pennsylvania, just 1-hour west of Philadelphia off Exit 298 of the I-76 Pennsylvania Turnpike. For more information visit www.classicautomall.com or call us at (888) 227-0914. Contact us anytime for more information or to come see the vehicle in person. There is no guarantee of mileage. A $299 Dealer Administrative fee is not included in the advertised price.
With so many great cars, you know we have a lot to talk about, and we do that each week on the Classic Auto Mall Podcast with host Stewart Howden. Stewart discusses new inventory as well as trends in consignments and car prices, while interviewing celebrities and automotive professionals about amazing cars and their history. Tune in each week to the Classic Auto Mall Podcast wherever you enjoy listening. You can also watch on YouTube!
