1955 Desoto Fireflite

This 1955 Desoto Fireflite Convertible is a beautifully restored, Mopar convertible that is ready for some serious summer cruising. Initially named for Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto, the Desoto marque was positioned in the middle of Chryslers brand hierarchy, sitting above the entry-level Plymouth brand but below the premium Chrysler (and later Imperial) brands. See, Walter Chrysler learned from his time at General Motors that diversification and hierarchical approach to branding helped the company sell cars to virtually everyone in America. While the Chrysler Corporation survived the Great Depression, production across American automobile manufacturing was ceased due to the onset of World War II. When American auto manufacturing resumed in 1946, virtually every company was re-badging its pre-war offerings for the first few years. By the time the 50s rolled around, American automakers were back in full swing albeit consumer demand for new vehicles did fluctuate a bit. 1955 marked a major turning point in the design of all Chrysler products with the introduction of the Forward Look design philosophy. The brainchild of famed automotive designer Virgil Exner, the new Forward Look cars took inspiration from the growing aviation industry and prioritized aerodynamics. The Chrysler Corporation bet heavily that the new Forward Look designs would help its brands rebound from mid-year sales slump in 1954. In fact, it was said that Chrysler spent over $250 million on the design, development, and tooling which was an unbelievable amount of money back in the mid-Fifties. However, Chryslers major financial investment would turn out quite fruitful and exceeded sales expectations in 1955. For DeSoto, the Chrysler marque had two product lines, the entry-level Firedome and the top-of-the-line Fireflite. Differntiating the Fireflite from the Firedome was addition exterior trim such as special front fender script, elevated trim on top of the front fenders, and chrome rocker trim. Sitting atop the Fireflite line was the Convertible model that was the most expensive DeSoto offered in 1955 and featured two-tone paint as standard equipment. In total, only 775 Desoto Fireflite Convertibles were produced in 1955 making this particular example quite a rare piece of automobile history. Additionally, this particular Fireflite Convertible comes to us from a southern-based collection where exceptional care was taken preserving this gorgeous Desoto. Powering this 55 Desoto is a 291 Cubic Inch Hemi V8 fed by a single 4 barrel carburetor that was said to have pushed out 200 horsepower from the factory. The 291 Hemi V8 is mated to a Powerflite automatic transmission that makes this 55 Fireflite Convertible a breeze for anybody to take for a joyride around the block. This particular 1955 Desoto Fireflite comes loaded with options! With power steering, manuvering this 50s cruiser in and out of tight spaces is nearly effortless. Bringing this Fireflite to a complete stop is also much easier, especially with all that Hemi horsepower under the hood. The white vinyl power convertible top is in wonderful condition and goes up and down with the simple flick of a switch. Riding on a set of wide whitewall tires wrapped around chrome Kelsey-Hayes wire wheels, this 1955 Desoto Convertible has a fantastic look going down the road. The exterior of this Fireflite has been correctly refinished in a two-tone color scheme consisting of Carnival Red and Surf White, just how the car came back in 1955. The chrome and brightwork around the exterior of this convertible is in great shape as well and completes the exterior look of the car. The interior on this 1955 Fireflite Convertible is absolutely stunning! The front and rear bench seats have been reupholstered in beautiful Red and Ivory vinyl accented with black welt cord. The padded dash, matching upholstered door panels, black carpeting and steering wheel are all in wonderful condition and appear to be in their stock configuration. The instrument cluster is comprised of a 120 MPH speedometer, amp gauge, oil pressure gauge, temperature gauge and fuel gauge, along with the shift lever for the automatic transmission. The dash is completed with a locking glovebox, push button AM radio, and clock. Whether youre buying your first classic car or youre adding to your collection of Virgil Exner Forward Look automobiles, this 1955 Desoto Fireflite Convertible would make an excellent choice. Give Ellingsons a call at 763-428-7337!