1960 Desoto

[david]

Just buttoned this one up last night, my Grandpa's (on my mother's side) brand of choice. The wonderful big old Desoto! Tamiya Mica Red interior knocked down with flat, Tamiya Metallc Black exterior, a ton of Bare Metal Foil, a few washes here and there, and overall, how I miss those old Johan kits like this! Grandpa would have liked this build and I remember this being his last "new" car. I also remember those two-lane trips and he'd pass every car along the way! To a young kid, that car literally flew!

[Deleted]

Nice build, David. I too recall those 2 lane weekend trips with the grandparents.

[gloozalot]

That's a right tasty build there DB. Me thinks them old Johan's had the best bodies made even to date. Ya just gotta overlook those chassis details. You did this one justice and , it does knock a hole in the Bare Metal Foil Sheet pretty quick. Slick job Mr. Crafty, you done good!

[david]

Thanks fellas. What makes this type of build so fun is that I think about old Grandpa all the time I'm working on it. Camel straight dangling from his mouth, arm cocked out the window, me on the other side trying to do the same (except my arm wasn't nearly long enough!) and watching him lay out and take a look, then dart back in while a car zoomed past in the other direction; and then a couple more of those; and then he'd traump it and out we'd swing with that low-pitched (wonderful sounding) moan from the motor and off we'd go flying by sometimes two or three "homesteaders" (as he'd call them)! Rustling wind blowing through the car, the old country music station playing in the background, the smells, the stories (about fishing or about old Aunt Edith's husband who got shot stealing a horse, or whatever), the excitement. . . the whole deal! Cars didn't just take you to Walgreen's to get your prescriptions filled back then. No sirree! They took you from childhood to manhood and they were cherished members of the family! 

Okay, I've got to quit this and drive down to get my cholesterol pills re-filled. Probably pick up a double-cheeseburger along the way. . . 

[59impala]

Nice Desoto David. Looks great. I have a glue bomb that I'm gonna fix up soon. Does your's have the half tub interior in it like mine has? Not very deep from top to bottom.

[david]

Correct 59Impala! That tub is shallow but works okay. I did use my Dremel sanding drum to slightly ease out the area where the tansmission fits in oder to give it more room and let the car sit down better. Overall, it's a typical wonderful old Johan that was super high on looks with little attention to underneath details. In these cases, that's perfectly fine with me! 

[59impala]

Thanks David. I'll keep that in mind when I rebuild mine about the area for the transmission.

Dan

[gtx6970]

Apr 27, 2018 14:47:16 GMT -6 david said:

Thanks fellas. What makes this type of build so fun is that I think about old Grandpa all the time I'm working on it. Camel straight dangling from his mouth, arm cocked out the window, me on the other side trying to do the same (except my arm wasn't nearly long enough!) and watching him lay out and take a look, then dart back in while a car zoomed past in the other direction; and then a couple more of those; and then he'd traump it and out we'd swing with that low-pitched (wonderful sounding) moan from the motor and off we'd go flying by sometimes two or three "homesteaders" (as he'd call them)! Rustling wind blowing through the car, the old country music station playing in the background, the smells, the stories (about fishing or about old Aunt Edith's husband who got shot stealing a horse, or whatever), the excitement. . . the whole deal! Cars didn't just take you to Walgreen's to get your prescriptions filled back then. No sirree! They took you from childhood to manhood and they were cherished members of the family! 

Okay, I've got to quit this and drive down to get my cholesterol pills re-filled. Probably pick up a double-cheeseburger along the way. . . 

GREAT story.
I can picture myself doing exactly what you said. Only in my parents 1966 Pontiac Tempest they bought new
Cars back then were 'different' than they are today.

ps, I hope you enjoyed that cheeseburger , I know I would.
Now that you made me think about it. Today Might be a lunch date with the wife day , go get a greasy burger for my own.

[KIT-PARTS]

No one had better subjects than Jo-Han!