1937 DeSoto S-3 75060 Miles Riviera Blue Coupe 228 cubic inch inline-6 Manual

1937 DeSoto S-3 Description

Beautiful older restoration by Capaldi Enterprises. Former John Addams collection. Factory overdrive, working AM radio and auxiliary AM/FM/CD stereo, new stainless exhaust and WWW radials. A lot of car for the money!
This very pretty 1937 DeSoto S-3 business coupe’s handsome medium blue finish is period-appropriate, closer to Riviera Blue than the car’s original code 408 Sable Brown. The all-new styling is quite handsome, more conventional than the Airflow but no less striking, and the rounded fenders, wrap-around grille, and abundant use of chrome suggest a car that should cost far more than it does (then and now). With the restoration approaching its 40th birthday, there are obviously some minor signs of age and use, most notably some checking on the passenger’s front fender and on the deck lid around the rear ornament, but none of it is failing and isn’t noticeable from more than a few feet away. Panel fit is still excellent and the brightwork shows very few signs of age, mostly because most of it is stainless steel that should look good practically forever.
The business coupe is strictly a 2-passenger vehicle, ostensibly designed for the travelling salesman to showcase his wares. As a result, the front bench is comfortable for long drives and thanks to correct tan mohair upholstery, it looks very correct throughout. There’s almost no wear on the seating surfaces, no splits or tears, and the door panels were trimmed to match the factory patterns. Rubber mats were standard, but the woodgrained dash and lovely art-deco steering wheel suggest the DeSoto is more upscale than you’d expect. All the gauges are fully operational, as is the optional AM radio in the dash (it’s joined by an AM/FM/CD stereo head unit in the glove box, which is powered by a 6V-12V converter under the hood). There’s also an Excel heater under the dash for those cool autumn evening cruises. As its name would imply, there’s a neat set of storage shelves behind the seat as well as a mammoth trunk designed to carry, well, almost anything. Viewers with sharp eyes will also spot the chrome T-handle under the dash, which controls the optional $35 “Gas-Saver” overdrive, giving this coupe the ability to cruise at 60-65 MPH.
The 228 cubic inch inline-6 makes 93 horsepower, eight more than Ford’s V8, and the silky smoothness of the flathead six gives the DeSoto a very upscale feel on the road. And there are few engines more reliable than these, with excellent parts availability and a proven track record for durability. It was fully rebuilt during the restoration and if we had to guess, it probably has 25- 30,000 tour miles on it today—still fresh and nicely sorted. It starts very quickly with the floor-mounted starter button and settles into an easy almost silent idle after a few seconds of warming up. It is also correctly detailed with corporate silver engine enamel, a big oil bath air cleaner, fabric-wrapped hoses and wire clamps, and a reproduction wiring harness. It obviously hasn’t been used in inclement weather since the restoration, so it is clean and fresh-looking and runs just as great as it looks.
The same is true underneath, where you can see plenty of evidence of the frame-off restoration. Excellent floors without any patch panels, an independent front suspension, which was introduced in 1935 and features tube-type shock absorbers, and a stainless-steel exhaust system make this DeSoto ready to tour. Chrysler products used hydraulic brakes from the beginning, and the binders on this DeSoto are particularly effective, with a firm pedal and great modulation for a surprisingly modern feel. The 3-speed manual transmission shifts well with no chatter from the clutch, but you might get a little crunch going into 2nd if you rush it when it’s cold. And the factory overdrive unit is fully operational, shifting into overdrive above about 30 MPH when you abruptly lift off the throttle and dropping out when you slow to a stop. That overdrive allows easy cruising and the silky smooth six doesn’t mind spinning along at modern highway speeds. Factory steel wheels are outfitted with trim rings and hubcaps and wear a recent set of 215/75/16 Diamondback (Goodyear) wide whitewall radials.
Documentation is very extensive, including owner’s manual, shop manuals, parts lists, accessory catalogs, advertising brochures, overdrive manual, and more.
Even better is that this car was purchased from the Addams estate by its restorer, Jim Capaldi, and he has been its caretaker for nearly a decade—who better than the guy who restored it? It’s a beautiful car with fantastic road manners, and the practical coupe body style makes it great for touring. If you haven’t considered a DeSoto before, perhaps it’s time to take a closer look. And if you’re already a Mopar guy, you’re going to be delighted with this wonderful S-3. Call today!
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