Help me ID my Dads car.

[TheFranj]

Hello all :-)

A year and a half ago my dad passed away after a long struggle with Leukemia. While I was back there (Pennsylvania) for his funeral, I scanned a bunch of old pictures my Mom dug up. I'm especially fond of this one and always wondered what the car was. I know it's not much to go on, but it's the only pic we have. I'm hoping someone recognizes the shape or maybe even the little bit of hub cap showing.

Thanks,

TheFranj

[Guest BJM]

1934-1936. Note the rear window and flow of the car, this was the "streamline" period of styling, before trunk backs took over strong in 1937-1939. But that's the best I can do. We have experts on this forum who can take it from here...

[Oxnard Montalvo]

I'm no expert, but it sure looks like a 1939 Dodge sedan to me.

[TG57Roadmaster]

Greetings,

I'd put my money on the 1939 DeSoto S6 Sedan, either Deluxe or Custom.

The hubcaps hold the key to the answer.

Tom Gibson

[Dave@Moon]

The 1939 Dodge had a round emblem in the center of the hubcap. The DeSoto had the word DeSoto embossed there. These look to be Dodge hubcaps.

[Peter Gariepy]

The dodge has fender trim:

The desoto is closer:

[TG57Roadmaster]

Dave is right about the Dodge hubcaps; after looking at my (highly dramatized) '39 Dodge brochure, I was ready to commit to Dodge. But then another post elsewhere, in the CCCA Forum about Hayes-bodied '39 Chryslers led me to dig deeper.

Here's the '39 Dodge hubcap, straight from the Daimler-Chrysler Museum, compliments of mrpushbutton on the CCCA post. If you want to see the car itself, go to the CCCA General Forum and click on the '39 Chrysler New Yorker Hayes thread.

Following will be a DeSoto hubcap.

Tom Gibson

[TG57Roadmaster]

Here's the '39 DeSoto hubcap. Bear in mind, the previous post has trim rings, but the car in photo does not. Based on the concentric rings and wide, smooth center disk where DeSoto would be painted in red, I'll still put my money on the '39 DeSoto.

For the Franj, I'm sorry for your loss of your dad; my mom passed away after a very brief, unexpected illness a week after last Mother's Day. She was just 73, and we all thought we'd have her for many years to come. At least she didn't have to suffer.

Tom Gibson

[Oxnard Montalvo]

Now No Doubt DeSoto.

[Guest brian]

I think the hub cap is 39 DeSoto, and that seems to fit with the part of the car we can see.

Brian

[TheFranj]

Wow :-)

You guys are great! I never expected such a quick reply. Thank you. The cars are very similar aren't they? Did Dodge copy Desoto? Or did Desoto copy Dodge? Could it be a Dodge with Desoto hubcaps? LOL. Or was it common back then for cars to share nearly identical design characteristics? They are both beautiful but look to be stamped from the same dies. Modified just a little.

I'm leaning toward the Desoto because of the hubcap. But I would like more opinions. A shame the picture wasn't taken just a few feet farther back so we could see more. It is a remarkeable photograph in that it's only a 3 x 5 print. Yet scanned at 1200 dots per inch it prints 8 X 10 beautifully with minimal touchup. Something to say for the quality of optical film and paper even back then.

I'm in the process of building a garage and workshop where I can share two hobbies I have in common with Dad. Woodworking and tinkering with cars. The building when finished will be dedicated to Dad and this picture will hang, beautifully framed, above my work bench. It would be wonderfull to be able to add a caption at the bottom. Something like "Dad and his 1939 Desoto".

Thanks again,

Franj

[Oxnard Montalvo]

Dodge and Desoto were both divisions of The Chrysler Corporation.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> "Ginger Rogers," claimed one DeSoto advertisement, "drives Hollywood's smartest car - DeSoto!" "I like action!" Ginger supposedly said. "I get it in my DeSoto." </div></div>

Here's the link.

History of Chrysler's Desoto

[TheFranj]

Ah, That explains the similarities :-)

[BlackStar]

What a great picture. I too lost my parents recently, and have gotten so much comfort in looking at their old photos, and seeing how young and happy they were. It puts things in perspective I think. Sorry for your loss, enjoy the great images. Looks like the mystery has been solved!