Thread: 35 desoto sf airstream four door flatback

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G'day from Australia,i'm building this desoto with mitsubishi L300(van)indapendant front end with 97 Falcon power steering rack,86 falcon stub axles (you can retain mits stubs if you want still ford bolt pattern). Rear end will be from the 97 Falcon which was an XR8 sedan- 3.45 ratio lsd coil sprung with watts link and disc brakes and abs.
The motor is also from this car 5ltr injected windsor with 4sp auto. Car was bought purely as a donner car 130,000 kms on the speedo, will use as much as possible including wiring,instruments,brakes,seat belts,steering column. test drove car was a good runner with only left rear quarter panel damage, so should be all good.
My main problem is the front of desoto chassis is in very bad shape-out of square and bent down with plates welded over it everywhere. Must have been in a bad crash!, i'm trying to get hold of at the moment a 36 dodge chassis with a 126 inch wheel base as to the desoto's 116 inch. I'm hoping to be able to graft front half of dodge chassis to rear of desoto chassis. I have a desoto chassis drawing with specs but not one for the 36 dodge. From what i've read the 36 dodge chassis may rise up one more inch in the front horns which probably wont hurt as will lower the car,or may try to shorten the dodge chassis wheel base. Does any body in U.S.A have a 36 dodge chassis diagram with specs on it.

The 1937 frame shown at the bottom is the same as the frame in a 1936 Dodge coupe that I have.

Thanks Charliebob, i printed this diagram and compared it to the 35 desoto. There is quite a bit of difference,but i may be still able to graft front horns to desoto chassis. The Desoto had indapendant front end and this may be why in the diagrams there was a difference in the front kickup between the two. Does anybody have a 35 Dodge diagram to compare?

Some of the mid-1930s Mopar models had independent suspension and some had straight axles. The Dodge frame in the bottom of the diagram is for a straight axle. I think the frame in the upper part of the diagram is for an independent suspension. I do not have details on model differences, but the 38-40 front may be what you need if you want to use a stock independent suspension.

Thanks charlie bob,but no i will be using the mitsubishi L300 front end as they are a good unit to install and still easy to get.They are a good track width (narrow), and some people leave the brakes alone as they are ford pattern 5 on a 4.5 same as falcon's. In the 70's,80's etc we used to install hk/ht/hg holden front ends which took a lot of work and you had to update the brakes,also they were wide and caused track problems. Not to bad say in a fat fender ride . My 39 sedan has one with holden commodore steering rack(narrowed) and hq holden brakes,handling is so so, but back in those decades not much choice in Aus. They are hard to find now.Do you have L300 front ends in USA?. My 37 ford coupe ute has one iv'e installed allready and was quite easy to do, and the 86 falcon stub axles were a good swap as was the 97 falcon power rack.
My brother has a 35 dodge du sedan and a dv sedan, i will go and take measurements and photo's from he's rod, the L300 front end in his dodge has been great and is a good fit. I know in USA you have a great choice in aftermarket front ends exspecially mustang 2, but here after market front ends cost an arm and a leg,we can use jag front ends in fat fendered cars as well, but they can be exspensive.

Mycoola,

We don't see many of the Mitsus over here, and I never cared for the Mustang II suspension. My solution has been to use the IFS (and IRS) from 1990s Lexus SC and LS as well as Toyota Supra models that are available in much of the world. The ones I have used are from the JDM market and cost only about $500 complete in the US. They have the 5 on 4.5" bolt pattern, but require a high offset wheel. Width with stock wheels is about 70" outside tire bulge to outside.

Stock, the front suspension is too wide for most of the 1930s cars. The first one I use was for a 1936 Nash, which is about 4" wider than the Dodge. Since I had to make the frame, I just made the stock front suspension a complete bolt-it.

My current project is the 36 Dodge coupe. For the Dodge, I had to narrow the width by 4.75" which meant fabricating a cross member. Found a Corvette rack with the right width. Big welding project!! I retained the front frame rails, but in retrospect, it would have been easier to fabricate new front frame and graft it on.

BTW, I have 2 RHD racks for these suspensions!! No call for them in the US! LHD Lexus racks bolt right in.

Pics of the Nash and Dodge below.
IMG_3746s.jpgIMG_5865s.jpg

Looks like i will be getting the 36 Dodge chassis for free from my Dads mate, now the puzzle begins. The 36 Dodge chassis is the 126" wheelbase one, and i'm not sure if it's easier to shorten this chassis's wheel base than grafting the front of the chassis to the Desoto chassis. Are 36 Dodge chassis wider then 35 Desoto? The Dodge is a D2 and the Desoto is an 35 SF Airstream with the 116" wheelbase. Unfortunately in Australia both cars are quite rare so this swap may not have been done here before? Thanks for any help,Mycoola.

Since you are grafting frame rails to an existing chassis i would get a frontend kit with rails and suspension. Since you enjoy the building have a look at what canadian Paul Horton sells - they can be found as 'welders series' in google. They make the raw materials for a number of outlets but will sell direct and you build it yourself. Check them out, even if you stick with your existing plan these guys will impress you and they have a bunch of items you might be interested in using.

Would be hard to get shipped to Australia, but with our rego laws non stock front rails would probably stop full rego because would deem as individually contructed. This opens a can of worns because you must meet all current adr's as in 2012,and this is a great pain in the you know what!. This is why i will be either doing the chassis graft with the Dodge front rails or try to shorten the wheel base of the Dodge chassis,i must keep the chassis looking stock to get full rego as a 35 Desoto. If i graft the chassis, i will place the graft possibly in the centre of front door area over a distance of maybe 16" or so to keep the strenght and with full new boxing plates. A inverted "Z" type chassis graft over 16" should be ample in strenght.

Picked up the 36 Dodge D2 chassis,it is the 126" wheelbase one whilst the Desoto has a 116" wheelbase. With some measuring i think the best option is to shorten the D2 chassis by the 10" in the section before it rises over the diff. Iwill box the inner rail after to increase the strenght . This is the only part of the chassis that does'nt change in depth so should be good. Grafting the front from the D2 to the Desoto chassis does'nt look like a good option.The D2 chassis is wider accross the front horns but being a fat fendered car shouldn't cause to much drama as may have to only modify the inner gaurds. Being wider at the front will make fitting the L300 Mitsubishi front end a bit easier as then the rails line up to the front end mounts and will give more steering and exhaust manifold clearance. My brother picked up from evil bay some 35/6 Plymouth parts including headlight stands and which i have now obtained they are 36 ones. Can you buy repo or after market headlights to suit these type of stands?,or do others modify 35/6 Ford headlights to suit?.

G'day again,i shortened the D2 dodge chassis in the section before kickup over diff,looks great. D2 chassis is 6'' in beam whilst the 35 Desoto is 5'' so beam strength is improve, body mount positions appears to be the same,will have to modify running board mounts. Fabricated new rear spring mounts to suit Mitsubishi L300 rear springs,lucky for me the rear hanger holes in chassis lined up good for L300 springs so will be almost be duplicating rear spring mounts.L300 front will be used as well. I'm going to leave D2 chassis front rails at its current width which will give more exhaust manifold and steering clearance,i will modify front inner guards to suit. will make new rhs tube "x" member. Picked up from my brother 36 Plymouth head light stands and will use them but need to source aftermarket headlights. HOW IS FUEL PRICES OVER THERE ,NOW WE ARE PAYING $1.50 A LITRE OR $6 A GALLON IN YOUR LINGO