1954 Desoto Cars Described

1954 DESOTO CARS DESCRIBED

1954 DESOTO - GENERAL: The annual model changeover for 1954 resulted in a DeSoto with the same basic styling as the 1953 model. Exterior changes were limited to revisions for trim moldings, grille, bumpers and taillights. Significant was thar the grille reverted to the nine-tooth look of '52 with parking lamps floating inside the grille outline. The front bumper guards were redesigned and looked a bit more massive. New step-down chrome moldings were placed on front fenders and doors. The rear fender side moldings now stretched completely to the rear of the cars and the gravel shields were redesigned. Headlight and taillight clusters were updated with the decorative bezels on top moving toward the "Frenched" look. Interiors were upgraded in both lines. Body colors expanded to 18 from 13 and included some metallic shades. A new, 2-speed fully automatic transmission was now offered and replaced the optional Fluid Drive units. Chrysler Corporation media said it would provide instant response with no lagging or lurching between shifts. For the Fire Dome V-8, the compression ratio was raised and larger diameter valves were installed in the Firedome V-8 as a running change late in the year. Horsepower/torque ratings jumped from 160 to 170 and torque from 250 to 355 ostensibly with the increase in compression ratio from 7.1 to 7.5:1.

INNOVATIONS: The Powerflite 2-speed automatic transmission was introduced. It replaced the optional Fluid Drive and Fluid Torque Drive units. It had the industry's highest starting ratio and torque convertor multiplication ratio.

1954 POWERMASTER SERIES S20 (6-Cylinder): The word "Powermaster" was incorporated on front fender moldings and a Powermaster crest adorned the hood. A horizontal chrome handle dressed up the deck lid. Technical features included No- Sway ride control; Oriflow shocks; Safe Guard hydraulic brakes; safety rim wheels; box type frame side rails; independent parking brake: waterproof ignition; rubber insulated body mountings; tapered leaf splay-mounted rear springs and rubber insulated rear spring shackles. Completely new interior styling was adopted with upholstery, instrument panel and all appointments color-keyed to better harmonize with exterior finish.

1954 FIREDOME SERIES S19 (8-Cylinder Hemi): For 1954, the word "Firedome" was set into the step down front fender moldings which identified it as the V-8 model. There were also prominent V-8 emblems on the front of the hood and rear fender sides, plus a V-shaped insignia on the rear deck lid. Seven models appeared at introduction time. A one-piece rear window was added to the Sportsman V-8 hardtop, replacing the three-piece unit. Interiors on the Firedome were upgraded and color-keyed to the body as well, and an advertising campaign was started to make sure the public was aware of these changes. A luxury four-door "Coronado" sedan was added in the spring. Outside embellishments on this car included special rear fender signature logos and small medallions on the rear roof C-pillar.

MODEL/ENGINE I.D. DATA:  Powermaster serial numbers. Cars built in Detroit had serial numbers that ran from 50306001 to 50322514. Cars built in Los Angeles had serial numbers that ran from 62043001 to 62043897. Taxis had serial numbers that ran from 5126001 to 5128005. Motor numbers began with S20-1001 and ran through S20-21082  FireDome serial numbers. Cars built in Detroit had serial numbers that ran from 55130001 to 55182504. Cars built in Los Angeles had serial numbers that ran from 64017001 to 64020704. Motor numbers that ran from S19- 1001 to S19-57604. All were built in Detroit and used at both assembly plants. Serial number codes were on the left front door hinge pillar post. Powermaster motor numbers were located on the left side of the block below cylinder head between first and second cylinders. FireDome V-8 engine numbers were positioned at the top of the engine block under the water outlet elbow. No code numbers were provided for positive identification of body style type.

BODY PAINT CODE/COLORS:

 301 Black  305 Huron Blue  306 Azure Blue  307 Ensign Blue  308 Fountain Blue  308 Tropic Blue  315 Kerry Green  316 Forest Green  317 Pinehurst Green  318 June Green  319 Fairway Green  330 Colonial Gray  331 Slate Gray  341 Burma Tan  350 Cherokee Red  355 Aztec Yellow  383U Shara Beige  384U Cadiz Blue

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DESOTO ENGINES:

 Powermaster Series I-6: L-Head. Cast iron block. Displacement: 250.6 cubic inches. Bore and stroke: 3.4375" x 4.5". Compression ratio: 7.0:1. Horsepower: 116 @ 3600 RPM. Torque: 209 @ 1600 RPM. Four main bearings. Solid valve lifters. Carburetor: With standard transmission, Carter BBD two-barrel Model 2067S. With over-drive, Model 20685. With Powerflite, Model 2070S.

 FireDome Series Hemi V-8: Overhead valves. Hemispherical combustion chambers. Displacement: 276.1 cubic inches. Bore and stroke: 3.626" x 3.344". Compression ratio: 7.5:1. Horsepower: 170 @ 4400 RPM. Torque: 255 @ 2400 RPM. Five main bearings. Hydraulic valve lifters. Carburetor: With standard transmission, Carter BBD two- barrel model 2070S. With overdrive, models 2067S or 2129S. Powerflite automatic transmission, models 2068S or 2130S (Carter models 2250S and 2131S also saw applications on Powerflite equipped cars).

CHASSIS:  Wheelbase: (Long wheelbase models) 139.5" (All others) 125.5".  Overall length: Long wheelbase models - 223.875". Short wheelbase models - 214.5". Station Wagon - 212.75".  Front tread: 56.3125".  Rear tread: 59.5625.  Tires: Long wheelbase - 8.20 x 15 All Others - 7.60 x 15.

POWERTRAIN OPTIONS:  Three-speed manual column mounted transmission was standard.  Overdrive manual transmission was optional at $98 extra.  Powerflite automatic transmission was optional at $189 extra.

SIGNIFICANT OPTIONS:

 Air Temp air conditioning ($643).  Electric clock ($33).  Fog lights ($33).  Outside rear view mirror.  Power brakes ($37).  Power steering ($140).  Power windows ($101).  Radio ($101). Heater ($78).  Rear seat radio speaker.  Solex tinted glass ($33).  Wheel covers.  White sidewall tires ($33 exchange).  Windshield washers.  Wire spoke wheel rims.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND: DeSoto ranked as the twelfth largest volume manufacturer in the industry this year. Cars were promoted as "DeSoto Automatics". The Coronado was a mid-year spring model. Chrysler Corporation held elaborate dedication ceremonies for its new proving grounds, at Chelsea, Michigan, this year.

PRODUCTION: 76,579 DeSotos were built in 1954, an disastrous decrease of almost 54 thousand under 1953. The dated styling of Chrysler Corporation vehicles was slamming DeSoto. See attached chart for production numbers.

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CAR IMAGES

The 1954 Firedome Sportsman hardtop was the flashiest DeSoto next to the convertible. It now sported a 170 HP Hemi V-8. The car sold almost as well as the banner-year ’53 model – 4,382 units in a poor sales year – a sure indication that the rest of the line was faded.

The 1954 DeSoto FireDome Convertible was pretty snappy - but it just did not resonate with the buying public. Pricing it at $3,144 - $600 over an Oldsmobile convert and $300 over the Buick version may have contributed to the 1,025 in sales.

The 1954 bread and butter DeSoto FireDome 4-Door Sedan was little changed from 1953. This likely accounted for the 20,000 drop in sales – to 45,095. To spice of the sale of the popular 4- Door, DeSoto offered a Coronado model. The interior was upgraded and two-tone paint was added. It didn't help.

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CAR IMAGES Continued

Like the 1954 4-Door, the 1954 DeSoto FireDome 2-Door Club Coupe sales sagged significantly. Only 5,762 were delivered, 1/3 of the ’53 total.

1954 DeSoto Station Wagons were not catching on. The $3,361 price tag for a V-8 model was too, too high. 946 were produced, almost too little to keep the model in production.

The 1954 DeSoto long wheelbase 4-door Sedan was long in the tooth and just not desirable in a market cornered by Chrysler’s Imperial and Cadillac’s Fleetwood 75. The $2939 price tag for a V-8 model was a good value but it wasn’t luxurious enough looking for the clientele. 165 were produced, too little to keep the model in production.

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The 2-door Sportsman hardtop was the sexiest Powermaster Six you could buy in 1954. The aenemic 116 HP engine just did not fit the sporty hardtop’s styling, even though it was dated. (It didn’t even make the Brochure). As a result, only 250 were delivered.

1954 DeSoto Station Wagons were not catching on due to their 1940s look. Even the economical Powermaster model failed to elicit sales – with 225 produced.

The 1954 DeSoto Powermaster 2-door club coupe wasn’t the only 2-door sedan in the lineup for that year. Out-powered by its V-8 brother by 50 HP and only costing $250 less, had just 3,499 produced. Sixes weren’t selling in mid-price auto lines in 1954.

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CAR IMAGES Continued

The 4-door Powermaster Sedan had always enjoyed a reasonable success in the Desoto line, but its plain looks, when combined with a L-Head six from the 1930s, people were not enthralled. With 14,967 sold, the handwriting was on the wall – “no more sixes”.

If the standard DeSoto 4-door Sedan was being rejected in 1954 imagine where the long wheelbase Powermaster 6 stood. Out in the cold, that’s where. There would be no justification for the car in 1955 with only 263 delivered.