1948 DeSoto Custom Series

The DeSoto Company resumed civilian automobile production following World War II using its pre-war product with mild updating that included new front fenders with exposed headlights, new bumpers, slight changes to the ornamentation and trim, a redesigned grille, and modifications to the doors. The basic styling, body styles, and mechanical components would continue with minor changes through 1948 when they were replaced by models wearing all-new styling for 1949, advertised as 'The Car With You in Mind.'

The 1946 through 1948 DeSoto models included the entry-level Deluxe and the upscale Custom. Body styles on the Deluxe included a coupe, club coupe, and two- and four-door sedan with prices that ranged from $1,315 to $1,445. The wheelbase measured 121.5 inches and was shared with the standard Custom Series. The long-wheelbase version of the Custom measured 139.5 inches. Both the Deluxe and Custom were powered by an L-head six-cylinder unit with a 236.7 cubic-inch displacement, solid valve lifters, four main bearings, and delivering 109 horsepower at 3,600 RPM. A three-speed manual transmission was standard in Deluxes, and the Customs came standard with a Gyrol Fluid Drive with Tip-Toe Shift. The Gyrol Fluid Drive was optional in the Deluxes.

The Customs were offered with similar body styles to its Deluxe siblings, including a two- and four-door sedan, convertible coupe, and a club coupe, with approximately $50 higher prices. The Convertible Coupe was the highest in the standard Custom range, priced at $1,745. Body styles on the long-wheelbase included a suburban priced at $2,175 (it arrived in November of 1946), an eight-passenger sedan at $1,875, and a limousine at nearly $2,000.

Like most other manufacturers, DeSoto scrambled to meet the immediate post-war demand and focused its engineering efforts on developing new models. Thus, the changes for 1947 and 1948 were minimal.

The 1947 Deluxe models were given a slight increase in price by approximately $15, and whitewall tires became optional. The Custom Series followed suit, essentially identical to its 1946 counterparts sans a slight price increase.

More drastic price increases occurred in 1948, climbing by nearly $370 on the Deluxe Series and approximately $390 on the Custom. DeSoto produced 62,368 in 1946, earning them the 13th spot in United States car production. They slipped to the 14th spot in 1947 with 82,232 examples built, and for 1948 they were ranked 15th with 93,369 units built.

The unsold cars of 1948 were carried over into 1949. The all-new models were introduced around the 1st of March in 1949. The Deluxe and Custom names continued, with the standard wheelbase now measuring 125.5 inches (long wheelbase of 139.5 inches). The engine continued to be the 236.7 CID six, now rated at 112 horsepower and backed by either the three-speed manual or Gyrol Fluid Drive. The Deluxe and Custom were the sole DeSoto models through 1952 when they were joined by the top-of-the-range Firedome. The Deluxe and Custom model names were not used in 1953, replaced by the Powermaster and Firedome.

by Daniel Vaughan | Dec 2020