1960 DeSoto Adventurer

For more than three decades, the DeSoto brand was part of the original Chrysler Corporation, fading into the history books on November 30th, 1960, just 47 days into the introduction of the 1961 models. The Adventurer was part of DeSoto's lineup during the final years of its existence, introduced in 1956 and continuing through the 1960 model year. The four-seat high-performance sports vehicles had grown in popularity during the 1950s, and DeSoto's Adventurer was built similarly to the limited-production, high-performance Chrysler 300 'letter series.'

The 1956 DeSoto Adventurer was a two-door hardtop resting on a 126-inch wheelbase and a length of 220.9 inches. These limited production vehicles were offered solely in a white/black/gold color scheme and equipped with a hi-output 341 cubic inch Hemi V8 with dual exhausts, a heavy-duty suspension, full instrumentation, a padded instrument panel, dual outside mirrors, an electric clock, radio, and gold wheel covers. Production was just four vehicles shy of reaching 1,000 units that first year.

For its second year of production, the Adventurer's exterior design was brought inline with Chrysler's forward look design, and a convertible joined the two-door hardtop. Most examples had dual headlights, and color choices were limited to black-white and gold colors. Engine displacement grew slightly to 345 CID, and horsepower was now 345 bhp, reaching the magical one horsepower per cubic inch displacement. Including the 300 convertibles built, the total production for 1957 was 1,950 units.

Dramatic styling changes were applied to many American models during the mid-to-late-1950s, and the Adventurer was no different, with all-new styling being applied for 1958. There were dual headlights with slightly revised openings and a new grille with a mesh insert. The prominent tailfins, excessive chrome, and wraparound windshield remained a staple of the vehicle's design. The Hemi engine was dropped and replaced by a 361 cubic-inch wedge head that came with either dual-quad carburetors or fuel injection. Production dipped dramatically to 350 hardtops and 82 convertibles due to the shortened model year and the recession of 1958. The Adventurer was not the model suffering, as all other DeSoto production figures decreased, and similar reductions were felt throughout the industry.

The 1959 DeSoto styling grew closer to its upmarket Chrysler sibling. Equipped with nearly every available DeSoto option, offered in a limited array of color schemes, and powered by the 383 V8 with 350 bhp, production increased slightly to 590 hardtops and 97 convertibles. The standard swivel-out seat was a new feature.

As the DeSoto Adventurer entered its final year of production, the convertible was dropped, and a four-door hardtop and sedan joined the hardtop coupe. The sedan had a factory base price of $3,580, the hardtop sedan at $3,730, and the hardtop coupe at $3,660. Along with body style changes, the Adventurer's role was changed from being a limited edition model to the top trim of the DeSoto line, resting above the Fireflite. Both rested on a 122-inch wheelbase, had unibody construction, and the Fireflite was powered by the 361 CID V8 with 295 horsepower, and the Adventurer was equipped with a 383 CID V8 with 305 bhp. Both had overhead valves, hydraulic valve lifters, a two-barrel Carter carburetor, 10.0:1 compression, and five main bearings. The Fireflite was equipped with a three-speed manual transmission as part of its standard equipment, while the Adventurer's engine was backed by a TorqueFlite automatic. The list of available body styles was the same for both models, with the Fireflite costing approximately $5060 less than the Adventurer.

The 1960 DeSoto Adventurer was the only Adventurer offered in a wide pallet of colors, and ram induction was reintroduced on the quad-four carburetor-equipped engines. The list of standard equipment included variable-speed windshield wipers, full wheel covers, padded dash panel, special steering wheel, front and rear foam seat cushions, turn signals, back-up lamps, roof molding package, rear stone deflectors, TorqueFlite automatic with push-button controls, and rear stone deflectors. The dual-speed rear window defoggers were new to the options list, along with a Hiway Hifi that played RCA Victor 45rpm records.

The styling was nearly identical to the Chrysler Windsor, distinguished by the blade-styled tail lights and the grille.

The combined 1960 Adventurer production exceeded the combined production of the previous year's total. 5,746 examples were sedans, 3,092 were hardtop coupes, and 2,759 were hardtop sedans. The combined 11,597 examples built accounted for nearly 45 percent of DeSoto's 1960 production total.

During the shortened 1961 production year, DeSoto dealers offered a single-car line (called the Series RS1-L) as either a two- or four-door hardtop sedan. The four-door was more popular, with 2,123 examples sold compared to 911 of the two-door hardtop. Both were equipped with the 361 CID V8 rated at 265 bhp and backed by the Torquelite automatic. Sales lasted just long enough for DeSoto to unload its inventory.

by Daniel Vaughan | May 2021