 | Upon this wagon's arrival at our shop, we evaluated its condition |
 | Interior shot of the dash. Interesting enough, this car was originally a Fluid Drive automatic and had been converted to a manual 3 speed on the column. That is a first that we have seen. |
 | Interior seats. This is the 2nd row of seating. |
 | The engine compartment with the flathead 216 CID 6 cylinder. |
 | Right rear side view |
 | Left rear side view |
 | Left front side view |
 | Front |
 | Right front |
 | The original front suspension |
 | The entire front clip has been removed making the the entire front accessible. |
 | The motor has now been removed |
 | The steering column and floor plate have been removed. |
 | he frame has been measured, set and made ready for the new front clip. The frame has also had the countersunk holes predrilled so the new clip will just slip in. |
 | A preliminary fitment of the Fatman Fabrications front clip is mandatory. We also preassembled the suspension and did our measurements to make sure our wheel base is correct. Once everything is in place, we clamp it down to prepare for welding. |
 | Another view |
 | The welding has started |
 | This is the finished product after welding has been completed on this rail. Looks like it is original. |
 | Now we start the same process on the left rail. |
 | Left rail wedge reinforcement is welded in and now being ground smooth. |
 | Here is the left rail after the rack and pinion steering rack has been temporarily installed. We will need to cut a relief in the rail to gain the correct geometry for the steering shaft. |
 | The relief has been cut in. Next, it will be finished out. |
 | Here is the finished relief in the frame rail for the steering shaft to have room to connect to the rack. |
 | Here is the LS2 all aluminum carbureted 440 horsepower engine from General Motors Performance Parts. Weighing a svelte 544 pounds, this will definitely make the Desoto lighter and more agile. |
 | Here is a brand new 4L60E automatic overdrive transmission that will be mated to the LS2 |
 | Custom fabricated frame side mounts are welded on to mate to the supplied LS2 engine side mounts |
 | We obtained a GM transmission crossmember from another vehicle, cut it and modified it to fit in the confines of the DeSoto frame rails. |
 | A test fitting of both the crossmember and the transmission mounts show a good tight fit. |
 | Another view of the transmission crossmember and the custom made welded frame mounts. This combination will also help the structural integrity of the really weak unsupported stock frame rails. We will add some additional crossmembers to keep things where they are suppposed to be. Installing 440 horsepower where a prior 85 horsepower powerplant used to be requires a lot of thought to keep things in line. |
 | The LS2 during its one of many test fits. |
 | The engine mounts supplied with the LS2. |
 | Floor is being welded to accomodate the new transmission |
 | Floor panels have been fabricated and finished out. We had to step the floor to allow the bench seat to slide all the way forward. |
 | We fabricated this bracket from plate steel. This started out as a flat panel. We have to make sure the steel is thick enough to withstand the enormous torque that repeated applications of the brake pedal will have to endure. |
 | We also made the rolled tube for the factory brake pedal to hinge on with a c clip end. Here we are test fitting the whole fitment between the pedal and the transmission crossmember |
 | Another view of the whole fabricated assembly. |
 | Here, we have welded the bracket on. We also added a tongue to limit the pedal return |
 | Right side brake lines are plumbed to the caliper |
 | Crossover and left front brake line are routed and plumbed |
 | Front main line is plumbed along with a residual valve to the master cylinder |
 | Another view of the plumbing to the front. We have also added an opening to facilitate filling the master cylinder. |
 | Motor and front suspension are installed along with the steering |
 | We have fitted the factory filler panel and added a trap door for the master cylinder access. Notice that we have retianed the original brake pedal but eliminated the clutch pedal |
 | This is a plate steel piece we have fabricated to reinforce the firewall for the steering column to make sure the vehicle stays safe by not allowing the firewall to flex. |
 | Now that the opening has been made and the plate fitted to the firewall, it is installed and ready for the new column. |
 | The transmission shifter cable has been installed on the transmission side. Once the column is installed, it will be hooked up to the column side. |
 | Starter has been installed. |
 | Frame rail had to be massaged a little more once the column was installed. |
 | Steering column utilizing the factory column drop has been installed. The factory column drop had to be modified but was much better then the drop that came with the column. |
 | Here is the engine compartment side of the column. The intermediate shaft has been cut and installed. The transmission shifter cable has also been installed. |
 | The rack side of the intermediate shaft installed. We now have steering capability. |
 | Firewall openings that will no longer be needed are closed up. |
 | The radiator was recored with a crossflow core and we also moved the upper inlet to the side to accomodate the LS2 upper hose in the correct location. |
 | The Moser 12 bolt rear has been installed on the freshly rebuilt springs |
 | New brake lines were made on the rear axle |
 | Now that the firewall has been painted, the engine and transmission have been installed for the final time. |
 | Using shop wheels and tires, the Desoto is back on solid ground. Nice stance. |
 | Another view of the on the ground look |
 | Front view |
 | Exhaust ceramic coated headers provide the right angles for the exhaust routing plus will reduce underhood temperatures. Another plus is we were able to lower the engine another half inch. |
 | Another view of the header clearance advantage |
 | New emergency brake bracket being fabricated for our parking brake system. We will be setting it up as a stock GM system for ease of serviceability and availability of parts. |
 | Here is the pulley and bracket system. The A/C compressor gets its own belt and will come soon. |
 | Here we are manufacturing a bracket for the wiring for the ignition system. |
 | It is important to keep the wiring out of the way from moving parts and hot parts. |
 | New custom made driveshaft has been installed |
 | The new Painless wiring is being routed through the firewall after making an access hole. |
 | Here is the fuse block mounted under the dash. We are starting to rewire the entire car. |
 | Here is the custom fabricated lower a/c bracket since the factory brackets do not work and no one makes a bracket for the LS2 / LS7 engines for mounting in the stock location |
 | Another view |
 | The upper bracket being test fitted |
 | Here is the tight fitting Vintage Air unit and the new port |
 | Here are the a/c hoses being made up and fitted to the firewall bulkhead. We also installed a rubber cushion on the inner seam on the right to prevent any possibility of chafing |
 | Here is the lower bracket painted with the compressor installed |
 | Here is a view of the upper bracket with a custom adjuster that will make adjustment of the belt tightness with a ratchet instead of a prybar. |
 | The gauges have come back restored and set up for 12 volt. The speedometer is now totally electronic to work with the 4L60E transmission. Look closely and you will see the odometer is now electronic |
 | Here are the backs of the revised gauges. The speedometer is programmable so we can set the correct speed to compensate for the revised transmission and rear gear ratios along with the tire height difference |
 | Front end clean up and preparation for the side panels has started. |
 | Here we are starting the new lower side panels |
 | Here is the inner panel after being trimmed, cleaned and primed. The slots are for the upper control arm and also to allow the arm to travel |
 | Here they are painted |
 | The backs of the fenders are in need of some clean up |
 | Here is how it looks installed |
 | The tilt column has been painted and installed |
 | The front end splash and filler pans have been wire wheeled, primed and painted |
 | The radiator and A/C condenser have been installed. |
 | The transmission cooler has been placed in the airflow utilizing custom brackets. |
 | The grille has been installed. The headlamps and turn signal sockets have been changed to facilitate the 12 volt upgrade. |
 | An electric fan made especially to fit this radiator is being installed. |
 | Electric 1500 CFM pusher fan has been installed. The wiring hanging there has not been finished |
 | The factory radio delete plate has been modified for the a/c control panel |
 | Here is the panel installed on the dash panel |
 | The a/c control trim panel fitted into the modified panel |
 | Wiring for the dash and gauges has been run. |
 | Old style but new air cleaner housing fits the style of the Desoto |
 | Another view of this cool air cleaner |
 | A/C lines have been made up and routed |
 | Rear lamp and license bracket have been assembled after being rechromed |
 | We had to rebuild the license lamp springs with new ones that were modified |
 | Finished 3rd lamp |
 | Storage area under passenger rear seat will be utilized shortly. |
 | Fuel pressure regulator has been mounted and the fuel lines routed to keep the lines away from heat. |
 | Restored and electronically converted gauges have been installed into the housing. |
 | Fuel pump, lines and filter have been installed underneath the floor. |
 | New battery box was fabricated and then installed into the floor under the rear seat. |
 | New cables, grommets and Optima battery have been installed |
 | Instrument cluster, a/c control panel and left side operating systems panel are all installed and wired. |
 | Engine compartment nearly finalized. |
 | Underside of car. Bet it didn't look like this in 1949! |
 | Mid section |
 | Rear section |
 | The exterior has been stripped revealing a pretty nice body underneath. |
 | Left side view with body panels in primer and guide coat applied. |
 | Hood body work begins. |
 | Tailgate has been reinstalled and aligned |
 | Front sheetmetal finally been aligned and set. |
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