1959 DeSoto Body & Assembly Facility

This is a video of the DeSoto automobile production facility in 1959. All of the modernized techniques and quality assurances in this film did not save DeSoto from being discontinued just after the release of the 1961 models in late 1960 (just two years later).

[@samazd4015]

Desoto has beautiful styling

[@RADIUMGLASS]

I believe his name is Tom Taylor, first name was Tom I know. He was an engineer for Packard prior to this and did several automotive films. Look for the 1955 Packard films you will see him.

[@pl5624]

Sure hooked up with losing brands..im surprised studebaker wasn't his next employer

[@m42037]

Wow those parts are gold! I wish they'd make these cars again they were so beautiful

[@matthewmckee9914]

Back in the days when cars were built well, and had alot of nice body lines and alot of chrome.

[@rickprusak9326]

What about video's showing the McGraw & Wyoming plant? My Dad's 55 Desoto was proudly built at the McGraw & Wyoming plant, which after Desoto faded into the sunset, became the Chrysler Glass Plant.

[@smill-ht7oz]

Warren & Lonyo also

[@thardyryll]

Boasting about the ‘59 DeSoto - and just two model years later the marque was history.

[@nastybastardatlive]

And your point is what?

[@thardyryll]

@@nastybastardatlive One whose comprehension is an IQ of at least 50.

[@cudaus1]

Bull is the best reply you can come up with? Did I disrespect you Mr. Manders?

[@user-vc9ig3pf5y]

How advanced is the car painting processed a head Of its time robets being used back 1950 s to paint cars

[@williamg2552]

DeSoto COULD have been SAVED...if the Division had kept in tune with changing market trends, and introdued a new COMPACT CAR...like it's siblings, DODGE and PLYMOUTH did in 1960 .

[@WAQWBrentwood]

Chrysler's chaotic marketing killed DeSoto (and Imperial). DeSoto was squeezed by higher priced Dodge models from below and at the same time from above by lower priced Chrysler models. This "lesson" was learned by the other members of "The Big Three" costing us Oldsmobile and Mercury.

[@kennethsouthard6042]

+WAQWBrentwood I think your statement rings true in regards to Desoto and Imperial but not so much with Oldsmobile and especially Mercury.  In the case of those brands, there were not any special features or characteristic  that were unique to those brands that were not available on other brands from GM or Ford, in other words their whole reason for being was gone and the costs of having the additional brand, exceeded its profit.

[@nonelost1]

@@WAQWBrentwood
Likewise, Pontiac and Plymouth.

[@m42037]

@@WAQWBrentwood They were plastic jellybeans by that time in the 90s+ anyway. At one time "Olds, and Mercury were really nice cars. Check out the 57-58 Turnpike Cruiser!

[@ThomasDeLello]

DeSoto offers a "tip of the hat" to Henry Ford just before it goes out o business...!

[@mikedrown2721]

The Plymouth sized Dodge Dart of 1960 was a mistake. DeSoto could have kept the station wagon and convertible for 1960

[@rickprusak9326]

Chrysler / Dodge products had great body styling, great speed, and great innovations - BUT the floorboards and trunk area of these products rusted out faster than any other vehicle ever produced in the world. These Desoto, Dodge, and Chrysler vehicles had sheet metal so thin on their floorboards, rocker panels, and trunk compartments- that you could read a newspaper through it.
If a customer financed a loan to buy the car, it rusted out waaaay before the last 6 loan payment was made. The Desoto, Chrysler, and Dodge vehicles didn't FADE into the sunset - they RUSTED into the dirt on the streets. But WOW, they looked and drove AWESOMELY.

[@m42037]

There's some out in the dry west for restoring or turn key, just have your wallet ready

[@Greatdome99]

I heard they didn't have inner fenders.

[@rickprusak9326]

@Greatdome99 OH yeah, they all had inner feeders.

[@davidpancerev9658]

Real radium clocks in circa 1910..

[@z978ady]

OK

[@pokeunleashed]

Does America hand build cars anymore?

[@martyzielinski2469]

Have we “hand built” cars any time after 1910?

[@m42037]

In Europe they did, RR and Bentley and I'm sure sports cars in Italy too

[@zekeonstormpeak4186]

Only 2 years later, Chrysler would get rid of the Desoto line.

[@manhoot]

Jefferson avenue was already outdated by this film

[@m42037]

And not many years later the hoods moved in and destroyed the city and gutted this plant to a shthole. Sad all the history gone

[@rickg.5171]

Poor quality, but damn nice looking automobiles.

[@0001943]

Yikes, workers in the spray area with no masks!

[@m42037]

Yikes you need glasses!! The masks are black or dark blue look again! Smh

[@hebneh]

@@m42037 These man may be wearing dark-colored masks, but there's a famous clip of the Mustang production line used as the background for Martha and the Vandellas lip-synching their hit song "Nowhere to Run". The painters there are definitely NOT wearing any masks, and that was shot 5 years after this DeSoto promo film.

[@m42037]

@@hebneh Prove it

[@somersetdc]

1959 DeSoto was an attractive car. But if you want to see a grotesque car....check out the 1961 DeSoto, the last, and only partial year for DeSoto. One of the ugliest cars ever made anywhere.

[@throughmyeyes9940]

junk, junk and more detroit junk

[@m42037]

Today is just bland plastic jellybean cars

[@throughmyeyes9940]

@@m42037 maybe true for some, but at least they' aren't rattling rust buckets with less that no passenger protection thrown together by drunks