mod@tech

This 1960 DeSoto Fireflite two-door hardtop was modified and refurbished under previous ownership from 2009 to 2018 and was acquired by the seller in 2020. The custom bodywork is finished in turquoise over two-tone white and turquoise upholstery, and power is supplied by a 361ci V8 paired with a push-button three-speed automatic transmission. Equipment includes Holley Sniper fuel injection, an airbag suspension system, four-wheel disc brakes, 15″ steel wheels, wheel covers, whitewall tires, a power-adjustable front bench seat, air conditioning, electric door openers, and an Apple CarPlay–capable Kenwood head unit. Modifications adapted under current ownership include the brakes, fuel injection, air conditioning, head unit, and LED headlights. This modified DeSoto is now offered with build records and photos, service records, and a clean Maryland title in the seller’s name.

Under previous ownership, the body was disassembled, sanded, and modified with shaved door handles, trunk and hood trim, side trim, reverse lights, and license-plate lights. The front fenders were molded into the rocker panels and cowl, and the hood corners were rounded. The factory headlight location was tunneled and fitted with quad Harley-Davidson LED headlights, and a 2003 Ford F-150 grille housing was molded into the metal. Grille parts from a 1956 Chrysler Windsor were mounted inside the front opening, while 1961 Imperial taillight bezels were modified to affix 1959 Cadillac taillights on custom stanchions. The front bumper was sourced from a 1961 Buick LeSabre, the chrome rear bumper was moved approximately 2″ closer to the body, and the license-plate opening was trimmed and modified. The right-front headlight is misaligned, and the windshield wipers have been removed.

In 2016, a custom shade of turquoise was mixed by Matthew Means of Anaheim Rod and Custom in California using House of Kolor Shimrin 2 with seafoam sealer and a blend of iced mint pearl. The body was applied with 18 coats of paint followed by three coats of clearcoat before being wet-sanded and applied with an additional three coats of clearcoat. The roof, C-pillars, and rocker panels were painted pearl white, while white accents outlined in black were applied to the hood. Additional equipment includes front vent windows, a driver-side mirror, and dual exhaust outlets exiting ahead of the rear wheels. The seller notes the driver’s door popper function is inoperable.

Body-color 15″ steel wheels are fitted with covers and wrapped in 215/75 Coker Classic whitewall tires. A spare is housed in the trunk. The suspension is fitted with adjustable airbags, and braking is handled by four-wheel discs with an electric vacuum pump. Blemishes are noted on the wheel covers.

The cabin was reupholstered in white vinyl with turquoise inserts on a 1961 Chrysler power-adjustable front seat as well as the rear bench seat and the door panels. Replacement black carpeting has also been installed, and additional equipment includes air conditioning, a heater, a dash-mounted rearview mirror, bright headliner supports, and lap seatbelts. A Kenwood head unit with Apple CarPlay functionality is located in a custom enclosure, and a Holley Sniper control unit is positioned on the dashboard.

The two-spoke steering wheel fronts a horizontal-sweep 120-mph speedometer above twin pods containing auxiliary gauges as well as buttons for gear selection and other functions. The mechanical odometer has been removed, and true chassis mileage is unknown. The seller estimates that 5k miles have been added under current ownership.

The 361ci V8 has been modified with a Holley Sniper fuel-injection kit and sends power to the rear wheels via a three-speed TorqueFlite push-button automatic transmission. The engine was rebuilt in September 2019 with aluminum cylinder heads.

Additional photos of the underside are provided in the gallery below, and corrosion is noted on some underbody components.

Photos taken during various stages of the build can be viewed in the gallery.

This hot rod roadster is built on a 1932 Ford-style rolling chassis from TCI Engineering and features bodywork constructed from steel and mahogany strips. Power comes from a fuel-injected Model A inline-four, which was built by JMS Racing Engines of El Monte, California, and features a reproduction Riley four-port cylinder head. Other equipment includes a Tremec five-speed manual gearbox, electronic ignition, vented front disc brakes, a fiberglass track nose, dropped front axle, rear coilovers, staggered-diameter wire wheels, and Speedster-style seats. The car was previously listed on BaT in October 2019 and acquired by the seller later that year. This Ford hot rod is now offered with a clean Missouri title listing the car as a 1929 Ford.

The TCI chassis was built in the early 2000s and later fitted with custom bodywork that incorporates a series of steel ribs welded to the chassis and covered with Honduran mahogany strips. The wood strips were steamed to form over the ribs and are secured with stainless-steel screws. The body was finished with a polyurethane oil, and metalwork includes a tail panel, louvered frame rail covers, and an engine-turned firewall. The fiberglass track-style nose is from Speedway Motors, and the car is also equipped with 1937 Ford-style taillights and front cycle fenders.

Powder-coated Vintique wire wheels measure 16″ up front and 17″ out back and are mounted with 5.50 and 7.50 Firestone blackwall tires, respectively. A dropped front axle and rear coilovers are equipped.

Speedster-style bucket seats are trimmed in black leather with green piping and equipped with latch-and-link belts

A leather-wrapped steering wheel fronts a Moon tachometer that is mounted to an Ididit steering column. A wood dashboard houses a metal dash panel with Classic Instruments gauges including a 140-mph speedometer and auxiliary gauges. The odometer shows 2,700 miles, approximately 200 of which were added under current ownership.

The Model A inline-four was built by JMS Racing Engines, and the reproduction Riley four-port head was rebuilt by Dick Crawford of Donovan Engineering in Torrance, California. The engine is equipped with Aeromotive electronic fuel injection, a counter-balanced crankshaft, a high-performance camshaft, electronic ignition, an alternator conversion, and a 12-volt electrical system.

Power is sent to the rear wheels via a Tremec five-speed manual gearbox with a hydraulic clutch and lightened flywheel. The underside of the chassis has been reinforced with fiberglass.

This 1929 Ford Model A was purchased as a project chassis by the seller in 2022 and was subsequently the subject of a custom build, which included fabricating a speedster-style aluminum body with riveted hand-formed panels over a steel tube frame as well as engine-turned dashboard and firewall panels and faux wood-plank flooring. The chassis was overhauled during the build and retains 1929 Model A frame rails, suspension, and brake components. Power is provided by an overhauled 201ci L-head inline-four, and additional features include a three-speed manual transmission, brown leather-upholstered low-back seats, a side-hinged rear cargo door, an aluminum fuel tank, a side-exit exhaust pipe, and a 1930-style radiator and grille shell as well as a 12-volt battery and electrical components. This Model A Speedster is now offered at no reserve with a conditional Georgia title.

Fabricated aluminum body panels are riveted together and attached to a custom steel tube structure over the 1929 Ford frame. The polished panels were cut, shaped, and assembled by the seller in 2022, and the body features a 1930-style grille shell, a fixed hood top panel, a hinged left-rear cargo door, black headlight assemblies, and dual taillights.

Black-finished 19″ wire-spoke wheels are mounted with Lucas tires and chrome dust caps. The car rides on transverse leaf springs front and rear, and braking is handled by lever-actuated drums that were overhauled during the build according to the seller.

The cockpit features a custom-fabricated steel seat assembly comprised of dual low-back seats upholstered in brown leather along with dual cupholders. The floor panels were fabricated using plywood covered in fiberglass as well as a faux wood-plank finish topped with clear epoxy. A black diamond-plate panel covers the battery storage compartment at the driver’s feet, and each seat is accompanied by a red lap belt.

The four-spoke steering wheel front an engine-turned dash panel housing an 80-mph GPS speedometer and an amperage gauge. The digital odometer does not work, and the speedometer is not calibrated. Total mileage is unknown.

The 201ci L-head inline-four was serviced and fitted with a replacement head gasket in 2022. The magneto housing was replaced, and modern V8-style points were installed along with a 12-volt starter and 100-amp one-wire alternator. Oil and coolant leaks are noted.

Power is sent to the rear wheels through a sliding-gear three-speed manual transmission. The seller notes that the rear axle and transmission fluids were serviced in 2022.

The Georgia title is marked with a “Contitional” notation.