Jim:

I think you are right. I don't recall ever seeing a De Soto Diplomat in Canada, or a Dodge Kingsway for that matter. We built both the Plymouth-based Dodges and the U.S.-style miodels as well. Generally the Plymouth-based models were called Deluxe and Special Deluxe and the bigger car was called the Custom - at least through 1953. I think Mayfair first appeared in 1954.

I saw De Soto Diplomats in the RSA and other parts of Africa and the U.K., so i am sure they were export models only.

Rex - the DeSoto Diplomats and Dodge Kingsway/Mayfair, etc. conversions were built in both the US and Canada - but these variants were never sold in the U.S.  Living close to the Canadian border, I remember seeing the Dodge versions but not the DeSoto's - I think those all went overseas....

Thats real nice Rex Il love that grill it would look great on a sled!! thanks for all ya help i tried to load up a pic of mine but the file was to large i'll send ya one when i put it back together!!

to ups business     theres no need to be sorry perhaps i worded my reply wrong,yes they were based on the US Plymouth, but according to the  PLYMOUTH DESOTO STORY the diplomat was not specific to Australia. They were ass in Canada and US mainly for export in left and right hand drive ,depending on which country they were going to ,i might be wrong on this but i also understood  that they were also released on to the local domestic market in canada and US .    When production of the 54s finished in north America the Aussies took over the dies and produced there own diplomat in 1956, with very little change from the US and Canadian models.The main ones being the aussie ones were a 12v lucas system plus they also produced a UTE version

Quote from: elmo54 on September 24, 2006, 02:28:48 AM
sorry its not a aussie based plymouth this car according to all the docomentation and numbers that ihave is a detroit assembled  export model.

My intentions weren't to claim they were built down under, but that they are specific to Australia and based on American made plymouth models of the time. Sorry for the misconception.

I love the grille change. I especially like how the chrome belt wraps under the headlight.

I LIKE THAT CAR!!!!!  ;D


Cliff54

sorry its not a aussie based plymouth this car according to all the docomentation and numbers that ihave is a detroit assembled  export model. i also used to own a 56 aussie assembled diplomat that had been cut into a pickup that was very simalar to this car apart from a few minor differences ie some exterior trim and the aussie car was 12 volts .most plymouth cars that were imported into New Zealand were either rebadged as a chrysler, desoto or dodge with very little change to them apart from changing the name badges. i also restored  a 1937 plymouth bodied chrysler afew years ago and the only difference from a plymouth was it had opening quarter windows and upgraded interior trim and of course badges        Rex

cool! love those aussie plymouth based cars. more pics!

 ;Dhi its taken awhile but heres a pic of my plymouth bodied desoto diplomat its pure plymouth apart from the grill name badges and the hood emblem i have just tried to send this a little while ago but it didnt work so here goes again  Rex