The 1930 DeSoto was a mid-range car, so it was ahead of its lower-end Dodge and Plymouth cousins.
Very few 1930 DeSotos survive in 2024—and even fewer survive with Super Six power.
Jerry Sutherland
Dean Elliot is the creative force behind this unique ’30 DeSoto. He’s a veteran car builder, so he knows how to build cars from scratch. He mapped out a plan for his DeSoto based on a low-cost budget and lots of free stuff.
The first thing he decided was to not simply plunk a small block Chevy in the DeSoto. Dean’s a dare-to-be-different guy, so that path wasn’t an option. Instead, he found a Super Six (slant six) in a donor 1976 Plymouth Volare.
His concept was simple—build for comfort–not speed within a small budget. Dean stuck to that plan because this 225 cubic inch slant six had a one-barrel carburetor, so he did update the intake system with one he had “lying around since the 80s”. He also had some headers, so they went on the DeSoto–plus it has a gated exhaust now. Dean said, “It has a really neat sound now”—although he’s more of a closed exhaust guy when he’s on the road.
Dean added a Mustang II front end and disc brakes all around because he wanted his DeSoto to handle light years better than a stock DeSoto.
The car also has a lot of gently used parts to make it one-of-one in the world. For example, Dean rescued the bent grille from a farmer and then he decided the accidental art piece gave the DeSoto a Darth Vader look—hence the nickname he gave the car. He also added a cowcatcher to hide the rack-and-pinion setup.
Dean’s DeSoto has a factory sunroof, thanks in part to how the roof was constructed at the factory. It’s open now and Dean worried about the structural integrity of the wood frame, so he welded in a steel frame for more strength. The windshield doesn’t open anymore thanks to Dean’s search for more rigidity.
Dean is the ultimate recycler, so he found four matching tractor seats and added Land Rover backs to create something never seen before in a 1930 DeSoto—or any car. The suitcases in the car were all found in houses slated for demolition. One of them is a hidden tool case.
The treasure chest on the back of the car hides a fuel cell—Dean explained how “gas is almost more valuable than gold” so the concept makes sense. He’s been stopped by the police a few times, but they only wanted to see the engine because the back end made them curious about the front end.
The taillights were scavenged from a 1956 Plymouth and the signal lights were found on a 60s era Mopar—they were originally fender-mounted signal light indicators.
There are many other pieces to this 1930 DeSoto puzzle, including the 1970 Chrysler 300 steering wheel and the ’39 DeSoto badge mounted on the visor of the car, but the key question is how does it drive?
Dean said it’s remarkably tame for a car that looks like a hardcore rat rod but he’s very comfortable in the car. His daughter isn’t so enthusiastic, so she doesn’t want her kids riding in the car.
Dean sneaks them into the DeSoto because he’s the cool Grandpa—not the rules Grandpa.
What kid could resist a run in Darth Vader?
Jerry Sutherland
By: Jerry Sutherland
Jerry Sutherland is a veteran automotive writer with a primary focus on the collector car hobby. His work has been published in many outlets and publications, including the National Post, Calgary Herald, Edmonton Journal, Ottawa Citizen, Montreal Gazette, Saskatoon StarPhoenix, Regina Leader-Post, Vancouver Sun and The Truth About Cars. He is also a regular contributor to Auto Roundup Publications.
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