It’s time to swallow a hard pill: although the ’57 Chevy is a classic, it’s not that exciting to see one anymore. Not a car show goes by without a handsome example of the American classic on display. If you want something really special that catch a lot of attention, get this ’57 DeSoto Firesweep Sportsman Coupe.
A highlight of Chrysler’s Forward Look design campaign from the ’50s, the Firesweep was the entry-level model in the DeSoto lineup at the time. The car offered a 122-inch wheelbase and was sold in two- and four-door body styles, as well as a station wagon.
This example was one of the last models built for the 1957 model year, and was fitted with a 345 hp (257 kW/350 PS) hemi V8 with duel four-barrel carbs and a three-speed manual transmission.
Read: Go Back To Future With These 1950s GM Motorama Dream Cars That Escaped Destruction
Oddly, the buyer optioned it without a radio or a heater, and fitted it with manual brakes and steering. That likely made this a rocket in a straight line when it was sold new to an owner on the West Coast.
Since then, this Firesweep Sportsman Coupe was given a body-off restoration by specialist Bob Schmidt. The car is now finished in a striking combination of Dusty Orange and Black, with chrome and gold-plated trim. Inside, vinyl seats with cloth inserts are designed to match the exterior.
Since being restored, the car has driven only 12 miles (19 km), due in no small part to the fact that it has been on display in the Gateway Automobile Museum in Colorado since 2013. That means that it is in show-quality condition today.
Offered for sale without reserve at Broad Arrow’s Monterey Jet Center Auction 2023, the car is expected to go for between $75,000 and $100,000.
