The 1946 DeSoto Diplomat (and Dodge Kingsway and Plymouth) were the same in 1946 and 1947. In 1948 the main change was going from 16" to 15" wheels, and in Canada they also changed the compression ratio of the engine from 6,50 to 6.70. As well, the same car was sold as a first-series 1949 model in the U.S. So, not much changed from year to year.
The Australian Chrysler importer, Chrysler Dodge Distributors (Australia) Pty Ltd., imported the chassis with engine, etc., and had the bodies built by T.J. Richards Pty. Ltd., Adelaide, South Australia. Chrysler purchased Chrysler Dodge Distributors and T.J. Richards in 1951, combining the two into Chrysler Australia Limited.
The only sure way to tell a 1946 from 1947 from 1948 (and from 1949 in the U.S.) is by the serial number. Export Plymouths and their cousins were built in Detroit, Michigan and Windsor, Ontario. The DeSoto Diplomat were built with Plymouth serial numbers and modified model numbers (they put an "S" in front of the Plymouth number).
The Australian Chrysler importer, Chrysler Dodge Distributors (Australia) Pty Ltd., imported the chassis with engine, etc., and had the bodies built by T.J. Richards Pty. Ltd., Adelaide, South Australia. Chrysler purchased Chrysler Dodge Distributors and T.J. Richards in 1951, combining the two into Chrysler Australia Limited.
The only sure way to tell a 1946 from 1947 from 1948 (and from 1949 in the U.S.) is by the serial number. Export Plymouths and their cousins were built in Detroit, Michigan and Windsor, Ontario. The DeSoto Diplomat were built with Plymouth serial numbers and modified model numbers (they put an "S" in front of the Plymouth number).
The American-built Plymouth used Chrysler's 'small' block flathead 6 with a 3.25" bore and 4.375" stroke for 217.8-cid. The Canadian-built Plymouth used Chrysler 'large' block flathead 6 with a 3.375" bore and 4.0625" stroke for 218.1-cid.
The November 2001 issue of the British publication. "The Automobile", shows a photo on page 61 sent in from a reader from Australia, It is captioned as a "US-built Mercury", but it is clearly an Australian market DeSoto Diplomat. The body has the "balloony" roof, slanted (and larger) front quarter panes, larger windshield, rounded side window openings in the doors, and rounded lower trunk edge.
But you can tell it is a DeSoto by the vertical bars in the grille, the DeSoto emblem on the trunk lid (above the brake light) and the "DeSoto" script just above the grille opening on the left side. There is another postwar Plymouth/ Dodge/ DeSoto beside it, but they do not show either the front or rear of the car. The DeSoto appears to have the emblem on the hood, although what condition it is in, I cannot tell. The caption says the reader found the cars on a farm in Cooma.
The Diplomat was not sold in Canada or the continental U.S. (it was sold in Hawaii prior to its admission as a state and also in Mexico, though).
The November 2001 issue of the British publication. "The Automobile", shows a photo on page 61 sent in from a reader from Australia, It is captioned as a "US-built Mercury", but it is clearly an Australian market DeSoto Diplomat. The body has the "balloony" roof, slanted (and larger) front quarter panes, larger windshield, rounded side window openings in the doors, and rounded lower trunk edge.
But you can tell it is a DeSoto by the vertical bars in the grille, the DeSoto emblem on the trunk lid (above the brake light) and the "DeSoto" script just above the grille opening on the left side. There is another postwar Plymouth/ Dodge/ DeSoto beside it, but they do not show either the front or rear of the car. The DeSoto appears to have the emblem on the hood, although what condition it is in, I cannot tell. The caption says the reader found the cars on a farm in Cooma.
The Diplomat was not sold in Canada or the continental U.S. (it was sold in Hawaii prior to its admission as a state and also in Mexico, though).
DeSoto Diplomat circa 1947 in Kosambi (Bandung)
Source :
http://www.allpar.com/
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